Canada's Kylee Toth relishes uphill battle of 'punishing' ski mountaineering ahead of its Olympics debut

For many people, skiing uphill sounds like nothing more than, well, an uphill battle.

But for Cochrane, Alta., native Kylee Toth, gliding upwards on a mountain for hours at a time — also known as the sport of ski mountaineering — is where she finds her sense of peace.

"There is this sort of flow state. Beautiful places that you can be in that many people never see in their lifetime, and that's why I have stayed in this sport for so long … there's nothing like it," Toth told CBC Sports.

Toth, who currently sits 36th on the World Cup Provisional Ranking making her the highest ranked Canadian woman, is also quick to acknowledge the physical demands of the sport.

"It's really really punishing, I'm not gonna lie. The entire sport is uphill," she said. "It's like a super long hill sprint. You're running right at your anaerobic threshold and then at the top, you have to collect yourself quickly, pull your skins off and race down the hill as fast as you can."

WATCH | Toth discusses ski mountaineering's inclusion at 2026 Winter Games:

Kylee Toth talks ski mountaineering at Milano Cortina 2026

Previously a competitive speedskater, Toth first hit the slopes in Canmore, Alta., to continue her athletic training following her retirement from the ice.

"I liked the challenge, and something struck a chord, so I just kept ticking away at it. It's really turned into an absolute passion that is in every aspect of my life," she said.

At 41 years old, Toth is currently the oldest woman on the World Cup circuit. For this, she calls herself an anomaly.

"It doesn't actually favour an older physiology. How I'm kind of still doing it is I think is because of the speed skating background," Toth said.

The inclusion of the sport at the upcoming