Park City athlete Griffin Briley leads national rankings for Ski Mountaineering

Photo: USA Skimo

PARK CITY, Utah — Park City High School senior and Park City Ski and Snowboard Team (PCSS) Skimo athlete Griffin Briley is ranked as the top U-20 male American competitor after winning the first race of the season held in Colorado. Griffin took a 1st, a 2nd, and a 3rd in different disciplines at last season’s World Championships in Europe as a U18.

The sport of Ski Mountaineering (Skimo) will make its Olympic debut in Cortina-Milan in 2026. Unofficial chairlift chats have begun throughout Park City about speculations of where the Wasatch Skimo Olympic events would be held if Salt Lake City is awarded the 2034 Olympics.

Briley has plans to graduate from Park City High a semester early to focus on his thriving international Skimo competitive career. 

His coach, Adam Loomis, told TownLift, “It’s no surprise Griff’s the current points leader. He’s focusing heavily on training and attending every competition that he can. He’s got a lot of good racing ahead this season, in which he is primed and ready to do quite well.” 

Wesley Perkins is another Parkite on the Skimo National Team, and Ethan Romer is another Utahn to watch.

Other PCSS Skimo athletes with high-ranking national points:

• Bryce Ostermiller, U-20, male, 2nd in points
• Massamilianno Zaniello, U-16, male, 2nd in points
• Owen Crabdall, U-18, male, 4th in points
• Izzy Crandal, U-16, female, 3rd in points
• Oscar Sattlemeier, U-two16, male, 3rd in points

If Parkites want to try this new sport, register for the Town Series held at the Utah Olympic Park on Jan 26, Feb. 15, March 8, and April 5, 2024.  

The International Skimo Federation (ISFM) is based in Italy, and USA Skimo is in Colorado. 

The next steps for Briley and his teammates listed above are races this winter on Jan. 6, 7 at Nordic Valley, Utah, then on to New Mexico and Montana before returning to Utah’s famous Wasatch Powderkeg Competition at Brighton Resort on March 1, 2, 2024, to try to claim the title of Skimo National Champion.

What is Skimo? Here’s a video explainer.