by Dr. Telemark, PhSki
More Techniques for Climbing Hills
Sidestepping is used mainly on steep, wide slopes. Begin
with the skis about a foot apart and across the face of
the hill. Plant the baskets of your poles just in front
of your toes. Move and plant the uphill pole directly
up the slope about a foot and a half. Then lift the uphill
ski and, keeping it parallel to the ground, move it up
the hill, set it down, and press the upper or outside
edge of the ski into the snow by rolling the ankle slightly
outwards. After you edge the uphill ski, continue to shift
your weight onto it. After most of your weight is on the
uphill ski, lift up the downhill ski, move it uphill the
same distance and set it down parallel to the uphill ski
and edge it into the hill. Lastly, pick up the downhill
pole and plant it in front of the re-positioned downhill
ski. To avoid slipping, only move one limb at a time.
Develop a rhythm: pole-leg-leg-pole, repeat.
The herringbone technique for climbing uphill is so called
because of the pattern of tracks it leaves. To begin the
herringbone, move the tips of the skis to the side when
you take a step so that the tails of the skis form a "v."
Maintain the "v" by keeping the toes of your
feet angled out to the side as you take additional steps.
As you place your foot on the ground, roll your ankle
in so that the inside edge of the ski bites into the snow.
As the angle of the slope increases, spread your ski
tips farther apart so that the mouth of the "v"
is more open. Don't bend forward at the waist when you
are herringboning up a hill. It will only cause you to
slip. To avoid this bad habit, take only a few steps at
a time and stop, rest and look around. The position your
body assumes as you look around is the correct one for
climbing. In other words, keep your back straight and
your head up!
The placement of the ski poles is very important. The
baskets should be planted well behind, i.e., downhill,
of your feet. The hands should be kept below the waist
and angled out to the side, so that the pole plants are
behind your body, not off to the side. Remember your poles
are used for pushing, not just balance, so they need to
be strategically placed to provide effective resistance.
To avoid slipping and to maximize the amount of slope
climbed per step, develop a rhythm and make sure to always
maintain a three-point stance. In other words, only move
one leg or one arm at a time. This way you are always
in a braced position and can't backslide. With practice
you can develop a nice rhythm that alternates arm and
leg and will eat the hills with little effort.
If you find yourself slipping or sliding backwards, you
have probably made one or more of these mistakes: 1) you
have taken too large a step; 2) your poles are not properly
positioned behind your body; and 3) the angle of the herringbone
is not wide enough.
