You should set a steep skin track. Skinning straight uphill will give you valuable experience for your life ahead. You will intimidate rivals so they leave your zone for your tribe. If lucky, you might attract a high quality mate to improve your lineage. Steep skins tracks are the modern version of fighting a saber tooth tiger. Those who push the boundaries of skinning will go farther in life. Without steep skin tracks, us Sapiens would still be fetching bananas for chimpanzees.
But what if you’re over 25 years old? What if you already have a high quality mate and you don’t need to intimidate rivals? Maybe you don’t give a rat’s ass about evolving and chimpanzees. You just want a nice, easy skin track to maximize your downhill skiing and avoid avalanches. If that’s you, below are some tips for a safe and efficient skin track.
Ascend the Safest Route
Even if the avalanche danger is low, stick to the lowest risk option. Here we’re crossing an avalanche runout one at a time to continue ascending in the trees. Icefall Lodge, British Columbia, Canada.
Make it a habit to choose the safest route for your ascent. For example, set a skin track in the forest rather than open avalanche terrain, even during low avalanche danger. The safest ascent route is also on lower-angle terrain, away from ski runs where other skiers may trigger an avalanche on top of you. This habitual margin of safety may save you one day.
Make AVA Turns on Benches
AVA turn in the eastern Chugach Mountains, Alaska.
Despite your kick turn ability, it’s more efficient to not make kick turns. Kick turns are a waste of energy. They disrupt the flow of skinning and blip your heartrate.
Instead of kick turns, use the terrain to link together natural benches where you can make AVA turns. AVA is the shape your skins make as you step around a turn. You’ll find small benches for AVA turns atop boulders, on small shoulders or a below a tree. Your ability to link together these benches shows true terrain mastery. Challenge yourself to make the full ascent with no kick turns.
Track setting in thick trees is tough. Benches below trees make good places for turns. Rogers Pass, Canada.
Avoid Zig Zags
Plenty of terrain to avoid zig zags and not stack people on top of each other. Alaska Range.
Have you ever seen a mountain goat zig zag up a mountain? Probably not. Neither does the mindful backcountry skier. Zig zag skin tracks have two big problems. First, they stack people above each other—a good way to avalanche the entire group. The second problem with zig zags is they waste energy on kick turns. Rather than zig zag, make long traverses to natural benches before each turn.
When you do make a turn, have a reason. Don’t make turns for a change of scenery. A good reason for a turn is you’ve reached a bench for the next long ascent trajectory. The other reason for a turn is to avoid a hazard ahead, such as a steepening slope or avalanche terrain above.
Like every rule, the no zig zag rule has exceptions. For example, a broad ridge would dictate you zig zag to avoid the steeper terrain on either side. Likewise, skinning a gully leading to a pass only has room for zig zags or booting. Another exception would be zig-zags to create definition for skiing in flat light.
Sometimes the terrain dictates booting or zig-zags. Cathy Flanagan near Surprise Pass, Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada.
Ascend at an Easy Angle
Setting an easy angle so the group can relax on the ascent and make more runs. IFMGA Mountain Guide Mike Bromberg track setting in the Revelstoke backcountry, British Columbia, Canada.
The ideal track angle has your group vegging out; thinking about beer, powder, and other skier thoughts. You don’t hear your partners dropping f-bombs as they muscle up steep sections. Neither is your group grumbling about a flat track. Unless you’re in the middle of nowhere, your skin track may be used by hundreds of people, including beginners. Skin tracks for experts and beginners have the same attributes.
To set the ideal track angle, keep your heel lifters down and climb as steep as comfort allows. Heel lifters will tempt you to make a track that’s too steep. As the track packs down, it becomes more slippery. You want a magic slope angle number? There isn’t one.
Occasionally, a steep track is more efficient. Like on a frozen spring morning, when high heels allow you to climb straight uphill and engage more skin for grip. A narrow ridge is another exception; your only option is to boot or skin straight up the ridge.
Jeff Colegrave riding stilettos to engage maximum carpet on a hard spring crust in the Alaska Range.
Set a Consistent Track Angle
Joe working the terrain to maintain a consistent track angle in the Alaska Range. Photo by Chris Ball.
Tracks with a consistent ascent angle flow up the mountain like an inclined contour line. A consistent track will meander around ridges and into gullies, maintaining the same angle of ascent. The only place a consistent track angle can be a straight line is on a planar slope.
Making a consistent track angle is not intuitive; it requires practice. Perhaps the best way to learn this skill is blindfolded. On a steep and safe slope, pull your hat down over your eyes. With your heel lifters down, climb as steep as comfort allows. Feel the pressure of your shins against the boots, the tweak in your ankle, and the slip of your ski. You’ll set a better track blindfolded than with eyes open. With dedicated practice you’ll gain an intuitive feel of a consistent track angle that follows the terrain.
Using the terrain to keep a consistent track angle and avoid kick turns. IFMGA Mountain Guide Simon Meis at Rogers Pass, British Columbia, Canada.
Blindfolded skin track setting practice in the Western Chugach Mountains, Alaska. New backcountry skiers can set a more consistent track with their eyes closed than open.
Look Ahead
Good skinning technique includes dragging your toes to conserve energy, keeping your waist forward, and your head up, looking ahead for the route and hazards to avoid. Cathy Flanagan on the Haute Route Grand Lui with Mont Blanc and Grandes Jorasses behind, Switzerland.
Do you know what your skis look like? Good, now don’t look at them again. Look up! Take in your surroundings. Look for the route ahead and hazards to avoid. Look for benches to make AVA turns. If you see a turn approaching, look over your shoulder for the next track trajectory. Looking down at your skis gives you zero information. If the allure of your top sheets is too much, tape a photo of your detested politician on there.
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Learning to set a good skin track takes years of coaching and practice. That’s why it’s a major component of guide exams. Most of your backcountry day is spent going uphill, so it’s worth practicing uphill skills as much as downhill skills. It’s your signature on the snow that hundreds will follow. You may not evolve, but you will get in way more skiing.
Ski Track Setting Outline
Most backcountry ski time is spent going uphill.
Set a safe and efficient skin track for everyone.
Your track may be used by hundreds of people, including new skinners.
A good skin track for beginners is also a good skin track for experts.
Take the Lowest Risk Option
Make it a habit to ascend the lowest risk route.
Respect other skiers by ascending away from the ski runs.
Use a Low and Consistent Track Angle
Set a low angle skin track that is easy to ascend even when packed out.
Work the terrain to maintain a consistent track angle.
Heel lifters promote steep and unusable tracks. Instead, track setters should keep lifters down and then climb as steep as comfort allows.
Practice track setting blindfolded to feel a consistent angle.
Use Benches for AVA Turns
Kick turns are not efficient, no matter your skill level.
Aim for natural benches to make AVA turns.
Use the terrain to make long ascent legs before a turn.
Zig-zags are not efficient and stack people on top of each other.
If you’re going to make a turn, have a reason: either hazard or terrain.
Look Ahead
Look ahead for a route to avoid hazards.
Look ahead for benches to make AVA turns.
Look over your shoulder for the next track leg.
Set a Pace for the Group
Set a pace for everyone to stay within voice contact.
Keep the slowest person second, so the leader can model a good pace.