Key takeaways
- A glissade is a controlled slide down a snow slope to descend quickly.
- Done sitting or standing, using an ice axe to control speed and brake (self-arrest).
- NEVER glissade with crampons on — a catching crampon can break an ankle or cause a tumble.
- Only glissade slopes with a safe runout, the right snow, and no hidden hazards below.
From French 'glisser' (to slide).
This is general educational information, not a substitute for hands-on training. Practice glissading and self-arrest under qualified instruction.
What a glissade is
A glissade is a controlled slide down a snow slope — a fast, energy-saving way for mountaineers to descend snow they climbed up. It’s typically done as a sitting glissade (sliding on your backside) or a standing glissade (balanced upright, like skiing without skis), always with an ice axe in hand to control speed.
The technique
You control your speed and stop by dragging and digging the ice axe — the same motion as a self-arrest. Keeping speed in check and staying ready to arrest instantly is the heart of glissading safely.
At the top of a moderate snow slope with a clear, gentle runout and no rocks below, a mountaineer removes their crampons, sits, and glissades down — dragging the ice axe to keep a controlled speed — descending in minutes what took an hour to climb.
The safety rules
- Never glissade with crampons on — a caught point can break an ankle or cause a tumble.
- Only glissade safe slopes — right snow (not too hard/icy), a clear view of the whole slope, and a gentle runout with no rocks, cliffs, crevasses, or trees below.
- Keep the ice axe ready to self-arrest at all times.
The bottom line
A glissade is a fast, fun, energy-saving way to descend snow — and a genuinely dangerous one if done carelessly. The non-negotiable rules: take crampons OFF, keep your ice axe ready to self-arrest, and only slide slopes with the right snow and a clear, safe runout. Used with judgment, it's a valuable mountaineering skill; used carelessly, it causes serious accidents.
Frequently asked questions
What is a glissade?
A glissade is a controlled slide down a snow slope, used by mountaineers to descend quickly and save energy. You can glissade sitting down (sitting glissade) or standing up (standing glissade, like skiing without skis), using an ice axe to control your speed and stop yourself.
Why should you never glissade with crampons on?
Because if a crampon point catches in the snow while you're sliding, your foot stops abruptly while your body keeps moving — which can break an ankle or leg or send you into an uncontrolled tumble. Always remove crampons before glissading; it's one of the most important glissade safety rules.
When is it unsafe to glissade?
Don't glissade when the snow is too hard or icy to control or self-arrest on, when you can't see the entire slope and its runout, when the slope ends in rocks, cliffs, a crevasse, or trees, or where there's avalanche danger. A glissade should only be done on a slope you've assessed as safe with a clear, gentle runout.
Sources
- Snow travel & glissading — The Mountaineers
- Mountaineering safety — American Alpine Club