Key takeaways
- Scree is small, loose rock and gravel on a slope that slides underfoot.
- It forms from freeze-thaw weathering and rockfall breaking slopes into small fragments.
- Scree is smaller and looser than talus (which is large, steppable blocks).
- Ascending scree is tiring (you slide back); descending can be done by 'scree skiing' in control.
From Old Norse 'skritha' (landslide).
What scree is and how it forms
Scree is an accumulation of small, loose rock fragments and gravel on a slope, formed as freeze-thaw weathering and rockfall break the rock above into small pieces that collect below. Because the fragments are small and unconsolidated, scree is mobile — it shifts and slides whenever you put weight on it.
Scree vs talus
The distinction from talus is size: scree is small and slides underfoot, while talus is made of large blocks you step across. That makes scree unstable to ascend but quick to descend. See scree vs talus.
Descending a deep scree slope, a mountaineer ‘scree skis’ — plunging heels-first in a controlled slide that covers ground fast — then watches their spacing so the rocks they kick loose don’t tumble onto partners below.
Traveling scree
Uphill, scree is exhausting because each step slides back; kick in steps, stay balanced, and seek firmer ground at the edges. Downhill, the plunge-step ‘scree ski’ is efficient where the rock is deep. Either way, manage rockfall risk to anyone below. Scree near glaciers grades into moraine deposits.
The bottom line
Scree is the loose, small-rock rubble of the mountains — exhausting to climb as it slides away beneath you, but quick to descend with a controlled scree-ski plunge-step. Know it apart from blocky talus, manage rockfall risk to those below, and scree fields become a normal, if tiring, part of off-trail mountain travel.
Frequently asked questions
What is scree?
Scree is a mass of small, loose rock fragments and gravel covering a slope or piled at its base, produced by weathering and rockfall breaking down the rock above. Because the pieces are small and unconsolidated, scree shifts and slides when you step on it.
What's the difference between scree and talus?
Size and stability. Scree is small, loose rock that slides underfoot; talus is made of large blocks big enough to step across. Scree is unstable to walk on but can be descended quickly by sliding; talus is more stable but punishing if a block tips. See our scree vs talus comparison.
How do you hike up and down scree?
Uphill, scree is tiring because each step slides back — kick in steps, keep weight balanced, and zigzag or follow firmer ground at the edges. Downhill, you can 'scree ski': plunge-step heels-first in a controlled slide where the rock is deep and loose. Watch for dislodging rock onto people below.
Sources
- Mountain landforms — USGS
- Mountain travel skills — The Mountaineers