| What it is | Climbing uphill on skis with skins |
| Grip from | Climbing skins on the ski bases |
| Motion | Slide skis forward (don't lift), heel free |
| At corners | Kick turns |
Skinning is the technique of ascending snow-covered slopes on skis (or a splitboard) using climbing skins attached to the ski bases for grip, sliding the skis forward rather than lifting them. With the heel free in touring mode, you glide uphill efficiently, using kick turns at switchbacks. Skinning is how ski tourers and splitboarders climb to earn their descents.
The uphill engine
It uses climbing skins and kick turns — the core skill of ski touring and splitboarding.
Frequently asked questions
What is skinning?
Skinning is climbing uphill on skis using climbing skins — grippy strips on the ski bases that allow the ski to slide forward but not backward. With your heel free in touring mode, you stride and glide up the slope rather than lifting each ski, which is far more efficient than walking through deep snow.
How do you skin uphill efficiently?
Keep your skis on the snow and slide them forward instead of stepping up, take a comfortable stride, weight the skins to maximize grip, use heel risers on steeper pitches to ease calf strain, and set a moderate skin-track angle, using kick turns at switchbacks. Smooth, gliding movement saves energy over a long climb.
Do you need special gear to skin?
Yes — touring or alpine touring bindings that free the heel for climbing, climbing skins sized to your skis, and boots with a walk mode help greatly. Splitboarders skin on their split halves. You also need avalanche gear and training for any avalanche terrain you skin into.
Sources
- Skinning technique — The Mountaineers
- Uphill travel — American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education