Skinning Technique

What goes down must first go up.
Efficient skinning technique will allow you to get more turns in the backcountry. Like most things, the more often you do them the better you get. The following pointers should steepen your learning curve.

Two keys to good skinning
Before you get started remember two things:

• First, when the skins are flat and your body is directly over your feet your traction is maximized
• Second, skins are meant to slide forward

Expanding on these dynamics, efficient skinning comes from having as much skin on the snow directly under your feet as possible with each step. When skinning uphill a key is getting on top of your one foot when stepping off the other - the better you become at being able to stand over your board half immediately after each step, the better your skins will grip and the less slipping you will have. We recommend taking smaller steps on steeper slopes and pushing off one foot to the next a little to allow your body to get on top of that uphill board half sooner.

Secondly, your skins slide forward. This means that you rarely have to lift your board half off the snow while skinning; instead you can slide it into the next step (similar to cross-country skiing). This saves valuable energy. On flatter sections you can increase your glide and cover terrain considerably faster than you can by walking.

If you work on these two dynamics, together with the additional information below, you will become a better skinner and�.well�you'll ride more powder.

Using your poles
Correct pole use is critical to skinning. They help your balance, and reduce the weight and exertion on your legs. Correct technique requires that you use your right arm and pole in unison with your left leg and vise versa. On your pole plant your elbow should be at approximately 90 degrees; on sidehill traverses we recommend chocking up on the uphill pole so that your maintain a 90 degree elbow angle.

Picking your line
When traversing uphill you will want to choose a line that is neither too steep, too flat nor too dangerous. The most efficient uphill angles while ascending are approximately 15 - 20 degrees. Avoid skinning in open avalanche bowls, under conices, and convex false summits as these are all avalanche prone areas - stick to the trees and gentler, less avalanche prone slopes where possible.

Quite often nowadays a skin track is already established wherever you will be splitboarding - if so, it is usually more efficient to follow this (unless the track setter did not know what he/she was doing of course).

Body Position
It is important to stand as upright as possible when skinning. Proper posture keeps you over board halves, reduces back and body fatigue and improves breathing.

Breathing
Slow steady rhythmic breathing is a key to skinning. If you start breathing too quickly, slow down - it's not a race. Remember that everyone's pace is different. Finding your correct pace is something gained from experience - the more you become aware of "your" pace the better your backcountry experience will be.

Kick Turn
It is often necessary to zig-zag back and forth when ascending, therefore, learning correct technique for kick turns is critical for a good skinner.

As you approach a switchback, go past it about 1/2 stride to allow you to step laterally instead of uphill. Keeping your weight on your lower leg and pole you then want to spin your uphill board half around 180 degrees into the incline; as this board half comes down you then want to quickly transfer all your weight to this half and bring your other board half around in the same direction quickly and stand on it with equal weight once it comes down. Proper body positioning on top of your board halves and keeping your board halves as flat as possible is key during these turns. Poles are also a great help in a kickturn and this is one of the only places where you will find yourself using your lower pole in unison with your lower leg.

Food for thought: we recommend mastering this technique on smaller inclines first.

Crampons
Crampons are recommended mainly for sun exposed slopes and icy spring conditions where the snow is so hard it makes skins inefficient. Proper crampon technique is similar to skinning without the benefits of the glide.

Have fun, be safe, enjoy the ride.

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