Advanced Switchback Techniques

(Last Updated On: January 15, 2013)

Bumping an older post…

Sometimes doing the splits as I showed in my previous blog post is a little uncomfortable, not to mention difficult to balance. For those occasions, it’s a good thing if you don’t have twin-tips and know the tail-stab technique. Step one is to go as far as possible past the point where you want to turn. In this case, I’m setting up to turn to my right.

Next, turn your inside ski, but instead of being all spread out in the splits, angle the ski tail downwards and sink it into the snow under your stationary ski. It should look like this:

My right ski is under my left ski. It cannot slide down the mountain, and with my feet fairly close together, it’s a fairly comfortable stance, not to mention balanced. The next step is to kick the other leg up and around to be parallel with the other ski in the new direction. This can be a little difficult, as the ski tip of the second ski will try to hang up on the snow as you swing it around. A subtle kick with the heel will position the ski tip upwards, and then you just turn your leg.

This technique feels utterly and completely awkward at first, but with practice comes as naturally as walking in a straight line.

A special thanks to my friends Jon and Jack for showing me this one. Word on the street is that they learned the technique from a splitboarder. I’m not sure if that’s cool, or sad 😉

Frank Konsella

Frank loves snow more than anything... except his wife.  He ensures his food is digested properly by chewing it 32 times before swallowing.He is a full-time real estate agent serving Crested Butte and Gunnison and would be honored to send you his monthly newsletter.

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Frank Konsella

Frank loves snow more than anything... except his wife.    He ensures his food is digested properly by chewing it 32 times before swallowing. He is a full-time real estate agent serving Crested Butte and Gunnison and would be honored to send you his monthly newsletter.

3 thoughts on “Advanced Switchback Techniques

  • January 15, 2013 at 11:47 am
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    It is a good tip and I’ve used this technique quite often, but I find it very dangerous (and difficult to use) in hard snow/ice. Good for when touring deep stuff!

    Morroi

  • January 15, 2013 at 12:23 pm
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    Absolutely, Morroi- soft snow only! Hope you’re having a better snow year in the Pyrenees than we are here!

  • January 15, 2013 at 12:54 pm
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    26” in the last 24h in Baqueira Beret (Spain)… and more snow on its way. I guess we won’t be hitting the backcountry anytime soon. 5/5 in the avalanche danger scale for the next days. Definitely touring/backcountry skiing is more suited to spring and corn than to winter in the Pyrenees….
    Oh well!

    Cheers!

    Morroi!

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