Backcountry Skiing - Skills for Ski Touring and Ski Mountaineering

Backcountry Skiing is a practical and comprehensive skills guide for skiers, including guidance for ski touring and ski mountaineering. The guide is written by a team of ski mountaineering experts who provide expert guidance on traditional mountaineering skills in high-Alpine environments. Individual chapters are dedicated to Gear and Equipment, Decision-Making in Avalanche Terrain, Navigation, Uphill Movement (“skinning”), Transitions, Ski Mountaineering Techniques, Downhill skiing techniques, Taking Care of Yourself and the Mountains, the Mountain Environment and Rescue Techniques and Emergency Preparedness. Each chapter provides detailed advice, guidance and recommendations on a comprehensive range of subjects and is often accompanied by diagrams and black and white photographs to illustrate the skills described in the text. The guide provides for both intermediate and advanced techniques for ski touring and mountaineering, including skills for mastering uphill travel and information on constructing emergency shelters and sleds. A resources appendix also lists contact details and other information for a range of ski and mountain based organisations such as avalanche centres, avalanche and weather publications, climbing and mountaineering, technical specifications and the mechanics of climbing, navigation, training and nutrition, wilderness first aid, emergency phone numbers and other relevant Alpine organisations.