There are many situations in backcountry skiing: deep powder, mixed snow, forests, steep slopes… Each one ignites a strong competitive spirit and dopamine release, serving as the ultimate test of skiing skills.Having snowboarded in the backcountry for a few years, I always felt that the entry point was relatively simple; just shift your weight slightly back, and you’re good to go. In powder snow, if you switch to a swallowtail board, you don’t even need to consciously shift your weight back because those boards inherently have a very exaggerated setback stance and a tail that sinks easily. That feeling is indescribably exhilarating.
I snowboarded in Furano.
After learning both disciplines, I found myself deeply troubled by how to ski in the backcountry on skis. After each training session in Chongli, I would go to the mountains to test my skills, only to return disappointed. I always felt that skiing in the backcountry required similar tips as snowboarding, such as leaning back, or keeping the legs together, or some inner foot techniques. Unfortunately, every time I attended a training course, different instructors gave me the same negative feedback, saying there were no such tricks, and that it was just normal skiing.I learned both to gain the flexibility seen in videos of masters skiing on skis, but that goal always felt distant, leading me to ask myself two questions:
1. Have I learned skiing incorrectly?
2. Is skiing in the backcountry really harder than snowboarding?
This season, early in the snow season, I trained for ten days in Chongli with a New Zealand instructor. Last week during the New Year holiday, I experienced a week of continuous snowfall in Furano, skiing with friends from Billy White and JSKI. This opportunity allowed me to try backcountry skiing again, and for the first time, I felt the effortless and efficient wild snow skiing on skis. I was able to understand many of the questions that had confused me both theoretically and practically, and I want to share that with everyone.In an equestrian book, I came across a phrase – “Riding is the art of not falling“, which is also very applicable to skiing. Not falling = balance. Let’s think carefully about the differences in balance between snowboarding and skiing.#1 Longitudinal Balance in Snowboarding
Due to the different stance directions, we avoid using terms like “front-back balance” or “left-right balance”.Snowboarding achieves very stable triangular support through the standing position of the front and back feet, making longitudinal weight control very simple. It’s easy to shift your weight back a bit more or to the center.Two strong thighs provide a powerful lever arm for rotation. Even if the tail of the board is in the snow, it can generate significant torque to rotate the board for turning. When you turn to 90 degrees, it’s the familiar pushing/pulling motion, which makes speed control easier in snowboarding.
Maintain speed by always leaning back.
#2 Lateral Balance in SnowboardingLateral balance in snowboarding is relatively difficult and is a bottleneck for beginners. When you can’t edge, you just fall, fall, fall.It’s the same in the backcountry; people either lean forward and fall or sit back down. The reason is simple: the feedback from the snow in the backcountry is very different from that on groomed trails, and people are not used to it.
Sitting back down is very common.
#3 Lateral Balance in Skiing
Longitudinal balance means facing downhill.
Now let’s look at skiing. Because the two separate skis allow for easier lateral balance control, you can even use ski poles to help if something goes wrong. That’s why when you see people resting, skiers are usually standing while snowboarders are mostly sitting.
Snowboarders struggle to maintain balance when stationary and tend to sit when resting.
#4 Longitudinal Balance in SkiingThis is the most important and difficult aspect of skiing in the backcountry. With such long skis, the only part fixed in the middle is the boot, and rotation relies solely on one leg as the pivot. The lever arm for rotation is vastly inferior to snowboarding, and in extreme cases, there’s a risk of the skis detaching and knee injuries. Many beginners mistakenly believe that skiing in powder requires leaning back, which is entirely incorrect, as even a slight sinking of the tail in the snow makes turning very difficult.
This is very common, you could just sit down on a chair.
It’s the same on groomed trails; when your weight is back, it’s difficult to rotate the skis. However, in the complex conditions of the backcountry, various issues are magnified. You can barely turn on groomed trails, but in powder, you can’t turn at all.But for skiing in the backcountry, leaning forward will instantly lead to a fall, while leaning back, although unable to turn and tiring, at least allows you to move forward. Thus, those who lack the technique and struggle with longitudinal balance will choose to ski in the backseat.The biggest difference lies in the three-dimensional state in powder snow. The skis sink into the snow, requiring speed and patience to allow the snow to provide enough support for the skis. When the skis float above the surface, then you can rotate (turn). This is also why we see skilled skiers jumping in powder; that’s when their skis are floating above the snow.For more content on this part, refer to the technical article titled “Discussing Skiing Techniques in Deep Powder Snow” published on the WeChat account “Helicopter Skiing”, which provides a very detailed discussion.
The illustrations in that article vividly depict the state of skis in powder snow.
Continuing on how to achieve longitudinal balance on skis, everyone might recall how their instructors often remind them about stance issues, urging them not to lean back.However, on groomed trails, poor balance (leaning back) doesn’t feel that bad, so many people don’t deeply appreciate the importance of stance. In the backcountry, being behind makes it hard to turn, and leaning forward leads to immediate faceplants in the snow.In this technical point, skis have a very low tolerance for error, which is why skiing in the backcountry is harder than snowboarding.Skiing in the backcountry requires careful adjustment between leaning back and centering your weight, which is actually no different from on groomed trails. But if you can’t adjust your weight proficiently while skiing on groomed trails, you won’t be able to ski normally in the backcountry.Good stance requires strong core muscles, tensing the muscles without being mentally tense. This is truly not easy. I distinctly remember two mistakes during those days:The first day, I charged down a big slope with no one around, and the sensation of deep powder was very novel. I kept adjusting my body posture to feel the difference in weight distribution when suddenly my left ski was washed away by the powder, opening an angle with my right ski. Because my core and thighs weren’t tense enough, I watched helplessly as my left ski transformed from a small angle to a large angle, eventually leading to a spectacular fall into the snow.The second mistake occurred outside a wild snow gate. I was following the tracks of others down the cable car path but wanted to glide through the powder. My left leg went onto the track while my right leg remained in the powder. Within seconds, my body wasn’t tight enough, and my right leg was pulled away by the resistance of the powder, making me sit down and slide for over ten meters before stopping.Due to the nature of the movement, these two mistakes are hard to make while snowboarding. However, difficulty and advantages always go hand in hand; advantages and shortcomings never separate. Snowboarding is simple and pure, not reliant on others. Skiing is complex yet flexible and highly usable.On New Year’s Day, while skiing in the wild snow gate, I saw a foreigner who had fallen into a ditch and couldn’t move. I was the only one in the group on skis, so I had no height loss concerns. I skied down to pull him out of the ditch and took a few steps to return. If I had been snowboarding that day, I would have gone to rescue him but would have needed to expend a lot of extra effort to climb back up.
I snowboarded in Furano.
When I pulled him up, I didn’t expect him to say, “You saved my life!” It was just a small effort for me, but I felt that my improvement in skiing brought me closer to real mountain life, which made me a bit happy.The above are my reflections from this trip to Furano. I didn’t delve into many technical details of skiing in the backcountry, but the differences in techniques and difficulties between snowboarding and skiing in the backcountry have puzzled me for a long time. Previously, I had never seen anyone discuss or think about this topic, nor did anyone seem interested. But this time, I figured it out for myself, gaining a lot and further solidifying my resolve to return to the slopes and practice the basics.Ultimately, it all boils down to one thing: balance. But balance relies on good stance, which in turn depends on strong core strength, technique, and courage, none of which come easily. This may be the charm of skiing.There are so many sports in the world, but I’ve never seen any other sport where people are willing to spend entire weekends, take leave, fake illness, or resign to pursue it with such determination. For many, this is the first thing they seriously commit to in their lives.I hope everyone can find their true passion through skiing.Happy skiing!Last year, I wrote a reflection on skiing in the backcountry based on an overseas instructional video, but I never published it since I hadn’t practiced it personally. Now, looking back, I find that what I wrote had no issues at all. I’ll publish it soon, and those interested can reply “Backcountry Skiing” to check it out.
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Skiing Content Series:
1. Is skiing an expensive sport? How much should I spend on equipment?
2. How can beginners quickly get started?
3. What equipment do I regret buying the most and least? Which is suitable for beginners?
4. Which is more fun? A comparison of snowboarding and skiing from the perspective of dual discipline enthusiasts.
5. Let the best instructors conduct video analysis for you.
6. A look into the skiing instructor training systems of various countries.
Skiing:
1. New Zealand Ski Level 2 Training and Examination Insights.
2. Skiing Progression | How to overcome the bottleneck from beginner to advanced?
3. New Zealand Ski Level 2 Demonstration and Analysis of Skiing Movements.
4. New Zealand Ski Level 2 Examination Insights.
5. “Skiing Guide” Reading Notes and Discussion Part 1.
6. Sharing my experiences and mistakes in buying and adjusting ski boots.
7. Outer Ski Beliefs | The inner foot entry may be the biggest misunderstanding of Japanese skiing methods.
8. Ski Nerd | What is the Ski Nerd Club?
Snowboarding:
1. Snowboarding Progression | How to overcome the bottleneck from beginner to advanced?
2. New Zealand Snowboard Level 2 Demonstration and Analysis of Snowboarding Movements.
3. Insights from Snowboard Park Lessons.
4. The most comprehensive information on domestic and international instructor training compiled by Xiao Peng.
5. A guide to purchasing snowboard protective gear. 6. I gathered over 70 reviews on snowboard protective gear.
About Xiao Peng:
Second-rate programmer, serial entrepreneur, and a lone horseman. In summer, I share the joy of horseback travel, and in winter, I unleash my curiosity on the snowy mountains, enjoying capturing light and shadow with the simplest equipment.
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