Herringbone
You will be able to climb short hills without removing your skis — a practical skill that saves time and builds edge awareness from your very first day.
Walking uphill on skis in a V-shape by stepping alternating skis outward and using their inside edges to grip — leaving a fishbone pattern in the snow behind you.
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Watch & Learn
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Key Moments
Tips point outward in opposite directions — the wider the V the more grip you get but the harder it is to walk
Roll your ankle inward on each ski so the inside edge bites before you transfer weight
Step one foot up, edge it, weight it — then step the other foot up — a walking rhythm
Plant poles behind you alternating with each step — they provide push and prevent sliding back
What It Should Feel Like
- ✓Slightly duck-footed and awkward at first — like walking with flippers on
- ✓The inside edge biting into the snow on each step giving you a solid push-off platform
- ✓A rhythm that starts slow and becomes natural after a dozen steps
Common Mistakes & Fixes
Not edging before weighting the new ski
Always engage the inside edge first — flat ski on a slope will slide downhill as soon as you weight it
Too narrow a V to get grip
Open the tips wider — more V means more inside edge contact and better uphill bite
Leaning too far back
Lean forward slightly into the slope — a back-weighted stance causes the skis to slide out from under you
Practice Drills
Flat herringbone: practice the V-walk on completely flat ground first — builds the edge-and-step pattern without any slope to fight
Short climb count: climb 10 herringbone steps, stop, then climb 10 more — builds endurance and makes the rhythm familiar before tackling a real hill
Pole-free attempt: try climbing 5 steps without poles — forces your legs and edges to do more work and builds awareness of what the poles are compensating for
The full guide
Reviewed September 2026
How to learn Herringbone
The herringbone is the classic way to walk up a gentle slope without taking your skis off: tips spread wide, tails close together, each step set on its inside edge. It's one of the first skills new skiers learn, and it stays useful for years. After practicing it, you should be able to climb a short rise steadily without sliding backward or wearing yourself out.
What it is and when you'll use it
The name comes from the track you leave: a line of angled marks that looks like a fish skeleton or the herringbone weave in fabric. Each angled, edged ski acts like a small step cut into the snow.
You'll use it for short climbs on gentle to moderate grades: getting back to a dropped pole, crossing a small rise on a traverse, or moving between lifts. On steep or long climbs, most skiers switch to side-stepping, which is slower but more secure because both skis stay across the hill.
Before you start
You should be comfortable standing and balancing on your skis on flat ground and know how to get up after a fall. A relaxed athletic stance, with ankles and knees flexed and weight over the middle of your feet, makes every step easier. Bring your poles; they do real work on an incline.
Practice first on flat, packed snow, then on the gentlest slope you can find, ideally one that flattens out below you so a slip doesn't send you far. Keep to the side of the run, out of the path of skiers coming down, and never practice where people unload from a lift or merge onto a trail.
Step by step
Go slowly at first; the rhythm comes after a dozen or so steps, not the first two.
- Face straight up the slope and spread your ski tips apart while keeping the tails close, so the skis form a V that opens uphill.
- Roll your knees and ankles slightly inward so each ski rests on its inside edge. You should feel the edges press into the snow.
- Plant your poles behind your boots, outside each ski, where they can brace you against sliding back.
- Lift one ski, move it forward and slightly outward, and set it down on its inside edge before you trust it with your weight.
- Transfer your weight onto that ski, pushing lightly off the pole behind you as you move.
- Lift the other ski clear of the first ski's tail rather than dragging it, and place it forward on its edge the same way.
- Keep alternating in an even walking rhythm, repositioning your poles so at least one is always planted behind you.
- If you start slipping, widen the V and roll your knees in more; if the slope is too steep for that to help, turn sideways and side-step instead.
Why it works
A ski base is designed to glide, which is why pointing a ski straight uphill fails: the moment you push, it slides back. Angling each ski outward means the slope pulls on it partly sideways, the direction a ski resists best. Tipping it onto its inside edge then lets the steel edge cut into the snow and form a small platform you can push from.
The wider the V, the more each ski sits across the slope and the better it grips, at the cost of a clumsier, more tiring stride. Staying slightly forward keeps your weight over those edges; let it fall behind your feet and the skis can slide out from under you. Every step also teaches you what an engaged inside edge feels like, which carries straight into wedge turns.
How to practice it
Start on flat ground and walk in a V just to get used to lifting one ski over the other's tail. Then climb a short distance on a gentle slope, resting whenever your legs burn, and gradually add steps between rests.
Once that feels routine, try a few steps leaning less on your poles to find out how much your edges alone can hold. Then practice switching between herringbone and side-stepping mid-climb as the pitch changes, which is what real terrain demands.
Try it in different snow, too: hard or icy snow needs a wider V and more deliberate edging than soft snow.
Common questions
Why is it called the herringbone?
The alternating angled tracks left in the snow resemble the skeleton of a fish, the same pattern that gives herringbone fabric and brickwork their name.
Should I herringbone or side-step up a hill?
Herringbone is quicker on gentle, short climbs where you want to move straight up. Side-stepping is the better choice when the slope is steep, icy, or long, because keeping both skis across the hill is more secure, even if it's slower.
Why do I keep sliding backward?
Usually the skis are too flat, the V is too narrow, or your weight is behind your feet. Edge each ski before weighting it, widen the V, and lean slightly up the hill.
Do I need the herringbone if I only ski at resorts with lifts?
Yes. Most mountains have short uphill or flat sections, and sooner or later you'll need to go back a few yards for a dropped pole or to help a friend.