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.
Watch & Learn
Not clicking? Try a different teaching style below:
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