Sideslipping
You'll gain a crucial escape tool for any slope that feels too steep — sideslipping gives you total speed control without committing to a full turn.
Descending the slope sideways by releasing your edge angle and letting both skis slide downhill in a controlled flat-ski drift.
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Watch & Learn
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Key Moments
Flatten your skis slightly from the hill — they start to slide sideways
Tip the skis more uphill to slow the slide, flatten more to accelerate it
Shift weight toward your toe edge or heel edge to move diagonally
Increase edge angle sharply to dig in and arrest the slide completely
What It Should Feel Like
- ✓Like standing on an escalator moving sideways — you control the speed of the escalator with your ankle
- ✓A satisfying shushing sound and spray of snow when the slide is properly controlled
- ✓Your uphill edges are the brakes — engaging them more stops you, releasing them speeds you up
Common Mistakes & Fixes
Leaning into the hill which steepens the edge and stops the slide
Stand upright over the center of your skis — resist the urge to hug the slope
Looking down at your skis instead of across the slope
Eyes across the fall line — scan where you are sliding toward
Letting the tails wash out faster than the tips
Keep weight centered fore-aft — a back-seat position causes tail wash
Practice Drills
Edge roll drill: stand on the slope and slowly roll your ankles from full bite to flat and back — feel the direct connection between ankle and slide speed
Measured sideslip: pick two trees or poles across the slope and sideslip between them stopping exactly on the second marker — builds precision
Sideslip to stop: link five sideslips with five sharp edge-set stops — alternating between releasing and biting trains both extremes
The full guide
Reviewed October 2026
How to learn Sideslipping
Sideslipping is a controlled sideways slide with both skis across the hill. You release the edges just enough to move, then add edge angle again to slow or stop. It is one of the most useful safety skills in skiing because it gives you a calm way to manage speed on pitches that feel too steep for your current turns.
What it is and when you'll use it
In a sideslip, your skis stay mostly parallel and across the fall line while your body remains balanced over the middle of both feet. Instead of pointing the skis downhill, you let them drift sideways down the slope at a speed you can adjust with small edge changes.
You'll use it to descend a short steep section, reset after a mistake, build edge awareness, or prepare for hockey stops and parallel turns. It is not a substitute for learning to turn, but it is a dependable escape tool when a full turn would feel rushed or risky.
Before you start
You should be able to stop on demand with a wedge or basic parallel stop before practicing sideslipping. Start on a wide, quiet green groomer with a gentle pitch and a clear runout. Avoid icy patches, crowded trails, and places where someone coming from above cannot see you.
Use a balanced stance with ankles and knees flexed, shins lightly against the fronts of the boots, hands forward, and eyes looking across the hill. Pick a shallow section first. Save steeper groomed terrain for later, after you can start, slow, and stop the slide without panic.
Step by step
Practice each direction slowly. A good sideslip should feel adjustable, not like a sudden skid.
- Stand across the slope with your skis parallel, about hip-width apart, and your uphill edges gently gripping the snow.
- Look across the hill in the direction your skis are pointing, not down at your feet. Keep your shoulders quiet and your hands where you can see them.
- Soften your ankles and knees, then gently reduce edge angle by letting both skis flatten a little toward the snow surface.
- When the skis begin to slide sideways, stay centered over both feet and let the whole ski move, rather than pushing only the tails downhill.
- To slow the slide, tip both skis slightly back onto their uphill edges. To move again, flatten them a little. Make the change small and smooth.
- To stop, increase the edge angle gradually until the skis grip and the sideways movement ends. Hold the stop, look uphill, then repeat in the other direction.
- Once the straight sideslip is consistent, try a slight forward sideslip by allowing the ski tips to drift a little downhill, then a slight backward sideslip by allowing the tails to drift. Return to a full stop between attempts.
Why it works
A ski edge grips because it cuts into the snow at an angle. When you reduce that angle, the edge releases and the ski can slide sideways. When you add angle again, the edge bites more strongly and turns the slide into friction.
The important detail is that edge angle comes mostly from your feet, ankles, knees, and whole-body balance, not from throwing your shoulders uphill. Leaning into the hill usually makes the uphill edges too strong, which stops the slide or makes it jerky.
Centered balance keeps the tips and tails moving at the same rate. If you sit back, the tails tend to wash downhill first. If you lean too far forward, the tips can drop away. Quiet balance lets the edges do the work.
How to practice it
Start with edge releases while standing still. From a stopped position across the hill, roll from firm edge grip to a tiny release, then back to grip before you slide far. Repeat until the movement feels like a dial instead of an on-off switch.
Next, sideslip between two visible markers such as lift towers, signs, or patches of snow texture. Begin above the first marker, slide at walking speed, and stop exactly at the second marker. Accuracy matters more than distance.
Finish by linking short slides and stops: release for two seconds, set the edges to stop, pause, then release again. When both directions feel steady on easy terrain, move to a slightly steeper groomed pitch and keep the same slow rhythm.
Common questions
Is sideslipping only for advanced skiers?
No. It is often introduced to progressing beginners once they can stop reliably and stand balanced across the hill. The movement is simple, but the control it builds is useful all the way through steeper skiing.
Why do my skis stop instead of sliding?
You are probably holding too much uphill edge or leaning into the hill. Stand taller over the middle of the skis, soften your ankles and knees, and release the edges in smaller steps until the skis begin to move.
Why do the tails slide faster than the tips?
Tail wash usually comes from leaning back or twisting the feet downhill. Bring your hips back over the middle of your boots, keep both hands forward, and think about the tips and tails moving sideways together.
How is sideslipping different from a hockey stop?
A sideslip usually starts from a stopped or slow position across the hill and continues as a controlled slide. A hockey stop starts from forward motion, pivots the skis across the hill, then uses a strong edge set to stop. Practicing sideslipping makes the edge-release part of a hockey stop much easier.