Ski Mountaineering

What is "Ski Mountaineering"？

Japanese

　 To the letter, "Ski Mountaineering" means going to a mountain with your skis. We go somewhere snowy out of a commercial ski resort to ski in the wilderness. "Ski wherever there is snow!" is our concept.
　 "Ski mountaineering" might mean another thing if I mention about its specific materials, especially about the bindings...

　　In the left photo, you can see the people who hike up with skis worn. If you give your eyes to the person who is walking behind, you should notice his left heal apart from his ski. This is the just characterisitic of the Ski Mountaineering Bindings. In this way, your heal can move apart from your ski by your toe as a fulcrum. Because of that, you can "shuffle" your skis with a STRIDE.
　　　But that is not still enough when you go up a hill because you may slip down backward. Actually, there is another gimmick. Their skis have antislips, which is called by"Skins", on the back.　

　　A Skin is a functional antislip which make a ski slide forward, but does not make it slide backward. Its one side contacting with a ski has glue and you can attach and detach the Skin anytime you like.
　　In Japan, "Skins" are called as "Seals". That is because Skins used to be originaly made by sealskins. Nowadays, nylon or mohair is oftenly used. I heard nylon skins have strong friction against snow and mohair skins are smooth on the dry snow.

　　In this way, we hike up with skis worn. But that is not always the case. In a spring season when snow becomes stiff (corn snow), we sometimes hike up on a snowy slope with skis carried on shoulders. But in winter when there is soft and deep snow, it is much better to go with skis worn because you can get more floating power by your skis. And even if you go on a spring corn snow, you may be able to go faster because you can "slide" your skis without leaving your foot from the ground. They are the advantages you own the gears specified for skiing.
There is a book that tells, if comparing snowshoes with skis on deep snow, we need double calorie but can go three times faster by skis.

Ski Mountaineering / Gears

Skis

　　You can use skis same as general ones for normal skiing. There are the skis specified for ski mountaineering. The specified skis are made considering load strength when a heavy backpack is carried and their weight which is light enough to walk easilier. My second and third skis I use for ski mountaineering are not specified for ski mountaineering but general skiing.

Bindings

　　Bindings are most important. They must be specific ones whose heal peaces can detach from skis. General bidings are not appolopriate.
　　by the bidings for ski mountaineering, you can detach your heals from your skis when you hike up. When you ski down, you can attach the heal peaces to your skis. That is same as general skiing style.

Boots

　　There are also ski boots specified for ski mountaineering though you can use general ones. Ski moutaineering boots have 2 modes, walking and skiing. On the skiing mode, an ankle can move in forward or backward by a hinge. Although you can do it even on normal ski boots, ski mountaineering boots have much more mechanical flexibility.
　　Another character is their rubber soles that are same as hiking shoes. I used to use general ski boots to enjoy downhill skiing more. But now I think there are not a big defference during skiing between general boots and ski mountaineering boots.

Mountaineering (Alpine) skis and Telemark skis

　There is another skiing style for ski mountaineering other than what I explained above, Telemark Skiing. In recent few years, Telemark Skiing is getting popular because its gears are improving. I saw many Telemark skiers in California and also in Japan. They ski down with their heals free from their skis.
　　Telemark ski gears are also made for ski mountaineering. In the case of hiking up with skis worn, they are same in terms of using skins. But even in the case of skiing down, Telemark skiers go with their heals free from skis. Right pictures shows skiing by Telemark gears (above) and alpine style gears (below). A telemark skier make a bigger stride because their heals are free. Telemark ski bindings and boots are also specific like alpine style ski mountaineering gears. Ski plates are not a big deal also. You can use general skis.
　　I start telemark skiing from this season (2006-07). Telemark skiing style looks cool for me. In future, I may mention about comparison bwtween 2 styles if I have enough experience and I want to write it.

　　If you have any interest or question, please email to tutty102@ followed by yahoo.co.jp.

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（Updated；5/12/2022）

Japanese 　 To the letter, "Ski Mountaineering" means going to a mountain with your skis. We go somewhere snowy out of a commercial ski resort to ski in the wilderness. "Ski wherever there is snow!" is our concept. 　 "Ski mountaineering" might mean another thing if I mention about its specific materials, especially about the bindings...
			In the left photo, you can see the people who hike up with skis worn. If you give your eyes to the person who is walking behind, you should notice his left heal apart from his ski. This is the just characterisitic of the Ski Mountaineering Bindings. In this way, your heal can move apart from your ski by your toe as a fulcrum. Because of that, you can "shuffle" your skis with a STRIDE. 　　　But that is not still enough when you go up a hill because you may slip down backward. Actually, there is another gimmick. Their skis have antislips, which is called by"Skins", on the back.
A Skin is a functional antislip which make a ski slide forward, but does not make it slide backward. Its one side contacting with a ski has glue and you can attach and detach the Skin anytime you like. 　　In Japan, "Skins" are called as "Seals". That is because Skins used to be originaly made by sealskins. Nowadays, nylon or mohair is oftenly used. I heard nylon skins have strong friction against snow and mohair skins are smooth on the dry snow.
In this way, we hike up with skis worn. But that is not always the case. In a spring season when snow becomes stiff (corn snow), we sometimes hike up on a snowy slope with skis carried on shoulders. But in winter when there is soft and deep snow, it is much better to go with skis worn because you can get more floating power by your skis. And even if you go on a spring corn snow, you may be able to go faster because you can "slide" your skis without leaving your foot from the ground. They are the advantages you own the gears specified for skiing. There is a book that tells, if comparing snowshoes with skis on deep snow, we need double calorie but can go three times faster by skis.

			Skis 　　You can use skis same as general ones for normal skiing. There are the skis specified for ski mountaineering. The specified skis are made considering load strength when a heavy backpack is carried and their weight which is light enough to walk easilier. My second and third skis I use for ski mountaineering are not specified for ski mountaineering but general skiing.
Bindings 　　Bindings are most important. They must be specific ones whose heal peaces can detach from skis. General bidings are not appolopriate. 　　by the bidings for ski mountaineering, you can detach your heals from your skis when you hike up. When you ski down, you can attach the heal peaces to your skis. That is same as general skiing style.			Boots 　　There are also ski boots specified for ski mountaineering though you can use general ones. Ski moutaineering boots have 2 modes, walking and skiing. On the skiing mode, an ankle can move in forward or backward by a hinge. Although you can do it even on normal ski boots, ski mountaineering boots have much more mechanical flexibility. 　　Another character is their rubber soles that are same as hiking shoes. I used to use general ski boots to enjoy downhill skiing more. But now I think there are not a big defference during skiing between general boots and ski mountaineering boots.

There is another skiing style for ski mountaineering other than what I explained above, Telemark Skiing. In recent few years, Telemark Skiing is getting popular because its gears are improving. I saw many Telemark skiers in California and also in Japan. They ski down with their heals free from their skis. 　　Telemark ski gears are also made for ski mountaineering. In the case of hiking up with skis worn, they are same in terms of using skins. But even in the case of skiing down, Telemark skiers go with their heals free from skis. Right pictures shows skiing by Telemark gears (above) and alpine style gears (below). A telemark skier make a bigger stride because their heals are free. Telemark ski bindings and boots are also specific like alpine style ski mountaineering gears. Ski plates are not a big deal also. You can use general skis. 　　I start telemark skiing from this season (2006-07). Telemark skiing style looks cool for me. In future, I may mention about comparison bwtween 2 styles if I have enough experience and I want to write it.