How do you ski backwards?

Skiing Backwards

To ski backwards, you need to have skis that are twin tip or have a somewhat round tail; then it's pretty much like skiing forward.

You can start by using any type of ski, not just twin tips. Find a very gentle slope, like the last 10 or so feet of the bunny hill, and turn around so you are facing uphill. Your skis should be in a 'reverse wedge' with the tails close together and the tips far apart. With a really wide wedge you won't go anywhere. As you close your wedge (keeping the tails close, you start to bring the tips toward each other) you'll start sliding backwards.

Play around with it a little, push on one ski and see what happens, then push on the other ski. You'll discover that you can steer yourself through turns that way. As you feel more confident, find some longer gentle slopes and keep practicing. Be very careful of other skiers because you don't have eyes in the back of your head.

If you want to turn it up a notch, make your wedge smaller and smaller until your skis are parallel and you're controlling your speed with turn shape. Now you'll want some twin tips and a terrain park where you can practice doing on-snow pirouettes and landing jumps backwards.

This is a wonderful skill to have because sometimes when you're skiing normally you can get spun around. If you've already practiced skiing backwards, then getting spun around won't be a crisis anymore.

First answer by Cowboy18. Last edit by Skiermom. Contributor trust: 38 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 56 [recommend question]