I often hear beginners standing at the top of a slope, staring at the "terrifying" incline, saying, "I can't," "It's too steep," or "Help!" out of instinct. As a skiing enthusiast, it really frustrates me. Alright, let’s tackle the "steep slope" step by step. What follows are purely my personal experiences—if there are any mistakes, please feel free to correct me.
First, let’s define what a steep slope is: Any slope that you find challenging, difficult, have never tried before, or lack confidence on can be considered a steep slope. We don’t care how steep the slope actually is—as long as it’s a challenge for you, let’s conquer it.
Weapon #1 against steep slopes: Friends
I really dislike those who take beginner skiers up intermediate runs and then just stand at the bottom yelling, "Come down already, use the snowplough!" Hey, try it yourself first—see if you can make it down using the snowplough. If you want to take friends up an intermediate (or advanced) run, make sure they can actually get down safely—or else be prepared to carry them, piggyback them, or haul them down. And even if you’re confident you can get them down, stay close by. Your presence alone provides reassurance and builds their confidence.
Actually, two non-skiers can go down together too—it’s fine if you both end up carrying your boards. Don’t feel embarrassed; everyone’s been there.
The biggest fear in skiing is losing control. Collisions with people or trees happen because of an inability to turn or slow down. Mastering either skill can prevent major accidents. Experts, please teach your friends at least one life-saving braking method. For those who instinctively lean back when gaining speed, I suggest practicing side falls extensively on beginner runs—then you’ll likely survive the crash.
Here’s a trick real experts can use to get completely inexperienced skiers down a "steep" slope: ski backwards, positioning yourself directly below your friend, and use your hands, poles, body—whatever it takes—to slowly guide them down. Usually, beginners won’t apply much pressure, so leaning into you is normal—especially if you’re guiding a female skier. Let her lean in without hesitation; she won’t be shy. It’s not the best method, but if they’re truly too scared to go down, it might be the only option—especially if the only options are beginner runs or magic carpets. Of course, this won’t work on truly steep slopes.
Weapon #2 against steep slopes: Parallel turns
Snowplough on steep slopes? Well, it depends on how steep it is. Actually, practicing parallel turns and braking on beginner runs can do wonders for your confidence. Can’t use the snowplough on steep slopes? Of course you can—but using it on intermediate runs often leads to exhaustion, which kills the fun. I disagree with that approach.
Experts will tell you all sorts of things about the proper snowplough technique, blah blah blah—but it might all go over your head. That’s okay. In truth, snowplough can still help you control speed on moderately steep slopes—the key is mastering the snowplough turn, using turns instead of brakes to gradually reduce speed (this tip comes from the wise words of Snowkela MM, very helpful for newbies). If you keep speeding up and can’t stop, turn uphill—you’ll probably end up falling, but no big deal. Pure snowplough on steep slopes? Yeah, that’s tough.
Parallel turns on steep slopes—the tricky part is changing direction. Many beginners hit a wall when trying to switch edges. Honestly, it’s mostly about getting used to sudden acceleration, because turning often speeds you up. A lot of people twist their boards using their bodies, arms, or even their butts—looks aside, these are incorrect techniques, but if they get you down the slope, they’re acceptable for now. The key is knowing they’re wrong. Once you’re used to the speed changes during turns, start working on real turning techniques. What constitutes a proper turn? Definitely ask an expert. Parallel turns are essential for every skier—all pros have put in the hard work and faced similar challenges. Their guidance can save you a lot of time. Parallel turns are fundamental, so don’t just fumble around on your own—you can’t see your own mistakes, and even if an expert explains yours, you might only get 10% of it. But when they point out your errors, you must work hard to fix them. Once you’ve got the hang of parallel turns, you’ll start to enjoy skiing. Love going straight down the hill? Forget it—giant slalom is more thrilling and safer.
Weapon #3 against steep slopes: Traverse skiing
I believe traverse skiing is a superpower in skiing. Master it, and you can handle any groomed slope at any resort. Seriously, no joke.
Most skiers who practice traverse skiing are pretty skilled. It helps a lot with controlling your weight distribution front-to-back and side-to-side, as well as body positioning. For proper traverse skiing techniques, search the forums. There’s not much to critique here—just practice on your own. Traverse skiing can get a bit dull and takes away from the fun of skiing, so spice it up by adding some forward or backward movement—commonly called "falling leaf"—which makes it more enjoyable and allows you to tackle steeper slopes. It’s very safe and easy, but watch out for uphill terrain.
A nice side effect of traverse skiing is that it teaches parallel braking. By adjusting your edge angle, you can stop exactly where you want—a fun skill. Just be careful not to take out anyone else; slopes are busy places.
Combine traverse skiing with parallel turns, and steep slopes won’t seem so intimidating. True experts can traverse even on very flat beginner runs or continuously carve through powder on steep slopes (who says only snowboarders can make moguls?), all while keeping a straight line. Practice hard—master traverse skiing and you’re on your way to becoming a pro.
Weapon #4 against steep slopes: The pole plant (or "up-unweight")
When changing edges on steep slopes, I believe the pole plant (or unweighting motion) can be a huge help (if you don’t use it, you’ll have to figure it out slowly on your own). The flexibility of your board relies on turning, and the pole plant motion momentarily reduces pressure. Because the upward motion creates inertia, that slight reduction in pressure on the snow makes everything feel much easier.
A good traverse + good parallel turn + proper pole plant = smooth and natural skiing. Now go practice those S-turns...
Weapon #5 against steep slopes: Weight forward
Weight distribution—this is pretty much the core issue in skiing. Almost everyone tends to lean back at times (sometimes intentionally), but keeping your weight forward is always crucial. There are many ways to shift your weight forward, but there’s only one way to test it: can you change direction whenever you want?
That’s about all I have to say on this—because it requires a lot of personal understanding, and it’s not something you can fully grasp in just a few words (honestly, I’m not quite there yet myself). Always remember: the ski is controlled by the skier. If the ski is controlling you, then your weight is too far back—and probably way too far.
Ultimate weapon against steep slopes: Completing a full turn arc
Honestly, drawing a complete turn arc on a steep slope is a challenge for anyone. To do it, all the above techniques must be mastered—and most importantly, you need guts. Speed increases dramatically during the first half of the turn. People say skiing is for the daring, but that’s not the whole story. Leaning back is a very common issue (I struggle with it too), and it goes against natural body mechanics—so overcoming it requires some skill.
First, get used to high-speed movement. Bungee jumping is the fastest way to get a feel for it—instantly (though, to be honest, I’ve only done it head-up, not head-down). Or try roller coasters, racing cars, biking downhill, etc.—when moving fast, your body tenses up, and that feeling sticks. If you can’t do those, try skiing downhill when no one’s around. Go as fast as you can while staying in control until you’re almost in tears (unless you’ve got top-tier goggles). You can do this on intermediate or beginner runs.
Be confident—no matter how fast you’re going, you can always slow down using traverse skiing. That confidence is essential, and it must be strong.
Get used to shifting your weight, because completing a full turn arc demands precise control over it.
Finally, you need an expert nearby to give you some pointers — that’s really crucial, as a single piece of advice can make all the difference!
Liang said, “Skiing is a group activity; skiing alone can get boring quickly!” That’s not a direct quote, just my understanding.
Lastly, if you’re facing a steep slope and don’t dare go down, just grab any nearby skier for help — it doesn’t matter if they’re male or female!
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