Putting a ski back on, on a steeper slope

First, a search didn't turn up anything, but if this has been covered before, let me know.

I started skiing last year, and I don't think I've ever skied a day when I didn't lose a ski in a fall. I could put a (rental) ski back on in my sleep--it had become a non-event. Until, that is, I purchased my first pair of skis. I don't know if it's because I'm skiing steeper slopes (just intermediates), or if there is something about my new skis, but they are slippery as hell and I spent about 10 minutes trying to get one on on an intermediate slope last weekend. The brake sticks in the snow but the tips go sliding downhill (yes I'm putting on an uphill ski) immediately, even though they are parallel with the fall line. With the ski at such an angle and crossing my downhill ski I'm not able to put it back. I tried over and over and jammed it into the snow uphill but the tips slid immediately everytime. Basically through this whole process I was sliding downhill and eventually I slid onto a less steep slope and somehow got it on. It's worth noting that I've also sometimes had a little trouble just putting them on--they are SO slippery, more like x-country skis than the rental skis I've been using. The first time I put them on I kicked into them like I would a rental and promptly fell on my ass.

So what's going on? I can only assume this will happen again--I can do intermediate slopes but I'm definitely still learning--so how do people keep their skis parallel to the fall line, so they can get them back on, on steeper slopes?

Uhhh...your ski should be PERPENDICULAR to the fall line when trying to get back into your binding on a slope.

I hope I can make this come out right on paper.
Do this,
Put your skis side by side, put your downhill ski on first.
Step one
Stand down hill of both skis, just slightly behind the binding of the down hill ski.

Step two
cross your down hill foot over in front of the uphill foot
and pop into the down hill binding.

Step three
Then you should be able to stand on your down hill ski with your edge cut in to the slope to put on your uphill ski
.

Try this on your carpet at home to see if you understand my post.
I'm not the most eloquent when it comes to explaining this kind of thing. Hope it helps.

Nonsense Trekchick, you're at least as eloquent as I.

To the OP, as Trekchick stated, digging your edge into slope with your ski perpendicular to the incline is key.

What TrekChick mentioned is my usual trick.

If you have some soft snow around (i.e., on the edges of the trail perhaps?) you can try jamming the tail of the ski into the deeper snow. i.e, get the tip sticking into the air a little bit. Then when you step into the binding you'll have some leverage available before the ski breaks loose and starts sliding around on you again.

The other thing is to remember that the heel piece of your binding will (usually) pop up on a released-because-I-fell type scenario. You will never get that ski on until you remember to depress the heel piece again. Generally when I see somebody struggling to get a ski back on it's because they forgot this step.

The last thing is to try to scrape the snow off the bottoms of your boots; using your pole as a scraper works pretty well. You'll usually get some snow on your boot soles from walking around picking up your stuff from your fall. It doesn't take much snow buildup on your boot soles (or in the binding itself) to make it really difficult to get your skis back on. Take a few seconds getting your boots and bindings clear of snow and you'll probably find it a lot easier to get your skis on next time.

Heck!

Get down on your hands and knees and pound a flat spot to put your skis! Just form a platform to keep the skis flat (and perpen. to the fall line.

Then the usual good sense of down hill foot first!.

Jab your poles in the snow next to the tips and tails to keep a slippery ski from sliding sideways.

try different things.

CalG

: I understood it, but it was exactly what I was going to try to describe. I think you did a better job than I would have.
basically, your downhill ski goes on first, but to match the slope, your soon to be uphill foot is below what is going to be your downhill foot as you put that ski on. you then step over your downhill ski and put it into the binding of your uphill ski. umm, never mind.:

Yes sorry perpendicular is what I meant. Yeah, this is how I always got it one before. It does not work with my new skis. It as if they have hot grease on them and they won't stay still, ever. I will try TrekChick's suggestion.

Very interesting--that sounds like it could work.

Yes, very familiar with that scenario, and also with getting snow out of my boots, but thanks!

As CalG noted, try sticking the pole in the snow next to the tips if it helps them stay put while you click in. I do that when I first click in most mornings, as I park next to a fairly steep blue and that's where I put my skis on. Sometimes I also bang the skis into the snow a bit to dig them in.

BTW, what kind of bindings do you have Christy?

Well that sounds like a potentially embarrasing but effective last resort to try. I guess it can't be more embarrasing that having skiers lap me.

I have the Marker NO310 binding on my Nordica Olympia Drives. But it's not that I can't click into the binding, like when I have too much snow on my boots--it's that I can't get the ski to stay put while I'm trying to get my foot in there. Even the teeniest nudge pushes it askew, then I try to contort my leg/foot to get into it, then I'M askew on a steep slope, then I fall down or slide, still not in the ski. But I will try some of the things that have been mentioned here. I find it so odd this never happened to me in the gazillion times I popped out of rental skis.

OH I think I know what is different!

The ski brakes on your new skis are lifting the ski in a different way. I see that between different ski/binding combinations in my own ski assortment.

It's not you, it's not the ski, it's the brakes!

get used to it! ;-))

CalG

I would also try to put the uphill ski a little further away from you, widening your stance while putting them on.
Normally if you put your toes in first you can then push the ski down flat on the snow and it won't move so much.
The heel can also god down a lot more gentle then peolpe think it needs to.
Put your heel on the right spot IN the binding to make sure you can't miss it before pushing down.
A lot of people hold their heel a few inches above the binding and then slam it down. That makes it very easy to miss the correct position in the heelpiece and kick your ski around.
Place it correctly first and then just extend your leg in the kneejoint, there isn't a lot more pressure needed to step in, especially if you're a beginner to intermediate and the DIN is not set that high.

Take it easy, relax, take your time, do it gently but right from the first time.

The heel insertion can be tricky - my SO struggles from time to time

I'm sure you've heard about having your weight at +2, +1, 0, -1, -2.
Put your toe into the binding at +2 (pressure on your toes) and slowly bring your weight to -1 (pressure over the heel).

The thing is to do it slowly and with control. You need to be able to stand on one leg and lift the other leg up and down without falling over. As you place your toes into the binding you are not relying on that weight to hold you up (use your pole if you need to maintain balance) - instead you are using the pressure to keep the ski stationary. You then 'gently' bring your heel down and just continue bringing it down until there is pressure on it.

Yep, TrekChick has it! Put the downhill ski on first, by standing below it and crossing your downhill leg up to the ski. That will put your leg at the correct angle to just snap right in. Then stand on that ski and put your other ski on; It should go on easily, although the "tip sliding down the hill" thing may still happen. You'll get used to it--jam it a little harder in the snow, or block it with your other ski tip, or use a pole...lots of little tricks.

One thing about that uphill ski (as Schussboelie has also pointed out)--don't try to stand too close to it with your downhill ski when you put it on. If you leave a good amount of space between your skis--that is, step or let the downhill ski slip down a ways, you'll find it easier to keep it on edge to support you while you step into the uphill ski. Ironically, in other words, the way to keep the downhill ski from slipping down the hill while you're trying to put on the uphill ski is to let it slip a ways. The more it slips, the more it tips, until it will hold solidly. Once it holds, leave it there! (I don't know how many times I've seen skiers have this problem--the ski slips, and as soon as it stops, they pick it up and move it back to where it started, only to have it slip downhill again. And again, and again....)

A final trick for putting skis on, especially in soft snow--don't just push down on the heel. Pull up on the toe a little at the same time (making sure the lip of your boot toe is inserted well under the toe piece first, of course).

Lastly--although perhaps this should have gone first--if you've only lost one ski, do not take the other one off. Leave it on, and roll so that it will be the downhill ski when you stand up. Likewise, for anyone who has a hard time getting up without removing skis, take off only one ski--the uphill ski. It is not easier to get up with both skis off, and it is much more of a nuisance to have to put both back on.

You'll get it! But TrekChick's advice is a great trick, and a well-kept secret!

Best regards,
Bob Barnes

Or as I always say, an ounce of prevention.....

When the uphill ski is far enough away from the downhill that the downhill is edged well, you're in a position to point the uphill knee sufficiently downhill that your boot sole is in the same plane as the skitop. Then, when you put the toe into the toepiece, the knee position can keep every thing lined up square so the ski doesn't move while you step into the heelpiece. I like the idea of upward pressure from the toes inside the boot once the toepiece is engaged.

In the event Trekchick's description for when both skis are off doesn't work for you (I have a friend who can't do the foot crossover), my suggestion is put on your uphill ski, then turn around and put on your other uphill ski.

Christy, The steeper the slope the better. First stand with the downhill ski perpendicular to the fall line. Place your other ski with the tip pointing uphill with the tail of the ski against the boot. Reach up with the uphill leg & step into the binding. In other words your skis should look like an inverted "T". Try it a home on a flat surface.

Robin Barnes taught me that

...must be a Barnes trademark!

You know, I've been skiing for over 20 years, and it's never occurred to me to do the crossover trick. That actually does sound pretty slick, because you can get the correct angle very easily. I'll have to try that next time it comes up (of course, hopefully no double ejections in my near future).

It just occured to me that I've never actually lost BOTH skis. But if I ever do I will put them on this way.

Thanks for all the other tips, everyone. I think I probably am standing with my legs too close together.

On the bright side with my slippery skis, I couldn't really side slip before--my rental skis never wanted to go anywhere--but I can whiz down the slope in a sideslip now!

I think the main difference between your new skis and the rentals is that your new skis have a fresh base with wax and structure, rather than a beat up rental base. That's all I have to say, everyone else here has pretty much covered it all!