Typical extreme sports not physical enough for you? Earn that ride down the mountain by testing your skills with uphill skiing!
Sometimes, getting a lift up a mountain just to glide your way down just doesn’t cut it like it used to. For those physical activity junkies who need a little more “umph” to their ride, try Uphill skiing - a growing trend thats taking off in Aspen. Uphill skiing, also known as uphilling, alpine touring or skinning, is basically cross country skiing. You trek your way to the top of a mountain along a groomed trail, before shooting down the mountain side in downhill ski mode. Development Director at Rocky Mountain Institute, Megan Shean, explains the activity as “a great workout and an excellent excuse to get outside in winter.”
Earn your turn to shoot down the mountain by really working for it. The National Ski Areas Association reports 70% of our Rocky Mountain resorts allow uphill access, but Aspen has been at the front of this extreme trend.
All four mountain resorts in Aspen; Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk, all offer uphilling! But before you strap on your skis and give uphill skiing a shot, there are a few things you should know…
You need two specific pieces of equipment to perfect your uphill skiing; Skins, which are sticky coverings for your skis to give them traction. You will also need special boot bindings that release at the heel.
If you don’t have your own gear at all but want to try this uphill skiing trend, fear not! There is an alpine touring equipment package you can rent at Four Mountain Sports in Aspen. You can also sign up for private and group skiing lessons with the Aspen Skiing Company or Aspen Expeditions. These lessons are to teach the basics of following uphill skiing routes, because there are different rules for each mountain. Pacing yourself is also another important lesson to learn so you don’t wear yourself out halfway through! Lessons start at $124 and can reach up to $835 for a private lesson. Pretty steep.
[gallery size="large" ids="5775,5773" orderby="rand"]
So try uphill skiing and give your winter sports a new level of extremity! If you decide to ride in Aspen, test your skills and sign up for one of Aspen’s Full Moon Dinners at the Cliff house, located at the top of Buttermilk. You can only reach this spot by hiking or uphill skiing, so you’re definitely earning your dinner! Full moons for the upcoming winter dates: December 14th, January 12th, February 11, and March 12.
