Changing direction going up hill can be quite scary especially on steep or icy terrain; good choice of line avoiding the steepest terrain and choosing to turn on the easiest angles available will make changing direction safer and more comfortable.

On easier angled terrain you will be able to shuffle the skis round doing what we call Star Turns but once the angle steepens these will not work and you will have to learn how to kick turn.

To learn the art of kick turning start on an easy angled slope

• Stamp a platform with the lower ski with the ski across the fall line.
• Position your downhill pole towards the tip of the downhill ski and your uphill pole towards the rear of the uphill ski.
• Flip the uphill ski through almost 180 degrees the closer your feet are in the new position the easier it will be to transfer your weight to the uphill ski. Making this movement dynamic will help get the ski round.
• Move the downhill pole so that it is pushing into the hillside vertically above you for support.
• Transfer your weight to your uphill ski
• Lift the down hill ski off the snow
• When it is clear of the snow let it settle then give the heel a little kick this will flick the tip if the ski clear of the snow.
• As it flicks up steer the ski along side the weighted ski
• Stamp it down the new uphill ski and continue skinning