Tag: Rappelling for ski mountaineers

With the confidence of a priest proclaiming the word of god, a prominent member of the AMGA once told me that ski mountaineering starts when you have to use a rope. I’d argue that using the rope to descend seriously detracts from any ski descent, mountaineering or not. Still, there’s no denying that being handy with the cord can be a pretty useful skill in the mountains: It can get you out of a jam and open up options for lines that simply won’t go without it. Rather than being some hallmark of a “mountaineer,” I’d argue that being a competent rope rider is another skill to learn—a tool you’d rather not use but are sure glad to have when you need it. As skiers specifically, some different considerations regarding rappelling are worth discussing.