Skiing essentials!

How to put on your backcountry skis while on steep terrain... 

First always ensure your safety by looking up hill to spot any skiers or potential threats from falling environmental items (snow, rocks, or ice).

It helps to chop out a small ledge just below knee level uphill to place your skis when your putting them on.  Place your skis and poles above the ledge you created by driving them tail first into the snow as deeply as you can or up to the heel piece.  This secures them and gives you something to hold onto.  When your ready begin with your down hill ski.

Place the ski on the ledge you created perpendicular to the slope and drive the tail into the snow at a slight angle.  The binding should be centered on your down hill knee.  Now hold onto the other ski and use it for balance as you step up and onto the downhill positioned ski.  Remember always start with the downhill ski.

Once the downhill ski is on position it securely perpendicular to the slope and grab the uphill ski.  move the ski to the ledge and drive the uphill ski tail into the snow at an angle that puts the nose a foot or so off the ground.  This puts the toe piece within reach and secures the ski.  Insert your toe and  lock the binding then step into the heel.  Once secure you can switch to down hill mode on your toe.  Use your ski poles for balance during this maneuver.  If you have rail type bindings decrease the angle slightly so you can insert the toe of the boot and fluidly step into the heel.  Be careful as the tail will come out of the snow as you step down and you risk losing the ski.

The process is reversed in order to remove your skis on steep terrain.  Remember Down hill ski first when put-on on you r skis, and down hill last when removing you skis.

Pro tip:  Practice removing your skins and switching into ski mode without removing your skis, this prevents the possibility of losing a ski.  Be careful though it's easy to lose your balance during this maneuver so get it dialed on the flats first!