In search of tips for descending scree

[dirtgrl]

Hello! I usually am very slow hiking down loose scree sections, sometime squatting low or sliding on my tushie to get down. I often "overuse" my poles, relying on them too much where balance and confidence would be a safer choice. For example, I slid most of my way down the uppermost sections of Princeton and Huron where others around me were safely walking down.

Do you have tips or suggestions for increasing my confidence to walk down safely? Are there any exercises or areas to practice that you recommend?

Thank you!

[ekalina]

A few things to try:

1) When walking straight down, keep your weight over your feet, resisting the urge to lean back. Leaning back can make your feet slip out from under you.

2) Instead of facing straight down the slope, turn 90 degrees to the left or right and lead with your hip. This allows you to side step down the slope, which will reduce the feeling that your momentum is building up uncontrollably. While slower than walking straight down, it's faster and more comfortable than butt scooting or squatting.

3) When the scree is mixed with dirt or loose gravel, some folks will wear microspikes. I haven't tried it, but I've heard the increase in traction is dramatic.

4) If you're wearing old boots or shoes, their tread is probably worn down. Get some new shoes or boots meant for rugged trails and/or off-trail. La Sportiva for shoes and Salomon for boots are good vendors to look at (though there are many others). What footwear did you use on Princeton and Huron?

[Phill the Thrill]

1. Bend your knees and keep a low center-of-gravity.
2. Use a "worn out" pair of micro spikes for scree descents.

[Teresa Gergen]

Nothing wrong with being heavily dependent on your poles. Call it an upper body workout. Better to be safe if that's what it takes to be confident.

I've been using "rock spikes" for scree descents for over a decade since losing much of the muscle in one leg. You can buy cheap knock-offs as well as using worn down good quality snow microspikes. If the cheap ones break in the field, keep a large paperclip in your pack and you can make enough of a repair to finish getting out.

Rock spikes don't work well if the scree is too large or if there's hardpan under it, but otherwise they're astounding. Be careful about them catching on your pant legs or boot laces on the opposite foot - they can trip you up mid-step. This has happened to me multiple times, but like a fraction of 1% of the time I've worn them on scree.

[14ercooper]

My method is approximately this:
Poles for stability (in both hands), hip down the slope instead of facing straight down, keeping my knees bent and a lower center of gravity, and taking very small steps instead of large steps, and then it's kinda a controlled slip and slide kinda like skiing (always making sure I can stop) between larger, more stable parts of the slope. Works fairly well, and can be quite fun once you get used to it!

[justiner]

The uppermost sections of Princeton and Huron aren't what I would describe as scree. That's just kinda looser ground -- but (Huron especially) there's a good trail up there. You may just benefit from more experience and with that comes confidence.

[Jay521]

Nothing wrong with being heavily dependent on your poles. Call it an upper body workout. Better to be safe if that's what it takes to be confident.

I've been using "rock spikes" for scree descents for over a decade since losing much of the muscle in one leg. You can buy cheap knock-offs as well as using worn down good quality snow microspikes. If the cheap ones break in the field, keep a large paperclip in your pack and you can make enough of a repair to finish getting out.

Rock spikes don't work well if the scree is too large or if there's hardpan under it, but otherwise they're astounding. Be careful about them catching on your pant legs or boot laces on the opposite foot - they can trip you up mid-step. This has happened to me multiple times, but like a fraction of 1% of the time I've worn them on scree.

What Teresa said... If anyone knows, she does. Seriously...

[Teresa Gergen]

Just FWIW - some of the comments about learning how to hold your body in a good position for better stability and balance are fantastic - until you can no longer get your body into those positions...it does eventually happen...

[Hiker Mike]

2) Instead of facing straight down the slope, turn 90 degrees to the left or right and lead with your hip. This allows you to side step down the slope, which will reduce the feeling that your momentum is building up uncontrollably. While slower than walking straight down, it's faster and more comfortable than butt scooting or squatting.

I have personally used the above and I can attest to it's effectiveness.

Mike

[dirtgrl]

Hello, thank you for this FANTASTIC reply!! These are great tips!

The shoes I have are Saucony Peregrin Trail shoes, and they are probably 5 years old now. Thank you for those recommendations, I will start shopping around for new shoes or boots.

A few things to try:

1) When walking straight down, keep your weight over your feet, resisting the urge to lean back. Leaning back can make your feet slip out from under you.

2) Instead of facing straight down the slope, turn 90 degrees to the left or right and lead with your hip. This allows you to side step down the slope, which will reduce the feeling that your momentum is building up uncontrollably. While slower than walking straight down, it's faster and more comfortable than butt scooting or squatting.

3) When the scree is mixed with dirt or loose gravel, some folks will wear microspikes. I haven't tried it, but I've heard the increase in traction is dramatic.

4) If you're wearing old boots or shoes, their tread is probably worn down. Get some new shoes or boots meant for rugged trails and/or off-trail. La Sportiva for shoes and Salomon for boots are good vendors to look at (though there are many others). What footwear did you use on Princeton and Huron?

[jibler]

i probably shouldn't even say this outloud - since now it is my own solo routine


but climbing chatfield dam laterally on the reg has made me that much better in scree world. on ups and downs. most of the rocks on the dam have settled but all surfaces uneven and balance moments come up frequently.


i dare say it has elevated my scree game.


(actually i have at times had daydream about trying to get together some kind of "Scree Race" here. participants would start at one end of dam and have to get to the other - or something like that.)

[Scott P]

For sure don't slide down scree on your butt or do scree sliding. It's not good for the mountain, clothes, or body. One way to solve the problem is climbing on snow when the scree is covered. You have to learn to use an ice axe to do that though. There really isn't such a thing as overusing your poles, at least in my opinion. Maybe try different footwear?