How do you handle skiing on ICE?

I would be interested to know how everyone handles ICE when skiing. I usually try to avoid turning on it to ensure I don't slip, how do you handle it?

I was also taught not to turn on ice and, in icy conditions generally, to lean as far forward as possible for increased stability.

I'm not going to pretend to be any kind of expert, but I can pass on what my instructor taught me...

As you've already said, try to pick a nice place to turn. Other than that...

Good sharp edges for your skis, with no burring. A good position, open parallel, feet hip width apart, knees open, weight forward on the skis. If you do long sweeping arced turns as opposed to taking a straighter line, putting your downhill hand on your downhill knee as you come around helps to keep your upper body weight in the right place. Uphill arm slightly forwards - this helps stop your upper body pivoting away from the fall line.

None of this will stop your skis from skidding, but it does allow you to maintain balance and control and go with the flow until you get to a grippier part.

I think that 90% (ish, about etc) of handling ice is in our heads. Its the fear of being out of control that causes most problems.
And ...
We probably all work out our own way to handle ice. A mixture of kit (nice and sharp edges as Emma says), preparation - knowing the mountain and ice blackspots, how to avoid them (I'll ski a black rather than a busy, icy blue anyday), time of day etc etc.
And then when we get to an icy patch each to their own on survival strategy.
Mine is; speed control - if it's icy keep the speed down so I don't find myself arriving on an icy bit too fast.
If I know I'm going to ski an icy piste,pause at the top and see what other people are doing - to avoid them!! My bete noir of ice is other people, so I'll wait a bit if necessary and find a gap so I don't get tangled up with others.
Look for soft snow to turn on and check speed - sides of piste best.
Finally; don't give a s*** what I look like, sideslipping, stopping, survival skiing - get past it and enjoy the next bit of good snow.
It's all in the head - got to stay as relaxed as possible; locking up, stiffening legs and knees, "hanging" onto the hill, will all cause grief.
Don't be scared of ice - coz fear is your killer. Just work out your own survival tactics!

I was taught to keep on turning and eventually I'll get some grip. It works some of the time :mrgreen: Agree with most of ^^ too, especially about avoiding other people. It's horrible to hear other folks skittering in your general direction.

Strangely enough I prefer ski-ing on ice to ski-ing on chopped up lumpy snow. I like ice because it's so smooth and predictable, and it seems to suit my ski-ing style. I remember, in one of my lessons, the instructor asked me to ski down the side of the piste using short turns and I picked the icy section not the lumpy stuff next to it, and afterwards he told me off for my choice although I'd done a great job (or so I thought).

And in case anyone is thinking I can't be talking about real ice, I've skied on the glacier at Tignes in October when some sections of the black piste only had ice and glacial ice left.

What works for me is using my edges and doing smooth turns and side-slipping down the impossibly icy sections where I can't turn.

Ally

I tend to say 'whoooooooa' as my skis slip/skid over it! :lol:

My ski instructor used to say ""On ice , dont turn !"