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High Country Backpacking
Climbing scree is a little like climbing a sand dune: You can work awfully hard and end up in pretty much the same place you started. But unlike sand on a dune, scree isn't very deep. You can actually kick steps into it and get purchase with the front of your boots. Even so, it's a laborious way to climb. Another choice is to try to switchback by traversing the slope and gaining a little elevation at a time. This makes the climb less steep. As you ascend, you'll probably see bigger rock chunks here and there. These can make good footholds, but test them first since they are subject to the same law of gravity that keeps trying to pull you downhill: A stable-looking rock could be sitting on an unstable layer of scree that will start to slide just as you put your foot on it.
Descending is a lot easier and a lot more fun, because you can let gravity take you. Boot skiing (or "screeing") is a combination of running, sliding, and hopping from foot to foot. Get a shuffling start and bend your knees in a skier-like stance until you start to slide. Then shift your weight from foot to foot to keep your balance and momentum.
Warning: This technique is best on an all-scree hill that doesn't have too many big obstacles to fall into. The lower your center of gravity (and the more bent your knees), the more control you will have. (This is a huge argument in favor of internal-frame backpacks for alpine hiking, because internal-frame packs have a lower center of gravity. No matter what kind of pack you use, putting heavy equipment low and close to your back will aid you in keeping your balance on unstable and difficult terrain.)
Details mentioned in this article were accurate at the time of publication
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