If you can hike up a hillside you can backcountry ski! Essentially backcountry skiing, also known as ski touring, is hiking up the mountain with your skis on and skiing down. The equipment is slightly modified from traditional downhill ski gear. The boots have a setting that switches from ski to walk, making the boots more flexible for climbing up the hill. Skis have special bindings that release the heel of the boot (much like cross country skiing) but the toe is still engaged, allowing you to climb with ease. The skis also require skins, these are strips of syntetic mohair that hook on to the tip and tail of the ski and stick on with a special "skin glue". The skins provide traction while climbing and are removed at the top of the mountain. Skiing down your conquest makes it all worth the trip!