Skiing on steep slopes is intimidating. But it can also become addictive. Many expert skiers, who have become bored with cruising around on gentle, groomed pistes, cannot live without the thrill of descending slopes that even mountain-climbers find difficult to ascend. I must confess, I am one of them. No longer able to get my adrenalin fix from ski-racing at 90mph, nowadays I often get my kicks from making jump turns on slopes where a fall could be perilous.

On a 45-degree slope, you will be able to reach out and touch the ground above you, merely by stretching out your arm. Even to a confident expert skier, this will feel like a virtual precipice. We're now into the realm of "extreme skiers", now often referred to as "big mountain freeriders".

At 55 degrees, you can touch the slope above you with your elbow. And around 60 degrees, there is a limit reached: sometimes the snow will not stick to slopes this steep.

Not all snow types are identical. Wet snow is "stickier" than dry, powder snow, and therefore adheres to steeper slopes. So if you are seeking the challenge of extremely steep slopes, you should head for "coastal" mountain ranges close to the sea, where the snowfall is usually wet, heavy, and sticky. The Californian resorts are famous for steep skiing. But the Mecca of steep faces, with snow apparently impossibly clinging to them, is the Chugach range in Alaska.

Before heading on to radically steep slopes, you should be properly prepared. Acquaint yourself with the self-arrest procedure, which can be used to stop yourself sliding uncontrollably once both your skis have released. This requires you to manoeuvre yourself around so that you're sliding on your stomach with your legs pointing downhill. Now, if you do a slow press-up, your toes will dig into the snow and bring you to a halt.

Check the level of avalanche risk, and the stability of the current snowpack. If you're not an expert on snow layers, your best option is to consult your local ski patrol or mountain rescue service.

Technically, the key to skiing steep slopes is to make sure your skis are pointing downhill for the minimum time possible. The best way to do this is to use jump turns, where you turn your skis by pivoting them entirely in mid-air. You need to take off from one set of edges, and land on the other. It is essential to land with your skis already tilted on to their edges so that they bite into the snow immediately, to prevent you sliding away and out of control.

The only way to pivot your skis quickly enough to perform this type of turn is to rotate just your legs beneath you, while your upper body remains permanently facing down the slope. (This is a fundamental principle of all short turns.)

A solid pole-plant is important for all short turns, but for jump turns on steep slopes, it is absolutely vital. As you jump your skis around, you are almost in a state of free-fall. This sensation is what makes steep skiing so exciting, but during that phase you need to support yourself by remaining in contact with Mother Earth, via your pole.

The positioning of the pole-plant is also crucial; on flatter slopes, you can plant your pole in front of you, near your ski-tip - but on steeper slopes, you need to plant your pole further below you. This will help you keep your weight out over your downhill ski, providing a solid platform from which to launch into the next turn. Each time you finish a turn, you need to reach down the hill to make the pole-plant that will lead you into the next turn.

The body shape you're looking for is a curved "C", with your knees and hips angulated into the slope, keeping your skis well edged, and your shoulders leaning out to the downhill side. Many timid skiers find this difficult, and tend to "shy away" instinctively from the slope below them, by leaning towards the uphill side with their shoulders. But this will make any edge grip impossible. Mastering steep slopes is all about overcoming your instincts and applying good technique.

The final refinement of steep skiing is slough management. The slough is the stream of snow that your skis send cascading down the slope. It's not necessarily a full-on avalanche, just a lot of loose snow. If you find yourself turning through your own slough, it'll be difficult to see the ground, and if the snow is particularly heavy, you may even get swept off your feet. Free-skiing superheroes are often fast enough to outski their slough, but for mere mortals the solution is usually to slow down, and follow your slough down the mountain.

If you crave adventure, try applying these technical rules, and start working your way up to steeper and steeper slopes. You'll find that when you go back to the "normal" pistes, they will seem strangely bland.

Martin Bell is running ski courses for intermediate skiers this summer in Vail and Breckenridge, Colorado. For more information, call 001 970 845 5710 or visit: www.unmissable.com