Skiing or Snowboarding with a Garmin Watch

Many Garmin® watches include different ski and snowboard type activities, though the specific profiles available can vary from model to model. 

Mapping capable watches will provide ski resort mapping, if available. See Which Ski Resorts are Available in the Garmin Ski Maps? for more information and map availability. 

What Are the Differences Between the Ski and Snowboard Profiles?

The ski and snowboard profiles will record and display different information. Most activity data screens are customizable, but some profiles include predetermined screens with data relevant to the activity. See your owner's manual for more information about winter sports on your watch, and steps for customizing data screens in activities.

• Ski and Snowboard: Intended for downhill skiing, alpine skiing, or snowboarding, where you return to the top of the hill using a lift. These profiles are compatible with Auto Run . Preset data screens include information about your current run such as distance, descent, average and max speed, total descent, total distance (based on your runs), number of runs, max speed, and time. 

• Backcountry Ski and Backcountry Snowboard: Also called off-piste skiing or snowboarding, these activity profiles are intended for skiing or snowboarding in unmarked or unpatrolled areas. The profile will record climbs as well as descents. Some watches can automatically transition between climbing and descending modes, while others require you to press the lap button. Data screens include information about your current climb or descent such as elevation change, speed, and time, and after the first climb or descent is complete, it will include information about that previous leg.

• XC Classic Ski: Intended for skiing on mostly level areas often with two parallel cut tracks for skis to slide through. Default data screens include information like distance, time, speed, heart rate, and elevation. With a compatible watch and accessory you can record cross-country ski power in this activity, see Cross-Country (XC) Ski Power on Garmin Watches for more information.

• XC Skate Ski: Intended for skiing on mostly level snow surfaces by pushing alternating skis away from each other at an angle. Default data screens include information like distance, time, speed, heart rate, and elevation. With a compatible watch and accessory you can record cross-country ski power in this activity, see Cross-Country (XC) Ski Power on Garmin Watches for more information.

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Using the Auto Run Feature

NOTE: Devices without a barometric altimeter will not have the Auto Run feature within the Ski or Snowboard activity profiles. To see if your device has this sensor, visit your owner's manual and search for “Barometer.”

For the Ski and Snowboard activity profiles, your watch automatically records the details of each downhill run using the Auto Run feature. The watch will begin recording a new run when it senses movement down a hill according to the internal sensors. When you stop moving downhill, the watch will end the run automatically. Auto Run is enabled in these profiles by default, but can be turned off in the activity settings - See Manually Logging a Run below for more details.

What Is Advanced Auto Run for Ski and Snowboard?

Advanced Auto Run ski and snowboard tracking works with the normal Auto Run feature, but it records the entire activity and isolates your downhill runs to show you the most important metrics. The watch will record data like time, distance traveled, maximum speed, average speed and descent for each run, as well as display your total number of runs. The watch continues recording metrics like heart rate between runs, but does not accumulate additional distance until it senses a new run. Because it is still recording data like heart rate, you can view that information in the activity details later. 

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Troubleshooting

If you have issues with the Auto Run feature, distance, speed, or elevation metrics you can try some of the following suggestions to help your watch record more accurately. 

• Make sure your watch is connecting to GPS prior to beginning the activity timer.

• Stay in one place and wait a minute after the watch says it has connected to GPS before starting the timer to improve the satellite connection and elevation calibration.

• Ensure the barometric altimeter port on your watch is not blocked by sleeves, gloves, snow, or other debris.

• If the barometric altimeter port is facing into the wind, try switching wrists to point the port away from the direction of travel.

• Search our Support Center for more specific troubleshooting tips for the altimeter and barometer, including proper calibration of the sensor.

• Disable the Auto Run function and manually record your runs. See instructions below.

Manually Logging a Run

You can manually log runs in a ski or snowboard activity when Auto Run is disabled and the Lap key is enabled. If you disable Auto Run without enabling the lap key, the activity will record without differentiating when a run happens.

Disabling Auto Run

You can disable the Auto Run feature in the activity settings.

1. Hold MENU (middle-left button).

2. Scroll to or select Settings.

3. Select Activities & Apps or Activities. 

4. Select Ski or Snowboard.

5. Select Ski Settings or Snowboard Settings.

6. Select Auto Run or Runs > Auto Run.

7. Select Auto Run to toggle the setting off or on.

Enabling the Lap Key

1. Hold MENU (middle-left button).

2. Scroll to or select Settings.

3. Select Activities & Apps or Activities. 

4. Select Ski or Snowboard.

5. Select Ski Settings or Snowboard Settings.

6. Depending on your watch, select:

   • Lap Key to toggle it on or off.

   • Runs > Lap Key to toggle it on or off.

With the lap key enabled, every time you press BACK/LAP (lower-right button) the watch will begin a new run. If you are manually recording runs, but do not want to record your lifts, we recommend pressing the BACK/LAP button at the bottom of the run and then pausing the activity by pressing START/STOP (upper-right button). After the lift, you will resume the activity by selecting Resume from the post-activity options. While the activity is paused, no metrics will record on the watch.