Enter your weight, choose your skiing type (cross-country, downhill, or skate skiing), and set your duration to calculate calories burned skiing. You'll see your total calorie burn plus a breakdown by intensity level so you can compare different skiing styles side by side.
Calories Burned
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Calories per Hour
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MET Value
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Weight Used
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The number of calories burned skiing depends on your weight, the type of skiing, and how long you ski. On average, a 155 lb (70 kg) person burns roughly 280–420 calories per hour doing downhill skiing and 420–630+ calories per hour doing vigorous cross-country skiing. Heavier individuals and more intense efforts burn significantly more.
Yes — skiing is a moderately high calorie-burning activity. Cross-country skiing at vigorous effort has a MET value of around 9, making it comparable to running. Even leisurely downhill skiing (MET ~5) burns more calories than walking. The full-body muscle engagement and cold weather thermogenesis contribute to its effectiveness.
MET stands for Metabolic Equivalent of Task. A MET of 1 equals the energy used sitting at rest. The calorie formula is: Calories = MET × weight in kg × time in hours. For example, cross-country skiing at moderate effort has a MET of about 6.8, so a 70 kg person skiing for 1 hour burns roughly 476 kcal.
Cross-country skiing generally burns more calories than downhill skiing because it requires continuous full-body effort — you propel yourself forward using both arms and legs. Downhill skiing relies more on gravity for movement, with bursts of muscle engagement for control. Vigorous cross-country skiing can burn 2× the calories of easy downhill runs.
Skate skiing is a technique used in cross-country skiing where you push off diagonally like ice skating rather than using the classic stride. It's faster and more intense, with a MET of around 9.0 or higher. A 155 lb person can burn over 600 calories per hour skate skiing, making it one of the highest calorie-burning winter sports.
This calculator uses published MET values from the Compendium of Physical Activities, which are well-validated estimates. Individual calorie burn can vary based on fitness level, terrain, temperature, skiing technique, and body composition. Use these results as a reliable estimate rather than a precise measurement.
Yes, body weight has a direct linear effect on calories burned. A heavier person requires more energy to move and balance, so they burn more calories at the same effort level. For example, a 205 lb (93 kg) person burns roughly 50–60% more calories than a 130 lb (59 kg) person doing the same skiing activity.
Yes — this calculator includes options for ski moguls and ski patrol with equipment. Mogul skiing is highly intense (MET ~8) due to rapid leg absorption and terrain changes. Ski patrol work, which involves carrying rescue equipment across varied terrain, also has an elevated MET compared to recreational skiing.