Snow Skiing Terms

"360" is the name for an advanced freestyle skiing aerial maneuver where, once in the air off a jump, a skier rotates through 360 degrees and lands facing down the hill.

"720" is the name for an advanced freestyle skiing aerial maneuver where, once in the air off a jump, a skier rotates through 720 degrees and lands facing down the hill.

Adaptive skiing enables skiers with disabilities to participate in alpine skiing by using special equipment.

Aerials are a type of skiing competition where the competitors ski a ramp leading to a high kick-off jump, then perform aerial flips, twists, and turns.

Alpine skiing is skiing downhill on a mountain.

An alpine slide or alpine coaster is a summer ski resort ride.

Altitude sickness can occur at high elevation, typically over 8000 feet.

Après-Ski refers to the end of the day when the mountain has closed and the restaurants and bars are open for socializing.

Avalanche beacons are battery operated radio devices that when activated home in, or point to another similar radio device operating on the same frequency. When used in activities in snow covered terrain they can locate victims buried in an avalanche.

Average Annual Snowfall is the amount of snow a mountain gets during a year.

Backcountry skiing is skiing on terrain that isn't marked, mapped, or groomed. It offers skiers a chance to brave more challenging terrain in a more natural setting, and sometimes even make the first tracks in fresh powder.

The base is the average amount of snow that is on a ski trail, typically measured in inches.

Bindings attach your boots to your skis. They are set to skier classification, height, and weight and should only be set by a certified technician.

Black Diamonds are the color and symbol used to mark advanced ski trails. Black Diamond ski trails are often difficult to ski and have advanced terrain.

A blackout day is a day when, while using a season pass, your season pass is not valid and you must purchase a normal lift ticket if you wish to ski that day.

A blue bird day is a beautiful sunny day after an overnight snowfall. It's a perfect skiing day with a clear blue sky, bright sun, and fresh snow.

Blue squares are the color and symbol used to mark intermediate ski trails.

A ski boot fitter is trained to fit ski boots to the individual skier.

The bunny slope is a ski area with a gentle slope where beginner skiers are taught to ski.

A cabriolet is an open gondola type of ski lift which typically takes skiers and resort visitors from a parking area or a lower part of a resort village to an higher level.

Camber is the upward curve in skis, which can be seen when they are placed on a flat surface. The performance levels of the skis are determined by the amount of camber they have.

Carving is when you ski a turn with very little skidding, using the edges of your skis.

Catching air is going fast enough to have both lift skis off the snow after skiing over a bump.

Catching an edge is a fall or near-fall where the edge of your ski digs into the snow, usually catching a groove made by the ski of another skier.

A chair lift is a mechanized, cable-suspended, aerial chair device used to carry skiers up a mountain slope.

Champagne powder is very light, dry, and smooth snow, which is great for skiing.

Super combined (super combi) ski races includes a single slalom race and either a shorter than normal downhill run or a super G race. In the super combined, the times of each race are added together and the fastest total time determines the winner.

Combined ski racing events include one downhill run followed by two slalom runs.

Corduroy is the finely ridged surface of the snow after a snowcat has groomed a ski trail.

Corn snow is a wet snow usually found in springtime that has gone through a series of melt – freeze cycles. These cycles start with a night freeze causing a crust of frozen snow with wet snow underneath.

A crevasse is a crack in a body of ice like a glacier. These deep fissures are usually caused by differential movements of the sections of ice that make up the body as a whole.

There are a variety of skis used for cross country skiing, ranging from light racing skis to wider telemark skis.

There are a variety of skis used for cross country skiing, ranging from light racing skis to wider telemark skis.

Cross country skiing is skiing over level ground or small hills.

Cross country skiing equipment includes need cross country skis, ski bindings, ski poles, and boots.

Crud is snow that is a combination of powder snow and patches of ice or snow that is slippery or crusty on the surface and soft underneath.

Crust is soft snow that has a layer of harden, frozen crust (hence the name) on the top. Freezing rain, direct sunlight, or the melting and refreezing of the top layer of powder can result in crust.

Daffy is the name for an advanced freestyle skiing aerial maneuver where, once in the air off a jump, a skier extends one leg out in front and the other leg backward.

Diagonal stride is the equivalent of walking in cross-country skiing.

The DIN (Deutsche Industrie Normen) setting determines how easily the binding will release the ski boot from the ski when a skier falls.

The DIN setting is the amount of force required to release an alpine ski boot from the ski bindings.

Double Black Diamonds are used to mark very advanced ski trails that are difficult to ski and have expert terrain.

Downhill ski races are designed to be the longest and ultimately generate the highest speed from the skiers. Each skier makes one run only. The skier with the fastest time is the winner. As in all Alpine events, skiers are timed to one hundredth of a second and any ties stand as that.

Downhill traversing is skiing down a ski slope in a zig-zag pattern.

A dry slab avalanche occurs when snow slabs on the mountains loose their cohesion due to factors like melting snow or additional snowfall.

A face shot is when a skier ends up with a face full of snow while skiing in deep powder.

The fall line is the line on the mountain down which water would flow if poured down the slope (the straightest and the steepest line down the mountain).

Flex is the amount of bending resistance a ski has.

Freestyle aerial skiing competition require the competitors to ski a ramp leading to a high kick-off jump. Each "kicker block" is built to a varying formula of rate-of-rise to distance of the initial rise to the top. This allows the competitors to pre-choose 2 of the collection of back flips, twists and turns they will perform based on their own style and technique. What they choose combines to a…

Freestyle moguls competition includes a course which is a set of manmade moguls, or bumps, on a steep slope that will provide 3 or 4 lines or paths down. The goal is to ski down through the bumps as fast as possible doing the tricks off the two jumps.

Freestyle skiing is a type of skiing where skiers do tricks or jumps. From skiing on halfpipes to getting air and soaring over jumps (and then doing tricks in the air), freestyle skiers also ski moguls. While skiing down close set moguls, freestyle skiers race through moguls and then ski over a jump.

Frozen fog is a type of fog composed of ice crystals and particles of ice that form in the air at very low temperatures.

Glacier skiing is downhill skiing or crosscountry skiing in glaciers. Most glacier skiing is done in the summer, when mountains in the northern hemisphere are closed.

Glade skiing is skiing back and forth through trees.

Goggles are tight–fitting glasses that are used to protect the eyes from snow, wind, and glare.

A gondola is an enclosed structure suspended from a cable that transports skiers up the mountain.

Granular snow is snow with the consistency of small pellets. types of granular snow includes loose, wet, and frozen granular snow.

Grass skiing is sometimes considered summer’s equivalent to winter snow skiing. While not as popular as its cold weather counterpart, skiing on grass instead of snow has made a name for itself, especially in Europe.

Green circles are the color and symbol used to mark beginner trails (the easiest trails to ski).

Halfpipe skiing competition includes a series of tricks and jumps in the halfpipe, which is two downward sloping, curved ramps made of snow facing...

Heli-Skiing is off-trail, downhill skiing that is reached by a helicopter.

A lift ticket provides skiers with access to the mountain. Lift tickets can be purchased online or at the ski resort.

Liftie is the term used to describe a ski lift operator who run the the transportation system that gets skiers up the mountain.

A magic carpet ski lift is a conveyor type ski lift. A magic carpet works like the moving walkways you find in airports, except it goes up a ski slope.

Moguls are a series of bumps on a trail that a skier skis around, formed naturally after many skiers travel down the slope on the same path or man-made by machine.

Mogul skiing competition consists of a ski run down a steep course seeded heavily with bumps and two jumps.

Mountain casual attire is the norm at many ski resorts. Mountain casual dress is basically casual attire. If the restaurant dress code says mountain casual, jeans, corduroys, and other casual pants, plus a sweater or shirt, is fine. For nice mountain casual, you may want to dress it up a little with a collared shirt.

New Nordic Norm (NNN) is a boot and binding system that is known for its comfortable flex and ski control.

Nordic Skiing is a term that refers to any form of cross-country skiing, which includes classic or backcountry touring, skating, and telemark skiing.

Off piste skiing is on ungroomed terrain that is not marked into trails.

Packed powder snow is now that is compressed and flattened either by skier and snowboarder traffic or by grooming equipment.

Paralympic alpine skiing competition is open to male and female athletes with physical disabilities.

A pommel tow is a skiing rope tow with a plastic plate that you put between your legs to drag you uphill on the snow.

Pond skimming typically happens at the end of ski season. Pond skimmers ski down a hill, then try to skim across a pond without falling in and getting wet.

Pow Pow is a slang term for fresh powder snow, which is new, loose and fluffy snow.

Powder snow is freshly fallen, loose and fluffy snow.

Powder cords are are relatively inexpensive, long brightly colored ribbons that attach to your ski bindings and tuck into your pant leg gaiter, or into a special pouch which is commercially available.

Powder skis are wide (i.e. fat) skis designed to float through fresh powder snow.

The Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) is the premier organization offering training and certification for U.S. Ski Instructors.

Randonee skiing, also known as Alpine Touring (AT), is a form of skiing in which athletes ascend the mountain under their own power through the use of specialized bindings and "skins."

A ski rope tow is a rope that pulls you up the mountain. Skiers are pulled up the slope by their arms while standing on their skis.

A season pass provides discounted ski resort lift tickets throughout ski season.

To sidestep is to use small steps to move laterally while on cross country skis.

A sitzmark is a large hole or indentation left behind from a fallen cross country skier.

A ski and stay package is a ski vacation package that is all-inclusive or includes some options in addition to lodging.

Ski BASE jumping is a variation of the extreme sport of BASE jumping in which a participant, wearing a parachute jumps off a stationary object.

The ski binding attaches the ski boot to the ski.

The type of ski boots you wear depends on the type of skiing you are doing. Alpine skiers wear boots that attach to skis at both the toe and heel, while cross-country boots attach at the toe only.

Ski boot footbeds are inserts (orthotics) molded to bring the load bearing parts of the foot in sync with the gravitational force of the skeletal system. A ski boot footbed is molded from a semi-rigid material which distributes the forces developed on the foot during a ski turn.

Ski Cross is a skiing competition event where skiers race in a mass start group of four on a course of bumps and turns best described as a vertical snow covered motorbike "motocross" venue (from which the official name Ski Cross and similar monikers "skicross" amd "ski-X" are derived).

Ski Cross is a skiing competition event where skiers race in a mass start group of four on a course of bumps and turns best described as a vertical snow covered motorbike "motocross" venue.

Ski flying is ski jumping competition on slopes longer than 170 or 185 meters. In comparison, Olympic ski jumps are 90 and 120 meters.

A ski lift is the transportation that gets skiers up the mountain. Aerial ski lifts include chairlifts, gondolas, and trams.

A ski pass allows a skier to ski on a particular mountain or at a particular ski resort for a ski season.

Information on alpine and cross country ski poles, plus how to buy the correct size ski poles.

Ski slopestyle is a competition held in a terrain park where competitors all ski over the same jumps and rails. Each competitor attempts his best rail skiing style and most extravagant aerial maneuvers.

Ski wax is product that is hard and sealing and comes in two forms - glide and grip.

Ski-In / Ski-Out accommodations are mountainside lodging where you can ski-in and ski-out from the hotel or condo directly to the slope.

Skiboards are short skis - typically 130cm or less. . Some are available with releasable bindings and others with non-releasable bindings, usually they are not fitted with brakes but require runaway straps.

A skiing ability level is a classification system that ranks skiers based on their skiing ability and the level trails they can ski.

Ski width is distance from ski edge to ski edge, which is measured at the ski's narrowest part.

Skijoring is the sport of being pulled on cross country skis by a dog or dogs in harness.

Slalom ski races are traditionally the shortest race. They are comprised of close together turns or gates. Each competitor makes one run, then the course is reset on the same slope, but, with position of the gates changed.

Slush is snow that is starting to melt, and it's very heavy and very wet. Some would say that slush doesn't even look like snow, and those who've seen slush during spring conditions know how difficult skiing in slush can be.

A snow dome is a venue for indoor skiing. Snow domes are located around the world, including in the United Kingdom, Belgium, France, Dubai, Australia, India, Japan, German, Finland, and in several other countries.

The snow plow is one of the first techniques a beginner skier learns. The front tips of the skis are almost touching, which slows the skier and helps maintain control.

Snowblades are short shaped skis, typically 90-130cm, and are also called skiboards. Snowblades use traditional bindings, so you can use your own boots to ski with them.

Speed skiing is the art of going downhill through a straight measured course with the object of attaining the highest speed possible.

Spread Eagle is the name for a popular type of freestyle skiing aerial maneuver where once in the air, off a jump, a skier extends arms and legs straight out to side. The arms go to the 10 and 2 o'clock positions and the legs to the 8 and 4 o'clock position.

The Sundance Film Festival takes place each January in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden, and at Sundance Resort in Utah.

Super G is short for super giant slalom. Races are run on a course shorter than the downhill, but, longer than the GS. The skier with the fastest time over one run is the winner.

Telemark skiing, also known as freeheel skiing, is skiing with a binding that only connects the boot to the ski at the toes, as in cross-country skiing.

Telemark skis, also known as free heel skis, use a binding where only the toe (hence the free heel term) of the ski boot is attached to the ski.

Track skiing is a type of cross country skiing done on machine-prepared snow using the classic or skating technique.

Tree skiing most commonly refers to skiing off the groomed slopes, in and among trees of various sizes, shapes and types.

Twin tip skis are named for the shape of the ski. Traditional snow skis have a curved front (tip) and a flat end (tail) while twin tip skis have curved up tips at both ends.

The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) is the organization that governs United States Olympic skiing and snowboarding. It is the parent organization for the U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding.

There are three different types of crevasses: transverse, longitudinal, and marginal.

Information on the various types of ski lifts including aerial lifts, surface lifts and cable lifts.

The uphill capacity is the number of skiers that can be transported to the top of the mountain at a certain time.

The vertical drop is the distance straight down the mountain (measured in feet).

A yard sale is when a skier falls and loses his skis and poles, which end up scattered across the mountainside.

A zip line is an adventure cable ride offered at many ski resorts, including Park City Mountain Resort and Heavenly. Some zip lines run year-round, others only during the spring, summer and fall months.