Ski Glossary

Alpine terrain above the altitude where trees can grow, typically open and wind-affected.

Using the legs to soak up terrain features like moguls and compressions so the upper body stays smooth.

A freestyle skiing event where athletes launch off a kicker and perform flips and twists, judged on execution.

Anti-Friction Device - the slippery pad under a binding toe piece that lets the boot slide sideways cleanly during a release.

A backpack containing an inflatable airbag that, when triggered, helps keep a caught skier near the surface of an avalanche.

Skis or boards designed to cope with the full range of resort conditions, from groomers to light powder.

Headache, nausea and fatigue caused by the lower oxygen levels at high-altitude ski resorts.

The post-ski social scene of mountain bars, terraces, hot tubs and parties that runs from afternoon into the night.

A mass of snow, ice and debris sliding rapidly down a mountainside, triggered naturally or by a skier.

Unpatrolled terrain outside a resort, accessed under human power or by helicopter/cat/sled.

The total depth of snow measured at a fixed point on a ski resort, usually at mid-mountain.

The altitude at the bottom of a ski resort, where the main lift base area sits.

The bottom station of a lift, where skiers first board.

British Association of Snowsport Instructors - the UK's national body for ski and snowboard instructor qualifications.

The numbered vest worn by ski racers identifying their start number in an event.

A freestyle discipline where riders launch a single large jump and perform the most technical aerial trick they can.

The mechanism that attaches a boot to a ski or snowboard, releasing in a fall to reduce injury.

A difficult piste, typically the steepest graded runs at a resort.

Slang for the toboggan used by ski patrol to evacuate injured skiers off the mountain.

A cloudless, sunny day immediately after a snowfall - the ideal combination of fresh snow and clear visibility.

An intermediate-graded piste in both European and North American systems - gentler than red/black terrain.

The snowboard equivalent of skier cross - four riders racing down a terrain-feature course.

Extremely icy, rock-hard snow - a step up from hardpack that only sharp edges will hold on.

An elasticated power strap that improves shin contact and rebound compared with a standard velcro strap.

The process of modifying a ski boot's shell, liner and footbed to suit an individual's foot shape.

Climbing on foot with skis strapped to the pack, used where a slope is too steep or narrow to skin.

The length in millimetres of a ski boot's sole, used to set up bindings correctly.

A wide, open, concave basin high on a mountain that fills with snow and offers broad, unobstructed skiing.

A wide, flat-topped terrain park feature - typically a metal-topped wooden box - used for sliding tricks.

A crust just firm enough to support a skier's weight momentarily before breaking - notoriously difficult to ski.

A chairlift with a pull-down plexiglass hood that shields riders from wind and snow.

A large cabin - often carrying 50+ people - suspended from fixed track cables that shuttles between two stations.

The classic ski profile where the middle of the ski arches off the snow at rest, providing edge pressure for carving.

A major mountain range across central and eastern Europe, home to budget-friendly ski resorts in Romania, Slovakia and Ukraine.

Turning a ski by tilting it on edge so it bends and runs along its sidecut, leaving a clean arc instead of a skid.

Off-piste skiing accessed by riding a snowcat to the top of the run rather than a lift.

A gently-graded snowcat road connecting parts of a resort, often skied as a beginner traverse between lifts.

The mountain range between the Black and Caspian Seas, home to growing freeride destinations like Gudauri, Krasnaya Polyana and Elbrus.

An aerial cable-driven lift with open or enclosed chairs suspended from a moving wire rope.

Exceptionally light, dry powder snow with very low moisture content, typically 4-7% water.

A warm, dry wind descending the lee side of the Rockies that can rapidly warm the snowpack and destabilise it.

Launching off a rock band or cliff and landing on the snow below, a staple of freeride skiing.

An alpine racing format combining a slalom and a speed run, with the fastest aggregate time winning.

A wind-formed overhang of snow that builds up on the lee side of ridges and can collapse without warning.

The sudden failure of a snow cornice, which can knock skiers off a ridge and trigger avalanches on the slope below.

Coarse, granular spring snow that forms when repeated melt-freeze cycles turn the surface into loose, rounded crystals.

A steep, narrow gully or gorge carved into a mountain face, often flanked by cliffs and offering committing off-piste descents.

Tracked, wind-affected or partially consolidated snow that's lost its powder feel - variable and heavy to ski.

A hard layer on the surface of the snowpack caused by sun, wind or rain followed by refreezing.

A moulded insole that supports the arch and heel inside the boot for better control and comfort.

A single-day lift pass, usually the most expensive per-day option.

A chunk of hardened ice or snow on a piste that can catch an edge and cause a fall.

A high-speed chairlift whose chairs detach from the haul rope in stations for slow loading and unloading.

Dulling the very tip and tail of a ski's edges so it doesn't catch while initiating or finishing a turn.

The release-force value of a ski binding, set according to weight, height, boot length and ability so the binding releases in a fall.

A dramatic limestone range in northern Italy, home to Dolomiti Superski - the largest linked ski area in the world by number of lifts.

A lift-linked ski pass covering 12 resorts across the Italian Dolomites with over 1,200 km of pistes.

A North American rating for the most difficult inbounds terrain, often ungroomed, steep and narrow.

The fastest alpine ski-racing discipline, a single timed run down a dedicated course at speeds above 130 km/h.

Any surface lift that tows skiers along the snow rather than lifting them into the air.

A freestyle discipline with two skiers racing side by side down parallel mogul courses with jumps.

A thin layer of new snow over a hard crust - it looks like powder but skis like the crust beneath.

The angle ground into a ski's base and side edges - lower angles are forgiving, higher angles grip harder on ice.

The act of tilting a ski or board onto its metal edge to grip the snow.

The length of a ski or snowboard edge actually in contact with the snow during a carved turn.

Vail Resorts' multi-resort season pass covering dozens of ski areas worldwide.

École du Ski Français - France's national ski school system, identifiable by red jackets.

The degree to which a line carries consequences if a skier falls - cliffs, crevasses or other hazards below.

A ski base made by extruding molten polyethylene - cheaper and easier to repair, but slower than sintered bases.

A wave of powder snow thrown into the skier's face during a deep powder turn.

The most direct line of descent down a slope - the path a ball would roll if released.

The first lines skied down a slope after a snowfall, before anyone has tracked it out.

Fédération Internationale de Ski et Snowboard - the world governing body for competitive skiing.

A handicap-style scoring system that ranks ski racers globally, lower points indicating faster skiers.

Overcast conditions that remove shadows from the snow surface, making it hard to read terrain features.

A number from roughly 60 to 140 describing how stiff a ski boot is - higher numbers are stiffer and suit stronger, more expert skiers.

A sequence of three or more consecutive slalom gates set directly in the fall line.

A warm, dry downslope wind in the Alps with the same mechanism as the Chinook, often triggering rapid thaws.

A communal pot of melted cheese (or hot oil or chocolate) into which diners dip bread and other morsels.

A bar under a chairlift's safety bar on which riders can rest their ski tips for comfort on long rides.

A style and category of skiing focused on off-piste descents, cliff drops and big-mountain lines.

The style and discipline centred on tricks in terrain parks and half-pipes.

Freezing of skin tissue caused by prolonged exposure to cold, most common on cheeks, nose and fingers.

A gondola with cabins suspended from two parallel cables, more stable in high winds than a single-cable gondola.

The paired flagged poles that mark a ski-racing course, which the racer must pass between.

An alpine ski-racing discipline with widely-spaced gates and long carved turns, faster than slalom.

An area of spaced trees that can be skied, offering sheltered powder skiing and visibility in flat light.

German-style hot mulled wine spiced with cinnamon, cloves and orange, a staple of après-ski bars in the Alps.

Steep, dangerous, aesthetic terrain - as in 'sending the gnar'.

Close-fitting eye protection with anti-fog lenses, rated from S0 (very low) to S4 (very sunny) for light transmission.

An enclosed cabin lift suspended from a cable, carrying 6-15 passengers between stations.

Riding a snowboard with the right foot forward.

The easiest grade of ski run, usually wide and gently sloped, suitable for beginners.

A piste that has been tilled and smoothed by a snowcat overnight, leaving a corduroy finish.

A stiff ski with a long turn radius designed for high-speed giant slalom carving.

A narrow, sunken drainage channel on a slope, usually steeper than the surrounding terrain.

A pair of slalom gates set straight down the fall line requiring two quick turns in close succession.

A U-shaped snow channel with vertical walls used for freestyle skiing and snowboarding tricks.

Firm, compacted snow found on groomed runs late in the day or after a freeze, skiable but unforgiving.

A boot liner designed to be heated and moulded to the skier's foot for a precise personalised fit.

The rear half of an alpine ski binding that holds the heel of the boot and releases vertically in a forward fall.

The edge of a snowboard under the rider's heels, used for a toe-off-snow carving turn.

Accessing off-piste terrain by helicopter, typically in remote ranges like BC's Bugaboos or Alaska.

A hard-shell head protector now worn by the majority of skiers and snowboarders, purpose-designed for impact and cold.

A beginner technique for climbing a gentle slope on skis by pointing the tips outward in a V shape.

A lift pass valid for a few hours, typically offered at smaller resorts for short sessions.

A ski profile that combines camber underfoot with rocker at the tip and/or tail for versatility.

A dangerous drop in core body temperature from cold, wet and wind exposure.

A multi-resort season pass covering 50+ destinations in North America, Europe, Japan and beyond.

A budget multi-resort pass focused on small independent ski areas across North America and beyond.

A weather phenomenon where warmer air sits above colder air, often leaving valleys foggy and upper slopes sunny.

International Ski Instructors Association - the international federation that sets standards for ski instructor qualifications.

A Wyoming ski resort famed for steep, demanding terrain and the aerial tram to Rendezvous Mountain.

A single-rider surface drag lift with a J-shaped bar that hooks behind one thigh.

A purpose-built jump in a terrain park or backcountry, shaped to launch the rider into the air.

The width of a ski boot at the forefoot in millimetres, typically 97-104mm, dictating how narrow or roomy the fit is.

The snaking queue corral at the base of a lift that marshals skiers into rows for loading.

A ticket or card that gives a skier access to a resort's lifts for a set period, typically scanned at lift gates.

The removable padded inner of a ski boot, often heat-mouldable for a custom fit.

A moving conveyor belt set into the snow, used on beginner slopes so novices can ride uphill standing upright.

A section of a ski line where a jump is unavoidable because the terrain below is impassable on the ground.

An intermediate boarding and alighting point on a long gondola or chairlift.

A bump of compacted snow formed when many skiers carve turns in the same place on a steep slope, leaving mounds and troughs.

A slope covered in moguls, typically found on ungroomed black runs where skier traffic has built up bumps.

The ski boot sizing system based on foot length in centimetres, giving a more consistent fit than shoe sizes.

A multi-resort pass offering two days at each of 25+ independent mountains worldwide.

A lift pass valid for several consecutive days at a discount compared with day passes.

The depth of fresh snow that has fallen at a resort in the last 24 hours, a key input for powder-seekers.

The depth of fresh snow that has fallen at a resort in the last 72 hours.

Skiing on pistes illuminated by floodlights after sunset, common in the Alps, Japan and North America.

Terrain where a fall would have serious or fatal consequences due to steepness, cliffs or obstacles.

A very gentle beginner slope, usually at the base of a resort, where new skiers learn the basics.

Any skiable terrain that lies outside marked, patrolled runs - including side-country, untracked bowls and backcountry.

A snowboard or ski trick where the rider pops into the air from the tail without a ramp.

In some European resorts, an extreme or itinerary run that is marked but not patrolled or groomed.

A ski turn in which both skis stay parallel throughout the arc - the goal of beginner ski progression.

A run down a series of snow-covered boulders or stumps that form soft, cushion-like features.

A marked, patrolled and usually groomed ski run at a resort, graded by difficulty and maintained for skiing and snowboarding.

A tracked grooming vehicle that tills and levels snow overnight to prepare pistes for the next day.

A resort-issued map showing lifts, pistes, restaurants and key landmarks, with runs colour-coded by difficulty.

Someone who ducks ropes and skis closed or uncontrolled terrain inside a resort boundary.

The rhythmic tap of the downhill pole used to time and trigger a turn.

A surface drag lift with a round disc - aka 'button' - that the skier places between the legs to be pulled uphill.

A huge linked ski area straddling the French-Swiss border with 12 resorts including Avoriaz, Morzine and Champéry.

A day with a significant fresh snowfall - the skiing holy grail.

Fresh, dry, light and uncompacted snow - the most sought-after condition in skiing.

A wide ski (typically 110mm+ at the waist) with rocker designed to float in deep snow.

The velcro strap at the top of a ski boot cuff that closes around the shin for a snug fit.

A collapsible pole used to pinpoint a buried victim's precise location after a transceiver search.

A beginner-friendly park area with small, low-consequence features to help skiers learn freestyle skills.

A brand-name polyethylene stick melted into ski base gouges to repair damage before waxing.

The mountain range separating France and Spain, with major ski resorts on both sides including Baqueira Beret and Grandvalira.

A four-person chairlift - one of the most common modern resort lifts.

A single vertical wall of snow used as a launching ramp for aerial tricks, essentially one side of a half-pipe.

A Swiss dish where a half-wheel of cheese is melted and scraped onto potatoes, pickles and cured meats.

A metal bar installed in a terrain park that riders slide along on the base of their skis or board.

A European rating for advanced-intermediate pistes, steeper than blues but not as committing as blacks.

Riding a snowboard with the left foot forward.

The safety bar that pulls down across a chairlift to stop riders from falling off.

A reverse-camber profile where the tip or tail lifts off the snow at rest, improving float in powder and forgiveness in crud.

The colour-coded difficulty classification system used to grade ski runs, varying between Europe and North America.

To ski straight down the fall line without turning, typically on flat or gentle terrain.

A plastic blade used to remove excess hot wax from a ski base after it has cooled.

Committing fully to a big line or feature - 'going big' without hesitation.

The rigid plastic outer of a ski boot, providing structure and transferring force to the ski.

A lightweight collapsible snow shovel carried in the pack for avalanche rescue and snow pit tests.

Slang for skiing or snowboarding hard - 'going shredding'.

The hourglass shape of a ski, measured as the difference between tip, waist and tail widths, which determines its natural turn radius.

Climbing a slope by stepping sideways with skis perpendicular to the fall line.

Heavy, wet, dense snow typical of California's Sierra Nevada - difficult to ski in quantity but excellent for bonding the snowpack.

A ski base manufactured by pressing and heating polyethylene granules - faster and more durable than extruded bases.

A long, narrow runner worn on each foot for gliding over snow.

A stiff plastic boot that transmits forces from the leg to the ski via the binding.

The pair of sprung arms under a ski binding that deploy to stop a released ski sliding down the mountain.

A head-to-head freestyle discipline where four skiers race down a course of jumps, rollers and banked turns.

Accommodation located directly on the piste, allowing guests to ski from the door to the lifts and back.

Ski-mountaineering racing - a fast, lightweight discipline combining skinning, bootpacking and descending against the clock.

A strip of mohair or nylon with directional hairs that sticks to the base of a touring ski, providing grip when walking uphill.

The uphill trail of footprints left by ski tourers, usually zig-zagging up a slope at a comfortable gradient.

The professional team responsible for piste safety, avalanche control, first response and rescue at a ski resort.

A lightweight pole used for balance, timing turns and pushing along flats.

A resort-based organisation that provides lessons from private beginner tuition to advanced off-piste guiding.

Skiing uphill using skins and lightweight bindings, then descending - the traditional way to access unlifted terrain.

An avalanche where a cohesive layer of snow breaks away as a single slab along a weak underlying layer.

An alpine ski-racing discipline with tightly-set gates requiring short, quick turns.

A short ski with a tight turn radius designed for quick, linked slalom turns.

A freestyle discipline where athletes ride a course of rails, jumps and features, judged on difficulty and style.

A loose, dry surface avalanche of unconsolidated snow - often harmless but can push a skier over terrain features.

A skier or boarder who cuts in front of others in a lift queue - poor lift-line etiquette.

A single wide board ridden sideways down a mountain, with the feet strapped in via bindings.

A fan-type snowmaker that propels water droplets through a ring of nozzles to produce machine-made snow.

A fenced children's area at the base of a resort with features and lifts sized for young beginners.

A fixed or mobile machine that sprays water and compressed air into cold air to form artificial snow crystals.

The use of snow guns and cannons to manufacture snow at a resort, supplementing natural snowfall on key pistes.

The total layered accumulation of snow on the ground at any given moment, made up of successive storms and weather events.

A wedge-shaped ski position used by beginners to control speed and make gentle turns.

A narrow, blade-like ridge of snow with steep slopes falling away on both sides, a defining feature of Alaskan big-mountain skiing.

A snowboard that splits lengthwise into two skis for skinning uphill and reassembles for the descent.

Late-season skiing characterised by softer snow, longer days, sun and corn snow conditions.

Style + ease - effortless, good-looking riding, especially in the park.

A transitional turn where the skier stems the uphill ski at the start and brings it parallel through the turn, bridging snowplough and parallel skiing.

A tuning process that flattens and re-structures a ski base using a rotating grinding stone.

Microscopic grooves pressed into a ski base to break surface tension and improve glide in wet snow.

The altitude of the highest lift-served point of a ski resort.

UV damage to the skin, amplified at altitude and by reflection off the snow - a daily hazard even in cloud.

High-SPF cream worn on the face and neck to protect against intense high-altitude UV.

Super Giant Slalom - a speed discipline between GS and downhill, with fewer turns and higher speeds.

The rear end of a ski or snowboard; on twin tips the tail is also upturned for backwards landings.

A rich Savoyard dish of potatoes, lardons, onions and melted reblochon cheese, a classic French mountain lunch.

The highest range of the Carpathians, shared by Poland and Slovakia, with popular resorts like Zakopane and Jasná.

A surface drag lift with an inverted-T bar that pulls two skiers uphill by the backs of the thighs.

A graceful free-heel skiing technique using a lunging turn where the outside ski leads and the inside knee drops.

A purpose-built area within a ski resort featuring jumps, rails, boxes and half-pipes for freestyle skiing and snowboarding.

Europe's largest mountain range, spanning France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Germany and Slovenia - and home to more ski resorts than anywhere else on Earth.

The world's largest linked ski area by piste length, in the French Alps, connecting Courchevel, Méribel and Val Thorens.

The upturned front end of a ski or snowboard that deflects over obstacles and initiates turns.

The front half of an alpine ski binding that holds the toe of the boot and releases laterally in a crash.

The edge of a snowboard under the rider's toes, used for a heel-off-snow carving turn.

A crash in which the skier or rider cartwheels end-over-end down the fall line.

The upper station of a lift where skiers disembark at the top of the ride.

A ski profile with full-length camber and no rocker, delivering precise edge hold on firm snow.

A radio device worn by every backcountry skier that transmits a signal and can switch to receive to locate buried partners.

A group procedure at the start of every backcountry day confirming every transceiver is switched on and transmitting.

Skiing across a slope at a shallow angle rather than straight down the fall line.

A ski descent through forest, offering wind-sheltered snow and tight turns between trunks.

Maintenance work on a ski or board - sharpening edges, filling base damage and waxing - to restore performance.

A ski with both tip and tail upturned so it can be ridden and landed backwards - essential for freestyle skiing.

A renowned French resort in the Tarentaise valley, linked with Tignes to form the Espace Killy ski area.

The altitude difference between a resort's summit and base - a headline figure often quoted when comparing resorts.

French hot mulled wine, the après-ski drink of choice in French ski resorts.

The narrowest point of a ski, measured in millimetres - a key figure for determining whether a ski is built for piste or powder.

A lever on touring and hybrid ski boots that unlocks cuff rotation to make walking and skinning easier.

A layer of paraffin or fluorocarbon rubbed or ironed onto the ski base to reduce friction with the snow.

A slab avalanche involving heavy, water-saturated snow - slow-moving but very destructive.

Conditions of heavy snow or cloud that reduce contrast and visibility to near zero.

A dense, cohesive layer of snow formed when wind deposits snow on the lee side of a slope or ridge - a classic avalanche hazard.

The top tier of international ski racing, a season-long series of races across Alpine, Nordic and freestyle disciplines.

A crash scattering skis, poles, goggles and gloves across the slope.