A class of cable-based transport for snow sports where skiers and snowboarders are carried uphill aboardchairs, cars, cabins, orgondolas suspended from a cable in the air, as opposed tosurface lifts, where they remain on the ground.
A sub-discipline offreestyle skiing and a competitiveWinter Olympic event in which participants ski off of 2–4-metre (7–13 ft)jumps, propelling them into the air, and then attempt to perform various aerial maneuvers including multiple flips and twists before landing on a designated inclined landing hill.
A type of ski or snowboard that is designed to be the jack of all trades and suitable for any terrain or style ofskiing orsnowboarding. From groomed runs and snowpark to powder and backcountry lines, with all-mountain skis or snowboard you’re ready for anything.[1]
A discipline ofskiing that involves sliding down snow-covered slopes onskis with fixed-heelbindings, as opposed to other types of skiing (such ascross-country) which use skis withfree-heel bindings. Alpine skiing is popular as a recreational activity and competitive sport, both atski resorts andoff-piste.
Ski touring through very steep, alpine terrain. Alpine touring makes use of a specializedbinding that allows the heel to be raised when ascending steep slopes but locked down for full support when skiing downhill.
Entertainment, nightlife, or other social activity that occurs at aski resort after skiing finishes for the day. The culture originated in theAlps, where it remains most popular.[2]
The first organized system of teaching the principles ofskiing, developed byHannes Schneider in the 1930s.[3]
avalament
The way a skier bends and extends his legs by managing pressure such that the skier allows it to push their legs into their chest while maintaining good contact with the snow.
Any area outside of the boundaries of aski resort, or else not patrolled,groomed, or cleared ofavalanche danger. Backcountry areas are usually remote from roads and services and only accessible by longtours, hiking, snowmobile, orhelicopter.
Snowboarding in abackcountry area, generally over ungroomed, unmarked, and unpatrolled slopes.
baseplate
The bottom portion of abinding which acts as the point of direct contact between theboot and the ski or snowboard and therefore transfers all movement.
basket
A round or star-shaped piece of plastic located at the bottom of aski pole and used to keep the pole from pushing too deeply into the snow.
A device that connects aski boot to aski orsnowboard, holding the boot firmly so as to allow the skier or snowboarder to transfer the motion of their legs and feet to the ski or snowboard. Most bindings automatically release the boot if certain force limits are exceeded in order to minimize injury during a fall or impact.
A type of footwear designed specifically forskiing orsnowboarding to provide a way to firmly attach the skier's feet to skis or a snowboard in combination withbindings.
bowl
A wide mountain basin with slopes on at least three sides that is generally free of trees and other obstacles and conducive to large, swooping turns or steep, speedy dives.
bunny slope
A flat or nearly flat, well-groomed area, usually located near the base of a slope, reserved for beginning skiers or snowboarders and those takinglessons.
A turning technique used inskiing in which the skier turns by tilting one or bothskis onto theiredges, whereupon the geometry of the ski'ssidecut causes the ski to bend into an arc and naturally follow this arc shape to produce a turning motion. Performed most easily using specializedcarving skis, carve turns allow skiers to retain much of their speed while turning because, unlike thestem christie andparallel turn, the skis do not create drag bysideslipping.
carving ski
A specialized type ofski designed specifically for efficientcarve turns, typically with a widetip andtail and a relatively narrowwaist.
A type ofski lift used for uphill transportation to the top of a ski slope, consisting of a series of chairs, each accommodating one to four skiers, suspended from a continuously moving cable. Skiers board the lift at the bottom of the slope and are deposited at the top, after which the empty chairs are returned to the bottom again.[3]
chatter
Vibration of skis or snowboards caused by traveling at high speeds. Chatter can reduce contact between the ski and the snow and therefore the ability to stay in control.
Also calledXC skiing,Nordic skiing, or simplycross-country.
A type ofskiing where skiers rely on their own locomotion to move across snow-covered terrain, rather than usingski lifts or other forms of assistance. Cross-country skiers propel themselves either by striding forward or side-to-side in a skating motion and by using their arms to push onski poles against the snow. Cross-country skiing is popular as a competitive sport and recreational activity but is also used as a means of transportation.
The tension-release setting which determines the amount of force required for a skibinding to release from the skier's boot during a fall or impact. DIN is an acronym for the GermanDeutsche Institut für Normung.
The sharpened metal strip on either side of a ski or snowboard, used for gaining control by "biting" into the snow. "Holding an edge" is a key technique to maintaining a smooth, stable turn.
A style ofskiing performed on very long, very steep slopes (often from 45 to 60+ degrees from horizontal) in remote and unmanaged mountainous terrain, where the likelihood and consequences of a fall or injury present inherently dangerous conditions for skiers.
A style ofsnowboarding and sometimes skiing performed on natural,off-piste, ungroomed terrain without a set course, goals, or rules, eschewing man-made features such as jumps, rails, andhalf-pipes and emphasizing the use of natural variation in terrain to perform tricks.
Also calledjibbing. Often used interchangeably withfreeskiing.
A competitive skiing event primarily focused on the performance of tricks and typically comprisingaerial,mogul,half-pipe,ski cross, andslopestyle disciplines.
A type ofalpine skiing through areas with many trees, eitheroff-piste or on a defined woods trail. Glade skiing is inherently more difficult and dangerous than skiing in treeless areas because of the many additional natural obstacles, which may include fallen logs, stumps,tree wells, concealed root systems, or unmarked cliffs and streams.
Snow that is carried down a slope from the top of a hill or mountain by skiers and snowboarders throughout the day. It is similar to powder but usually comes fromhardpack, and therefore is not smooth like fresh snow.
Snow that has been densely compacted by repeatedgrooming or skiing and a lack of fresh snowfall, often found on the most popular trails and slopes within aski resort's boundaries.
The act or technique of generating forward momentum on skis by spreading the tips apart widely (in a "V" shape) and striding the legs forward independently of each other, so named for the geometric pattern this motion leaves behind in the snow. The technique can be useful when climbing uphill or traversing flat ground on skis.
An identification tag which indicates that a skier or snowboarder has paid for the use of one or moreski lifts at a particularski resort, usually attached to the ticketholder's outerwear for easy access.
A large round protrusion carved out of a snow surface, especially a slope, and typically occurring in "fields" of multiple moguls. Moguls are created both naturally by the repeated turns of skiers and artificially.
Skiing orsnowboarding at night, an activity offered by certainski resorts for a limited time after sundown. It is usually permitted only on carefully groomedpistes illuminated by floodlights.
A discipline ofskiing which involves the use ofskis withfree-heelbindings, in which only the toe of theski boot is fixed to the binding, allowing the heel to rise off the ski independently, as opposed toalpine skiing and its variants, in which the boot is fixed to the ski from toe to heel. Nordic skiing is popular as a recreational activity and competitive sport, both atski resorts andoff-piste. Its many variants includecross-country skiing,Telemark skiing, andski jumping.
A marked trail, run, or pathway down a mountain slope, reserved for skiing, snowboarding, or other alpine sports and generally within the boundaries of aski resort. Pistes are usuallygroomed, marked with signage and indicated on maps, and rated by their difficulty, as opposed tooff-piste areas.
Snowboarding at a resort where snowboards are explicitly prohibited.
pole planting
powder
Fresh, dry, loosely compacted, and lightweight snow, as opposed to densely compacted or repeatedlygroomed snow such ashardpack.
powder ski
A type ofski with a very widewaist (generally between 105 and 130 mm), designed to "float" atop freshpowder by keeping the ski from sinking into the snow.
Pain or discomfort in the lower anterior portion of thetibia (the shin) caused by prolonged pressing of the shin against the tongue of aski boot. Shin-bang is common among both skiers and snowboarders, though the condition is generally not serious and is easily remedied.
The inward curvature of aski orsnowboard, measured by the difference between the width of the ski or snowboard at the narrowest point of thewaist and the width at the widest point of thetip ortail. The curvature of the sidecut greatly influences the ski or snowboard's turning radius: drastic sidecuts allow users to make sharper turns.
sideslipping
The slipping ofskis sideways down a slope, perpendicular to the direction in which they are pointed.[3]
A narrow plank of semi-rigid material attached to the sole of the foot in order to allow the wearer to glide easily over snow, used in the sport ofskiing. Skis are characteristically employed in pairs, one on each foot, and attached to specializedski boots withbindings that secure the toe of the boot and in some disciplines also the heel.
A type of protective eyewear worn by skiers and snowboarders, designed for cold-weather use and to protect the eyes both from snow and from the glare of sunlight.
A building located on the grounds of aski resort that provides amenities such as food, drink, restrooms, and storage lockers, among others, for guests and patrons.
A long-distance, usually point-to-point race on skis, often covering more than 40 kilometres (25 mi). Racers may use a variety of skiing techniques depending on the rules of the competition. Participation is usually open to the public and major events may feature thousands of racers.
Any team or organization, often employed by aski resort, that promotes ski safety, enforces resort policies, and provides medical, rescue, and hazard prevention services to injured or disabled skiers and snowboarders, usually within the boundaries of a particular ski area but sometimesoff-piste as well. Many ski patrollers have technical-medical certifications orEMS credentials, and may be trained inwilderness medicine,avalanche rescue, and/or evacuation byski toboggan,snowmobile, orhelicopter.
A lightweight handheld pole, often made from aluminum or carbon fiber, used byskiers for balance and propulsion, typically in pairs. Ski poles are commonly used inalpine,freestyle, andcross-country disciplines, but seldom in other disciplines such asski jumping.
Aresort developed forskiing,snowboarding, and/or otherwinter sports, typically situated within a naturally mountainous area and providinggroomedpistes and one or moreski lifts to guests for a fee. The term may additionally include other amenities and services or even entire towns adjacent to but operated independently of the ski area.
An establishment or program that offers lessons inskiing orsnowboarding, typically at aski resort. Ski schools may teach a variety of disciplines and techniques to students at a wide range of skill levels, fromfirst-time skiers to advanced or expert skiers.
The part of the year whenskiing,snowboarding, or other alpine sports are viable at a particularski resort, generally corresponding to the period between the resort's opening date and closing date, during whichski lifts are operating and lift passes can be purchased or used. Because these sports depend largely on the weather, the start and duration of a ski season can vary considerably between resorts due to latitude, altitude, and other climatic factors, and even for the same resort often varies somewhat from year to year.
Removable strips of fabric that attach to the underside ofskis, designed to allow the skis to slide forward on snow but not backward. Skins are often used inNordic andtouring disciplines to help skiers ascendbackcountry slopes.
A full-body suit, usually made of a lightweight but waterproof synthetic material, designed to be worn over normal clothing when skiing or snowboarding.
A type offree-heelskiing done in thebackcountry in unmarked or unpatrolled areas without the aid ofski lifts or other transport, often for long distances and multiple days. Ski touring combines elements ofNordic skiing andalpine skiing and embraces such sub-disciplines asTelemark andrandonnée. Touring also typically requires independent navigation and route-finding skills. See alsocross-country skiing.
A material applied to the underside of snow runners such as skis and snowboards in order to improve their performance on various types of snow, typically either by minimizing kinetic friction with a so-calledglide wax (used to make sliding easier in bothalpine andcross-country disciplines) or by increasing static friction with agrip wax (used to increase traction in cross-country skiing). Both types of wax are designed to be specifically matched with the varying properties of snow, including crystal type and size and the moisture content of the snow surface.
skier's left
The general direction or area to the left of a skier moving or facing downhill.
skier's right
The general direction or area to the right of a skier moving or facing downhill.
A means of transport, a recreational activity, or a competitivewinter sport in which the participant, known as askier, glides across asnow-covered surface usingskis attached to their feet.
A hybrid sport that attempts to combine thecarving ofskiing with the riding feel ofsnowboarding using a special piece of equipment called askwal, which is similar to asnowboard ormonoski in that both feet are attached to the same board; unlike a snowboard or monoski, however, on a skwal the feet are positioned one in front of the other, in line with the direction of forward movement.
A sub-discipline ofalpine skiing andsnowboarding and a competitiveWinter Olympic event which involves skiing or snowboarding between marked poles or gates. In ordinary slalom events, the poles or gates are spaced more closely than those ingiant slalom,super giant slalom, anddownhill events, necessitating quicker and shorter turns.
A round-edged board of semi-rigid material used in the sport ofsnowboarding, placed beneath and usually attached to the soles of both feet to allow the wearer to glide easily on snow. Snowboards are much wider thanskis (typically between 6 and 12 inches (15 and 30 cm)) to accommodate both feet on the same board, and are differentiated frommonoskis in that the rider stands with feet more or less transverse to the longitude of the board, perpendicular to the direction of travel.
A recreational activity or competitivewinter sport in which the participant, known as asnowboarder orrider, descends asnow-covered slope while standing on asnowboard attached to their feet.
A closed-cab, truck-sized vehicle propelled by acontinuous track that is designed to move on snow. Snowcats are employed for a wide variety of purposes from personal use to industrial applications; they are often used forgrooming trails and for transporting skiers tooff-piste slopes in a discipline known as "snowcat skiing".
A type of compactsnowboard, conceived of as a hybrid of a snowboard and askateboard, intended primarily to allow riders to perform skateboard-style tricks on the snow.
Asnowboard that can be separated into twoski-like halves and fitted with climbingskins to allow the rider to ascend slopes in the same manner asrandonnée andTelemark skis. Unlike normal snowboards, splitboards usually have nose and tail clips, split hooks, and touring mounts. Splitboarding allows forfree-heel movement and, with skins attached, provides uphill traction; the two halves can later be reconnected to form a regular snowboard for descent.
stem
The technique of angling thetail of oneski away from the other ski, into a "V" position, while keeping thetips generally close together. Stemming is a fundamental movement in many techniques of turning and control.[3]
A basic turning technique used inskiing, initiated bystemming one ski outward at an angle to the direction of movement, which forces a change in direction opposite to the stemmed ski, and then bringing the other ski parallel to the angled ski for the duration of the turn.[6]
A class of cable-based transport for snow sports where skiers and snowboarders remain on the ground as they are pulled uphill, as opposed toaerial lifts, where they are suspended in the air.
swingweight
A specification used in manufacturing skis defined as the resistance of an unweightedski to being turned. Lighter skis tend to have a lower swingweight than heavy skis.[3]
A skiing technique and competitive sport that combines elements ofalpine skiing andNordic skiing, in which skiers perform sharp,carving turns using a squatting and lunging motion with knees bent, typically on skis with deepsidecuts and specializedfree-heel bindings.
Telemark skiers perform fast, sharp turns with a unique motion that involves bending one knee and lunging forward
An outdoor recreation area containing terrain and specially constructed obstacles (jumps,kickers,jibs, marked courses, etc.) designed to allow skiers and snowboarders to perform tricks.
Asnowboarding trick in which the rider grabs thetoe edge of the snowboard between the rear binding and thetail with his or her rear hand. It is a combination of anindy grab and atail grab.
tip
The front end of aski orsnowboard, situated in front of the skier or snowboarder.
toe edge
The long edge of asnowboard toward which the rider's toes are pointed.
tracked out
The condition of a slope of once-fresh snow that has been ridden over repeatedly, discernible by the numerous visible tracks left by previous skiers or snowboarders.
A void or area of loose snow around a tree trunk and beneath its branches which forms because the branches prevent this space from receiving the same amount of snowfall as adjacent open spaces. Tree wells are a significant hazard to skiers and snowboarders because falling into one may result in serious injury, and they are often too deep to easily climb out.
The difference in elevation between the base of a ski slope or mountain and its highest point. Atski resorts, this often refers to the highest point served by aski lift rather than the geographical summit of a mountain.
