Terminology |
Definition |
Piste |
The prepared areas, (ski runs), for skiing on |
Off-Piste |
All areas designated "out of bounds" outside of the pistes |
Powder Snow |
Fresh dry fluffy snow. Silent when skiing. Feels as if you are floating freely. |
Spring Snow |
Typical for late season skiing. The snow is more humid with a texture like butter. Smooth and comfortable when skiing. |
Hard Snow |
Formed by wind, long periods without fresh snow and rain. The snow becomes packed solidly having an icy texture to it. Noisy when skiing. Not to be confused with ice! |
Ice |
Solid clear patches formed by long periods without snow, exposure and wind. Usually has a bluish tinge to it. Very difficult to ski on without well sharpened ski edges. Large areas should be well marked for avoiding. |
Moghuls |
Another word for "bumps" or mounds of snow, formed by many successive skiers descending a steep slope |
Snowplough |
Method for controlling speed at initiation level by arranging the skis in a reverse "V" shape. |
Stem-Turn |
The typical method for turning to gain confidence for the Parallel turn by essentially combining snowplough and parallel aspects at different intervals around the turn. |
Parallel Turn |
Turning with the skis parallel to each other, (not locked together). |
Carving |
Technique of using the natural curvature of the ski edges to turn to reduce the amount of "slide" the skis make in an effort to maintain momentum. |
Lumumba |
Hot or cold drink of chocolate mixed with brandy. |
Vino Caliente |
Hot red wine with dashes of various liqueurs, sugar and spices. |
Pisted Runs |
The ski areas that are prepared each night by machines (Piste Basher or Ratrac) that groom the snow to pack it down smooth and flat for purposes of more enjoyable touristic skiing as well as snow preservation. |
Riding |
Term used for descending on a snowboard. |
Edges |
Skis & Snowboards alike have metallic strips lining their edges to provide grip and braking power. |
Bindings |
The attachments on the ski/snowboard into which your boots are fixed. |
Ski Tips |
The front, curved up end of the skis. |
Ski Tails |
The flat end of the ski |
Ski Base |
That which is in contact with the snow beneath the ski |
Twin Tips |
Style of ski with both ends curving upwards. Facilitates stunts and various tricks including skiing backwards. |
Frontside |
Snowboarding term referring to the front edge of the board, ie your toe edge |
Backside |
Snowboarding term referring to the rear edge of the board, ie your heel edge |
Soft Boots/Bindings |
Boots made of tough leather and other fabrics with flexible binding straps on the snowboard. This is the more common & comfortable combination. |
Hard Boots/Bindings |
Similar to ski boots, made in moulded plastic materials with solid metallic clips on the snowboard. Used primarily for solid carving turns at high speed. |
Drag Lift |
Mechanism used for reaching the top of a slope. The most common types are the "Poma", a metal pole with a button on the end that goes between the legs to pull you, or the "T-Bar", a bar in the shape of an upside-down "T" that takes two people at a time. |
Chair Lift |
Seats suspended on a cable, that carry up to 8 people, depending on the installation. |
Gondola |
This is not a boat floating through Venice!! Also referred to as "Eggs", "Bubbles" and "Cabins". They are self-enclosed cabins suspended on a cable holding various capacities of people (typically 8-10). |
Cable Car |
A much larger version of the gondola taking anything up to 150+ people at a time depedning on the installation. |
