If you’re new to the world of skiing we understand it can be quite a daunting experience learning all the jargon and getting to grips with what a Halfpipe might be, making sure you definitely don’t become a Lift-Licker and checking out what Apres Ski is all about!
Here’s our handy guide to some of the terminology you might find on your next trip to the slopes….
Aprés Ski – Literally it means ‘after ski’, but really refers to the nightly social assault course which can take more out of you, than skiing!
Back Country – Skiing outside the ski resort area on unmarked slopes. You have to love climbing uphill and relish avalanche danger.
Bombing – Going downhill at a reckless speed without regard for others.
Bunny Slope – A beginner’s slope usually accessible by a magic carpet.
Champagne Powder- Light and feathery snow!
Dust on the Crust – A light sprinkling of fresh snow on top of a hard, sometimes icy base.
Eat Wood– What happens when a skier or snowboarder hits a tree. Oohhh!
Face-Plant –Falling onto your face, which is as painful as it sounds unless it’s in champagne powder, then it’s funny!
Fall Line – The natural line of descent between two points on a slope.
Freshies – Untracked powder, the ultimate skier’s experience, hence the saying, ” No friends on a powder day! ”
Halfpipe: A U-shaped channel with smooth walls used by freestyle skiers and snowboarders for aerial tricks.
Lift-Lickers –Kids who can’t resist freezing their tongues to the chairlift!
Magic Carpet – Step onto this and you’ll be carried smoothly forward.
Milk Run – First ski of the day.
Off-piste: Out-of-bounds. Off a trail and other areas not marked on trail map; sometimes used in place of
Pow Pow – Freshly fallen snow or champagne powder!
Ripper – An accomplished and impressive skier.
Ski-in: Accommodation that can be reached from the ski area via skis or snowboard.
Ski-out – accommodation that is possible to ride from the door to the lifts
Slalom: A form of downhill skiing where racers head downhill on a course line with tightly spaced gates that must be passed between with short, quick turns;
Snowplow: A beginner’s technique for slowing down on skis. Done by bringing the front tips of a pair of skis together, pushing the tails apart, and applying pressure on the skis’ inside edges.
Ski Bum – One who lives to ski…and avoids anything that isn’t skiing ie: work!
Ski Bunny – A female skier who appears to be concerned more about her looks than actually skiing!
Traverse–Skiing across a slope
Tail: The back end of a ski..
Wind Hold – when lifts stop running due to dangerously high winds.
White Out: When visibility drops to almost nothing; caused by heavy snowfall, fog, or a combination of the two.
Zipper Line –The fastest route down a mogul field.
Information courtesy of www.purealpine.com