“So I was coming down that double black line totally shredding the gnar when suddenly I found myself behind this F-ing jerry doing pizza down the hill. So I had to bail out and eat a mouthful of snow”
Did you catch this? Nope? So you could be the jerry can that begins on the slopes.
Unless you grew up in a state where you had access to snow-capped mountains, you’ve probably never encountered skiers, snowboarders, and other winter sports enthusiasts in their natural habitat. As a beginner skier, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the terms and vocabulary you may hear on the trail, not just for aesthetic purposes, but for your own safety.
To help you navigate the language of the mountains, we enlisted John Collinson, one of North America’s most renowned big mountain skiers and a Red Bull and The North Face athlete (@johncollinson). Here is a list of terms you will want to know:
Ski conditions
After ski : It is a French term meaning “after skiing”. This refers to socializing and having a few drinks after skiing.
Bail: A deliberate fall to avoid a jump or a rail.
Bomber: A skier who “bombs” the mountain at breakneck speed.
Brain Bucket: Another word for helmet.
Butter: When a skier tips over the tips or tail of the skis and rotates 180 degrees.
Sculpture: Make sharp turns with the edges of your skis. This usually leaves “S” shaped marks in the snow.
Chairlift: A series of chairs suspended from a moving cable that carries passengers up and down the mountain. Each mountain usually has a handful of chairlifts that take you to different parts.
To chatter: The vibrations of your skis that occur at high speed. The more slaps, the less your skis are in contact with the snow.
Crust: A layer of frozen ice covering powder or buried under snow.
Unload: When a mountain is “dumped” with a lot of snow.
Faceshot: When you kick up so much snow that it briefly obscures your vision. This normally means you are skiing in ideal conditions with lots of powder.
Fries: Point your skis straight to gain speed, another popular term among new skiers.
Onlooker: A distraught skier identified wearing the wrong gear. The term gaper comes from the space between a skier’s helmet and their goggles.
knotty: A word used to describe anything extreme – a ride, a trail or the conditions in general.
Jarry: Another name for an inexperienced skier.
Elevator : A ski lift operator.
Park Rat: A skier who spends all day in the terrain park, which has jumps and rails to perform tricks.
Pizza: Turning the skis inward to form a triangle (like a slice of pizza) is how new skiers learn to slow down.
pow: Abbreviation for powder or lots of snow.
Ripper: An accomplished and experienced skier.
Send : A particularly steep or dangerous trail that will potentially allow a big jump.
Shred the gnar: To rip, or ski a tough part of the mountain.
Ski lift: A device for pulling skiers upwards, usually a moor-driven rope to which skiers hold on while sliding on their skis.
Steeze: A combination of “style” and “ease”, which is used to describe effortless and elegant running.
Crusher: Like the ripper, he is a good accomplished skier.
Annihilate: A cruel fall.
Trail Terms
All tracks are marked with a different shape and color to classify their difficulty. Here’s what you need to know.
Line: A route down the mountain, like “Let’s take this line under the lift.”
Green circle: Easy. This is the easiest trail on the mountain. They are neat, wide and have a slope of only 6-25%.
Blue square: Moderate. These well-groomed runs are slightly steeper than the greens (with a 25-40% gradient), but also the busiest as they are popular with beginner to moderate skiers.
Black Diamond: Hard. Typically found at the top of the mountain, these trails are steep at a grade of at least 40% and are susceptible to rough conditions (think ice patches, rocks, and tight lines). You would do well to avoid them on your first (and second and third) ski trip. Once you get some skills, though, it’ll be a fun challenge that will test your athleticism, reflexes, and conditioning.
Double black diamond: Expert. Take a wrong turn on one and you’ll find yourself sliding all the way while continually swearing you’ll never ski again.
Triple Black Diamond: Extreme. Leave that to the pros.
Land terms
A list of the four most common terrain styles you’ll encounter on the station (and sometimes outside the station).
Bumps: Bumps are bumps formed by people skiing on the same line, resulting in an accumulation of snow that is not skied. You are supposed to ski around them, in the grooves. “For these, you want to have quick hips and knees and think of your legs as shock absorbers while you keep your upper body still,” says Collinson. Many trails are split with one side being groomed and the other having bumps. This allows beginners to try their hand at ski bumps with the ability to bail out if needed.
Countryside : This is a fairly wide range of terrains. It is used to describe anything outside the boundaries of a ski resort. It can be anything from huge peaks to the slopes just behind the station. Off-piste skiing is quite fun because you’re on your own, so there’s more decision-making on your part and there’s plenty of fresh, untraced snow. We suggest avoiding cross-country skiing if you’re new to it, as there’s a higher chance of getting lost, injured, and in some cases being caught in an avalanche.
Snow park: These are artificial elements such as rails and jumps – it’s like a skate park on the mountain. As a rule, young skiers and snowboarders hang out here. It can be fun for beginners, but you just want to be on the safe side.
Skiing in the trees: It is exactly what it sounds like; you ski between the trees and in the forest. It’s fun because the trees make you feel like you’re going faster than you are. You want to have good upper and lower body separation for this – your feet should be off your upper body so you can pivot better around the trees. Just look alive and you should be fine.
