A certain dialect pervades the world of snow sports that one must understand to truly appreciate skiing.
Some slang is classic, but every day new terms are invented to more precisely describe the many characteristics of skiing. Although it’s near impossible to know them all, I believe it is necessary to learn the basics. So here I define some of the slang most commonly heard on the slopes.
As I don’t want to bore you with a never ending list, I have categorized some of my favorites into a three-part series. Part I consists of terms related to snow conditions and skier types.:
.jpg)
Ski Bunny
Snow, Skiing, and Skiers
Back Country – Skiing outside of ski resorts on unmarked slopes; relishes hiking and avalanche danger.
Bulletproof (Boilerplate) – Hard, icy snow that could quite possibly ricochet bullets.
Champagne powder – Feathery, light snow that is so dry it can’t be packed into a snowball.
Corduroy – Freshly groomed packed powder snow with a ribbed texture resembling corduroy.
Crud – All-encompassing term for old, tracked-out snow that is thick and lumpy in places with slippery patches in between.
Death Cookies – Frozen chunks of snow that cover the slope like gravel; usually due to poor grooming.
Dust on Crust – A light dusting of fresh snow on top of a hard, crusty base.
Flat Light – Monotonous, dim light that makes changes in terrain difficult to see.
FreeRider – Prefers off-piste terrain, steeps, trees, and hucking powder bumps
Freshies – Untracked powder.
Gaper – Any unstylish or ill-advised tourist who stands out in a bad way.
Jibber – Someone who skis rails, boxes, and other features around the mountain. (Essentially, to jib is to slide down anything but snow.)
Mashed Potatoes – Clumpy, thick, inconsistent snow.
Park Rat – A terrain park junkie who spins laps through the park all day, every day. (This term is not derogatory; park rats pride themselves in their addiction to the park.)
Pow Pow – Powder; freshly fallen snow.
Ripper – Accomplished, smooth and overall impressive skier.
Sierra Cement – Named after California’s moist powder that’s so heavy it feels like you’re skiing through wet cement.
Ski Bum – One who loves and lives to ski…and avoids working.
Ski Bunny – Any stylish, attractive female skier who tends to be more concerned with her appearance than actually skiing.
Vertigo – Flat light coupled with poor visibility. The combination makes it impossible to see producing a strange, scary sensation in which you can’t distinguish up from down.
Many more words and phrases are used to describe winter conditions and skiing styles, but I consider these the most common and/or necessary terms to know if you don’t want to sound like a gaper.
Tune in next week for Part II: That bizarre and often undecipherable slang heard in the terrain park.
Comments