Glossary of Ski Terms
- Alpine skiing: Downhill skiing.
- Apres-Ski: Refers to the end of the day, after the slopes are closed when skiers go to restaurants and bars to socialize and talk about the day's fun and adventures.
- Base lodge: A lodge at the base of the slopes, usually containing a variety of skier services, from ticketing to food.
- Bowl skiing: Skiing in open, above-tree-line areas, down broad expanses without trails. Bowl skiing is often, but not always, for more advanced skiers.
- Cross-country skiing: Skiing on a generally flat surface, usually through wooded areas, on a specialized type of ski, thinner than a downhill ski.
- Glade skiing: Downhill skiing in open areas surrounded, sometimes quite closely, by trees.
- Gondola: An enclosed lift in which skiers stand or sit, usually taking a minimum of six persons at a time.
- Groomed Slope: Refers to the slope terrain that has been groomed and is smooth.
- Heliskiing: Skiing in which the participants are transported by helicopter to an area inaccessible by lifts.
- Lift Capacity Per Hour: The number of people who can ride up the mountain on a lift in one hour. For example, a 2,600 lift capacity per hour means that the ski area's lifts can transport 2,600 skiers per hour at maximum capacity.
- Lift Line: Refers to skiers waiting to board a chair lift.
- Mogul: A bump on the slope
- Moguls: Refers to bumps formed on the ski slope, formed naturally after many skiers ski down a slope - usually enjoyed by intermediate and advance skiers.
- NASTAR racing: An acronym for National Standard Racing. These are runs on standardized courses on which skiers are timed, their results ranked and the skiers rated.
- Never-Ever: Refers to an individual who has never skied, usually someone who signs up for a first time ski lesson.
- Powder snow: Fresh snow that has fallen at a very low temperature. The crystals do not stick together, giving the snow a dry, light feeling and the consistency of powder. Skiers can zip through powder snow.
- Quad: A chair lift, carrying four people, that comes in two basic varieties. A high-speed detachable quad allows the lift operator to remove or add chairs depending on the skier load. A fixed-grip quad is a lift with chairs that cannot be removed.
- Rope tow: A continuously moving rope that pulls skiers up the mountain as they stand on their skis. Rope tows usually are located on novice trails.
- Ski In, Ski Out: Lodging so close to slopes whereby guests can conveniently walk to the slopes without needing transportation.
- Ski touring: Off-trail skiing in less-accessible areas, usually reached only by hiking or snowcat.
- Slopeside Lodging: Lodging adjacent to slopes. Guests ski to lifts.
- Snowboarding: Descending a slope on a small board, wider and shorter than a ski, using techniques similar to surfing or skateboarding.
- Snowcat skiing: Skiing in areas accessible only by snowcat, a vehicle able to haul skiers up the mountain.
- Snowmaking: Refers to machines that make abundant artificial snow.
- Surface lifts: Lifts that pull the skier up the mountain along the ground, such as rope tows and T-bars. T-bar: A lift that pulls skiers up the mountain by means of a bar placed behind the skiers' legs.
- Terrain park: Terrain parks are a new trends in ski areas nationwide. The new snow features, such as hits, splines, table tops and even an occasional quarter-pipe, are designed to challenge the skill level of all skiers and riders. Think of a terrain park as a challenging and fun-filled obstacle course.
- Tree line: The altitude above which trees do not grow on the mountain, giving skiers an unobstructed expanse on which to ski.
- Vertical Drop: The distance straight down the mountain, measured by the difference between the altitude at the top of the mountain and the base.
Prepared by the National Ski Areas Association
