Skiers and snowboarders have their own language. Here are the words you are most likely to hear on your first trip, grouped by topic so they are easy to learn.
Slopes and terrain
| Piste | A marked, groomed and patrolled run. “On-piste” means on these runs. |
|---|---|
| Run / trail | North American words for a piste. |
| Green / blue / red / black | Difficulty grades. See piste colours explained. |
| Nursery slope / bunny hill | A very gentle beginner area, usually near the base. |
| Off-piste / backcountry | Unmarked, ungroomed terrain outside the patrolled runs. Avalanche risk — not for beginners. |
| Freeride | Skiing or riding off-piste in natural terrain. |
| Moguls (bumps) | Mounds of snow formed by many skiers turning in the same place. |
| Fall line | The steepest, most direct line down a slope — where a ball would roll. |
| Cat track | A narrow, flat road across the mountain, often used to link runs. Tricky for snowboarders. |
| Terrain park / snow park | An area with jumps, rails and boxes for freestyle. |
| Halfpipe | A U-shaped channel of snow used for freestyle tricks. |
| Tree line | The altitude above which trees don’t grow; runs below it have better visibility in bad weather. |
| Glacier | A permanent ice field; glacier resorts can open in autumn. See autumn glacier skiing. |
Snow conditions
| Corduroy | Freshly groomed snow with neat ridges — perfect for beginners. Best first thing in the morning. |
|---|---|
| Powder | Fresh, light, deep snow. Heavenly, but harder to ski at first. |
| Crud | Chopped-up, uneven old powder. |
| Slush | Wet, heavy spring snow in the afternoon. Slow but forgiving. |
| Ice / hardpack | Firm, scraped snow. Sharp edges help. |
| Crust | A hard layer on top of softer snow, often after sun or wind. |
| Spring snow / corn | Snow that freezes overnight and softens in the sun — lovely by late morning. |
| Bluebird day | Sunny, cloudless day after snowfall. |
| Whiteout / flat light | Cloud or fog makes it hard to see bumps and contours. See weather safety. |
| Snow cannon / artificial snow | Machine-made snow that keeps runs open when natural snow is thin. |
Lifts
| Lift pass / ski pass | Your ticket for the lifts, usually a hands-free card. |
|---|---|
| Magic carpet | A conveyor belt on nursery slopes. The easiest lift. |
| Drag lift / surface lift | Pulls you uphill while your skis or board stay on the snow. |
| Button lift (Poma) | A drag lift with a disc you place between your legs. |
| T-bar | A drag lift shaped like an upside-down T that pulls two people. |
| Chairlift | Open chairs for 2–8 people. Some have bubbles and heated seats. |
| Gondola | Small enclosed cabins; you take your skis off and put them in a rack. |
| Cable car / tram | A large cabin for up to 150 people. |
| Funicular | A train on rails pulled up the slope. |
| Lift queue / line | Where you wait; be patient and keep your skis off others’ skis. |
Full instructions: how to ride each type of lift.
Equipment
| Bindings | Connect your boots to skis or board. Ski bindings release in a fall. |
|---|---|
| DIN | The release setting of ski bindings. Explained here. |
| Edges | Steel strips along the sides of skis and boards that grip the snow. |
| Camber / rocker | The shape of skis and boards when laid flat. What it means. |
| Flex | How stiff a boot, ski or board is. Beginners want soft. |
| Wax | Applied to the base so it glides well. |
| Skins | Grippy strips attached under touring skis for walking uphill. |
| Beacon (transceiver), probe, shovel | Avalanche safety kit for off-piste. Learn more. |
Technique
| Snowplough / pizza / wedge | Ski tips together, tails apart — the beginner’s brake and turn. |
|---|---|
| Parallel turn | Turning with skis side by side — the next goal. How to get there. |
| Carving | Turning on the edges so the ski cuts a clean arc without skidding. |
| Traverse | Crossing the slope horizontally. |
| Herringbone | Walking uphill with ski tips apart in a V shape. |
| Side-stepping | Walking up or down sideways on skis. |
| Regular / goofy | Snowboard stance: left foot forward (regular) or right foot forward (goofy). |
| Falling leaf | A snowboard drill, sliding side to side like a leaf falling from a tree. |
| Heel edge / toe edge | The two edges of a snowboard. |
| Catching an edge | When an edge digs into the snow unexpectedly and causes a fall. |
| Switch | Riding with your non-dominant foot forward (or skiing backwards). |
| Sit-back | Leaning backwards — the #1 beginner mistake. See others. |
Resort life
| Après-ski | Socialising after skiing — from hot chocolate to dancing in ski boots. |
|---|---|
| Ski-in/ski-out | Accommodation right on the slopes. |
| Piste basher / snowcat / groomer (ratrak) | The tracked machine that prepares the slopes at night. |
| Ski patrol / pisteurs | Staff who manage safety and first aid on the slopes. |
| First chair / first lifts | Being on the very first lift of the day to enjoy fresh corduroy. |
| Ski domain / ski area | All the linked lifts and runs covered by one pass. |
| Snow-sure | A resort with reliable snow, usually thanks to high altitude. |
