Guide to Speaking Like a True Snow Lover Paddy August 5, 2020 Snow Sports Sometimes skiers and boarders can sound like they are speaking another language with all of their technical and colloquial terms. If you are new to the slopes this can seem pretty confusing as you have no idea what the person on the chairlift next to you is talking about. We have popped together a quick guide to have you speaking like a true snow lover in no time! Pow/Powder Powder is a type of lightweight and fluffy snow that has fallen recently and has not been compacted. In Australia lots of powder unfortunately isn’t too common as it mainly falls in colder environments, so that’s why when it falls it is all the more special! Photo by Robbie Baudish Dump This is a big snowfall, something we all dream about each night! Carving Carving is when you’re going down the mountain and on your turns you get onto the edges of your skis or board, and they cut into the snow. This is opposed to what beginners mainly do and just slide on the base of their skis or board. Lifty A lifty is the friendly soul who helps you to safely get on the chairlift, T-bar or carpet. Always remember to say ‘Hey’, and tell them if you are a beginner as they can slow down the lift and help you on. Groomer/Corduroy A snow groomer is a big machine that ploughs the snow to make it even after it has been skied/boarded on and cut up throughout the day. In its wake, it leaves beautiful and smooth trails that resembles corduroy, hence the name. Racing down a fresh groomer has to be one of life’s great joys. Off-Piste/On-Piste A piste is the ski run, so on-piste means you are on the trail, the main runs, and off-piste means you are heading off the areas that the resorts groom and maintain. There are often a lot of trees in off-piste areas, so they require more skill. Blue Bird This is a snow lovers dream! A blue bird is a blue sky day, with the sun shining and snow beneath your skis or board, often the day after a big dump of snow, nothing beats it. Snow Bum/Ski Bum A snow bum is someone who loves the snow! They will usually work in the mountains throughout the season or be at the mountain every weekend at the least. Skiing and boarding is their life and they are totally addicted. They are great to make friends with as they will normally know all the great trails and runs on the mountain like the back of their hand. Switch This means that you are riding your skis or board the opposite way than you normally do. So on a board this means the other foot to normal is down the hill and on skis you are riding backwards. Maybe not something to try on your first day but it is a lot of fun to practice and a good trick to start with. Après This is a good one to know for any snow lover. This term usually means sitting around with your friends, watching some live music and having a drink after a long day carving up the hill. Whiteout This can happen when it’s snowy, foggy or cloudy (as you are often so high up you are literally hanging out in the clouds). It’s when the visibility becomes really low and everything starts looking white. This makes it hard to see bumps on the trail. It’s always a good idea to pack in a pair of low light lenses so you can swap them out if a whiteout occurs. Whiteout Ski Touring This is when you head outside of the resort and into the back country. You will have different gear for this adventure compared to resort skiing as you actually walk up the mountains on skis, a split board or even snowshoes. A removable skin which makes your skis grippy is used on the bottom of them, along with different bindings and boots to allow for a comfortable walking movement. Photo by Robbie Baudish Crust Oh how looks can be deceiving. Sometimes you see a beautiful patch of untouched snow wonder why no one has hit it yet, well usually it’s because it has a crust. This is when the top layer becomes icy as it has melted a little then refrozen. It is difficult to ski or board on and no fun, so avoid crusty snow! Magic Carpet We don’t mean to ruin your fantasies of meeting Aladdin, but this magic carpet is a little different. It is a long conveyor belt-like ski lift that takes you up the beginner hills, also known as bunny slopes. It is an easy way to get up the hill and to get used to lifts before moving on to chairlifts and T-bars. Magic Carpet Now you know the lingo you are all set to hit the slopes. Weave a few terms into a conversation on the chairlift and everyone will think you’re a pro. Don’t forget to tag us in you snowy adventures! We always love to see what our customers are up to! #ExperienceIsEverything | #PaddyPallin Photo by Robbie Baudish Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Your email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email.
