skiology

Skiing terms, definitions and ski slang - skiology

Here are a few skiing terms, ski definitions, skiing slang and sayings so you don't feel out of place in the snow. I am sure there are loads more but this is all we have heard of.

• AFD - This stands for Anti-friction Device and is a small pad located behind the toe-side piece of your ski bindings
• Angulation - arcing the body at the hip, knee and ankle joints to achieve a higher degree of ski edge
• ATS - American Teaching System. Developed by the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA), as a teaching/ learning system
• Avalanche - Caused when huge masses of snow slide down a slope. This can be seriously dangerous
• Balancing - Maintaining a given posture while standing still or moving
• Basket - A round and usually flat disc located near tip of the ski pole
• Base - The bottom of the mountain where the lodge is situated, or the average depth of snow on a mountain
• Bumps - Another term for Moguls (see below)
• Cants - Devices to change the orientation of the legs relative to the skis. Put a ski more (or less) on edge
• Carving - Making turns on the ski or snowboard with the edges cutting into the hill
• Extreme carving - As it says taking carving to the extreme. Sliding down a piste linking and lying all the turns.
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• Counter-rotation - Simultaneous rotation of the upper body and legs in opposite directions
• Crud - This is a type of snow with uneven surface and lumps of soft powder-like snow and slippery patches
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• Cruising - Making a long run at less than breakneck speed
• DIN settings - Deutsche Industrie Normen. An internationally agreed scale to ensure that ski bindings worldwide release under the same force
• Edge - Metal strip found at the bottom corners of ski's
• Edge angle - Angle of the ski relative to the snow's surface
• Fall line - The straightest and steepest line down any slope
• Flex adjustment - To change the amount of resistance to the forward movement of your ankle
• Flexion - Opposite of extension. Movement resulting in the bending of a leg joint
• Frostbite - Occurring when parts of the body are exposed to extreme cold for a period of time [more information]
• Gaper - A skier who pauses to take in the scenery
• Garland - A series of "fake" turns
• Gondola - Also called cabine lift, this is the largest and most comfortable lift
• Grass skiing - Skiing on grass. A year round discipline done on grassy slopes using special equipment
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• Heli-skiing - Off-trail skiing reached by helicopter
• Herringbone - Technique of moving upwards. Named after the marks left by the skis when this technique is used
• Hypothermia - A life - threatening condition where the body temperature of the person drops dramatically below normal [more information]
• Matching skis - When skis are brought parallel or facing in the same direction
• Milk run - The first run of the day
• Moguls - Mounds of snow, both natural and skier made, dotting ungroomed runs [more information]
• Parallel skiing - Skiing the the skis parallel. Skis can be either together or apart
• Powder - Light, ungroomed snow [more information]
• Prerelease - A term used when your skis come off earlier than expected
• Pressure control - To adjust the pressure between the skis and the snow
• Roller skiing - A year round ski discipline. This is done by skiers to continue training in the off season
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• Shaped skis - Skis characterised by 'hourglass' shapes. Skis designed to turn
• Sidecut radius - The measurement of how deeply or shallowly the ski's cut is from the nose of the ski to the Waist
• Side-slipping - A slipping motion straight down the flow line with your skis pointed across the hill
• Ski jumping - A term which means flying as far and as smooth as possible with your skis on for maximum lift
• Sliding - Skis moving along its length
• Slush - Usually this is snow that is starting to melt gradually becoming wetter [more information]
• Steering - Changing the direction of the skis
• Stem christie - A turn which is completed by skidding on both uphill edges
• Traversing - Continuously moving in a direction across the flow line
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