 Ski Jasper Terms
Alpine Skiing - Downhill skiing where the toe and heel of the boot are fixed to the ski.
Après ski - The nightlife following a day of skiing, e.g. shopping, drinking, listening to live music or relaxing in a hot tub.
Base - Average depth of snow on the mountain; also the bottom of the mountain where the lodge is located.
Basket - A round, generally flat, disc located near a ski-pole tip to prevent the pole from sinking too far in the snow.
Bowl Skiing - Skiing on wide bowl-shaped slopes with or without trees. See “Cirque” below.
Brain bucket - A helmet.
Bunny Slope - The area of the mountain with a gradual decline, perfect for beginner skiers to be taught basic ski techniques.
Carve - The act of digging the ski/snowboard’s edge into packed snow in order to turn.
Catching an Edge - When the edge of a ski or snowboard accidentally digs into the snow, usually resulting in a fall or a near fall.
Cirque - A bowl shape or amphitheater usually sculpted out of the mountain terrain by a glacier.
Cliff-Hucking - A move done by only experienced skiers and overly ambitious beginners in which the skier jumps off a cliff.
Corn - Snow characterized by its large corn-kernel-sized granules found during the spring.
Cross-Country Skiing - Skiing on flat terrain using self-produced power with no extra help from slopes. There are two recognized cross-country skiing techniques - “skating” and “classic” (or “striding”). Cross-country skiing is more aerobic than alpine skiing and uses lighter weight boots and lighter, narrower skis.
Crud - A type of snow characterized by an uneven surface, usually encompassing some lumps of soft powder-like snow as well as icy or slippery patches.
DIN Settings - Deutsche Industrie Normen (DIN) is a scale to ensure ski bindings release under the same force at all skiing destinations worldwide.
Dump - An unusually large or heavy snowfall.
Edge - A metal strip found on the bottom sides of skis and snowboards used for carving.
Ego bumps - Small, well-spaced moguls on an intermediate slope that are generally easier to ski than those found on more difficult slopes.
Epic - A day characterized by the large amount of powder or other conditions that make it unforgettable and out of the norm.
Fall Line - The line a ball would follow if rolled down the slope; the quickest route down the mountain.
Figure Eight - Tandem skiers whose tracks when viewed from above give the illusion of the numerical “eight.”
Figure Eleven - The tracks left by a skier who makes no turns.
First Tracks - When a skier is the first to ski an area of fresh snow before anyone else; also known as “freshies.”
Freestyle Skiing - A skiing discipline that incorporates aerial acrobatic techniques into downhill skiing.
Gaper - A skier who stops to enjoy the view from the mountain.
Gondola - A gondola is an enclosed lift suspended from a cable to transport passengers up and down a mountain.
Grass Skiing - An all-seasons skiing discipline done on grass with specialized equipment.
Groomed Slope - Refers to the slope terrain that has been groomed and is now smooth.
Hard-Packed - A euphemism to describe icy conditions; generally occurs with the lack of new snowfall.
Headwall - A steep cliff, usually the uppermost part of a cirque.
Heli-Skiing - A skiing discipline requiring helicopter transportation to the highest slopes and known for providing skiers/boarders with fresh tracks.
Herringbone - A skiing technique named after the marks left by skis when a skier nudges upward through the snow.
Indie Grab - An industry term for grabbing the skis or snowboard under the boot on the outside edge while executing a jump.
Jib - Or jibbing, any single or combination of tricks on skis or a snowboard, generally done in terrain parks, but not limited to that.
Jump Turning - A method of turning by jumping both skis into the air, thus allowing a quicker change of direction; generally used in extreme terrain.
Kick Turn - An about-face turn while stationary, by lifting one ski and reversing its direction, followed by the other ski.
Kicker - The sharply angled end of a jump, allowing a skier or boarder to gain significant height.
Liftie - A lift operator.
Mashed Potatoes - Wet, heavy snow.
Milk Run - The first run of the day.
Moguls - Mounds of snow, also known as bumps.
NASTAR - Citizen racing program with courses at many mountains allowing anyone to participate and to handicap themselves against world-class racing times.
Never-Ever - Someone who has never skied and signs up for a first-time ski lesson.
Nordic Skiing - See cross-country skiing.
Out-of-Bounds - Terrain outside the boundary of the ski area with no avalanche control or ski patrol; many times these areas are illegal to ski.
Pillows - The soft tops of moguls after a fresh powder dump.
Pizza - Performed by slowly snowplowing down a slope; generally used by ski instructors when teaching young children.
Powder - The “ideal” ski condition that occurs after a fresh dump of snow.
Prerelease - Denotes the situation when skis unhinge earlier than anticipated.
Quad - A chair lift carrying four people.
Roller Skiing - An all-seasons skiing discipline generally performed by cross-country skiers as training in the off-season.
Rope Tow - The lift more commonly found on bunny hills and some green-rated slopes, but also found reaching difficult terrain. Also known as a surface lift because the skier/snowboarder keeps their skis/snowboard on the snow and holds onto a rope which pulls them up the hill.
Rail Slide - A technique performed by sliding skis or a board across a metal or wooden rail, generally done in terrain parks.
Shaped Skis - Relatively new and improved skis characterized by some form of an hourglass shape, and designed for easier turning.
Schuss - To ski down the slope without turning.
Six-pack - Six seated chair lift.
Ski In, Ski Out - Lodging on or near the slopes allowing skiers to ski in and out of their accommodations. *Definitions vary by resort and should be carefully checked by a Ski.com agent.
Snowboarding - Skiing on one “ski” which is wider and shorter, with both feet fixed in a position similar to surfing or skateboarding.
Snow Plough - A braking maneuver whereby skiers move their ski tips to form a triangular shape also referred to as a wedge or pizza.
Snorkeling - When powder runs up the body and blurs a skier’s vision.
Stem Christie - A basic turn begun with a wedge and completed by skidding on both uphill ski edges until your skis are parallel.
Telemark Skiing - A skiing discipline where the heel of the ski is not fixed and requiring a different technique from alpine skiing.
Terrain Park - A maintained area with a variety of jumps, half-pipes, rails and other obstacles.
Traversing - Moving horizontally across a slope so as to lose or gain a minimal amount of elevation.
Unweighting - Taking weight off the ski, usually prior to a turn.
Vertical Drop - The vertical distance from the top to the bottom of the mountain or slope.
Whiteout - Limited visibility due to snow, fog or flat light.
World Cup - International races for all disciplines including alpine, cross-country, ski jumping, freestyle, snowboarding and more.
X-C - An abbreviation of cross-country skiing.
Yard Sale - A major fall resulting in the skier/snowboarder’s clothes or equipment being strewn all over the hill – mimicking a yard sale.
Zig Zag - Traversing across a slope in a “z” formation.
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Jasper Skiing for Locals and International Guests
Snowboard at Jasper's Marmot Basin!
Skiing in Jasper National Park's winter playground is truly for all ages. Jasper's winter wonderland is treasured for an uncrowded hospitable atmosphere.
Marmot Basin's downhill Ski Mountain offers ski enthusiasts spectacular opportunities.
Cross country skiers enjoy over 300 kilometres of ski trails that make Jasper one of the largest cross country ski areas in Canada.
Backcountry ski enthusiasts also love Jasper's day trips and multi-day ski trips to opportunities all over the national park.
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