If you’re new to the slopes, ski talk can sound like another language.
From “hero snow” to “yard sales,” the mountain has its own dialect. One that doesn’t exactly show up in a dictionary.
Whether you’ve been skiing for years or just started chasing powder, this glossary will help you keep up when your friends start dropping new phrases.
Let’s break it down by categories, snow, activities and general talk so you can start speaking mountain lingo like a local.
Snow Conditions
Blower – Feather-light powder so airy you can barely feel it. One good turn and it sprays right up into your face. It’s what most skiers secretly check the forecast for.
Bluebird – That magical combo: fresh snow the night before and sunshine the next morning. The kind of day when you finally understand why ski resorts charge $18 for a burger.
Champagne Powder – So light and dry it feels like skiing through whipped cream. Often associated with the Rockies, but honestly, anyone who scores this kind of snow will call it the best day of their season.
Chop – Not bad, not perfect. Fresh snow that’s been skied over enough to leave uneven chunks and little craters. Can still be fun if you have energy… otherwise, it’s just leg day on skis.
Chunder – Heavy, sticky, chewed-up snow. It’s the stuff that makes your knees scream and your turns look like you just learned how to ski yesterday.
Corduroy – Those neat lines the groomers leave behind early in the morning. Carve it right, and you’ll feel like you’re flying on rails.
Corn – Spring snow at its best. Soft, grippy, and forgiving. Skiers chase corn season like surfers chase waves.
Crust – The dreaded frozen top layer with soft snow underneath. Sometimes it holds, sometimes you break through, and usually it’s a fight the whole way down.
Death Cookies – Chunks of ice left behind after grooming. You’ll know when you hit one usually because you almost faceplant.
Freshies – First tracks on untouched snow. Pretty much the holy grail of skiing.
Mashed Potatoes – Thick, heavy spring snow that feels like, well, mashed potatoes. Exhausting, but not the worst thing out there.
Pillows – Rounded stacks of powder formed over rocks, stumps, or cliffs. The pros bounce off them in ski movies, while the rest of us look at them and say, “Nope.”
Pow / Pow Pow – The classic term for deep, fresh snow. The word alone gets skiers out of bed at 5 a.m.
Activities & Features
Après – Short for après-ski. The real reason some people ski. Beers, nachos, live music, or just sitting in ski boots way longer than you should.
Bombing – Going straight down a run at full speed with little to no turning. Fun until ski patrol notices.
Bulletproof – Rock-hard, icy snow that even race skis struggle to grip. Basically skiing on a frozen parking lot.
Butter – A playful move where you press on your ski tips or tails to spin across the snow. Looks smooth when done right.
Charge – Skiing aggressively and confidently, usually on steeper terrain.
Dump / Nuke – When the snow is falling so hard it feels like the sky is emptying a giant bucket on the mountain.
Face Shot – That glorious spray of snow in your face after a deep turn. Proof you’re in the good stuff.
Huck – Launching yourself off something a cliff, a rock, or a random bump. Landing optional.
Jib – Using features like rails, boxes, and fallen logs as your playground.
Kicker – A built jump, either in the park or hand-shaped with a shovel. Bigger ones are often called booters.
Laying Trenches – Carving so hard you leave deep tracks in the snow, like slicing cake.
Pitted – Getting completely engulfed by snow on a turn. The dream.
Schuss – Going straight down the hill with zero turns. Not for the faint of heart.
Send / Full Send – Going all-in on a line, trick, or jump. Doesn’t matter if you land it. It’s about the commitment.
Shred the Gnar – Basically “go ski extra hard.” Cooler way to say it, though.
Slarve – A mix between sliding and carving. Smooth and stylish.
Smash – Charging through snow piles or landing heavy.
Stomp – To nail the landing perfectly after a jump. Instant bragging rights.
Tomahawk – Tumbling head over heels down the slope after a crash. Painful and spectacular.
Yard Sale – Wiping out so badly that all your gear scatters across the slope like items at a garage sale.
General Chatter
Bombhole – The crater left in the snow after a big huck. Usually body-shaped.
Cold Smoke – The sparkling trail of powder that follows you when snow is extra light and dry.
Core Shot – A gouge in your ski that exposes the wooden core. Usually caused by hidden rocks (aka snow sharks).
Free Refills – When it’s snowing so hard that your tracks are filled in before you get back up the lift.
Jerry / Gaper – The clueless skier with the helmet-goggle gap, mismatched gear, and questionable technique. Every resort has them.
Knuckle Dragger – A nickname skiers use for snowboarders. Friendly… mostly.
Quiver – Your collection of skis. Some people have one pair, others have a garage full.
Rad – Ski slang for “awesome,” but with extra style points.
Ripper – A really good skier. The one everyone watches from the chairlift.
Secret Stash – Hidden powder zones on the mountain that locals guard like buried treasure.
Sick – Can mean “awesome” or “I’m skipping work to ski.” Often both.
Snow Sharks – Rocks hidden just beneath the snow waiting to eat your bases.
Steeze – A mix of style and ease. If you look good while skiing hard, you’ve got steeze.
Two Minus One – The proper way to say “last run.” Saying “last run” is bad luck, and skiers are a superstitious bunch.
Final Thoughts
Ski slang isn’t just for fun it’s a way to share the stoke, laugh about the bad days, and brag about the good ones.
The more time you spend on the mountain, the more these words start to make sense. Before long, you won’t just be skiing. You’ll be speaking like you’ve been riding pow your whole life.
