 Poster: A snowHead
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OK, so you all know that I'm not that experienced.
Skiing seems no different to any other sport/hobby/occupation in that it has its own set of jargon. Some times I can sort things out from the context of the post, but other times I think - what is that. So here is a thread that I'm going to top up with new jargon when I find it, and maybe you helpful folks can tell me what you are all talking about. Lets start off with three I've just read:
Side slip
Fall line
Rotation
Please other newbies feel free to add terms that puzzle you to.
Over to you experts........
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Megamum,
Middle age spread
A magazine
The order in which you buy drinks
Think thats right anyway.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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OK, just one. The fall line is straight down the hill - the route a ball would take if the surface was smooth and it was subject only to gravity (ie didn't get stuck in big lumps of crud!).
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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easiski,
surely foot rotation is still an important skill? e.g.,
hockey stops
shortswings on cat tracks
fall line in bumps
jump turns in the steep and narrow
or have I got the wrong end of the stick?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Megamum,
OK
I will be serious this time 
Bumps and moguls are one and the came thing they are man made mounds of snow created by skiers turning in the same place and are found on steeper slopes when they have not been bashed.
Good skiers love them as they can show off their skills, us lesser mortals try and survive tham. How difficult they are to ski depends very much on the quality of the snow the size and spacing of the moguls and the steepness oft the slope. Yes they may be icy or they can be soft and fluffy depending on the snow and the recent weather and temperature.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Oh....not quite what I thought then......so, if I understand correctly.... good skiers ski over/through them, and the bump therefore makes the skiing more challenging?
T Bar, 'I will be serious this time' - Great, but don't think you have to make a habit of it - life's dull if we don't misbehave sometimes!!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Megamum wrote: |
Oh....not quite what I thought then......so, if I understand correctly.... good skiers ski over/through them, and the bump therefore makes the skiing more challenging?
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Mostly you ski around them, and yes they do make the skiing more challenging
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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One thing I learned after 15 years.. faceplant still means faceplant and still hurts just as much!
Want some fun? Explain what crud is.. its just dug up powder here, but sounds a lot nastier over there!
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Crud is churned up powder that has subsequently solidified to more or less extent. The more solid the more cruddy 
Well that's what I tink anyways.
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Crud over here, is what you'd rather not be skiing. Chopped up powder is pretty nice as it means that there will be good virgin stuff to ski, you only have to search it out.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I struggle with the various terms for snow. How about 'mashed potatoes' and 'corn snow' anyone??
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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easiski,
yes I take your point but surely just about every skier coming to a stop at a chair lift uses some foot rotation even if its not a abrubt hockey stop? Sure it is possible to carve all the way up the hill until you stop but generally there would be too many people about for that and you end up a way from the lift queue. Surely even beginnners need to know how to bleed off speed by pivoting the skis further through the fall line?
It's more than academic interest - I'm taking my son skiing for the first time this season.
J
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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conor, I believe that "corn snow" is another term for spring snow (no need to explain that to you obviously ). Not heard "mashed potatoes" before but it sounds suspiciously like crud.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Tue 19-12-06 10:51; edited 1 time in total
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conor,
Corn snow = Spring snow =Neige transformee, Lovely stuff when preferably untouched snow undergoes a freeze thaw cycle and then at the right time of day (which will depend on the aspect and altitude of the slope as well as the degree of freeze overnight )softens ehough to become non icy but not breakable it can ski like velvet. It usually appears later in the season when the sun is higher in the sky. You have to be careful though as getting the timing wrong can result in skiing either ice or gloop.
Mashed potatoes Not really sure I have taken it to mean churned up snow with a high moisture content that is not really slush but I may be wrong.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Quote: |
You have to be careful though as getting the timing wrong can result in skiing either ice or gloop.
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Yes, and if you ski it when it's gloop make sure nobody can find you afterwards, as you will have trashed it for everybody on subsequent days 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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easiski,
I agree, makes sense to teach carving as the main turning technique these days.
I still feel that beginners will need to learn to use a bit of foot rotation pretty quickly in order to control speed, avoid obstacles (tighten a turn beyond which the beginner is capable of by carving alone), etc - as you say blend rotation and carving.
J
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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easiski, oo yes - Saturday morning it's Laax here we come 
Megamum, interesting you say that - one of the friends coming to us next week is a beginner, had a 2-hour prpivate lessons last season then spent 2 days on the nursery slope with us practising. He had real problems with a snowplough but was much happier when heading towards stem christies and parallel
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Ooo...More Jargon....
'Stem Christies' Anyone?
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Megamum, very very roughly it's when you start a turn in a plough and bring your new uphill ski to a parallel position as quickly as possible (I think). Basically its a transitional stage between snowplough turns and parallel turns, incorporating aspects of both. Apologies if I'm off the mark
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You know it makes sense.
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Megamum, A stem christie is a term used by the austrians and the swiss. the same half and half turn is called a basic swing in the UK and a virage de base (basic turn) in france. No idea about the states. If you had adequate pressure on the correct turning ski there is no reason not to do a parallel turn since the mechanics are no different. It's much more comfortable to be parallel, but you can pick up a lot more speed on snow than on plastic.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| easiski wrote: |
| Megamum, A stem christie is a term used by the austrians and the swiss. the same half and half turn is called a basic swing in the UK and a virage de base (basic turn) in france. No idea about the states. If you had adequate pressure on the correct turning ski there is no reason not to do a parallel turn since the mechanics are no different. It's much more comfortable to be parallel, but you can pick up a lot more speed on snow than on plastic. |
In the UK, using BASI, what was called a Basic Swing is now taught as a Plough Parallel at 3 different skill levels, Early with a late match of the skis, Mid with a match at or about the Fall Line, and Late with an early match before the Fall Line.
In Canada, using CSIA, the progression fron Plough to Parallel, is by using Plough Surpentine turns, which are linked short radius plough turns in the Fall Line, whilst narrowing the Plough progressively, until a parallel turn is achieved.
The "Situational Stem" is taught as an advanced technique to deal with difficult Terrian or Conditions.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I like the term Plough Parallel, it is easy to put across to a client that it is the learning phase between Plough and Parallel turns, rather than call it a Stem Christie which has no logical meaning or worse still a Basic Swing which puts ideas of some sort of wife swapping party. The idea of 3 phases in the Plough Parallel is more for a progression for the teacher's benefit. The Student will naturally match the skis earlier as experience and confidence increases.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Hi Folks, I've just been reading the threads about dressing in various layers. Could someone explain all these technical terms when it comes to jackets, i.e. soft shell, hard shell etc
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Soft Shell - A bit like Wetsuit material, stretchy with a fine fleece on the inside.
Hard Shell - like you're standard Ski jacket but without insulation.
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FAQ
- thanks!
, but can be very challenging if they are big, steep and icy 
), around my ski pole stuck in the snow. Without further instruction and after only a short time, I think I must have been getting more confident, my instructor suddenly told me that I was making turns on parallel skis. Somehow it had just come naturally. Spooky 