Experienced Skiers

SKI TRAIL & TRIP REPORTS

Latest info from top BC Trails

Here are some XC ski words that will get you up and running in this sport.  Pull on some spandex, throw a few of these terms out there, and you’ll fit right in.

Bunnies – we’re not referring to the cute and fuzzy little critters with long ears.  We mean beginner skiers 4 to 6 years of age.  Yes, they are cut too.

Corduroy – the ribbed lines you see on a ski trail after it has been freshly groomed by a grooming machine.  Just give it some time to firm up and it is a dream to ski on.

Diagonal Stride – the traditional way to ski where you stride down the parallel ski tracks in the snow or create your own in some fresh “pow”.  Also referred to as classic technique..  

Fish Scales – no, we don’t strap a fish to our ski base, but it may look like it’s scales.  The early waxless skis had a pattern in the grip area of a classic ski that allowed the ski to grip the snow, and the pattern looked like fish scales.  Despite the change in the pattern the name has persisted.

Free Style – any style you want, but usually refers to skating.

Glide – how well the skis are moving across the snow.  

Grip – we’re not talking about a handshake here.  Skiers use this term to refer to how well the grip wax that is applied to classic skis is performing.  Also referred to as “kick”.

Hard Wax – also referred to as grip wax, it is a firmer wax in a small can that is crayoned on the grip zone of a classic ski.  Skiers much prefer to use it over klister.

Herringbone – no, not a fish bone.  It is a technique used to climb a hill.  Forming a V with the skis, tips apart and the tails together, the skier uses the inside edges to walk up the hill.  Also called a “reverse pizza” or  “duck walk”. 

Icing Up – we’re not icing a cake here, but we are cursing because our grip wax has mixed with snow and frozen to the ski base.  Thus, we are walking instead of skiing.  This often occurs at temperatures around the freezing mark.  

Klister –  a very sticky wax that is applied to the grip zone of a classic ski in certain ski conditions. Often referred to as syrup in  a tube, it sticks to everything and everything sticks to it like spruce needles, tree moss, twigs, squirrels, and your favorite ski glove.

Loppet – a long distance ski race.

NNN – New Nordic Norm. A binding system for cross country skis.

SNS – Salomon Nordic System. Another binding system for cross country skis manufactured by Salomon.

Skate – short term referring to skate technique.  Ice skating is not included.

Skin Skis – waxless classic skis that have a synthetic skin in the grip zone.  It looks  a bit like fur, and it is what gives the skis grip on the snow.  

Snowplough – “honk, honk, here we come.”  It is one of the first things a skier should learn to avoid a train wreck, and I say that in all seriousness.  It is a technique used to slow yourself down or even stop yourself on a downhill grade.  Also, called the pizza as the tips of the skis are together and tails apart. 

Track – if you hear this being yelled it means get out of the way.  A faster skier will call “track” which means a slower skier must move over so they can go by.  

3 Pin – refers to one of the original binding systems.  There were 3 little pins on the binding which fit into 3 little holes on the toe area of the ski boot.  A clamp on the binding was closed keeping the boot and binding together.