Travel Agent - Ski University - (Page SCover3) Knowing What’s What A sampling of key terms that sellers of ski/snowboard travel should have at their fingertips In order to talk ski with your clients, you need to know certain essential terms and definitions so you’ll be sure to choose the right resort with the best slopes to suit their needs. Following are just some of the basic terms, courtesy of ski.com, with which you should be familiar. 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. Bowl Skiing: Skiing on wide bowl-shaped slopes with or without trees Bunny Slope: The area of the mountain with a gradual decline, perfect for beginner skiers to be taught basic ski techniques. 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. Sunday River Freestyle Skiing: A skiing discipline that incorporates aerial acrobatic techniques into downhill skiing. Gondola: A gondola is an enclosed lift suspended from a cable to transport passengers up and down a mountain. Groomed Slope: Refers to the slope terrain that has been groomed and is now smooth. Hard-Packed: Icy conditions that usually occur with the lack of new snowfall. Heli-Skiing: A skiing discipline requiring helicopter transportation to the highest slopes and known for providing skiers/boarders with fresh tracks. Moguls: Mounds of snow, a/k/a bumps. 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. Powder: The “ideal” ski condition that occurs after a fresh dump of snow. Quad: A chair lift carrying four people. 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. Schussing: Skiing down a slope without turning. 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 expert such as Ski.com.) Snowboarding: Skiing on one “ski” which is wider and shorter, with both feet fixed in a position similar to surfing or skateboarding. 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. Vertical Drop: The vertical distance from the top to the bottom of the mountain or slope. X-C: Abbreviation for cross-country skiing. For a more extensive list of ski terms and definitions, visit ski.com and click on “Press Room” at the bottom of the page, then click on “Fact Sheets,” where you’ll find the “Ski Term Glossary” link. http://www.ski.com http://www.Ski.com http://www.ski.com
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