Ski Touring Vocabulary: Terms Every Backcountry Skier Should Know

Skinning: Essentially another word for ski touring; ascending a slope using your climbing skins and ski touring skis or splitboard.

Climbing skins: Traditionally made from seal skins, or any other animal with short hair or rough skin, these are strips of fabric which allow skis to glide up or forward and not slide backwards. Nowadays skins are usually a mix of mohair (goat fur) and synthetic material which you stick to the bottom of your skis.

Pin/Tech binding: Generally lightweight and minimal bindings with pins at the front which you are able to slot and lock into compatible ski touring boots, allowing you to move upwards with the ski. On the way down, boots are locked down at the back of the binding with another set of pins or in some cases a lever (such as the Marker Kingpin). Click here for a video detailing my recommended binding.

Hybrid binding: Duke PT, Atomic/Armada/Salomon Shift, Cast System. These are relatively new innovations within skiing. The binding acts like a pin binding on the way up, and an alpine binding on the way down, bringing the best of both worlds. Disadvantages are the weight of these bindings and potentially the extra moving parts, but generally they are a good option for many.

Alpine binding: These downhill specific bindings don’t have any capacity for upwards travel and are the most common ski bindings in the world. They hold the ski boot at the toe and heel and have a DIN release at either end that ensures a suitable release during a crash.

DIN setting: The standardised measurement of release force needed to come out of your binding. Higher DIN requires more force to release from an alpine binding. DIN rating is specific to full plastic soled ski boots or GripWalk soled boots. 

Kick turn: A technique (that requires some perfection!) used to do a near 180 degree turn on a steep slope. This is how skiers zig zag up slopes when ski touring.

Transition: The process of transitioning from skinning/ski touring uphill or bootpacking to downhill descent mode, involving taking skins or crampons off, changing boots to ski mode instead of walk mode, and changing the bindings mode if needed.

Bootpacking: When it’s too steep (or icy) to use skins, sometimes walking by foot (with boot crampons) with skis attached to the bag is required. Skinning becomes particularly difficult above 35 degree terrain, at this point walking directly up is often the only option.

Powder Snow: Often seen by many as the best form of snow, it's another word for fresh snow which gives you a smooth ride.

Corn snow / Spring snow: Granular snow that forms in spring due to repeated cycles of melting during the day and freezing at night. Skiing this type of snow is grippy and pleasant at a certain point in its daily cycle: just as it has been slightly melted by the sun/temperatures.

2. General Ski Touring Vocabulary

Ice Axe: A pickaxe used for self-arresting (stopping a fall), climbing steep ice or snow.

Boot Crampons: Spiked metal devices that attach to the bottom of ski or snowboard boots, providing traction on icy or very steep snow slopes.

Ski Crampons: Metal attachments that can be fixed to the touring bindings. They are used to provide extra grip on icy or hard snow surfaces when ascending, preventing the skis from sliding sideways.

Rope: Well, it’s very obvious what a rope is, but these are often used by backcountry skiers and snowboarders for safely crossing glaciers by roping up, for crevasse rescue, climbing, or rappelling.

Rappel: A controlled descent down a rope attached to an anchor. It is often used in ski mountaineering for accessing otherwise inaccessible lines, such as steep entrances to couloirs. For a great example of some iconic rappels,check out our blog post on Top 5 Steep Ski Lines in Chamonix. Ropes are often used in pairs with one rope acting at the retrieval cord for the other.

Anchor: A fixed point attached to the mountain used to secure ropes for climbing, rappelling, or belaying. Anchors can be created using various techniques and materials, often making use of natural fixed features like rock spikes, cracks, trees or can also be made in ice or with buried articles in the snow.

3. Avalanche Terms

Slab avalanches: Slab avalanches occur when a more dense layer of snow (often formed by wind drifting or compressing the snow into a slab) sits on a weak layer and a trigger causes it to break off. They usually occur on slopes steeper than 30° and can spread quickly (propagate). Slab avalanches are the most dangerous type and responsible for more than 90% of the deaths that occur in avalanches.

Loose snow avalanches: Loose snow avalanches start in steeper terrain where (often fresh) snow is mobilised and the avalanche continues to grow. They can be wet or dry. These avalanches usually need a 40° slope for dry powder and can often grow large with wet snow in steep terrain.

Gliding avalanches: Gliding avalanches occur when the entire snowpack slides off a smooth surface like rock or grass. They happen naturally when the snowbase becomes moist, either from warm ground or rain. These avalanches are more common in spring or during wet snow conditions.

Glide Crack: A glide crack is an opening in the snow where the whole snow pack has contracted due to its natural shrinking over time. The cracks open up and expose bare sections of ground. This is typically a sign of stabilising conditions but can present their own hazards when skiing through or near them in poor visibility (risk of falling in!). In some cases, glide cracks can be indicators of a future gliding avalanche.

Powder avalanches: Powder avalanches typically start from slab avalanches, creating a cloud of snow that can travel at speeds up to 300 km/h. These avalanches occur when a large amount of snow is lifted into the air, usually in areas with high avalanche danger, and can cause significant damage.

Wet snow avalanches: Wet snow avalanches, which can involve either slab or loose snow, are common in spring, especially after rain or daytime warming. They occur when water weakens the snow structure, often from rain, warm temperatures, or sun exposure. This then causes instability, particularly in areas where the snowpack has poor bonding. 

Avalanche Crown: The upper edge of an avalanche’s fracture line, where the snow begins to break away.

Avalanche Debris: The snow, ice, rocks, and debris that are carried down by the avalanche.

Slope Angle: The steepness of the slope, often a key factor in avalanche risk. Typically, avalanches occur on slopes of 30° to 45°.

Avalanche Bulletin: A daily report that provides information on current avalanche conditions and risks in a specific area. Often very useful and a must-read before you start any ski tour.

Avalanche Risk Level: A rating from 1 to 5 associated with a verbal level; 1 Low, 2 Moderate, 3 Considerable, 4 High, 5 Very High. This internationally recognised scale indicates the likelihood of an avalanche occurring in a particular forecast region. Regions vary in size depending on the local forecasting services and the resources they have. Larger areas are harder to predict. This short synopsis is typically supplemented by reading the full avalanche report to understand the nature of the avalanche conditions.

CT (Compression Test): A test used to assess the stability of a snowpack by applying pressure to a column of snow to see if it fractures, helping to evaluate weak layers and avalanche risk. The test involves compressing the snow column to detect how easily it fails.

ECT (Extended Column Test): A more in-depth version of the compression test, where a larger snow column is tapped or pried to check for fractures, providing additional insight into the snowpack's stability and potential for avalanche release. For more information about avalanche column tests, we recommend you check out Dave Searle’s avalanche courses in Chamonix this winter. The link is here

Transceiver/Beacon: A device worn by skiers or mountaineers to send and receive signals for locating people buried in an avalanche.

Shovel: A tool used for digging snow, essential for avalanche rescue but also useful for other things in the backcountry.

Probe: A long foldable pole used to locate victims buried in snow during an avalanche rescue.

Airbag: A safety device that inflates by the user pulling on a handle on the shoulder strap during an avalanche to help keep them on the surface of the snow and reduce burial depth.

Weak Layer: A layer of snow or ice within the snowpack that is weaker and more prone to failure, contributing to avalanche risk.

Aspect: The direction a slope faces (e.g., north, south), which can affect snow conditions and avalanche risk, particularly due to exposure to the sun and time of day.

Cornice: A large overhanging mass of snow formed by wind typically on the lee side edge of a ridge or cliff, which can break off when walked on, fall on people climbing up from below, or trigger avalanches.

Lee Side: The side of a mountain or slope that is sheltered from the direct wind, often accumulating snow from wind transport, and prone to avalanche risks due to the buildup of unstable snow layers.

Windward Side: The side of a mountain or slope that faces into the wind. Typically fresh snow is scoured from these slopes. The windward side can often have thinner and icier snowpacks and a smaller avalanche risk compared to the lee side.

Sluff: A small, loose snow avalanche that usually starts from a single point on a steep slope. Sluffs are often sensationalised a little on social media, but in reality they remain dangerous because they can lead to loss of control of a skier, or can build up into a larger avalanche.

Surface Hoar: This is a type of frost that forms on the surface of the snow when clear, calm conditions cause moisture in the air to freeze onto the snow, creating delicate, feathery crystals. Surface hoar can act as a (sometimes persistent) weak layer when buried by new snow, as it forms a very poor bond with the snow above it.

4. Glacier Terms

Glacier: A large, persistent mass of ice that moves slowly over land, typically formed from the accumulation and compaction of snow over many years. Very common in the Alps and Canada.

Crevasse: A deep crack or fissure in a glacier's surface, caused by movement and stress within the ice. Crevasses can be hidden under snow bridges, making them dangerous for climbers and skiers as you can fall deep inside.

Snow Bridge: A layer of snow that covers a crevasse, making it appear as though the glacier's surface is solid. Snow bridges are often unstable and can collapse under weight, leading to a fall into the crevasse.

Bergschrund: A large type of crevasse - the gap between glacier ice and rock, typically at the head of a glacier where the ice begins to flow downhill away from the steeper slope on the mountain. It can be a major obstacle for skiers or mountaineers climbing uphill. These are found at the base of nearly all couloirs with glacier exits.

Serac: Tall, jagged ice block formations on glaciers. These are essentially ice cliffs, and are found mainly on steeper slopes. Seracs can collapse, posing a danger to skiers below them. Serac exposure should be kept to a minimum.

Crevasse Rescue: A set of techniques used to rescue someone who has fallen into a crevasse. This typically involves setting up an anchor in the snow and using ropes and progress capture pulleys to pull the victim out safely.

Hauling: The process of lifting a fallen ski mountaineer from a crevasse using ropes and mechanical devices like pulleys or mechanical ascenders. For more in depth information, we recommend using the Oak app to find crevasse rescue courses near you.

Tibloc: The TIBLOC is a mechanical ascender that clamps over the rope with the use of a carabiner. It slides in one direction. 

Microtraxion: The Petzl Microtraxion is a progress capture pulley that has a mechanism to lock open the teeth to make it into a multi directional pulley. These are both used in a typical hauling setup, or even to self rescue and climb up a rope which has been thrown into a crevasse.

Prussik: A common knot used in mountaineering for many purposes including self rescue, rappelling, etc. A Prussik loop, used to tie a prussik knot around the rope, is typically a 4-6mm cord. There are different ways to tie a prussik and some can be released under load. You can slide them up and down a fixed rope, but then lock when weight is applied.

Moraine: Accumulation of debris, such as rocks, dirt, and gravel, that has been transported and deposited by a glacier. We see these very commonly in ski touring and mountaineering as a ‘moraine wall’ - where the glacier used to be before receding. Moraine walls are often very dangerous to climb or descend on foot due to potential rockfalls and their unstable nature.

5. Geographical Terms

Adret: Term used almost exclusively in alpine geography but more importantly avalanche forecasting in the Alps: the sunny, south-facing slope of a mountain. These slopes receive more sunlight, which can result in warmer conditions, increased melt, and a different avalanche situation compared to ubacs.

Ubac: Term used almost exclusively in alpine geography but more importantly avalanche forecasting in the Alps: the shady, north-facing slope of a mountain. These slopes receive less sunlight, often resulting in colder temperatures and more persistent snow conditions, which can lead to greater snow accumulation.

Arête: A sharp ridge of rock that forms separating two valleys. One of the most iconic is the Aiguille du Midi Arête in Chamonix, which people must descend to ski down the Vallée Blanche.

Col: Another word for a mountain pass. The lowest point between mountains, often used for crossing between valleys.

Couloir: An often narrow gully in a mountain, these are are fun to ski but do pose dangers, including very steep terrain, rockfall and avalanches.

Gully: A narrow channel on a mountainside formed by flowing water, you will often see these acting as avalanche paths in winter.

Scree: A mass of small loose stones or broken rock which cover a slope on a mountain. These slopes are often tricky and unstable to walk on.

Plateau: A flat area.

Firn / Névé: Firn or Névé is a granular type of snow which has been partially melted, refrozen and compacted over a long period of freeze/thaw cycle, yet precedes the form of ice. This type of snow can often be found on glaciers in late summer, or as patches of névé in the mountains in summer.

Suncups: Shallow 'bowl' shapes that form on the surface of snow or ice due to uneven melting caused by sunlight. This appears typically during late spring or summer. Skiing on this type of snow is possible but not too fun due to the bumpy nature.

Sastrugi: Snow formation occurring when strong wind blows across the snow surface creating waves and ripples. Not pleasant to ski

Chourum: A local word for natural cave-like cavities in the mountain in the Dévoluy mountain massif in France. One of the most well known is the Chourum Olympique, which can be sometimes skiable