JACKSON, Wyo. — Mountain lingo can feel like a natural part of the vernacular here in Jackson and the surrounding areas. Like most sports, skiing and riding come with their own set of phrases that have very specific and contextual meaning.
To be perfectly frank, the skiing and riding lexicon is relatively “out-there” and somewhat inaccessible to those unfamiliar or new to the community. What is a “death cookie,” one might ask? And what in the world is “cowboy pow”?
For those wanting a refresher, or those brand new to ski culture or Jackson or both, Buckrail has compiled a glossary with the help of our readers of some of the most commonly used phrases you’ll hear while skiing the resorts, Teton Pass or in Grand Teton National Park.
Commonly used words and phrases heard on the slopes in Jackson
Blue bird: A beautiful, sunny blue sky day typical of spring skiing or, as the valley has seen recently, mid-December.
Blower: A way to describe a type of snow that is light, powder snow.
BRT: Short for “Big Right Turn” which is a large, arching right slope off of the Teton Lift. Often heard: “Let’s take a BRT and head to Casper Beach.”
Casper Beach: The area outside of the Casper Restaurant at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort where skiers and riders don their sunglasses and sip on drinks on blue bird days, typically in the springtime.
Chunder: Chunky, uneven snow that is typically fairly uncomfortable to ski. Sometimes also referred to as “crud.”
Cowboy pow: Sometimes referred to as “cow pow,” “dad pow” or “mom pow,” depending on who’s talking. Typically ankle-deep snow found on a smooth surface, usually a groomed trail.
Death cookies: Round, frozen chunks of snow, often found in avalanche debris. Also sometimes referred to as “roller balls.”
Gaper: Someone who doesn’t typically ski and is unfamiliar with slang, cultural norms and skiing. Often derogatory. Usually refers to tourists. BE NICE.
Garage sale: When one crashes spectacularly, typically underneath the chairlift with many witnesses, and leaves ski poles, hat, gloves, goggles and skis scattered on the slope.
Gray bird: A spin-off of “blue bird,” this refers to a gray day, with low visibility but no precipitation and typically no wind.
Hollywood: Both a place and an action. “Hollywood” is a cliff underneath the Thunder Chairlift at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and can also refer to someone jumping off a cliff or performing a trick or jump underneath a chairlift. Can result in a garage sale.
Knuckle dragger: A snowboarder.
Low tide: Suggests little to no snow has fallen in recent days. Many Jacksonites would refer to the most recent warm cycle as “low tide.”
Puking: It’s snowing, a lot. Other commonly used phrases: “nuking” and “dumping.”
Shacked: The act of skiing very deep snow. Same as “pitted” and “buried.”
Skid: One who lives to ski. Often works at night to maximize skiing during the day. Favorite beer is PBR. Usually very friendly, unless you are cutting them in the lift line when it’s a blower day.
Two planker: A skier.
Whiteout: Similar to blue bird and gray bird, this refers to a day where it is actively snowing (or puking or nuking or dumping) while skiing.
Zone blower: Someone who actively posts on Instagram or other social media outlets about the different backcountry lines they have skied, effectively “blowing the zone” so that it becomes crowded and skied out sooner.
This is not an exhaustive list. For more, check out this article on Powder.com.
