JACKSON, Wyo. — In December, Buckrail ran a piece explaining some commonly heard ski slang terms in Jackson Hole. The mountain lingo lexicon is seemingly endless and can even be location-specific.
In an attempt to keep the community informed on more commonly used phrases one might hear on the hill and to keep spirits high while waiting for the potential upcoming storm, it was decided to expand the glossary. The below terms have been compiled from personal experience and contributions from our readership.
One reader, David Stollsteimer, contributed some of the below Jackson-specific terms, such as tramnesia and Hoback huck.
More words and phrases heard on the slopes in Jackson
Booter: A small lip or jump where, if skied into fast enough, one can jump in the air.
Corduroy: The freshly groomed snow in the morning that looks like your favorite pair of corduroy pants. Also sometimes called “cord.”
Corn: Typically seen in the spring, and now, apparently, in February also. This snow is classified by the large, coarse granular crystals that occur in the spring due to melt-freeze cycles.
Hoback Huck: According to Stollsteimer, this is defined as: “Yeeting yourself off anything in the Hobacks with zero regard for the landing because ‘it’s bottomless brah.'”
Huck: A standard huck is when one launches themselves into the air off of a cliff or a booter. See booter.
Skittle thug: A young skier, usually under 10 years old and probably a better skier than you. Typically defined by colorful outfits resembling primary Skittle colors.
Tomahawk: A fall in which the skier or rider falls head-first and rotates, similar to a tomahawk or a cartwheel. Typically this occurs on steeper slopes. Some say a tomahawk only qualifies if there are two full rotations.
Tramnesia: Another from Stollsteimer: “Forgetting how sketchy/gnarly something is the second you get off the tram and peer down Corbet’s or the Alta Chutes.”
Ullr: The Norse god of snow, or a type of peppermint and cinnamon liqueur, depending on who you are. Locals can be seen toasting to Ullr often this winter in hopes of ushering in more snow.
Village crud: One more from Stollsteimer: “The soul-destroying heavy snow that piles up in the Village after 200 people have skied it by 10 a.m.”
Yard sale: When a skier or snowboarder takes such a huge wipeout that their belongings end up scattered across the slope. A full yard sale requires the loss of both skis.
Got more suggestions? Send them to tips@buckrail.com to potentially be featured in the next glossary feature.
