Key takeaways
- The snowplow (wedge/pizza) forms a 'V' with the ski tips together and tails apart.
- It uses the inside edges to control speed and stop — the first thing new skiers learn.
- It makes speed control and stopping intuitive on gentle terrain.
- It's the foundation before progressing to smoother, faster parallel turns.
What the snowplow is
The snowplow (also called the wedge, or ‘pizza’ to kids) is the fundamental beginner skiing technique in which you push the tips of the skis together and the tails apart to form a ‘V’ or wedge shape, using the inside edges to control speed and stop. It’s the first technique most new skiers learn.
How it works
Forming the wedge and pressing the skis’ inside edges into the snow creates braking resistance: the wider and more aggressive the wedge, the more it slows you, and a strong wedge brings you to a stop. You can also steer gentle wedge turns by weighting one ski more than the other.
On their first day, a new skier makes a ‘pizza’ wedge to glide slowly down a gentle green run, widening it to slow down and pushing it harder to stop — gaining the speed control and confidence to enjoy the slope before learning to turn.
Why beginners learn it first
The snowplow gives immediate, intuitive control over the two scariest things — speed and stopping — and is stable and easy to grasp, building confidence on gentle terrain. The natural progression is from the snowplow to wedge-to-parallel transitions to full parallel turns. See snowplow vs parallel turn; it’s the foundation of alpine skiing.
The bottom line
The snowplow (wedge) is the first technique every skier learns: push the ski tips together into a 'V' and use the inside edges to control speed and stop. Stable and intuitive on gentle terrain, it builds the confidence and control beginners need — the foundation they then progress beyond to the smoother, faster parallel turn.
Frequently asked questions
What is the snowplow in skiing?
The snowplow (also called the wedge, or 'pizza' to kids) is the basic beginner skiing technique where you push your ski tips together and your tails apart to form a 'V' or wedge shape. By tilting the skis onto their inside edges in this wedge, you create friction and resistance that controls your speed and lets you stop — it's the first technique most new skiers learn.
How does a snowplow control speed and stop you?
Forming the wedge and pressing the inside edges of the skis into the snow creates braking resistance. The wider and more aggressively you push the wedge, the more it slows you; a strong wedge brings you to a stop. You can also steer gentle wedge turns by weighting one ski more than the other. It's an intuitive, stable way to manage speed on beginner terrain.
Why do beginners learn the snowplow first?
Because it gives new skiers immediate, intuitive control over the two scariest things: speed and stopping. The wedge is stable and easy to grasp, building confidence on gentle slopes before skiers progress to more advanced techniques. The natural progression is from the snowplow to wedge-to-parallel transitions to full parallel turns, which are smoother and more efficient. See our snowplow vs parallel turn comparison.
Sources
- Ski instruction — PSIA-AASI
- Learning to ski — The Mountaineers