A loose-snow avalanche (also called a sluff or point-release avalanche) starts at or near a single point in cohesionless snow and fans out into a triangular shape as it gathers snow moving downhill. Usually smaller than slab avalanches, sluffs can still be dangerous by knocking a person off their feet, pushing them over cliffs, or burying them in terrain traps or when large and wet.
A slab avalanche occurs when a cohesive layer (slab) of snow fractures as a unit and slides over a weaker layer beneath it, releasing along a distinct crown line. Slab avalanches are responsible for the large majority of avalanche fatalities because they can be triggered by a victim and break above them, burying them in dense, set-up debris. They require a slab, a weak layer, a bed surface, and a trigger on steep enough terrain.
An avalanche is a rapid flow of snow down a slope, ranging from small sloughs to massive, destructive slides. The most dangerous type for backcountry travelers is the slab avalanche, where a cohesive slab of snow breaks free over a weak layer. Avalanches are the primary hazard of winter backcountry travel, and managing the risk requires education, the avalanche forecast, rescue gear, and conservative terrain choices.
Camber is the traditional ski or snowboard profile in which the midsection arches upward off the snow when unweighted, so that when you stand on it, the pressure is distributed toward the tip and tail for edge grip. Camber gives precision, energy ('pop'), and stability on firm snow and in carved turns, but offers less float in powder than rocker.
Rocker (reverse camber) is a ski or snowboard profile where the tip and/or tail rise off the snow earlier than on a traditional cambered ski, when the ski is unweighted. Rocker improves float in powder, makes turn initiation easier, and resists catching edges, at the cost of some edge grip and stability on firm snow. Many modern skis blend rocker and camber.
The DIN setting is a standardized release-force value for ski bindings that determines how much force is required before the binding releases the boot in a fall. It's calculated from the skier's weight, height, age, boot sole length, and ability level, and should be set and tested by a certified technician — too low risks accidental release, too high risks not releasing when needed.
Ski bindings are the mechanical devices that connect a ski boot to the ski, holding the boot securely while skiing and releasing it in a fall to help prevent leg injuries. The release force is set by the DIN setting. Types include alpine (downhill), alpine touring/frame, and tech (pin) bindings, each suited to different skiing and balancing retention, release, and weight.
A stem christie is a transitional ski turn that begins like a snowplow — by stemming (angling out) the uphill ski into a partial wedge to start the turn — and finishes with the skis brought parallel to complete it. Historically a key step in learning to ski, it bridges the beginner snowplow and the parallel turn.
A jump turn is a steep-terrain ski technique in which you unweight and hop both skis off the snow to pivot them in the air, landing pointed in the new direction. It lets you change direction in very steep, narrow, or difficult snow (couloirs, breakable crust) where a normal carved or skidded turn isn't possible, and is a key backcountry and steep-skiing skill.
A hockey stop is a quick stopping technique in which you rapidly pivot both skis (or the snowboard) sideways across the fall line and dig in the edges, scraping snow to halt fast — like a hockey player stopping on ice. It's a more advanced, efficient stop than the snowplow and a hallmark of confident intermediate skiing.