Mountain planning terms
Friends, terrain and snow: know what you're planning
Understand riding ability, ski clubs, mountain meetups, snowfall, snow depth and terrain. Follow practical guides to plan a ski or snowboard day with friends.
Friends and a shared plan
Start with compatible terrain and pace, then agree on the practical details.
- Riding Partner
- A ski or snowboard friend with compatible mountain plans, terrain preferences and pace.
- Ski Club
- An organized snow sports group whose membership, trips and activities are confirmed directly with the club.
- Ski and Snowboard Community
- People who share an interest in skiing or snowboarding and planning mountain days together.
- Riding Ability
- A rider’s stated comfort and experience on the terrain they plan to ride; trail ratings are relative to each mountain.
- Terrain Preference
- The terrain a rider wants to choose for a shared mountain day.
- Riding Pace
- The pace, breaks and length of day a group agrees before riding together.
- Mixed Ability Riding Group
- A group with different terrain comfort, experience or pace that agrees on runs and regrouping points.
- Ski Buddy Meetup Checklist
- A first-meetup planning checklist covering mountain, date, terrain, pace, public meeting point, forecast checks and the return plan.
- Public Meeting Point
- An agreed public place, such as a resort base area, for meeting new riding partners.
- Mountain Carpool
- Sharing transport to and from a mountain after agreeing on meeting point, seats, equipment, costs and return arrangements.
- Base Area
- A resort arrival and meeting area near facilities or lift access; confirm the exact landmark with your group.
- Après
- Social time after skiing or snowboarding, planned separately from the on-mountain riding day.
Snow and mountain weather
Read the source, location, period and update time alongside each snow number.
- Forecast Snowfall
- An estimate of new snowfall for a specified location and future time period, distinct from a measured snow report or existing snowpack.
- Snow Depth
- The depth of snow already present at a measurement location; it is different from forecast new snowfall.
- Snow Water Equivalent
- The water content represented by a snowpack measurement, distinct from snow depth and new snowfall.
- Snow Observation
- A measured snow reading from an identified station or report at a stated observation time.
- Snow Report
- A dated report of observed snow or resort conditions, read with its measurement location and reporting period.
- Snow Quality
- A description of the riding surface at a stated place and time, distinct from a snowfall total.
- Forecast Elevation
- The elevation represented by a forecast; base, mid-mountain and summit estimates are not necessarily separate station measurements.
- Forecast Confidence
- The uncertainty or confidence information supplied with an outlook; it does not certify safety or resort operations.
- Storm Timing
- The expected start, peak and end periods of a storm in the current forecast.
- Mountain Road Conditions
- Current road access, closures and travel updates from the relevant road service, checked separately from mountain weather.
Terrain and the mountain
Use the operator's local trail map, signs and reports to choose your day's terrain.
- Ski Trail
- A marked ski or snowboard route at a resort; use its local trail map for difficulty and access information.
- Green Circle Terrain
- An easier trail rating used at US resorts. Difficulty is relative to the individual resort.
- Blue Square Terrain
- A more-difficult trail rating used at US resorts. Difficulty is relative to the individual resort.
- Black Diamond Terrain
- A most-difficult trail rating used at US resorts. Difficulty is relative to the individual resort.
- Double Black Diamond Terrain
- A most-difficult trail rating calling for extra caution at US resorts. Read the local trail map and signage.
- Terrain Park
- A freestyle area with features such as jumps or rails; choose features according to the local signage and your experience.
- Moguls
- Bumps in a ski slope that create a different terrain choice from a smooth groomed run.
- Ski School
- An operator offering skiing or snowboarding lessons; confirm the current program and booking details directly.
- Ski Patrol
- The mountain patrol service responsible for resort-specific safety and incident response; contact details and operations come from the resort.
- Backcountry Skiing
- Skiing outside managed resort terrain; a separate trip context from ordinary resort riding and weather checks.
Check the original sources
The NRCS glossary explains snow depth and SWE. The NSAA trail-signage guide explains US trail ratings and why difficulty is relative to each resort. See official weather, avalanche and road resources for current trip information.