windlip n.—Gloss: a snowdrift created by the wind in a high place. «“In Fairbanks there wasn’t any parks or jumps, so you just learned to hit whatever you had—natural hits, lips, windlips.”…Bell and Hebert link the tricks they...
billy-goating n.— «Bell and Hebert’s freestyle-influenced riding differs greatly from what is called “billy goating.” Billy goaters pick intricate lines down the mountain face, hopping and turning into tight rocks and placing themselves...
Death of the Typewriter Ding! In this week’s episode, Mark Twain would be pleased. Reports that it’s the end of the line for the typewriter have been greatly exaggerated. Well, slightly anyway: it’s not the horseless carriage...
god bump n.— «As we climbed up the mountain, we met the pastor of the village and he said that he had been praying for two years for help.…I got what I call “God bumps” on the back of my neck because I realized that I...
sweet spot n.— «Like the snowflakes that fall on the mountain, no two days are alike in the avalanche-control business.…The explosives come in two forms.…The method of delivery depends on the accessibility of the “sweet...
high-marking n.— «Police in western Canada are cautioning snowmobile users against performing a dangerous straight-up tactic that killed an Alberta man last weekend. The practice is called “high-marking” and involves a...