Like any subculture with a passionate following, backcountry skiing has developed its own lingo—a special language that helps its practitioners describe what they do and why they love the sport. To anyone with an untrained ear, the words might sound like Greek. But with a little context, they start to make total sense. Here’s every term you need to know, from serious snow science to the proper usage of slang, so that there’s never a chance you sound like a gaper.