Powder
Powder is fresh, dry, uncompacted snow that has not been groomed or tracked out.
Definition
Powder is light, loose snow that has fallen recently and has not been packed down by grooming machines or by other riders. Skis and boards sink into it and float rather than running along a firm surface, which changes how they turn and how quickly they slow down.
It is prized because it feels soft and forgiving to fall in, and because floating through it is a distinctly different sensation from carving on a firm piste. Powder is short-lived on busy runs: once enough riders have passed through, it is described as tracked out, and grooming machines convert it into packed piste overnight.
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Skills
- EdgingThe skill of tilting a ski or board so its edge grips the snow and controls the turn.
- TraversingThe skill of moving across a snow slope rather than straight down it, holding speed steady.
- Speed control on snowThe skill of managing how fast you travel down a slope, mainly by shaping turns rather than braking.
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- Tier A — evergreen educational
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- Content updated
- 2026-08-30
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