Lois & Clark Forums Forums General Discussion Off Topic Skiing Term Question

So I'm in class today and we're working on extreme sports and the teacher asks me what it's called in English when people go off the marked trails/runs when skiing. Having never skied myself... I couldn't even remember the correct word for the trails/runs! (Actually, am still not sure I've got it right...)

So, any skiers out there? Can you help?

Thanks!

Bethy

I'm not a skiier, but isn't it off-piste?


Wendy

I don't know if there is a correct/formal phrase for it, but I'd say someone went off-trail if they wandered away from the designated ski slope, either intentionally or unintentionally.

And if they went really off-trail, especially in avalanche country, I'd call them kind of stupid.

Lynn

Like Lynn, I'd call it "going off-trail". And yeah, "stupid" would also work, LOL.

Kathy

There's a news story here that says "skiing out of bounds."

- Laura

I think that it depends whether you're using UK or US English, then, Bethy - UK English does call it 'off-piste, and the thing you ski down is the piste, not the trail as it's called in US English. Just another of those many differences between us!


Wendy