Piste

A piste is the name given to a marked ski run or path down a mountain for snow skiing, snowboarding, or other mountain sports. The term is most often used in Europe; in North America, a piste would more often be referred to as a trail, a slope, or a groomed run. Piste is French for trail or track.

Piste maintenance

Pistes are usually maintained by a ski resort where guests may travel from one piste to another via a mechanical ski lift system.

Pistes are usually maintained using tracked vehicles known as snowcats, "piste bashers", or "groomers", which compact the snow in order to improve the skiing conditions, remove moguls, and preserve the snow so the ski season can last longer. Pistes are often lined with artificial snow making machines so that snow can be created for skiing when the snowpack is low.

Pistes are usually graded by difficulty. See ski trail ratings for more information.

See also

• Skiing and skiing topics