"Ski Hill"

Post by **SonomaCat** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 2:20 pm

Okay, I have been taking a lot of abuse from my friends for the last several months over my choice of words. When I refer to going to a ski resort in Tahoe, I call it a "ski hill." Apparently, this sounds funny to some people, as they have never heard that expression before. They choose to call it generically "the slopes." I laughed at that expression as this particular group is all Asian. But when I explained to them why that was funny to me, they informed me that they had never heard that term used as a derogatory term for Asians (the dictionary had my back on that one, though).

So I need some help. I know "ski hill" is a common term in MT, but particularly for those of you living around the country now, is "ski hill" a common term in your area? I need to fight the assertion that it is "just a Montana thing."

gtapp · Post by **gtapp** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 2:23 pm

I always called it a ski hill when I lived in Montana and in Utah, as did all of my friends. It never apply applied so much as when I moved to Minnesota where the ski hills really are "hills" and not mountains!

suckitgriz · Post by **suckitgriz** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 4:47 pm

Sounds good to me! Tell your friends to get bent-

Post by **SonomaCat** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 4:59 pm

suckitgriz wrote:Sounds good to me! Tell your friends to get bent-

I just sarcastically talk about "Hitting the Slopes" (with a nod towards them), and then we laugh about it ... and then an Asian guy punches me in the face. Apologies to Woody Allen for butchering his routine.

Bleedinbluengold · Post by **Bleedinbluengold** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 6:01 pm

Can't say I ever used "ski hill."

If you're going to the Lake Tahoe area, you say, "I'm going to Tahoe." You act like you ski the couliers at Tahoe.

Post by **SonomaCat** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 6:10 pm

Bleedinbluengold wrote:Can't say I ever used "ski hill."

If you're going to the Lake Tahoe area, you say, "I'm going to Tahoe." You act like you ski the couliers at Tahoe.

Shut-up ... they might hear you ... you're not helping ... you're making a MT boy wrong, and a bunch of smug CA people right. Where's the loyalty, man!

Seriously, your response is almost identical to theirs. So I will choose to ignore your input on this one issue.

Did you mean "coulees?" If so, that's another bit of terminology I have to explain to the non-Montanans whenever I use it.

Bleedinbluengold · Post by **Bleedinbluengold** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 6:20 pm

coulier (pronounced, koo-lar) = general term used for the space in between high mountain cliffs that collect enough snow to ski. These are typically marked on the trail map with a Warning as opposed to a black diamond or many black diamonds. Probably the most widely known is Corbet's Coulier at Jackson Hole.

Photo at, http://www.jacksonhole.com/images/photo ... 022102.jpg

The word appears to be French, though, and I wonder if the French pronounce it the same way? koo-lee-ay??????

= coulee?

Post by **SonomaCat** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 6:23 pm

Bleedinbluengold wrote:

coulier = general term used for the space in between high mountain cliffs that collect enough snow to ski. These are typically marked on the trail map with a Warning as opposed to a black diamond or many black diamonds. Probably the most widely known is Corbet's Coulier at Jackson Hole.

Photo at, http://www.jacksonhole.com/images/photo ... 022102.jpg

Thanks. I learned a new word today!

Bleedinbluengold · Post by **Bleedinbluengold** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 6:27 pm

I think it's actually spelled, couloir.

Post by **SonomaCat** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 6:31 pm

Bleedinbluengold wrote:I think it's actually spelled, couloir.

Ahhhh, THAT is why I couldn't find it in the dictionary (I end up looking up a lot of words during the day). When nothing came up, then and only then did I even consider the possibility that you had meant "coulee," which also fit in the context of the sentence.

A long-winded way of saying that my first instinct isn't to assume that you are misusing words.

bozbobcat · Post by **bozbobcat** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 9:46 pm

The word couloir is pronounced in French kool-wahr. You were right about the pronounciation of coulier, bleedinblueandgold. The reason I know this is because I've taken a lot of French classes as a teaching major on top of my history teaching major.

briannell · Post by **briannell** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 10:01 pm

hey Brad - from the CA girl here on the board - we just say we're hitting tahoe - they get the point

by the way I prefer Telluride, or Big Sky over Tahoe anyday!!!

catsrback76 · Post by **catsrback76** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 10:12 pm

Bleedinbluengold wrote:I think it's actually spelled, couloir.

One of our fellow Cat fans is couloir41 I think. Maybe a legendary coulee somewhere in the state.

catsrback76 · Post by **catsrback76** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 10:17 pm

briannell wrote:hey Brad - from the CA girl here on the board - we just say we're hitting tahoe - they get the point

by the way I prefer Telluride, or Big Sky over Tahoe anyday!!!

Not bad Rebecca, but I have to say the Ridge at Bridger BEFORE Pierres Knob had a lift was legendary-- COOOOoooooolllldddddddd SMMOOOOKKKEEE!
Enjoy the Ride! weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
Jackson Hole does me fine too.

bobcatgrad2005 · Post by **bobcatgrad2005** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 10:55 pm

Interestingly, while going to school at MSU, I was friends with a guy who used to tell stories of "going up to the Mountain" for Mt. Hood's AMAZING skiing. He was kind of a prick, but I digress (Makes me think of Dane Cook's skit "The Friend Nobody Likes").

Anyway, I guess maybe its a local terminology thing.

Any why in gods name does Bozeman have .25 coffe houses per capita? Is it related to this?

grizgirl · Post by **grizgirl** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 10:36 am

Yes, ski hill. That's what I call it. Couloir, pronounced Kool-Wah. Like in the Greg Stump movie, "Blizzard of Ahhs" starring Helena's Scot Schmidt and Glen Plake. They ski Couloir Poubelle(sp?) [poo-bell] in the Alps. Awesome scene. Awesome movie.

ChiOCat · Post by **ChiOCat** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 2:18 pm

bobcatgrad2005 wrote:Interestingly, while going to school at MSU, I was friends with a guy who used to tell stories of "going up to the Mountain" for Mt. Hood's AMAZING skiing. He was kind of a prick, but I digress (Makes me think of Dane Cook's skit "The Friend Nobody Likes").

Anyway, I guess maybe its a local terminology thing.

Any why in gods name does Bozeman have .25 coffe houses per capita? Is it related to this?

I always said "the mountain" too. But I grew up near Big Mt. No mountains around here to refer too.

Post by **rtb** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 2:39 pm

ChiOCat wrote:I always said "the mountain" too. But I grew up near Big Mt. No mountains around here to refer too.

I too grew up near Big Mountain so there is no such thing as the ski hill. In Kalispell and now here in Bend we always go to the mountain. Sorry BAC, I just can't help you on this one.