Carving is the advanced skiing technique where the skis turn on their edges, cutting a clean arc rather than skidding sideways. Properly carved turns leave two thin parallel lines in the snow, like railroad tracks. Carving is faster and more efficient than skidded turns because the edges grip rather than scrape. It requires confident edge control, appropriate (groomed) terrain, and is much easier on modern shaped (parabolic) skis, whose sidecut is designed to bend into a carving arc when the ski is tipped on edge.
Key points
- Skis turn on edges, cutting clean arcs
- Leaves thin railroad-track lines
- Faster and more efficient than skidding
- Easier on modern shaped (parabolic) skis