, Austria, shows the pistes, served by a gondola lift, detachable chairlift and a funicular. There is a snow fence to prevent snowdrift; and avalanche towers and avalanche barriers to mitigate the risk of avalanches. ski resort in
Slovakia Ski Resort,
Argentina like this one on
Etna in
Sicily. , a ski resort above the
Strait of Messina Ski areas have marked paths for skiing known as runs, trails or
pistes. Ski areas typically have one or more
chairlifts for moving skiers rapidly to the top of hills, and to interconnect the various trails.
Rope tows can also be used on short slopes (usually beginner hills or bunny slopes). Larger ski areas may use
gondola lifts or
aerial tramways for transportation across longer distances within the ski area. Resorts post their
trail map illustrating the location of lifts, trails, services and the ski area boundary, and during the
ski season issue a daily snow conditions report listing open trails, operating lifts and weather status. Ski areas usually have at least a basic
first aid facility, and some kind of
ski patrol service to ensure that injured skiers are rescued. The ski patrol is usually responsible for rule enforcement, marking
hazards, closing individual runs or areas as conditions require, and removing (dismissing) dangerous participants from the area. The typical ski area base includes a ticket office,
ski lodge,
ski school, equipment rental/repair shop, restaurant/bar, shopping, shuttle bus stop and parking. Some ski resorts offer
lodging options on the slopes themselves, with ski-in and ski-out access allowing guests to ski right up to the door. Ski resorts often have other activities, such as
snowmobiling,
sledding,
horse drawn sleighs,
dog-sledding,
ice skating, indoor or outdoor
swimming and
hot tubbing, game rooms, and local forms of entertainment, such as clubs, cinema, theaters and
cabarets.
Après-ski (French for
after skiing) is a term for entertainment,
nightlife or social events that occur specifically at ski resorts. These add to the enjoyment of resort-goers and provide something to do besides
skiing and
snowboarding. The culture originated in the Alps, where it is most popular and where skiers often stop at bars on their last run of the day while still wearing all their ski gear. Though the word "ski" is a derivation of the
Old Norse via
Norwegian, the choice of
French is likely attributed to the early popularity of such activities in the
French Alps, with which it was then linked. == Environmental effects ==