T o tweak a surfer’s cry, “Snow’s up!”

Off we go to the slopes, geared to the eyeteeth, walking billboards for skiing, snowboarding and clothing manufacturers, but excited to get out from under the rain, stretch those muscles and have fun.

A snow-bound world not only looks different than the other seasons, it has its own set of rules, facts, and surprises.

Here’s a test of your winter smarts.

1. Where will the Federation Internationale de Ski world snowboarding championships be held in January?

A. Whistler, B.C.

B. Mount Baker

C. Sun Valley, Idaho

D. Vail, Colo.

2. What material, if used for winter sports, has been called the “death cloth”?

A. Wool

B. Polyester

C. Cotton

D. Fleece

3. How much water may 10 inches of Cascades cement contain?

A. 2 inches

B. 3 inches

C. 4 inches

D. 5 inches

4. Which ski area runs one ski lift on wind power?

A. Mount Bachelor

B. Whistler

C. Crystal

D. Snoqualmie

5. Avalanches …

A. Occur on slopes of 25 to 55 degrees

B. Are most common on open, treeless slopes

C. Are most common during or within 24 hours of a heavy snowstorm

D. Can be created when winds of 15 mph or more push snow to the lee side of ridges

6. In the snow, what small animal usually leaves an unbroken drag line between its footprints?

A. Yellow-pine chipmunk

B. Northern pocket gopher

C. Dusky shrew

D. Bushy-tailed woodrat

7. The 2010 Winter Olympics will be held in …

A. Seattle

B. Vancouver.B.C.

C. Whistler, B.C.

D. Calgary, Alberta

8. The first U.S.-manufactured children’s sleds were sold in …

A. 1861

B. 1871

C. 1881

D. 1891

9. Snowball warfare rules were written in 1880 by a Boy Scout organizer to …

A. Create a new badge

B. Improve competition

C. Win a bet

D. Prevent injuries

10. The first ski rope tows were built in North America in the …

A. 1910s

B. 1920s

C. 1930s

D. 1940s

11. Which is one of the best ice-climbing spots in the state?

A. Drury Falls, Tumwater Canyon

B. Rainbow Falls, Stehekin

C. Rainy Lake, North Cascades Highway

D. Along U.S. 2, Stevens Pass

12. Where is the only ski jump in Washington state?

A. Mount Baker

B. Leavenworth

C. Mission Ridge

D. Spokane

13. Hairies, orange skin, ragging and skare are terms used in …

A. Cross-country skiing

B. Snowboarding

C. Hang gliding

D. Hiking

14. Where does a body lose most of its heat?

A. Torso

B. Feet

C. Head and neck

D. Hands and arms

15. Surface hoar is also known as …

A. Frost

B. Feathers

C. Hoar frost

D. Faceted snow

16. Of those buried in an avalanche, what percentage survived longer than 30 minutes?

A. 10 percent

B. 20 percent

C. 30 percent

D. 40 percent

17. When ice crystals form under the skin, you have …

A. Hypothermia

B. Frostnip

C. Chilblains

D. Frostbite

18. About how many registered snowmobiles are there in Washington?

A. 34,000

B. 17,000

C. 12,000

D. 10,000

19. How big was the largest recorded snowflake?

A. 15 inches across

B. 10 inches across

C. 7 inches across

D. 4 inches across

20. What is a Quin-Zhee hut?

A. Last hut in a series of backcountry ski huts

B. Scandanavian-designed yurt

C. Athapaskan Indians’ snow shelter

D. High-altitude shelters available at outdoors stores

21. Why are mittens warmer than gloves when made of the same material?

A. Separate fingers expose more area to heat loss

B. Fingers close together keep each other warm

C. Our mothers told us that they were warmer

D. It’s all psychological

22. What is hypothermia?

A. An unproved theory

B. A core body temperature below 95 degrees Fahrenheit

C. When your fingers and toes are numb

D. A core body temperature below 90 degrees Fahrenheit

23. What part of the body is most affected by hypothermia?

A. Hands

B. Lungs

C. Feet

D. Brain

24. What are natural avalanche paths?

A. Steep gullies

B. Ridges

C. Terraces

D. Open slopes

25. Alpental Strasse Smear, Chockstone and Not Quite a Plumb are …

A. Easy-to-make backcountry hikers’ desserts

B. Brand names for climbers’ chalk

C. Ice-climber challenges

D. Fly-fishing spots on the Lewis River

26. Snowflakes have how many basic shapes?

A. 7

B. 12

C. 20

D. 25

27. What’s a clinometer?

A. A speed gun invented by Joe Cline

B. Invention measuring the frequency of a trait in a species

C. A meter that measures the thickness of ski wax

D. Device to help measure avalanche danger

28. What are the best choices for cold-weather underwear?

A. Acrylics, silk, nylon

B. Hollofil, Quallofil, Thermoloft

C. Polyester, polypropylene, chlorofiber

D. Cotton, rayon

29. Why the saying: “If your feet are cold, put on a hat.”

A. Half your body heat is loss through the head and neck.

B. Skiers have a perverse sense of humor.

C. You can’t put extra shoes on.

D. Keep any part of your body warmer and the heat is circulated throughout the body.

30. What piece of camping gear can:

A. Help stave off hypothermia when worn.

B. Collect snow to melt for drinking water.

C. Line the main compartment of your backpack.

D. Make a floor in your tent’s vestibule.

31. What’s the best way to dry wet hiking boots in the field?

A. Put them as close to the fire as possible.

B. Take them with you when you climb in the sleeping bag.

C. Remove insoles and laces, open them up for airflow, add chemical heating pack.

D. Tie laces together and hang from branch overnight.

32. When looking for a cold-weather campsite …

A. Avoid low-lying valleys

B. Avoid ridges

C. Look for windbreaks

D. Avoid passes

33. If it’s 35 degrees outside in a 20-mph wind, what’s the wind-chill temperature?

A. 25 degrees

B. 15 degrees

C. 12 degrees

D. 0 degrees

34. What should you do for frostbitten fingers?

A. Rub them together to create warmth.

B. Hold a hot rock.

C. Hold them over the fire.

D. Soak them in warm water and try to wiggle.

35. How can you treat hypothermia?

A. Get in a tent and/or sleeping bag.

B. Put on dry clothes.

C. Use body-to-body contact for warmth.

D. Drink warm liquids.

36. When are the greatest avalanche dangers?

A. Every day during the winter

B. Above 10,000 feet

C. During or immediately after a heavy snowfall

D. During or immediately after prolonged periods of wind

Answers

1. (A) It’s the first time this event has been held in North America.

2. (C) Cotton retains moisture, keeping the wearer wet and chilled, which can lead to hypothermia.

3. (C) By contrast, champagne powder at Steamboat Springs may yield less than a half-inch of water.

4. (A) Sunrise Express is powered by wind-generated electricity bought from a co-op.

5. (A, B, C, D) The more you know, the more trouble you avoid.

6. (C) It drags its tail more than other creatures.

7. (B) ice events, snowboarding and (C) Alpine, Nordic, sliding sports, Paralympic events

8. (A) But children were “sledding” down hills long before that.

9. (D) Daniel Beard also wrote about how to build snowmen, although it’s hard to believe the kids hadn’t figured it out.

10. (C) In the 1870s, Sierra Nevada skiers used the ore-bucket system to reach the top.

11 (A) with many pitches, moderate climbs and a serious adventure. Rainbow seldom freezes solidly, Rainy Lake’s not very accessible, and the state patrol and property owners won’t be happy with you for sinking an ice axe along D.

12. (B) The first jump opened in 1927.

13. (A) Used in cross-country ski preparation, along with klister and kick waxes.

14. (C) It’s where more than half of your body heat flows away.

15. (A, B, C) It grows on the surface of snow in calm, clear but humid conditions.

16. (B) Only about 40 percent of people buried in an avalanche survive.

17. (B) When the skin freezes, you have D; when bare skin is exposed to cold water, or wet skin cools, and the skin itches and swells, it’s C.

18. (A) Va-room, va-room, va-room.

19. (A) in Montana in 1887, by a Fort Keough rancher.

20. (C) Used when snow is too loose for igloo blocks or a cave

21. (A) but there’s something to be said for C.

22. (B) Don’t expect to think clearly at 3.6 degrees below your normal body temperature.

23. (D) Normal thought processes affected early; lose ability to solve problems

24. (A, D) Keep that in mind in the backcountry.

25. (C) Bring your ice axe to these Alpental Valley sites.

26. (A) Shapes depend on moisture content and air temperature.

27. (D) Protractor with a plumb bob that measures the angle of a slope (avalanches most often occur on 30- to 45-degree slopes).

28. (C) They absorb almost no water so their insulation value is higher.

29. (A, D) Heat rises, even in the human body.

30. The cheap, low-tech garbage bag.

31. (C) High heat can damage material and the glues that hold them together.

32. (A) cold air settles; (B) no wind protection; (C) common sense; (D) act as wind tunnels.

33. (C) a good thing to know when making a decision to play outside.

34. (D) It took awhile to get that way so thaw them slowly.

35. (A, B, D) Getting naked and chummy is outdated and unwise.

36. (C, D) But don’t think you’re home free on other days.