Ski Touring - skiing ungroomed trail. Telemark - a downhill turning technique that has developed into its own facet of the sport done mostly at downhill ski resorts and in the back country. Nordic - the all encompassing umbrella. Any type of skiing which uses free-heel equipment. Grooming - mechanically working the snow to produce a more consistent surface for skiing.
Grooming is done using either a snowcat vehicle or snowmobile.
In either case grooming attachments are pulled behind the snow machine which fluff, pack, grind and move the snow on the trail. The last grooming attachment is a tracksetter which carves tracks in the snow for use by classical skiers. Tracks - grooves make in the snow by a machine which enable a skier to ski more easily when employing the classical diagonal stride. Tracks have proven to increase a beginning skier's ability to learn. The snow has been machine prepared for skiing and tracks have been carved in the snow for ease of skiing.