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Skiing is the activity of gliding over snow using skis (originally wooden planks, now usually made from fiberglass or related composites) strapped to the feet with ski bindings. Originally used primarily for transportation, skiing evolved into a popular recreational and competitive activity during the 20th century.

History

History of skiing

Although skiing probably evolved gradually from snowshoeing, Norwegian Sondre Norheim is often called the "father of modern skiing". In 19th century, Sondre Norheim invented bindings that enabled the skier to do turns while skiing down hills, this form of skiing was called Slalom by Norheim and his contemporaries. This form of skiing is now referred to as Telemark or Telemark skiing. Skiing originally was a practical activity that resembled today's Nordic, or cross-country, style.

The invention of firmer bindings to attach the skier's feet to the ski, likely by Austrian Matthias Zdarsky, enabled the skier to turn more effectively and led to the development of Alpine, or Downhill, skiing.

Shortly thereafter, in the early 20th century, Austrian Hannes Schneider pioneered the idea of rotating the body to help steer the skis. Soon this Arlberg technique, named for his home region, spread around the world and helped make skiing a popular recreational activity.

Types of skiing Skiing

Many different types of skiing are popular, especially in colder climes, and many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Ski Federation (FIS), and other sporting organizations. Skiing is most visible to the public during the Winter Olympic Games where it is a major sport.

In skiing's traditional core regions in the snowy parts of Scandinavia, both recreational and competitive skiing is as likely to refer to the cross-country variants as to the internationally more well known downhill variants.

For many people, "skiing" refers to recreational downhill skiing where one visits a ski resort, purchases a lift ticket, dons cold-weather clothing, skis, ski boots and ski poles, and embarks on a chairlift, gondola lift, or other means of mechanical uphill transport. Upon reaching the summit, the skier disembarks from the ski lift and travels downhill, propelled by gravity, usually along a marked run known as a piste. Ski routes are referred to as 'runs,' 'trails,' or 'slopes.' Skiing technique is very difficult to master, and accordingly there are ski schools that teach everything from the basics of turning and stopping safely to more advanced carving and mogul techniques. Some skiers take care to know the limits of their abilities, others get themselves into big trouble and the Ski Patrol has to come and rescue them. The speed and technical difficulty associated with the sport can often lead to collisions and serious injury.

Many non-skiers wonder why skiers are willing to risk such injury. Skiers have a variety of answers to this question, but a common explanation is that it simply feels good, rather like flying, and that, when done carefully, poses no greater risk of injury compared to other sports. Of course, there is some possibility of danger but that is part of the appeal. Skiing is sometimes the fastest means of land transport possible without mechanical assistance. Many skiers have had experiences where they have achieved a union of the mind and the body by practicing this sport; where the mind trusts the body to perform in an exceptional manner and the body trusts the mind not lead it off a cliff. A sense of harmony and of peak experience can result in a feeling of wholeness of self.

In addition to their role in recreation and sport, skiing is also used as a means of transport by the military, and many armies train troops for ski warfare. Ski troops played a key role in retaining Finnish independence from Russia during the Winter War, and from Germany during the Lapland War, although the use of ski troops was recorded by the Danish historian Saxo Grammaticus in the 13th century. The sport of Biathlon was developed from military skiing patrols.

Skiing was pronounced "she-ing" at the start of the 20th century, after the Norwegian pronunciation, and was usually written "ski-ing".

Skiing for people with disabilities Water Skiing

Downhill skiing for people with disabilities is a recreational pastime open to those with any manner of cognitive and/or physical disabilities. Adaptations include the use of outriggers, ski tip retention devices, ski sliders, sit skis (dual and mono), brightly colored guide bibs, ski guides, and inter-skier communication systems. Recreational skiing programs for people with disabilities exist at mountains across the globe. In the Northeastern part of the United States, Maine Handicapped Skiing is one of the largest, operating out of the Sunday River ski resort. In the western part of the United States, the Winterpark program in Salt Lake City, Utah attracts world-class disabled athletes from Europe, Asia, and North America. Currently the International Ski Federation (FIS) sanctions a number of regional, national, and international disabled skiing events. Skiing for people with disabilities became popular after World War II with the return of injured veterans.

Skiing and society

In some places, particularly in the United States, skiing is often associated with wealth. Some resorts, particularly several in the American state of Colorado, are known as places where the affluent go on vacation.

The term "ski bum" has been used to classify skiers who want to spend the entire skiing season at the resort, engaging in their favorite sport and obtaining simple jobs, mainly in the local tourism industry to make a living; in reality, however, many different types of people engage in skiing. Some people take days off of work occasionally, go after work, after school, or on the weekends, for short trips if the ski resort is near their home, even if it is almost more than they can afford.

Recently, skiers and snowboarders have engaged in rivalry on and off the slopes, which is usually friendly and increases the notoriety of both sports; snowboarders often share hills with downhill skiers.

Safety

When a major celebrity dies in a skiing accident, or someone dies in an avalanche, the public is often made aware of some of the dangers of skiing. In early 1998, when Michael Kennedy and Sonny Bono died within a few days of each other in skiing accidents, there was a major movement to get people to wear helmets.

In North America, a color-shape rating system is used to indicate the difficulty of trail or slope. Trails at Western areas are usually more difficult than those at Eastern areas. The ratings are:

Green circle: An easy trail. Good for beginners, although sometimes Eastern green slopes are narrow and icy, sometimes referred to as "bowling alleys."
- Sometimes, a double green circle is used to indicate something easier than a green slope, but this is rarely used.
Blue square: An intermediate slope. Blue slopes are usually somewhat steep, but are usually groomed and wide. (Grooming is a process in which a large machine called a snowcat runs over the slope and smooths the snow, clearing it of bumps and moguls.

Crosscountry Skiing

Black diamond: A difficult slope. Black diamonds are often steep, and may or may not be groomed. (In the West, grooming is more uncommon on black diamonds.)
Double-diamond: Very difficult. Usually extremely steep, and almost never groomed. (In the East, a "double-diamond" is often just an ungroomed slope.)
- Some areas do not use the double-diamond, and a black diamond indicates anything more difficult than a blue square.

Snow and weather

Generally, downhill skiers prefer powder because it is more enjoyable. Downhill racers prefer icy slopes because the ice allows for a faster speed. Stiff skis work best for icy conditions. A snow base of 50 inches (1.3 m) of snow is usually below optimal for mountains on the U.S. West Coast, but this is considered good for the East Coast. Annual mountain snowfalls are used as a measuring stick to determine how good a hill is for downhill skiing. The top ski resorts will generally get 600 inches (15 m) or more of annual snowfall. Mountains on the East Coast tend to be icier than mountains on the West Coast. High altitude mountains generally have the least ice due to lower average temperatures, and a greater tendency for sublimation instead of melting as temperatures rise. Also, it is commonly thought that European ski mountains tend to be more icy and have longer lift line-ups, though North American mountains are not excluded from this phenomenon. The elevation of a ski hill greatly affects the amount of snow it gets. The temperature drops 3 Â°C for every thousand feet (10 Â°C/km). So for example, Whistler-Blackcomb has an elevation difference of 5,000 feet (1.5 km) so it is 15 Â°C colder at the top than the bottom. Hence it can be nice and sunny with no snow at the bottom but the top has plenty of snow.

Skiing topics

Types of skiing

Alpine skiing (also known as Downhill skiing)
Backcountry skiing (also known as Off Piste skiing)
Cross-country skiing (also known as Nordic skiing)
Extreme skiing
Telemark skiing
Speed skiing
Ski jumping
Ski mountaineering
Ski touring
Freestyle skiing

Cat skiing is a type of snow skiing that involves the use of a snowcat to transport skiers up mountainous terrain rather than helicopters or ski lifts used at ski resorts. It is considered a form of backcountry skiing or off-piste skiing, as the hazards encountered in a backcountry mountain environment are the same and professionals often guide participants.

Cross Country Skiing

Turning techniques

Stem techniques
- The Snowplough - (also known as the wedge) - see snowplough turn
- The Stem Christie
Parallel turn
Carve turn
Telemark turn

Equipment

Skis
Ski bindings
Ski boots
Ski poles
Ski wax
Ski suit

Competition events

Arlberg-Kandahar competition
Winter Olympic Games
Four Hills Tournament

Alpine events

Alpine Skiing World Cup

Downhill
Freestyle
Slalom
Giant slalom
Super Giant Slalom
Speed Skiing
Moguls

Nordic events

Biathlon
Nordic combined
Ski jumping
Cross-country skiing

Skiing organizations

International organizations:

International Biathlon Union (IBU)
International Ski Federation (FIS)
International Ski Instructors Association (ISIA)

National organizations:

US National Ski Hall of Fame
Professional Ski Instructors of America
Ski Club of Great Britain
United States Ski Association

Ski safety

Avalanches
Cornices
Crevasses
Mountain rescue
Ski patrol

Ski lifts

Aerial tramway (or cable car)
Chairlift
Detachable chairlift
Funitel
Funicular
Gondola lift
Rope tow
Platter lift (or button lift)
T-bar lift

Other

History of skiing
Dry ski slope
Indoor ski slope
List of ski areas
Piste
Ski resort
Ski school
Ski warfare
Snow
- Snow cannon
- Ice
Trail grooming machine (piste basher)
Physics of skiing

Health and injuries

Altitude sickness
Injuries
- Anterior cruciate ligament
- Fracture
First aid
- Wilderness first aid
Frost bite
Hypothermia
Physical fitness
- Exercise
Snow blindness
List of famous skiing deaths

Snow Skiing