The very first skiers ever in western China

[Nick]

http://nhpr.org/post/worlds-first-skiersever-0

This is pretty cool. There is both a video and audio component. Via New Hampshire Public Radio. Make sure you check the video out.

Basically these guys in China use two wood boards with a single pole for balance (leaning backwards, almost like a rudder). Use horse skin for skinning uphill, which stay on during downhill.

Apparently they were primarily used for hunting.

 

[Euler]

There was an awesome section with Mongolian Skiers in one of the recent Warren Miller films. When asked about turning, one of the guys who likes to ski fast says "Turning is counterproductive..."

I love that!

 

[skifree]

yikes! my acl/mcl and all the other L's are screaming.

 

[Domeskier]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]9815[/ATTACH][/QUOT... I get our ski clothing from the same outlet!

 

[jack97]

that is so cool..... I use to think skiing was just a pastime activity like some other sports. Finally got proof it's used for hunting. Hope they can still keep it up. Lot's of culture unique to small pockets of population are slowing disappearing.

 

[SIKSKIER]

that is so cool..... I use to think skiing was just a pastime activity like some other sports. Finally got proof it's used for hunting. .

Really? skiing never started as a pastime
.
Held in March, 2006 marked the 150th anniversary of Jon "Snowshoe" Thompson's first trip on skis over Sierra Nevada from Genoa, NV, to Placerville, CA.

 

[Mapnut]

There's an incredible (I don't mean not credible) article on these people in last month's National Geographic. They live in the Altay Mountains. Check out the photo of a guy lassoing a huge elk and using the skis to brake.