Why Ski (or snowboard)

[dlague]

Thought this was an interesting little write-up. I think I love the rush, speed and the flow of the sport. Being outside during the winter, the comradery and the beautiy of it all. What say you?

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[prsboogie]

That is perfect!


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[mbedle]

I like that...

 

[cdskier]

I've seen that somewhere before but can't remember where...maybe I saw it on Facebook in the past.

 

[ss20]

Skiing is the pattern of movement. Nothing is better than getting in a rhythm. That awesome feeling when the snow just "works" for you. Every movement you make perfectly executed with this snow. Of course we're lucky if we get a few runs a season with snow that just "works".

That's how I've always felt. In laymen's terms when people ask why I ski I say it's "a dance with gravity".

 

[bdfreetuna]

Skiing makes me feel like..

 

[deadheadskier]

That awesome feeling when the snow just "works" for you. Every movement you make perfectly executed with this snow. Of course we're lucky if we get a few runs a season with snow that just "works".

A few runs a season?

 

[Smellytele]

I was just pondering this morning why I spend so much on a pretty useless activity. I could be less in debt with nicer furniture that doesn't sink in, nicer vehicles that don't have issues, nicer flooring in my house that don't have scratches and stains and nicer clothing that isn't old and outdated. Even if I didn't ski I would probably still find other things to spend money on besides these things.

 

[Edd]

I've pondered this many times. It's definitely about chasing an elusive feeling. It used to be easier for me when my mortality was less of a concern and I could "let go" more often.

On the crappier days, when conditions or my own limitations don't allow me to have fun on the hill, I've learned to just enjoy hanging out at the mountain for a few hours. It's where I want to be.

 

[shwilly]

A few runs a season?

(I'm not ss20 but) When the snow is perfect, you're locked in the zone, you don't have to think, and everything is just clicking? Yeah, that's probably only a few runs a season, for me at least.

I have good runs almost every day I go, but most of the time I'm thinking more consciously: where's the next turn, where are other skiers, what's up ahead on the trail.

If peak experiences happened all the time, they wouldn't be peak experiences.

 

[spring_mountain_high]

it allows me to get out of my head and focus only on the moment

 

[Sky]

I have a photo from years back. I just pinned it up on the wall of my cubicle. Three of my ski pals stopped on the slope, bluebird day, everyone is smiling. Like minded people enjoying themselves and the camaraderie at the same time. Awesome.

 

[Abubob]

It happifies me.

 

[ScottySkis]

T I am Scotty Ski that Is why lol

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[RISkier]

I was just pondering this morning why I spend so much on a pretty useless activity. I could be less in debt with nicer furniture that doesn't sink in, nicer vehicles that don't have issues, nicer flooring in my house that don't have scratches and stains and nicer clothing that isn't old and outdated. Even if I didn't ski I would probably still find other things to spend money on besides these things.

Someone much wiser than me once said, it's not what you have, it's what you do. I started skiing just short of my 50th birthday. I ski because it's fun. Winters sucked before we started skiing. I love being in the mountains, I love the scenery, I love having drinks with friends after skiing, and I love the challenge of doing something I didn't think I could ever do.

 

[deadheadskier]

(I'm not ss20 but) When the snow is perfect, you're locked in the zone, you don't have to think, and everything is just clicking? Yeah, that's probably only a few runs a season, for me at least.

I have good runs almost every day I go, but most of the time I'm thinking more consciously: where's the next turn, where are other skiers, what's up ahead on the trail.

If peak experiences happened all the time, they wouldn't be peak experiences.

I do understand the concept of being in the zone on good snow where everything comes effortlessly. It's a great feeling.However, I don't necessarily weight those experiences higher than skiing conditions when the snow isn't "perfect."

Obviously if I had my druthers, every day would be a powder day and half the mountain would be bumped up with perfect lines. But, I love the thinking aspect of skiing. Looking four, five, six turns ahead, surveying the terrain and what I think the snow will be like to prepare the exact turns I'll need in my head and then execute them to nail the sequence.

That's what gives me the biggest rush while skiing and it's available every time I go and on every run I take. It doesn't always happen. But, sometimes the satisfaction of skiing crappy conditions really well is as rewarding as skiing perfect snow where the turns are there without effort.

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[Not Sure]

Skiing allows you to leave your mortal body for a while , flowing with the terrain, feeling the added g force of a hard carved turn or going negative when the slope dispears below, floating on powder. You have a sense that you belong , seeing an undercast with bluebird sky above trees rimed, that's worth the lift ticket alone.
I feel sorry for people missing out , while they shovel snow the only thing on their mind is getting back inside.Skiers are thinking I can't wait to get to the hill. The worst part of skiing is closing the door on your vehicle in the parking lot before leaving ,thinking how long before "Temporary Imortallity" returns?

 

[mister moose]

Obviously if I had my druthers, every day would be a powder day and half the mountain would be bumped up with perfect lines.

But, sometimes the satisfaction of skiing crappy conditions really well is as rewarding as skiing perfect snow where the turns are there without effort.

Nailing the terrain is nailing the terrain, powder or hardpack or spring ribbons. It feels good. So does watching others do it, and usually a little differently than you did.

Skiing allows you to leave your mortal body for a while , flowing with the terrain, feeling the added g force of a hard carved turn or going negative when the slope dispears below, floating on powder.

I'm not too sure about the immortal part. In fact anyone that has injured themselves has felt their mortality skiing. I'd say it's off the trodden path, literally. What you leave behind is the need to walk, you are now able to both steer and accelerate at will. There is no stepping, there is gliding, there is grace in a world of clumsy oaf humans on foot. Watch a good skier skate past a walker, who looks better? On skis we achieve speeds unavailable to us on feet. If you can master the terrain at hand you can combine grace with exhilaration. I cannot run fast enough to make my eyes water, but on skis I can do that and then some. I cannot spin on my feet, I cannot achieve angulated equilibrium on my feet, I cannot sustain g forces on my feet, I cannot glide on my feet. On skis I can. As a result of skiing so much I bound up stairs while non skiers trudge. I have a balance I wouldn't have otherwise. Even on my feet skiing makes me different than I would otherwise be.

 

[deadheadskier]

I'd say it's off the trodden path, literally. What you leave behind is the need to walk, you are now able to both steer and accelerate at will. There is no stepping, there is gliding, there is grace in a world of clumsy oaf humans on foot. Watch a good skier skate past a walker, who looks better? On skis we achieve speeds unavailable to us on feet. If you can master the terrain at hand you can combine grace with exhilaration. I cannot run fast enough to make my eyes water, but on skis I can do that and then some. I cannot spin on my feet, I cannot achieve angulated equilibrium on my feet, I cannot sustain g forces on my feet, I cannot glide on my feet. On skis I can. As a result of skiing so much I bound up stairs while non skiers trudge. I have a balance I wouldn't have otherwise. Even on my feet skiing makes me different than I would otherwise be.

Yup

The perfect medium for manipulation of terrain and gravity. There is no other method of conquering terrain by man or animal that comes close. I guess you could say flying, but with that you are off the ground and not experiencing the terrain the same way. You can't run or drive a vehicle down the extreme terrain you can ski. Maybe Mountain biking comes in a distant second. I've seen some people rip difficult terrain on a bike at astonishing levels of skill, but put some snow on that terrain and a skilled skier or boarder would dust them every time. I'd assume some water sports like windsurfing also gives that same rush.

To the last sentence of your post, I have often told non-skiers who question why I do it that I am more comfortable skiing than walking. 100% truth. It's kind of Clark Kent vs Superman as to what you can do. Clicking into my bindings is like Clark entering the phone booth. And you don't even have to be a very good skier to get that feeling. My mother who didn't start skiing until she was 39 and never advanced beyond skiing Okemo blues was Wonder Woman on skis compared to wearing shoes on her feet.

 

[Whitey]

Chicks, man. . .

Back in my younger days I came to the realization that as a single guy living in Boston that if you really wanted to close the deal - there's absolutely nothing better than going on a "ski date" with a girl. Day trip from Boston. Even if they didn't ski - do the bunny slope and have them hanging on your arm the whole day. Even better, you can sneak into the date - "hey, going skiing Saturday and my buddy bailed. You wanna go?" Best way to out kick your coverage and "date up" is to have them not realize it's a date until you are about half way thru that date. And it's the gift that keeps on giving: when you really want go to the next level = the overnight ski trip. Ski, apres ski, club it, then back to the hotel room - wow.

All the single guys on this board - you're welcome.

I never really fell out of skiing, but it was in my early 20's living in Boston and "ski dating" a lot that I kind of fell back into it and have been skiing a lot ever since. Since then the love of the sport has taken back over for all of the reasons that others have noted in this thread.

And yes, my 1st real date with my wife of 23 yrs now - was a "ski date". . . And I did definitely out kick my coverage with my wife.