Why Ski?

[NYDrew]

I'm leaving this one open ended. Why do you like to ski? Magazines have addressed this issue multiple times and all seem to agree about the lack of a true answer.

So tell us, why do you brave the bitter cold, slippery snow and extreme prices?

 

[riverc0il]

i think that covers it!

 

[loafer89]

Why do I ski?

1) I love snow, be it powder, corn , slush or hardpack, and skiing lets me have fun being around my favorite element.

2) I like mountains.

Skiing is only expensive if you make it so, I skied 18 days this year and never paid more than $58.00 for a ticket. I am not saying it is a cheap sport, but one can enjoy it on a budget to.

 

[tekweezle]

i was debating this as I was standing in line to buy an 81$ lift ticket at vail from a lovely female cashier at Vail one thursday morning. I had already skied 3 days straight and my legs were telling me to take the day off. Those days were okay. mostly cruising on hardpack under bluebird skies. Well atleast she smiled at me and handed me a granola bar too. After wading through 8-12 inches of boot ot knee deep powder in the back bowls, i think I got it. there was no way i was missing this day for anything!

joy of skiing, of being out in nature when it;s more normal to run for shelter is hard to quantify. skiing when done effortlessly just strikes an emotional chord in people.

 

[Ski Diva]

I love skiing because it's the closest I can get to flying without leaving the ground. I love skiing because it allows me to step outside myself in a way that nothing else can -- to feel totally free, without constraints, without bounds. I love skiing because it gets me close to nature in a world where nature is often just an abstraction.

 

[awf170]

Because then I can participate in snazzy message boards like this one...

 

[John84]

Why ski?

1. The outdoors: Being outside is awesome and the mountains are beautiful. Who could need more reasons?
2. Getting away from DC: Too many damn people in D.C. and I've gotta get away from them as often as possible
3. Having something awesome that you can share with friends.

 

[RISkier]

The simple answer is that after we moved to NE, my wife kept bugging me to go ski. She'd skied a tiny bit back in her college days, but was basically starting from scratch. I kept saying I was too old to learn, but with gun to head, I found myself driving to Gunstock for 3 days of lessons/skiing. Since then we've done most of our vacations around skiing. I love not dreading the winter -- instead of sitting on my butt all winter it's a great activity. I love the scenery and the feeling of freedom. I like the challenge of improving myself; I still suck but I suck a whole lot less and I ski stuff I'd have never thought I'd ski when we started. I like the apres ski scene. I've liked a lot of people we've met and skied with. And I like goading my wife into singing songs from "The Sound of Music" as we ride ski lifts. Only wish I could've started at a much younger age.

 

[BeanoNYC]

It's like hiking, but faster. I love the view. I love the exercise. I love the atmosphere at apres ski. I just love it!

 

[andyzee]

Only a non-skier would need this answered. 8)

 

[tekweezle]

there is just something i love about the feeling of new fallen snow crackling under my skis.

with skiing, you have got to love it to keep doing it. it;s expensive and a hassle. i hate traveling to the resort by plane and dealing with the airports. I hate booting up in a cold parking lot after a long drive on a day trip. I hate arriving at 2:00 am after getting everyone settled only to have to wake up at 7:00am to catch that 1st chair. if I could live in a ski in/ski out condo and still be able to work, that would be awesome. of course, all that melts away as soon as you hit the slopes.

unfortunately, when you lose the love for skiing, you might stop altogether....keep the love!

 

[trailertrash]

i dont know

when snowboarding is so much more fun i cant imagine why you would ski!
ha ha....

 

[tekweezle]

well the boots are certainly more comfortable for snowboarders. That I will concede.

 

[dmc]

eh... It's somethin' to do...

I board because it's so friggin fun and expressive. And I like to touch the snow.
I telemark because all the cool guys are doing it...
I ski for the thrill of sweet sweet bumps and to go REALLY fast..
Don't even get me started on the snowdeck - STILL don't know why I do that every once and a while...

 

[dmc]

well the boots are certainly more comfortable for snowboarders. That I will concede.

Wow... way to concede...

I was suprised how comfortable telemark boots are..

 

[awf170]

Don't even get me started on the snowdeck - STILL don't know why I do that every once and a while...

Because you have a death wish...

 

[dmc]

Because you have a death wish...

not nearly as bad as when a friend had a Swingbo Alpine Surfer...

 

[awf170]

not nearly as bad as when a friend had a Swingbo Alpine Surfer...

Wow:-o

 

[Marc]

I like participating in an activity in which your fate is left to you. No soft controls and tan plastic guards on the sharp edges. You take responsibility for you. One of the last bastiens of such thinking left in this country.

I also like participating in an activity which makes light of what otherwise would be a monumental headache.

But most of all... I ski because I like to ski. There may be little I can explain, but often times articulating likes and dislikes is pointless and awkward. I just like to ski.

 

[njdrumrun]

i am new since february. for me it has given a purpose to winter. up until now, i've hated(strong word but true) winter, cold and snow. i've always ridden/compete horses so all winter has ever been is an interruption. snow was something that screwed up my commute and complicated my child care issues with late openings and school cancellations.

NOW...i am looking forward to next winter, planning when to get my daughter's leased skis, hoping for school cancellations due to snow so i am forced to take a vacation day which will have to be spent skiing. i want to move out of my state but have never considered moving north ....until now.

i am learning at 38 years old and am not really athletic....after spending a great deal of the first three days getting up off the ground. parts of my body hurt that i didn't know i had. i am either determined or too stupid to give up. either way i am outside and getting great exercise!! last sunday was my 6th day out and i only fell once. i want to be good at it and will not stop till i get there.

is it November yet?