skiing - History, Types of skiing, Skiing for people with disabilities, Skiing and society, Ski trail ratings
The art of propelling oneself along on snow while standing on skis, and with the aid of poles, named from the Norwegian word ski, snow shoe. Very popular as a pastime and as a sport, the earliest reference to skiing dates from c.2500 BC. Competitive skiing takes two forms. Alpine skiing consists of the downhill and slaloms (zig-zag courses through markers), which are races against the clock. Nordic skiing incorporates cross-country skiing, the biathlon, and ski jumping. Other forms include ski-flying (hang-gliding on skis) and skijoring (being towed behind a vehicle or horse), as well as several freestyle varieties.
Skiing is the activity of gliding over snow using skis (originally wooden planks, now usually made from fiberglass or related composites), with metal edges, 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
Skiing evolved gradually from snowshoeing and originally was a practical way of getting quickly from place to place in snowy climates. Early forms of skiing resembled today's Nordic, or cross-country, style.
Sondre Norheim is often called the "father of modern skiing". In the 19th century, Sondre Norheim invented bindings that enabled the skier to do turns while skiing down hills. This form of skiing was called Slalom (sla låm, Norwegian dialect expression for a difficult track) by Norheim and his contemporaries. This form of skiing is now referred to as Telemark skiing or telemarking.
The invention of firmer bindings to anchor the skier's feet to the ski, likely by Austrian Mathias Zdarsky, enabled the skier to turn more effectively and led to the development of Alpine, or Downhill, skiing. Soon this Arlberg technique, named for his home region, spread around the world and helped make skiing a popular recreational activity.
Types of skiing
Many different types of skiing are popular, especially in colder climates, 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, as well as in places such as Alaska, both recreational and competitive skiing is as likely to refer to the cross-country variants as to the internationally downhill variants.
For most people Worldwide, "skiing" refers to recreational cross-country skiing, whereas in North America many people think of Alpine 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 route known as a piste, 'run,' 'trail,' or 'slope'. Most ski resorts use mechanical equipment to 'groom,' or pack down and smooth, the snow surface on certain ski trails. Off-piste skiing includes skiing in unmarked or unpatrolled areas either within the ski resort's boundaries or in the backcountry, frequently amongst trees ("glade skiing"), usually in pursuit of fresh fallen snow, known as powder.
Skiing or snowboarding outside a ski resort's boundaries, also known as out of bounds skiing, is illegal in some ski resorts, due to the danger of avalanches on the un-patrolled areas; or the cost of search-and-rescue for lost or overdue skiers. Backcountry skiers traveling in steep terrain prone to avalanches are encouraged to take avalanche training, travel with other experienced people, and carry special equipment for self-rescue. It is recommended that skiers make the local ski patrol aware of where they are going if they stray off-piste in case of avalanches or bad weather that could put skiers in danger.
Skiing techniques are difficult to master, and accordingly there are ski schools that teach everything from the basics of turning and stopping safely to more advanced carving, racing, mogul or "bump" skiing and newer freestyle techniques. Regional Ski Patrol organizations, such as the National Ski Patrol in the U.S., exist as a voluntary organization to provide guidance, help, medical assistance and emergency rescue to those in need of it.
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 skiing simply feels exhilarating, rather like flying, and that, when done carefully, poses no greater risk of injury compared to other sports. For beginning skiers learning under a trained instructor, skiing speeds are low, the terrain is not steep and is often well-manicured, and the risks are relatively low. For extreme skiers, testing their expert abilities against ever more challenging terrain, the risks may be much higher. Many skiers have had experiences where they have achieved a union of the mind and the body by practising this sport;
In addition to its 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 for people with disabilities
Downhill skiing for people with disabilities is both a recreational pastime and a competitive sport open to those with any manner of cognitive and/or physical disabilities. Adaptations include the use of outriggers, ski tip retention devices, sit-skis like monoskis and bi-skis, brightly colored guide bibs, ski guides, and inter-skier communication systems or audible clues for blind skiers. Recreational skiing programs for people with disabilities exist at mountains across the globe. In the northeastern United States, Maine Handicapped Skiing is one of the largest, operating at Sunday River ski resort. Currently the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the International Ski Federation (FIS) sanction a number of regional, national, and international disabled skiing events, most notably a World Cup circuit, a Disabled Alpine Skiing World Championships, and the Paralympic Winter Games. 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. European ski resorts, in contrast, have more available lodging options which encourages a wider demographic of visitors.
The term "ski bum" has been used to classify people who live in ski towns, don't work very hard, and spend the majority of their time on the slopes. Business travelers go to Ski Resorts for an extended stay of usually a week once or twice a year. This has become increasingly popular and makes up a good portion of skiers.
Since the 1980s when snowboarders began to share hills with downhill skiers, a small rivalry between skiers and boarders has developed both on and off the slopes, though it has usually remained friendly and has increased the notoriety of both sports. Skiers have often called boarders human moguls as the rest state for boarders is a sitting stance with the board perpendicular to the slope.
Ski trail ratings
North America
In North America, a color–shape rating system is used to indicate the difficulty of trails (otherwise known as slopes or pistes).
There is no governing body that assigns difficulty ratings to ski trails. Instead, ski resorts assign ratings to their own trails, marking a given trail according to its relative difficulty when compared with other trails at that resort. This non-standardized approach to difficulty ratings often leads skiers to slopes that are beyond their abilities.
Although slope angle is the primary consideration in assigning a trail rating, other factors come into play — including trail width, normal snow conditions and whether or not the resort
regularly grooms the trail.
| Trail Rating | Symbol | Level of difficulty | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green Circle | Easiest |
The easiest pistes at a mountain. These trails are typically the most popular trails among newer skiers and snowboarders. Blue Square runs comprise the bulk of pistes at most ski areas, and
are usually among the most heavily-trafficked. They are intended only for the most experienced skiers. |
Europe
In Europe, pistes are classified by a similar, colour-coded system, although shapes are not used (all ratings are circles). These are usually not marked trails, but tend to be large open, gently sloping areas at the base of the ski area. This signifies a skiroute, an ungroomed and unpatrolled slope which is actually off-piste skiing in a marked area. A lower angle slope may be classified as more difficult than a steeper slope if, for instance, it is narrower and/or requires better skiing ability to carry speed through flatter sections while controlling speed through sharp hairpin turns, off-camber slope angles or exposed rock. At most ski areas in Japan, these constitute the majority of the slopes (40° to 60°, depending on how the slopes are accounted). These are the steepest and most difficult slopes at the ski area. The difficulty of these compared to like-classified slopes at other ski areas is heavily dependent on the target audience.
Japan has more than 600 ski areas (108 in Nagano Prefecture alone), many of them small and family-oriented, so comparisons between slope classifications in Japan and "equivalent" slopes in Europe or North America are minimal.
Snow and weather
Skiers and snowboarders can encounter a wide range of snow and weather conditions, in part due to the location of specific resorts and global weather patterns at the time.
Natural snow ranges in consistency from very light and fluffy to dense and heavy, depending upon atmospheric conditions as it falls.
Temperatures play a critical role in snow moisture content, but other atmospheric conditions are also relevant. obviously, the farther apart given snow crystals are, the more air is contained in the newly settled snow, resulting in lower net moisture content in a given volume of snow.
Even the fluffiest snow has mass, and snow typically settles under its own weight after time.
There are other factors that impact snow beyond its moisture content and crystal shape, however.
Thus, skiers and snowboarders typically encounter a wide range of snow conditions over the course of a season. Skiing and snowboarding in deep powder snow is a favorite among skilled, experienced skiers and snowboarders; Because Western snow generally has a lower moisture content, western powder is lighter and easier to ski than heavier eastern powder. This snow condition is favored by beginners and the majority of recreational skiers, in that it tends to be relatively forgiving, easy to turn upon, and requires less skill to negotiate than powder snow. Depending on sun and temperature conditions, it may be wet granular snow - meaning that there is a considerable amount of unfrozen water in it, or loose granular snow, which has no unfrozen water. True corn snow is a delight to ski or ride. Ice: skiers and snowboarders typically regard any snow condition that is very hard as 'ice.' In fact, true ice conditions are comparatively rare. if one can get a ski pole to stand up in it, the surface is likely to be more of a frozen granular surface than an icy one - and while it's certainly not as enjoyable as many other snow conditions, skilled skiers and snowboarders can successfully negotiate it. Spring Conditions: a catch-all term ski areas use to describe conditions when numerous different surface types can be found on the mountain - usually in the later part of the season, although the term is sometimes used during an extended midwinter thaw. With spring conditions, the snow is usually firm in early morning (even reaching frozen granular status if left ungroomed), breaking a softer corn or wet granular surface mid-day, and is often very soft and mushy in afternoon (many skiers refer to this type of snow condition as 'mashed potatoes," due to its heaviness). In some instances when the snow is untracked, sun baked, slightly dirty, with the consistency of a snow cone, it is called 'tecate powder.' The speed with which conditions change on a given spring day is directly related to the exposure of the slope relative to the sun.
New developments
The combination of kiteboarding technology with skiing has led to the creation of a new sport, snowkiting.
Trivia
Skiing is one of the few words in the English language that contains two "i"s in a row.
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 Freeskiing Heliskiing Newschool skiing Telemark skiing Speed skiing Ski jumping Ski mountaineering Ski touring Snowboarding Snowkiting 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.Turning techniques
Stem techniques The Snowplough - (also known as the wedge) - see snowplough turn The Stem Christie Parallel turn Carve turn Telemark turn Pivot turnEquipment
Skis Ski bindings Ski boots Ski poles Ski wax Ski suit Ski helmet Ski gloves Sunglasses Specialized Alpine touring equipmentCompetition events
Arlberg-Kandahar competition Winter Olympic Games Winter Paralympic Games Four Hills Tournament Winter X-GamesAlpine events
Alpine Skiing World Cup Alpine World Skiing Championships Freestyle Slalom Giant slalom Super Giant Slalom Downhill Alpine skiing combined Speed Skiing MogulsNordic events
Biathlon Nordic combined Ski jumping Cross-country skiingSkiing organizations
International organizations:
International Biathlon Union (IBU) International Free Skiers Association (IFSA) International Ski Federation (FIS) International Ski Instructors Association (ISIA) International Skiing History Association (ISHA)National organizations:
Iran Ski Federation US National Ski Hall of Fame Professional Ski Instructors of America Swiss Ski Association (in French and German) British Association of Snowsport Instructors Ski Club of Great Britain United States Ski and Snowboard Association Croatian Ski Association / Hrvatski skijaški savez (HSS) National Ski PatrolSki safety
Skiing is a winter sport that everyone can enjoy, but there are a few things you should consider before hitting the slopes. Here are some valuable tips to consider before going out skiing with your friends and family.
Ask for assistance, if you feel you’re not good enough to hit the slopes you should consider skiing with an expert or instructors by your side. Skiing is prone to injury so it’s a must that you know your skiing fundamentals. Knowing your limitations is the first step in NOT getting injured.
Safe skiing equipment is a must. especially the ski bindings make sure they are properly adjusted to suit your needs.
Here are some tips on what to bring before you go skiing. Wear ski gloves or mittens which will help to keep your hands warm and protect from the cold. Thermal underwear and ski socks. Skis that are the right length for your height and ability, mounted with ski bindings properly adjusted for your height/weight and ability.
Ski resorts
See list of ski areas National Ski Areas Association Luxury resortsSki lifts
Aerial tramway (or cable car) Chairlift Detachable chairlift (often a higher speed chairlift) Funitel Funicular Gondola lift Rope tow Platter lift (or button lift) T-bar lift Telemix Magic carpetOther
History of skiing Artificial ski slope Indoor ski slope Ski Simulators List of ski areas Piste Ski resort Ski school Ski warfare Snow Snow cannon Ice Snowcat (piste basher) Physics of skiing Après-skiHealth and injuries
Altitude sickness Injuries Anterior cruciate ligament Fracture First aid Wilderness first aid Frost bite Hypothermia Windburn Physical fitness Exercise Snow blindness List of famous skiing deaths Shin-bangSki videos and movies
Skiing and snowboarding video and movies as a genre, emerged with such classics as Otto Lang (film producer) Ski Flight, Warren Miller, Dirk Collins, and XCZONE.TV leading Nordic Skiing Producers.
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