skiing on snow

History & information (resort & types of skiing)

The aim of skiing is to stand on two thin pieces of wood (or made of other substances) called skis and slide down a snow-covered slope. A ski is a long flat device worn on feet designed to help a wearer slide on snow. Skis glide on snow because downward pressure, (as well as heat) from surface friction, melts snow directly under skis. Creating a thin layer of water directly under a ski upon which a ski glides. Skis were originally wooden planks made from a single piece of wood. They are now usually made of complex assembly of components including glass fiber, Kevlar, Titanium or composite materials, though many may still contain wooden cores.
Types of ski:
Downhill ski: Downhill skis are "shaped" to promote easy turning. Most varieties of skis have metal edges running the length of sides that once sharpened allow the ski to grip more effectively on hard packed snow and ice.
Twin-tip ski: also known as "freestyle skis", skis with turned-up ends at both the front and rear. Twin-tip skis make it easier to ski with one's back facing downhill, allowing reversed take offs and landings when performing aerial maneuvers.
Monoski: The monoski is a single, double-width ski that attaches by a common DIN binding interface to modern front entry boots.
Telemark ski: Telemark ski. A downhill or touring ski, where the binding attaches only at the toe.
Cross-country ski : Cross-country skis are very light and narrow, and usually have quite straight edges, though some newer skis have slight sidecut. There are two major techniques, classical (traditional striding) and freestyle or skating which was developed in the 1980s.
Backcountry ski: Skis for mountain/backcountry/cross-country free range skiing which are designed for skiing on unbroken snow, where an established track is lacking. These are characteristically quite wide. cable bindings to provide general sturdiness
Mogul ski: Typically softer, less wide and less waisted compared to a common carving ski. (Moguls are bumps on a ski slope formed when skiers push the snow into mounds or piles as they execute turns. They can also be built purposely on a slope for freestyle skiing competitions. Once formed, a naturally-occurring mogul tends to grow as skiers follow similar paths around it, further deepening the surrounding grooves.)
Ski jumping ski: Skis for ski jumping. Long and wide skis, with bindings attaching at the toe.

Skiboards: Skiboards, also known as snowblades, are short skis, typically 90-130cm, marketed originally as a more convenient skis but now for those who want extreme freestyle on the slope.

Alpine skiing, or downhill skiing is a recreational activity and sport involving sliding down snow covered hills with long, thin skis attached to each foot. Alpine skiing evolved from cross country skiing when ski lift infrastructure was developed at mountain resorts to tow skiers back atop slopes, making it possible to repeatedly enjoy skiing down steep, long slopes that would be otherwise too tiring to climb. The sport is popular wherever the combination of snow, mountain slopes, and a sufficient tourist infrastructure can be built up, including much of Europe, North America, and Japan.

Various alpine skiing competitions developed in skiing, and elite competitive skiers participate in a annual World Cup series, as well as the Olympic Games and the World Championships. Competitive skiing is broken up into two disciplines: Freestyle and Racing. Racing involves making fast turns around gates in an attempt to attain the fastest overall time down the course. Slalom, GS, Super-G, and Downhill are the 4 racing disciplines, with Downhill being the fastest event and Slalom being the most technical. There is generally also a "combined" event that includes Downhill and two Slalom runs on a single day. Professional alpine skiers compete on the Alpine Skiing World Cup circuit in Slalom, Giant Slalom, Super-G, and Downhill races held at various ski areas around the world.

Today, World Cup ski jumping competitions are held on two types of hills:

"Normal hill" (or K90), which is 90 m high. Distances of up to 110 metres are reached
"Large hill" (or K120), which is 120 m high. The maximum distance is about 140 metres. Both individual and team competitions are run on this hill. Eddie 'the Eagle' Edwards is the most famous ski jumper.

Skiing tips

Equipment
The kind of skiing you want to do and your level of experience will dictate the type of equipment you need. If you don't have your own, always take expert advice from the ski rental shops in your resort, be realistic about your ability when asked.

Off piste
When skiing off piste (that doesn't mean drunk) you're strongly advised to carry safety equipment in case of an emergency and to undertake some basic training in how to use it. Safer still, only go off-piste with a mountain guide who can show you the best and safest ski areas in the region. Backcountry skiing or off-piste skiing is skiing in a sparsely inhabited rural region over ungroomed and unmarked slopes (i.e. marked pistes are not present). Fixed mechanical means of ascent (chairlifts, cable cars etc.) are not present. Backcountry skiing can be highly dangerous due to the avalanche risk

Always get formal training and wherever possible practice on uncrowded slopes with soft snow.
All young children should wear safety helmets, ideally with chin guards. Goggles, sunglasses and a high factor sunscreen will protect you from the strong UV rays and glare from the snow.
Wear several layers of clothing - it's better to be too hot than too cold and you can always peel off layers and put them in your rucksack. It's a good idea to carry a map of the piste with you.

Always adapt the manner and speed of your skiing to your ability and general conditions on the mountain. Just as on the road, the skier in front has priority. So leave enough space between you and the person ahead.
When setting off, look up-hill to check for oncoming traffic and when you stop make sure you only stop at the edge of the piste where you can be seen easily. Obey all signs and markers, and if you come across an accident alert the emergency services and provide help if you can.

The Haute Route, (or the High Route or Mountaineers' Route) is a cross country route running between Chamonix, France and Zermatt, Switzerland. First charted by adventurers at the end of the 19th Century, this route follows the 8+day, 100 km, glacier walk or ski from the Chamonix valley, home of Mont Blanc to Zermatt, home of the Matterhorn.

Artificial ski slopes are an attempt to mimic attributes of snow using materials stable at room temperature, to enable skingi on them. The term "dry ski slopes" is also used but is misleading as many slopes are lubricated using mist or jet system to increase speed and prevent damage to equipment from friction heat build-up. Therefore the term "artificial ski slope" is more commonly used to distinguish man made slopes from those where snow falls naturally.

Indoor ski slopes are found in several mations, proving a climate controlled environment to be maintained in which snow can be manufactured using a snow cannon, enabling skiing to take place year round.

There are many revolving carpet ski simulators and indoor ski slope carpets around the world.

History: Skiing probably evolved gradually from snowshoeing and originally was a practical way of getting quickly from place to place in snowy climates. The first hints to the existence of skis are on 4500 to 5000 year old rock drawings, (e.g. at Rødøy in Norway, which depict a man on skis holding a stick0. There are also remains of skis in bogs, with the oldest ski found in Hoting, Sweden, which is about 4500 years old. The earliest people to ski in Fennoscandia were propably the distant ancestors of modern day Lapps. In old historic recordings there are mentionings of people called Skrithifinns or "skiing Finns". However it is not sure who the Skrithifinns were. Other history sources have it that skiing in Iran dates back to 2000 BC, when ancient tribes are believed to have devised a ski board made from animal hide.

The usefulness of skis for military purpose speeded up their development and spread. The Norwegian military had skiing competitions from the 1670s. The first known civilian ski race took place in Tromsø, Norway in 1843. The first known civilian ski race took place in Tromsø, Norway in 1843.

Ski jumping originates from Morgedal, Norway, but the first proper competition was held at Trysil in 1862. The first widely known ski jumping competition was held in Husebybakken, Oslo, in 1879. The yearly event moved to Holmenkollen from 1892, and Holmenkollen has remained the centre of ski jumping ever since.

The first packaged ski holidays took place in 1903, to Adelboden, Switzerland, organised on a commercial basis. The first downhill race took place in 1921, organised by Sir Arnold Lunn for the British National Ski Championships, followed by the first modern slalom in 1922, also by Lunn.

It wasn't until 1926 at the 24th IOC Session in Lisbon, that the 1924 events in Chamonix were retroactively designated as the first Winter Olympics. The Bavarian twin towns of Garmisch and Partenkirchen joined to organize the 1936 Winter Games, held from February 6 - 16. Alpine skiing made its Olympic debut in Germany, but skiing teachers were barred from entering, as they were considered to be professionals. This decision caused the Swiss and Austrian skiers to boycott the Olympics. The cross-country relay was also held for the first time, while the military patrol and ice stock sport were demonstration sports.

The word ski goes back to the Old Norse word skíð meaning "a stick of wood".

http://www.skiclub.co.uk The Ski Club

Famous Ski resort

Val d'Isere - France
Val d'Isere is located high in the French Alps, the town itself at 1,850m, with slopes up to 3,455m.

Verbier - Switzerland
Verbier sits 1,500m up in the Swiss Alps. Most of the slopes face south or west at an altitude of less than 2,500m, which means that while there are panoramic views from the sunny slopes, they can be in poor condition.

Courmayeur - Italy
The resort of Courmayeur sits at 1,225m on the sunny side of Mont Blanc in the Italian Alps.

Portillo - Chile
Portillo is located near the border with Argentina at 2,880m and not far from Aconcagua, which at 6,960m is the highest mountain in the western hemisphere.

Las Leñas - Argentina
Las Leñas is 600 miles from Buenos Aires. At 2,200m, it is often considered to have the best snow on the South American continent. However, with most of the skiing above the tree line, it can be exposed and windy.

Whistler - Canada
Although Whistler Village is situated at only 675m, you can ski at altitudes of up to 2285m on the nearby and extensive ski area. Snow conditions at the top of Whistler and Blackcomb mountains are usually excellent - they see an average of 900cm of snow a year! Whistler is close to the west coast, and the weather here is often cloudy. When it is snowing on the high altitudes slopes, it is often raining back at the resort.

Vail - USA
Vail Village sits at 2,500m in the Rocky Mountains. The main skiing takes places on north facing slopes, which, together with the altitude, means snow reliability is excellent. However, the Back Bowls face south, which means the snow cover here is often poor.

Geilo - Norway
Geilo is in southern Norway. The high latitude of the country means that in mid-winter, daylight hours are very short. The snow conditions are usually reliable and the season tends to be long.

Foreign terms for ski

Spain = Tabla de esquí

Ski = Dutch

Swedish = Skidor

foreign terms for snow

Schnee = German

Nego = Esperanto

Lumi= Finland

Sneeuw = Holland

Snö = Swedish