Howmany of us also SKI, or have done it?

[Dave ESPI]

I was filling out a survey, and one option was

SKI, SNOWBOARD, BOTH.

So it got me wondering.

From my personal past, I recall being terrified of my feet going in 2 different directions and "wishboning" myself on skis, and went directly to the board and never looked back. I messed around on some "snow blades" last season and they were fun enough that I am considering "cross training" this winter to also be on skis should the mood strike.

Anyone here also ski? and how was it that you decided to switch or become a boarder from a skier status as it seems to be most the way people become boarders and hang up the french-fry/pizza sticks for ever.

[b0ardski]

snurfers were a novelty in the toy store when I took my 1st ski lesson on hand-me-down JCPennys special skis and lowtop newfangled plastic skiboots in '74. Spiral fractured the right tib the 3rd time out. Skied only a handful of times until '84 when I bought my 1st ski pass at the age of 22.

The next year I bought my experimental performer but still skied & took up tele. Once I got to were I could ski & tele any mountain by '88 I took to "sideways" most of the time, 100 days a season for most years '86-'96.

I used to say "I'll never go back to skis 'cause boards go both directions", thus my penchant for twintips.

As twintip skis became the norm I started to learn switch skiing on snowblades around '02-'03. This year I've bought the 1st pair of new skis I've owned since '89 and will probably split my time 60/40 board/ski, usually the same day without changing boots.

I still believe laces & straps are an inferior system and that any possible boot flex pattern can be created with a universal stepin plate system:argue:

[Seraph]

Used to love to ski more than anything, competed in slalom and GS through all my school years, but eventually got burnout and bored.

Snowboarding introduced to me a completely different attitude and sensation that I just dig. I like getting back on the skis but there is no comparison.

[Phil]

It is funny how people assume that when you do both that you must have skied first. I snowboarded since the late 80s and tried skiing once in the 80s. I continued to snowboard and dabbled in skiing from time to time when I had the urge to do something different. At one point, I gave up skiing for a few years b/c I wasn't happy with the lack of sidecut - snowboarding had just become too much fun. Once enough ski companies had really gotten the sidecut thing down, I got another pair of skis and loved them. As an instructor, I have always been a snowboard instructor who can also teach skiing. I did all of my cert work on the board and never even considered doing it on skis. At one point, the powers that be wanted me to train ski instructors, so they asked me to pursue certification. I decided to skip level I and go straight to level II (you can go to or below your snowboard cert level). I passed with flying colors, but did not really like the PSIA side of things (just personal preference, not a flame), so I never went any further.

Now I wear both pins and almost every time I meet someone new in the industry, they somehow assume that I am a skier who turned to snowboarding.

I am not sure where I fit into your poll. It is not about flipping a coin. I am a snowboarder for sure. I ski on occasion, and am pretty competent according to the PSIA L II standards ( :lol: ) but I don't really consider myself a skier. As a Freestyle Coach, I teach both disciplines, but would still prefer to be on the board.

[martyagt4]

I want to learn how to ski. My girlfriend does both, and purchased some ski's for me last year. I tried them out, and gave up after a bit. Just couldn't get the hang of it. I need to take lessons.

My main problem was not using both legs. Could only get my left leg to do anything. I ride regular, so that is my forward leg. I suspect it's the same when I ride too, since I always seem to wear out my forward leg a lot sooner.

Other issue was she bought ski's that where a touch too long for a beginner. Granted, once I learn they should rail.

[BlueB]

Skied from age 4+, going onto 36th season...

Tried the board in 1990, but lived in subtropics for many years after that. Started riding seriously in 2003 when I moved to Van...

Certified in both disciplines, but didn't recertify to CSIA - I feel it's just money grab to not reckognise the foreign certification. Especially coming from a nation that won more WC medals then Canada...

I didn't ski much in 06/07 and 07/08. Last year I put my baby son on skis, so I did it more. It will be even more this year... Carving skiis are a blast! However, I find it a bit more physically demanding then board and I'm lazy.

As for the vote, I went for the "mediators". It is the same sport in my mind.

Boardski, I totally agree with you on the boot issue!

[BlueB]

Oh, almost forgot!

I'm going to make Scooby into a skier this season!

[powdahbonz]

skied my first runs at mt. mansfield in VT at age 5, under the wool blankets they'd throw on you for the cold days-love to ski fast, get faceshots from deep drifts, love ripping thru bumps on Skidder and Bubblecuffer at the loaf. But started riding in 87', Burton Cruzer 165 onto a Lamar Trick stick and never really enjoyed half pipe. Got my first alpine board in 90 or 91, Mistral Ectasy 167 and just last year got back into softies. I love being able to look at the mountain and have options. Last season, I did 4 days of all 3 disciplines and at the end of the day, the legs definitely feel it but it's all good..wish I had tried tele long ago

[AaronG]

Used to ski, GS and SL races, Friday night league series at Snow Summit in So Cal. I tried out hardboots in 94, rode a snowboard for over 10 years and finally have reverted back to snow skis. The new skis are awesome, I have some Head skis with a 11 meter radius and can crank the carves on those. Instead of leaving one track I get to leave railroad tracks down the slopes.

For this year I think that my skiing will consume the majority of my time on the slopes. Sure, I will break out the 190 Rossi WC when the rest of the SoCal carving crew gets together as I still like to carve. Just like riding skis more at this point in time!

[Edtudo]

(In the spirit of Shaun Palmer)

I often times ride a board in the morning and switch to skis in the afternoon. I prefere skis on steeps.

I love watching Bode Miller videos. I carve on skis; G S being my thing.

[Neil Gendzwill]

I skied for years, but living in Saskatchewan I got to the point where I'd plateaued, just couldn't improve given the limited number of days in the mountains. Then snowboards came along, and having been a skater it was natural for me to try that. Got a Burton Elite in the '85-86 season. Loved the challenge, loved being afraid of the fall line again.

At that time only Sunshine was allowing boards, so if we went there I rode, if we went somewhere else (usually Louise) I skied.

Moved to Calgary in '88, by that time Louise allowed riding so I rode exclusively and got in a couple of strong seasons where I got my riding to about where my skiing was. Now back in Saskatoon, on my limited days I elect to ride rather than try to shake the rust off my skiing skills. If I lived in the mountains I'd ski for sure, and probably try tele just for the hell of it.

[Keenan]

It's time for me to relearn skiing as I now have a wee one to teach. Going that slow on a board is just painful.

I bought XC skis last year thinking it looked pretty easy, and it is, as long as I don't have to turn, stop or go fast.

[Neil Gendzwill]

Going that slow on a board is just painful.

I busted out the skis for my kidlets, too. Snowplowing on stiff 200s all day is a workout and a half.

[bjvircks]

I busted out the skis for my kidlets, too. Snowplowing on stiff 200s all day is a workout and a half.

When it was time to teach my young-uns I went to the local Play-It-Again Sports ( used sport and fitness stuff ) and bought a pair of beat up really short skis.

[Jack M]

Learned to ski when I was 3. Learned to snowboard and stopped skiing when I was 13.

Picked it up again in order to ski with the kids. (I ski in my Deeluxe T700s! )

I am a better skier now than when I stopped, thanks to alpine snowboarding. And thanks to shaped skis, which is also due to alpine snowboards.

[Dave Pushee]

First time at lift-served area was 50 years ago. Snowboards were not common then :D

Switched to Telemarks for a few seasons around 1983. I needed something to slow me down to the pace of my pre-school kids.

Kids got bigger, and around 1990 my oldest asked to try snowboarding. That got my interest up too. Soon, I was boarding in the AM and when I got too tired, switched back to skiing for the PM.

My Ski to Board ratio got ever smaller until skiing just faded away around 10 years ago.

I was at Sugarloaf for a day last season and blew out an Intec cable after a couple of runs. No way to replace/repair that day, so I had to rent either a snowboard or skis. I decided to give the skis a shot. I remembered what to do with them, but all my memories and techniques were pre-shaped ski era.

The first few turns were pretty scary, but after a couple of runs I was much more comfortable. But I'm still sticking with the board.

[rhaskins]

Cross-country and alpine ski, started to learn telmark last season. Am still challenged by alpine snowboarding. Snowboard about 60% and ski the rest. I love snow, ice, all that good stuff.

Rick

[crucible]

Started skiing in the backcountry in the mid 80's, when telemark skis were very flimsy and the Alpine touring rigs were rudimentary and crude.

Switched to snowboarding in 88, before high backs and metal edges on snowboards...

I see the progress made in shaped skis, twin tips and big mountain skis, not to mention backcountry bindings like the Dynafit, and I'm eager to try skiing again after a long hiatus.

Geo

[Jon Dahl]

on my splitboard. Now, I know that option isn't on here, but other than skiing down the front yard in Wisconsin when I was 8, that's it. I have considered the monoski, possibly this season, but I'm mostly a boarder at heart.

[photodad2001]

I started on a board in 86, became a snowboard instructor at the local hill and then decided to apply to Snowshoe but they required their snowboard instructors in 92 to do both so I took an extensive all day lesson, got the job and a week later got fired for jumping too close to a group of skiers who were having a tea party on the slope. It wouldn't have even been an issue, but I was wearing my jacket so that was it. Never had the urge to ski since.

[Snowman]

Havent been on a traditional alpine ski set up in years but have ventured into the world of Nordic (classic and skate) skiing. I am definately a hack but we have some excellent nordic centers aronund here and the touring in Rocky Mountain National Park is incredible. Pick up a Prior Split this season so I am hoping to venture into the Never Summer Wilderness and nail some of those monster lines the I have been looking at for years. No weekend lift lines for me!

[Sinecure]

I'm Bi.

I grew up skiing. Started snowboarding in 86, switched almost exclusively to boarding around 91 (hard boots made it an easy choice), hardly skied for 15 years, then started skiing again when I tried fat skis around 2004-5. Two seasons ago it was an almost even split between boarding and skiing (roughly 30-35 days each). Then last season the pendulum swung back toward skiing. I boarded less than 10 days last season and skied 50. Heck, I even skied a couple of the days I was at SES.

[bigdyno]

I grew up in Alberta and skied from about 77 to 90. I quit when someone else stopped buying my equipment and decided to go roadrace motorcycles instead. I moved to Ontario in 94 and spent a winter working at a local hill ( heavy emphasis on hill) and since it was all mostly free I skied, softbooted and carved. It was odd that they had a rental carving setup, but what the hell, I figured I would give it a try. I didn't like the softies as much as the other two, landed on my head too many times.

I never managed to buy equipment and was again tied up in Roadracing. You want a quick way to make your money evaporate? Roadrace.

I finally started a new career in 2003 and when I finished my apprenticeship in 2006 I bought some alpine equipment and went to Switzerlant to learn. Oh, the deep end? I can jump in there, no problem....

I have made a few more trips to Europe and Aspen, I plan to head west this year. My GF will be taking an outdoor something or other course and will have to do a bunch of outdoor things like rock climb, kayak, MTB and yes, become a two planker wanker. I will probably get skis then and join her, I am sure I will enjoy it again and since I have a few seasons on the alpine boards I expect I won't be too rusty.

[jp1]

Skied and LOVED it until I went out west a few times... After that skiing wasn't much fun :( or challenge on the Ice Coast. Seen a friends rapid progression on a board, so figured 'what the heck' go for it. Wound up in the surgeons office a couple of times, then started to get it.

Seen a Alpine Boarder 'ripping' at Killington one day, and was off to the Starting Gate. Haven't been back on the ski's or the soft board since.

[Justin A.]

I started Tele Skiing 3 years ago, split my time evenly at first then wound up teleing almost full time by the end of the year. I didn't go out much last year because my fiancee was preggers but when I did it was on the teles.

Most people go from skiing to snowboarding, I went the other way.