Ski or Snowboard?

[Elessar78]

Going as a "chaperone" to a bunch of teenagers from my church on a weekend ski retreat. I've never skied or snowboarded in my life and I want to use this chance to learn. Not really sure which one to try. I know it's just a matter of personal preference, but I wanted to get ES opinions on either sport.

Which one do you do? Why do you like it?

(I'm really there for the faith formation stuff, not to make sure they're safe on the mountain.)

[Prosperity]

I ski, snowboarding looks more difficult to learn

[Heisenberg]

They're both fun - although I'm always scared to death of doing the splits on skis.

From my limited experience falling while snowboarding hurts more.

[sjinhan]

if you are not planning to go often... i would stick with skiing since its easier to learn for most people...

if you are going to only spending 2 days at the mountain, you want to learn to ski so you can actually enjoy riding down the mountain during your time there instead of trying to learn snowboarding and get stuck on the bunny (newbie) hill your entire time.

[SC_RedskinsFan]

I ski and snowboard, and you can learn to ski faster than snowboard. That said both are pretty ****ing cool to do.

The first day i learned to snowboard i was on blue by the end of the day. But you never know how it will work out for ya. Snowboarding is a lot more work. You will be sweating.

[GoSkins561]

I have been snowboarding for 20 years, 24 if you include back yard snowboarding on a mogul monster(plastic, no metal edge) type of boards. I took a skiing in college as a way to get lift tickets so I could snowboard after my lessons.

Your first day is much easier on skis compared to your first day of snowboarding is a lot easier. Whichever one you choose I would reccomend a lesson. The reason why skiing is easier is because you have the good old snow plow or pizza wedge to slow you down while learing how to turn. Your first day of snowboarding consists of standing up, getting some speed, catching an edge and falling down. For first day of skiing will be focusing on putting you weight on your downhill ski and "s" turning down the beginners hill.

If you think this is something you will start to do on a regular basis, I would say go for snowboarding, if its a once every couple of years type of thing, try skiing.

Most importantly don't make the mistake of not dressing properly. When I was in High School I use to work at Liberty, on the volunteer courtesy staff to get free lift tickets. Countless times I have seen people show up with a couple pair of jeans on, covered with a pair of sweat pants, cheap gloves, etc for their first day of skiing/snowboarding. These people become miserable with in a couple of hours at most. If you are dressed properly you will enjoy it a lot more because you will fall A LOT.

[ST is my boy]

Either way day 1 is going to pretty miserable......atleast the first few hours will be......chances are your going to be pretty sore.

I would pick snowboarding........its just more fun in my opinon....a lil harder though.

[mjah]

Folks who do both have told me that the first day of learning to snowboard is absolutely miserable and painful, but once you get the hang of it on day 2-3, it's great fun. I watched a very well coordinated, physically gifted friend of mine spend his first day learning to snowboard and he was just wrecked by the end of day 1. Seems like if you're going to learn it, you'd better be in it for the long term. If you have some semblance of coordination, then skiing probably will pay dividends by the end of day 1.

I ski instead of snowboard for a few reasons. I like to face where I'm going, more like a race driver than a surfer. Just my personal preference. Most of my friends ski, which makes it easier to hang because the "flow" of a run up and down the mountain is shared between everyone. No waiting for the boarders to strap in and out. I find ski bindings far more convenient than snowboard bindings, and poles are incredibly useful things at all speeds from ridiculously high to ridiculously low. (Even if they're inconvenient to pick up after a fall.)

Also, one other very big issue for me: from what I've seen virtually every resort was physically designed and graded decades ago for skiing. Resorts very often have slow, almost-level stretches of trail that are murder for boarders who lose momentum and have to either get a tow from a skier or strap out and push themselves along like a club-footed kid on a scooter. Or pop out completely and walk it. The approaches and exits from most lifts were 100% designed for skiers decades ago, and the flat approaches to the lodge areas are more ski-compatible than board-compatible. Flat-and-level snowboarding is misery. As a boarder on the mountain you are generally living in a world designed long ago for skiers (with a halfpipe added for your convenience and enjoyment), and I really don't see resorts regrading hundreds of acres to be more compatible with snowboards. They do make some accommodations, but not bloody many.

Yet snowboard design culture only wants to take their designs so far to admit and accommodate that fact. Snowboarders really pay the price for that design stubbornness. I wouldn't expect to see boarders out there with poles, but there is so much that can be done with the bindings to improve boarders' quality of life. Rear-entry bindings are a step in the right direction IMO, but the board culture -- as new as it is -- seems to be fiercely dug in already and slow (by modern standards) to make some nice hardware changes.

There have been some sweet looking snowboard binding improvements out there, but I just don't see them much on the slopes. I'm amazed that step-in snowboard bindings seem to have died on the vine for lack of demand. Seems like only the really hard-core alpine boarders use them now.

[hokie4redskins]

Skiing. I made the switch to snowboarding about 10 years ago and regretted it. A surgically repaired shoulder later, I'm going back to skis.

Snowboarding was much more difficult to learn and much more painful. I actually got pretty decent at it but catching an edge is always a possibility no matter how good you are. Not that skiing isn't inherently dangerous, but not as bad.

Also, I hated hitting the deck the second after you get off the lift so you can strap in. Most of my friends were halfway down the hill by the time I was hopping to the edge.

Now that I think about it, I don't see any advantages over skis.

[Capt Rich Fla]

Yup, I'll blow my own horn on this one. I can take a set of skis and make them beg for mercy. I have never snowboarded before, but I know many of the ski patrol folks at Snow Shoe and alot of them snowboard. I think you'd like the board better. Many people go from skis to boards. No one goes from boards to skis.

Just don't be Johnny Badass when you go to get your stuff. Tell them your new to it.

[Maxito]

I never snowboard in my life. I have been skiing for almost 10 years. If you know how to rollar blade, or ice skate, then you should go with skis because it's the very same concept.

[GoSkins561]

Mjah has been down Dipsy Doodle at Liberty before and is spot on about the advantage of having poles in the flat spots, which is probably why SC was on blue runs his first day of snowboarding.

[mjah]

Mjah has been down Dipsy Doodle at Liberty before and is spot on about the advantage of having poles in the flat spots, which is probably why SC was on blue runs his first day of snowboarding.

I think the last time I was at Liberty was probably 15 years ago. But good Lord, what a slog that trail can be! You're absolutely right.

Never thought of it before, but maybe snowboarding is actually easier to learn on a blue run after the first hour or two.

[SiCkSoULjA]

Never did snow boarding but I did ski’s 1 time for 1 day.

At the time I didn't have the money or time was with a few cousins and we had a very limited budget. So we went skiing with NO LESSONS. We started on the bunny slope and we looked pathetic! We fell all over the place almost running off kids it was just too many people on there. After doing the bunny slope a whole 2 times, we deciding to take on one of the big advanced slopes. That trip was 5 years ago and I still feel sore from the trip. I must have fallen down the whole mountain. Little kids 4 feet tall and flying down the slope flawlessly and here myself around 21 looking pathetic. Bottom line to the sorry get Lessons.

Have anyone else try to go down one of those huge slopes with no lessons and limited time on the bunny hill?

[Skin'Em84]

I'd ski, if your only going for a day or two and never done it before.

Usually, unless you skateboard a lot, skiiing is easier. All you gotta do is turn left and right a bunch and you can do almost any East Coast slope at a big resort (not the high class ones with crazy runs.)

You may be really slow, and all the good skiers may hate you, but you can do it.

[Heisenberg]

I must really be a pansy because everytime I've ever been skiing I can't believe people go down those black diamond slopes. I can just imagine getting up there and seeing how steep it is and being scared as ****.

The intermediate has always been plenty for me.

[GoSkins561]

I am with you JMU, blues are plenty. I have been down blacks many times, usually its when there are no moguls. When the blacks get all crapped up with bumps snowboarding down them sucks anyway. If they groomed, usually first runs of the day, they can be a ton of fun to catch some high speed turns on, but that's about it. Most of the time they are all bumped up and the only people that really belong on the blacks are skiiers who are experts at moguls.

I have been down blacks in Colorado, they are a lot of fun, especially and only if there is powder. Tried a black out there once in the spring at Steamboat and it sucked.

[MikeSellers45]

I have never done either of them, but I would like to try snowboarding. It looks fun. The only thing is I am afraid of falling, and at 6'4" I have a long way to fall.

[Skinsfan1311]

Snowboarding!

I skiied for 20+ years before I started snowboarding back in the mid-90's. I

I loved it so much, I gave my skis away. This is coming from someone who is a damn good skier too, (if I do say so myself;))

Initially, snowboarding is harder to learn, but you get much better, much faster on a board than you do on skis.

I used to skateboard, which helped immensely. You do need better balance on a snowboard, than you do on skis. I find snowboarding is easier on the knees and quads. It is tougher on the calves, however.

If they choose to snowboard, have them take a lesson, and, no matter what they choose, make them wear a helmet .

The learning advice that I can offer is to use your edges. If they try to stay flat, they will be in for a long, miserable day.

And...just to rub it in...we were at Lake Tahoe 2 weeks ago, and I'm headed to Mt. Snow, in VT, tomorrow:D

[Titans&SkinsFan]

Skiing is easier, Snowboarding is more fun. That's my opinion.

My first time was last December and I went snowboarding...I didn't feel like taking lessons because I wanted to learn on my own. I fell plenty of time, but it was still fun since I was with my friends. When I went my 2nd time in January, I was doing pretty well.

[Skinsfan1311]

I must really be a pansy because everytime I've ever been skiing I can't believe people go down those black diamond slopes. I can just imagine getting up there and seeing how steep it is and being scared as ****.

The intermediate has always been plenty for me.

You're not a pansy, you're being smart.

You should make note that the grading system on the slopes is based on the mountain itself. An intermediate run, (blue), at Kirkwood, may be the equivalent of an expert run,(black diamond), at Snowshoe.

Always ski/ride within your ability. If that little voice in your head says "don't", then listen to it and survive to ride another day.

[SC_RedskinsFan]

I think the last time I was at Liberty was probably 15 years ago. But good Lord, what a slog that trail can be! You're absolutely right.

Never thought of it before, but maybe snowboarding is actually easier to learn on a blue run after the first hour or two.

Yeah it is easier to learn on a blue. I was on green for enough time to get the basics, maybe and hour. Then i was on blues the rest of the day, and never really had a problem, other then a few face plants that is.

[deejaydana]

Snowboarding does it for me but skiing is great as well. I don't agree with what others have said here in that it takes 2-3 days (or even 1 full day) to pick up and do however. While the first couple hours can be frustrating by the afternoon you can make some good progress and riding well (at least I did and I took it up later in life). Icy conditions are sheer hell though if you're just starting out as you will be landing on your *** more than a few times. I'm a lifelong surfer and snowboarding is the closest thing to that sport so I was hooked quickly. Have fun whatever you choose.

[PCS]

I thought I learned how to ski back in 82 when I went to a small resort up in the Poconos somewhere. Those hills they call mountains back there. . Then I came here and Skied Snowbird and Alta. Ouch. Funny thing back then,(late 80's),was that Snowbird and couple of other resorts were the only ones in the state that allowed snowboarding. Love skiing and haven't tried boarding.....yet. But I will. I think they both are fun. It took me a full day to learn to ski,(well as much as one can learn the basics in a day),but that was in a raging storm. Snowed nearly two feet that day. That turned out to be cool though. If you're going to learn to ski,learn to do so in the big powder.

[Rdskn4Lyf21]

From speaking with guides and people at resorts, skiing is supposedly easier. I've only snowboarded before though and there's nothing like it.