by Falyn Bonacore
Although waking up to frosted sidewalks and a harsh chill in the air may not appeal to everyone, the winter season invites various fun activities that are not available year round. The most popular snow-related sport is skiing, whose origins, like many others, trace back to prehistoric times. Those who enjoy skiing will concur that the feeling you get when hearing the click of your boots in their bindings is an incomparable type of adrenaline rush that promises a day of guaranteed fun on the slopes. Skiing is a unique sport that should be taken advantage of when given the opportunity, and its history/origin is immensely intricate and interesting.
Despite skiing appearing as a modern indulgence, it dates back to the last Ice Age, when skis were most likely used. Evidence of this resides in some cave drawings of Central Asia, where it suggests that skis were originally used to get from place to place as a form of transportation. A Scandinavian Indigenous community of the Middle Ages, the Sami, are believed to have been the first-ever skiers, often using skis to engage in common activities like hunting. The first ever sighting of skis existed in a very different form than how we see them currently, covered in horse hair and made from wood. Today, the skis that we are familiar with are made from natural fiber cores, like bamboo, which are very durable and lightweight to endure the often rough snow conditions. However, the original skis were not designed for moving downhill, so alpine skiing was a later innovation.
In more recent years dating back to the 18th century, skiing evolved to take on sloped alpines. This development occurred for military purposes, helping out the Norwegian army in their warrior and fighting prowess. Skis were used to navigate forests and snowfields while traveling down angled grounds/slopes. This groundbreaking military feature would be kept alive through skilled competitions that would then be added to the Olympics and become a popular activity and/or sport to millions of people around the world.
While the exact history of skiing isn’t entirely clear, there are still some important physics and intricate science behind its creation and function. For example, the force of gravity is responsible for exerting acceleration down a mountain. The base of skis offers minute interference from frictional forces, allowing us to easily glide down snowy surfaces. In order to maintain speed, skiers want to eliminate as many restricting forces as possible. This can be done by bending your body to reduce air resistance or turning to help slow your motion and control. Using ¨pizza¨, which we all learned and loved, down anything other than beginner slopes does not work!
As a devoted skier, packing away your skis at the end of the season is always equivalent to heartbreak. Saying goodbye to meeting friendly people on the chairlifts and helping those struggling to get back up on a trail are all part of the cordial skiing culture that makes it even more painful to let go of for the summer months. For many, it is hard to beat the reward of entering the heated lodge after a long day on the mountain and rekindling warmth by the fire with friends. Skiing invites memories and togetherness, and its interesting history definitely shows how skiing evolved over the centuries.