Before you head off to winter break, read about how a few of the most popular winter sports began.
Skiing by Lucas Santos
The first skis were found in modern-day Russia and date back to 8000-7000 BCE when they were used out of practicality due to the heavy snowfall in the region. While the first skis emerged in Russia and Northern Europe, the first written account of skis is found in Chinese texts from the Han Dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE). One of the sport’s first competitions was held in 1843 in Tromsø, Norway and only featured cross-country skiing, which takes place on flat courses and resemble long distance running. On the other hand, the more popular downhill skiing was first made popular in the 1860’s by Norwegian immigrants in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California.
Skiing soon evolved into different types, most notably alpine, ski jumping and the aforementioned cross country skiing. Alpine skiing is the most popular of the three and involves skiers simply descending down a slope. On the other hand, ski jumping is much more intense and is prevalent
in the X-Games and the Olympics in which large crowds gather to watch the athletes soar and perform stunts after jumping off of a 394 foot ramp.
Bobsledding by Sarah Son
Around the 1880s, the Swiss developed the first bobsledding toboggan, consisted of two attached wooden sleds topped with a steering mechanism. The sport easily earned its name, since participants would bob back and forth in the toboggan to gain more speed.
Bobsledding reached peak popularity around the 1950s when both skilled athletes and the general public took interest upon it due to the the sport’s speed and extremity. While the sled was fast, it was not swift enough for a competitive sport. Thus in 1952, a rule was created to limit the weight of teams in the bobsled, allowing more speed and steering the sport in a competitive direction.
The extreme sport became well-known quickly as people participated in yearly competitions even before bobsledding became accepted into the Winter Olympics. The first Olympics bobsledding event took place in 1924, excluding women and featuring men in teams of four. The sport continued to develop as 1932 introduced a more updated version of bobsledding that featured men in teams of two, and in 2002 women were finally able to participate. Despite its competitive nature, bobsledding continues to hold a fun reputation.
Snowboarding by Sarah Son
Snowboarding first emerged in 1964 when Sherman Poppen decided to attach two skis to create an untried experience: surfing on snow. Initially branded as the snurfer, the term snow-surfer abbreviated, the early snowboard was closer to a toy than a sports equipment. For that reason, snowboarding didn’t gain much popularity. In fact, it would have disappeared completely if it hadn’t been for inventors such as Dimitrije Milovich and Jake Carpenter who developed the snowboard’s mechanism to make it more fit to be an extreme sport. They also attempted to create board manufacturing companies, which did not succeed due to low demand.
The extreme sport only gained popularity once it proved to attract young viewers. In 1998, snowboarding made its Winter Olympics debut, featuring a downhill event and the class Half-pipe, and in 2011, Slopestyle joined the sports event. Despite its rough start, snowboarding is now deemed as one of the most well-known and popular winter sports.
Our Favorite Winter Sports by Lucas Santos
Mountain High
Nestled high in the San Gabriel Mountains near Wrightwood, Mountain High is one of the most popular resorts out there due to its close proximity to most of Greater Los Angeles. It is extremely convenient for those who do not have much time for a lengthy winter trip. Despite its crowded slopes, the resort constantly maintains the courses in order to ensure prime conditions for visitors looking for a great time on the mountain.
June Lake
10 miles up the road from the widely known town of Mammoth Lakes is June Mountain, a lesser known alternative to the overcrowded slopes that are closer to Mammoth. June Lake provides a better experience for families and beginners as the pristine mountain is left largely untouched. The slopes are also close in proximity to the ghost town of Bodie and the Mono Lake, which are both worthy of a visit.
Bear Mountain
Located in Big Bear Lake, Bear Mountain is ideal for first timers and families. The numerous slopes of varying difficulty are in close proximity of one another and allow for easy access from the base of the mountain where there is a small shopping center with food and winter clothing. Big Bear Lake is also a charming locale with all the amenities that one would need and an assortment of lodging and excursion options.