Hello and welcome to new and old readers. So this week we will be discussing the different types of skiing. When most people talk about skiing they are referring to down hill skiing, not cross country skiing, but in Montana we do both. The overall objective is the same for both types, and the differences between the two might not seem big, but they’re actually fairly different.
Downhill skiing
The main difference between downhill and cross country is obviously the terrain. For those who are unfamiliar, when you are downhill skiing you hike, take a chair lift, or take a helicopter to the top of the mountain and ski to the bottom, around trees, over rocks, and over jumps. Skiing downhill, especially for Montanans, is very much about speed and precision. The main focus however is having fun. In Montana we have amazing ski resorts at our disposal. When it comes to the actual ski, downhill skis are wider with rounded tips. They come in varying sizes, and there are some downhill skis that are about the same size, but the wideness is to account for the powder. Another difference is that downhill skis (for the most part) have fixed bindings that don’t move.
Cross country skiing
On the other hand, cross country skiing is much more slow paced and focuses more on the journey. Speed is not the goal here. Cross country skiing takes place on much flatter ground and occurs at a slower pace. Cross country skiing is definitely more mellow than down hill and can be very relaxing. The pace is almost similar to that of a walk so if you have never been cross country skiing just imagine it as a walk in the snow with skis on your feet. Sometimes it can be difficult to cross country ski because it is very easy to get stuck in a rut due to the lack of momentum, which is almost never a problem when downhill skiing. Unlike downhill skiing, cross country has bindings that lift at the heel for better movement. The detachable heel allows for better movement, which is useful when moving on the flat ground.
Verdict
Overall I would have to say that downhill skiing is my favorite. I do it more often and it’s more fun. Unfortunately I only have downhill skis but I think that I would be more favorable to cross country skiing if I also had cross country skis.
This was a really cool blog! I always had this image of cross country skiing like when you just move both your skis back and forth and move one inch at a time hahah. Now I know! Still feels like it would be pretty frustrating (especially if youre not good). I am a snowboarder and I was in Spain boarding and to get to the slopes we had to go horizontal across the mountain and it was so hard (like jumping most of the time). theres not really a point to that except cross country snowboarding doesn’t work hahahah.
Maya- This was a really cool post. I never learned how to ski or snowboard, even though my siblings did, so it was very interesting to hear more about it. I think if I had to pick between the two, I would pick downhill skiing.
I have never had the opportunity to ski before and I didn’t know there were two different kinds. If someone was just starting out would you recommend they begin with cross country or downhill? Cross country seems more for the whole family to stick together while downhill is more for racing or individual skiing.
This is an awesome post, I love skiing! I didn’t know you lived in Montana, that must be a great place to ski! I have been skiing since I was little but I have never gone cross country skiing. It looks pretty cool but it always seems like something the parents did. This post definitely made me want to try it out. While I love the mountains here in the East, in New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine, I would love to ski in Montana, Colorado, or Wyoming. Everyone always talks about how it is a completely different experience.