What Do You Know About Skiing?
Do you know which state the oldest U.S. ski resort is in?
- First built in 1914, Howelsen Hill is not only the oldest ski resort in Colorado and the United States but also in North America.
When it comes to powder skis, what is their most prominent characteristic?
- The wide waist width gives the skier more surface area and stability when gliding over the loose, fresh snow.
To denote the hardest skiing trail at a resort, what symbol is used on signage?
- On mountain slopes, only experts should attempt the double black diamond runs as they are so challenging — and dangerous.
What is the only continent that does not have a ski resort?
- Because ski resorts can be created indoors and so can be built in hot climates, the rest of the world features skiing areas — apart from Antarctica (for now)!
Approximately when does the oldest example of skis date back to?
- This sport was actually a prehistoric activity, primarily used for hunting, transportation, and warfare, and this pair was found in Russia.
What is another name for the movement that makes you stop when skiing, called a "snowplow"?
- This term makes sense when you think about the shape created by stopping with a snowplow, with the ski tips pointed together like a slice of pizza.
Located at the French resort, L'Alpe d'Huez, La Sarenne is the world's longest "black run" and is incredibly challenging. How long is it?
- This Alpine run also has an average gradient of 12.5%, with a drop of 2,000 meters.
How many commercial ski resorts does Australia have?
- Australia's ski resorts are scattered throughout the Australian Alps and Tasmania.
What year did Alpine skiing first feature in the Olympic Games for both men and women?
- The only skiing competition that debuted that year was a combination of downhill skiing and slaloming.
What type of skiing would you want to perform to win a race and likely go over 100 kilometers per hour?
- Because downhill skiing uses gravity, incredibly fast skis, and the fewest gates set in a straight line, you can use this type to race at very high speeds.
