Did you know that the ski was invented before the wheel? Indeed, people have been skiing for millennia, initially as a mode of survival. Skis and snowshoes were used by ancient nomadic communities as a means of travel and for hunting across vast tracts of snow-packed frozen wilderness. Later, conflict in cold places required the use of skis by armies in order to maneuver quickly and efficiently. By the 19th century, skiing had become a competitive sport as well as a favorite winter vacation activity. More recently, the snowboard has challenged the ski for room on the piste. Theirs is a long and fascinating history, but how exactly did skiing and snowboarding evolve?
Click through, take to the slopes, and find out!