Skiing is one of most popular winter sports in the world, and is one of the easier extreme sports to get started in. Past a few expenses for classes, a pair of skis, and so clothing, the sport is fairly cheap to engage in. ItŐs easy enough for vacationers and travelers to try out, and challenging enough for even the most seasoned skiers to make it down the toughest mountains in one piece.

The leading cause of injury and death in skiers is the deadly threat of an avalanche. Since skiers are going at high speeds down slopes that sometimes havenŐt been skied on for long periods of time, the threat of causing an avalanche has worried many ski resorts and governments. For this reason, skiers are often responsible for the costs of rescue missions, which can be very costly if insurance doesnŐt cover it. Avoiding avalanches is generally easy- simply stay to the common routes and donŐt go too far from the general course.

For those looking for a little friendly competition, skiing is one of the most competitive winter sports in existence. Many types of down-hill races, slaloms, and freestyle competitions exist in big-name competitions such as the X-Games or the Olympics. The more advanced techniques at skiing can take a very long time to master, so the competition is very fierce.

For travelers and locals who want a little more excitement than going down-hill or doing tradition skiing, there are ski parks that incorporate many types of jumps, pipes, ramps, and paths for skiers to act much like a skateboarder would at a skate park. The term extreme skiing was created to describe the extremely steep mountainsides that have a plethora of dangerous obstacles in the way, and the skiers who choose to ski them. This has made the sport of skiing even more deadly, and just one odd mistake could mean fatal injuries.

As far as clothing goes, there is a lot to protect skiers from- and the clothing reflects this. Items such as thermal underwear or hefty thermal coats keep skiers warm. Ski goggles were made to keep the wind and snow out of the skierŐs eyes while skiing. Special boots and gloves help keep the extremities warm, which can prove to be a problem with normal boots or gloves. Fleece is a popular material that keeps skiers warm, so it is likely to be seen on most ski clothing. And lastly, helmets protect skiers from dangerous crashes and falls that can otherwise cripple and maim skiers.

Skiing has been viewed as a boring sport by younger people, since the arrival of snowboarding. Extreme skiing and ski parks have sought to regain the attraction that holds younger sports enthusiasts, and is succeeding. While certain tricks or moves canŐt be done on skis, that snowboards can do, skis often let the skier travel a great amount faster than snowboarders- great for speed demons. If a new winter sport sounds like fun, and time is had to learn it, skiing is a great candidate.