Snowboarding was created in the 1980Õs, can is an innovative cross between skateboarding and skiing. Only ten years after its creation, it became an Olympic sport- quite a feat indeed. Snowboarding, like the name suggests, does require snow and some sort of inclined slope to obtain momentum from.

Snowboarding is considered an extreme sport, and has likewise considerable risk to getting hurt. Oddly enough, most snowboarders donÕt wear any protection at all, aside from a ski mask and warm clothes. Protective gear such as helmets, wrist guards, and knee guards will prevent most injuries from occurring. The big benefit of snowboarding is that warm clothes must be worn- so most protective gear can be safely hidden under clothing.

Snowboarding has two main types of styles. Freestyle and backcountry styles of snowboarding dominate the competitive circuit. Freestyle is much like skateboarding, which is where a great deal of inspiration of snowboarding began. In a half-pipe configuration, snowboarders go up and down each side much like a skateboarder does. Obviously, the snowboard is attached to the riderÕs feet, so more advanced skateboarding tricks canÕt be maneuvered. For the rest of competitive snowboarders, the classic approach to going up a mountain and getting to the bottom in the best time remains popular among extremists. Pulling of tricks often earns style points in most competitions, so it is usually more than speed that decides the race.

In recent years, snowboarding has become even more critically dangerous because of the overall temperature gain in EarthÕs atmosphere. This has made many snowboarding and skiing resorts either unusable, or dangerous due to slushy snow or avalanches. Slush is a danger to snowboarders, since it is hard to navigate in, and will often cause a trip or fall. Avalanches are even more dangerous, since they are almost always fatal. Melting snow can easily cause an avalanche from snowboarders, and start a huge landslide of snow that buries most of everything in its path.

Snowboarding has become more and more popular, partly because it is easy to pick up the basics of snowboarding. Alternatively, snowboarding has become popular from movies and media depicting extreme stunts or actions on snowboards that are full of action- something the extreme sport crowds crave. The sport of snowboarding will only continue to snowball into a very popular winter sport, as the sport is being introduced into mainstream society and pop culture.

Snowboarding, in retrospect, has come a long way since 1960. The vast amount of competitions, popularity, and amount of snowboarding equipment available is incredible. Beginners are attracted to the fact that picking up a snowboard and taking a short lesson is all that is needed to enjoy a mild slope to traverse. More advanced snowboarders keep coming back to the sport for the insane tricks that can be pulled off from huge cliffs, jumps, and half-pipes. If nothing else, snowboarding serves as a great attraction to couples and travelers who are looking for something new- and of course the extreme sports junkies will get a fair adrenaline rush out of it.