# Hiking vs. Skiing



## Jaytrek57 (Jul 27, 2005)

Ok..ok. 

I must ask myself, what is with all the "ski" talk in July? I love to ski, love this board...but I thought I'd rally the "hiking" legions out there before we are completely overrun.

(This is all tongue and cheek (for fun) for all you,literalists out there. :wink: 

Top Five reasons Hiking is better than Skiing. 

5. Crowds. Take OBP on it's most crowded day and that is 1/1000 of the line at any ski lift.

4. Lunch costs: Hiking about $5.00. Any ski area cafeteria...slightly less than a new plasma TV.

3. I can hike with my dog.

2. After activity libations. You know what, have to give this one to the skier inside me. :beer: 

1. There is no OB in hiking. :wink: 

Let's here your top 5...either way.

peace.


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## MtnMagic (Jul 27, 2005)

Can you enlighten the uninformed . . .

OBP = Old Bridal Path (to Mt Lafayette).

What's an OB? Inquiring minds want to know!


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## bvibert (Jul 27, 2005)

MtnMagic said:
			
		

> What's an OB? Inquiring minds want to know!



*O*ut of *B*ounds


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## pizza (Jul 27, 2005)

Hehe... I like your post.

It's too hot to hike right now - or I'd be doing it. Plus the insects are out in force right now. I do my 3-mile run in the morning (it was brutal this morning, by the way - 90º) and then spend the rest of the day in air conditioning.

Skiing is my first passion though. Hiking doesn't quite get the adrenaline flowing like skiing does.. It's much more low-key.. it's cool in it's own way, but it doesn't replace skiing.

So I talk about skiing all year 'round. Everyone thinks I'm weird, except my skiing friends.


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## riverc0il (Jul 27, 2005)

Jaytrek57 said:
			
		

> Ok..ok.
> 
> I must ask myself, what is with all the "ski" talk in July? I love to ski, love this board...but I thought I'd rally the "hiking" legions out there before we are completely overrun.
> 
> ...



jaytrek, your list seems more like a list of why skiing is better than hiking to me, lol!  OBP on a weekend likely feels more crowded than most areas i ski at on weekends regardless of actual numbers.  for #4, you assume people eat at the cafe, you can bring your own lunch for skiing too.  #3 you can ski with your dog too.  apres ski is the definition of after activity libations  and you can bushwhack while hiking which is kinda OB in a way.  OB is where it's at any ways on skis  

okay, now that i got the literalists outta my system i will end my attempt at a humerous response with this summation of why there is so much skiing talk in july... because july is still ski season.

best reason why skiing is better than hiking?  who obsesses about hiking during the summer!
 :beer:  :beer:  :beer:


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## MichaelJ (Jul 27, 2005)

> who obsesses about hiking during the summer!



I do!!!


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## Vortex (Jul 27, 2005)

Skiing is better and I like being close minded. Hiking is great it just never can compete.  Bugs and humidity are negitives of hiking, but i won't bring them up cause I'm Mr. postive.
I had a little fun in this thread.


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## ga2ski (Jul 27, 2005)

Hiking and biking are what I do to pass time until I can ski again. Sorry I have really gotten into hiking but it not even close to as much fun as skiing.


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## riverc0il (Jul 27, 2005)

combine skiing AND hiking and now we are talking!


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## Stephen (Jul 27, 2005)

I'm suffering from some serious hikopause. Normally by now I'd have hiked 3 or 4 times.

Thus far this year... bubpkis. Nadda. Not even a freakin geocache, man. I just can't get away from softball, the house, the family, the job. grr. :angry:


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## MichaelJ (Jul 27, 2005)

riverc0il said:
			
		

> combine skiing AND hiking and now we are talking!



Heck yeah! I can't wait to try out my new Karhu Pyxis skis out in the woods. I do need to buy a new pulk sled, though ... that's going to cost me. Teach me to go too fast, out of control, downhill, fall, and have the sled slam into the back of me and snap into pieces...


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## ga2ski (Jul 28, 2005)

Skinning is a lot of work, but I'm usually having fun if I have skis on my feet.


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## smitty77 (Jul 28, 2005)

Jaytrek57 said:
			
		

> Let's here your top 5...either way.


5)  Lower chance of injury while hiking.

4)  "Hiking season" is not limited to the color of the ground.

3)  I couldn't bring my baby boy skiing with me.

2)  I don't have to pay $35+ for *each* person in my party to climb a mountain.

1)  I can stay overnight while hiking for less than $20.

Coming from a non-skier.


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## Vortex (Jul 28, 2005)

smitty77 said:
			
		

> Jaytrek57 said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Your arguments are good.  Thats not fair. :wink:


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## pizza (Jul 28, 2005)

smitty77 said:
			
		

> 5)  Lower chance of injury while hiking.



This one I don't agree with. Even if your odds of getting injured while hiking are less (which is debatable), at least with skiing, competent medical assistance and equipment is less than 5 minutes away from you.



			
				smitty77 said:
			
		

> 4)  "Hiking season" is not limited to the color of the ground.



Very few people hike in the Wintertime anyway - maybe less than the number of skiers who find "white ground" in the off-season (like those on TGR's message board)



			
				smitty77 said:
			
		

> 3)  I couldn't bring my baby boy skiing with me.



Sure you can.. Get one of the Kelty K.I.D.S. backpacks and take them along! Ski slowly though.. 



			
				smitty77 said:
			
		

> 2)  I don't have to pay $35+ for *each* person in my party to climb a mountain.



Got me there. Doh!
EDIT: no you don't - last I heard, backcountry skiing was still free. You have to earn your turns, of course, but with hiking, you have to earn your views (and you don't even get good turns on the way down. gip!) What you're paying for is a ferry up to the top of the mountain.. actually 20 ferries..



			
				smitty77 said:
			
		

> 1)  I can stay overnight while hiking for less than $20.



You can do this while skiing, too, with even more comfort than a hiker would (because you are car-supported, you can use gear that's not lightweight)


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## loafer89 (Jul 28, 2005)

5 reasons why skiing is more fun than hiking:

1) No clouds of insects following me and every step.

2) No heat and humidity to deal with.

3) The chairlift does the climbing for me  

4) No potentially life threatening wild animals to 
   fend off.  

5) Snow and lots of it to play in, deep powder snow,
   corn snow, packed powder snow.    8) 

I am an avid skier and nature lover/gardener. I like flowers and perennial gardening. So every spring I have the Jekyll and Hyde syndrome.

Half of me sees my crocus and daffodils emerging from the ground and is like, ahhhh springtime, while the other half is screaming SMASH those stupid flowers back into the ground with your ski's 

Perhaps I should take up hiking again, I hiked on the lower slopes of Mnt Hood years ago when I went summer skiing, the lupine and columbine were spectacular. Paradise lodge at Ranier is stunning.


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## bvibert (Jul 28, 2005)

loafer89 said:
			
		

> Half of me sees my crocus and daffodils emerging from the ground and is like, ahhhh springtime, while the other half is screaming SMASH those stupid flowers back into the ground with your ski's



:lol: That made my day, thanks!


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## cbcbd (Jul 28, 2005)

We are fortunate in the North East to have great access to both... 

...but a huge chunk of the world does not have a winter. Searching for snow can be a time consuming and costly ordeal for people who are farther away than a day's drive from snow.  

-Hiking can be found anywhere in the world, snow or no snow. 
-You don't need any special equipment to do it
-In the long run it is cheaper - The number of skiers who are sleeping in their car and going crosscountry skiing the next day is way too little to even make a difference


Skiing and hiking are just two different animals, but the truth is that hiking can be enjoyed by anyone who can hitch a ride to a trail or just walk in their backyard. Skiing is more of a rush, does "feel" more fun, is more elite, and will cost you.

And who says you can't run down a mountain when hiking for a good rush?  
...Go up the Tucks trail to Hojos... then turn around and run down skipping on the rocks - that was hella fun


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## David Metsky (Jul 28, 2005)

What is this "paying to ski" of which you speak?

Seriously, backcountry skiing is the logical extension of 3-season hiking, mixed in with a little winter mountaineering/hiking where applicable.  I've pretty much given up winter hiking but I still climb mountains in winter, and I have much more fun on the way down. 

 -dave-


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## Vortex (Jul 28, 2005)

cbcbd said:
			
		

> We are fortunate in the North East to have great access to both...
> 
> ...but a huge chunk of the world does not have a winter. Searching for snow can be a time consuming and costly ordeal for people who are farther away than a day's drive from snow.
> 
> ...



Another good set of points.  Not convinced yet. :wink:


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## loafer89 (Jul 28, 2005)

The fact that the ski season can be limited by ones geographic location and seasonal climate change is what makes it so apealing to me.

The thrill of skiing Killington in October or in June has a very strong apeal to me. Stretching the ski season to where it should not be is what makes it fun. Glacier skiing is even more of a high for me, being on perpetual snow and ice that is thousands of years old is a thrill.

Right now I have a severe longing to be in, on, or around snow, wheras I can go hiking anytime with almost no seasonal limitation.

I understand the merits of both sports, but this is my 0.2 cents worth on why I love skiing.

Am I alone with this feeling???


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## cbcbd (Jul 28, 2005)

loafer89 said:
			
		

> Am I alone with this feeling???


Even though I am not as avid a skier as I am a hiker I do still feel that way about skiing.

It's kind of a reverse Spring Fever... or one could say that abscence makes the heart grow fonder


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## riverc0il (Jul 28, 2005)

hikers dice and other such hostels are open in the winter for less than $20, so cheap ski lodging is avaiable.


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## RJ (Jul 29, 2005)

Hiking allows me the freedom to explore my inner most thoughts during a tranquil walk through the deep woods of the north unencumbered by civilization’s demands, while skiing allows me to explore my untapped potential as I carve and glide through the soft blankets of pristine snow newly fallen on a deserted slope as the morning sun warms my soul.

Ok, a tad over the top, but you get the picture.


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## cbcbd (Jul 29, 2005)

RJ said:
			
		

> Hiking allows me the freedom to explore my inner most thoughts during a tranquil walk through the deep woods of the north unencumbered by civilization’s demands, while skiing allows me to explore my untapped potential as I carve and glide through the soft blankets of pristine snow newly fallen on a deserted slope as the morning sun warms my soul.
> 
> Ok, a tad over the top, but you get the picture.


Nah, good stuff  :beer:


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## JimG. (Jul 29, 2005)

Skiing rocks! Nothing better in my book unless...

you hike to where you're going to ski!


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## Mike P. (Jul 29, 2005)

Okay so before I send you skiers packing over to the I love skiing boards on this site: 

(two of your own but off topic boards which seem to be filled with post from many people who don't post on the hiking bbs, including a list of banned people)

Why hiking is better than skiing:

Sunrise from the top of any mountain, anytime of year,  try asking American Ski Company if you can ride the chair at 6:00 AM  

Sunset on any mountain, anytime of year, see if they will let you ride up after hours for a dusk run after the sun goes down, if they have night skiing, ask them to turn off the lights so you can enjoy the colors.

$40+ per person per day, day defined as open at 8:00, close at 4:00, even if I got 8 hours of sleep a night, this would be 1/2 of the 16 hours left, it's about 40-45% of my day.

No $ to hike unless I choose to go to BSP (& Don't live in ME - or borrow my friends car) many (but not all) WMNF trailheads until the State jumps on the fee bandwagon) or park at the ADK Loj  

I'll take bugs over lift lines anyday,  DEET will cure bug problem, hiking October - early May solves bug problem, hiking in the rain, on windy days above treeline solves bug problem, backcountry skiing seems only cure for lift lines which seems to be hiking with equipment aided glissading after your hike up.  

Lift lines Vs. Crowds on the most popular peaks, Options for skiers - start sking at 6:00 AM, no; ski thru $10 per person hamburger lunch brake - yes; ski later in the day & come down via headlamp no; 

I can hike Mondanock on a Tuesday in December starting at 1:00 PM & see almost no one, I can go on a Wednesday in July starting at  6:30 PM (or 6:00 AM) and see almost no one - & most likely will see no one 1/2 of the trip.

Colors - hiking, fall colors on leaves, aforementioned sunset, sunrise, green leaves, clear water, white water, blue water, aquamarine - okay you have to travel some for this color, rainbows, 

colors - skiing, white (you get that color winter hiking too) blue sky if lucky, gray if you aren't; all the bright colors on this years Obyermeyer, Descente & TNF gear, hikers only get this years TNF, skiers get black leitards worn on snow bunny's - see I 'm ot all negative about skiing.

conversation:  hiking, you can choose to talk to the people you meet or are hiking with if you want to anytime you want.  skiing, hard to carry an indepth conversation while skiing, have to wait until you are back in the lift line or on the lift assuming you want the annoying guy you want to talk about to your SO to hear you as he is also on the quad or tram. or you can stop on hill & talk about him

stopping; I'm confident I can stop on any trail almost anywhere (to rest, eat, enoy the view,...) & not worry about another hiker rounding the corner or coming over a rock so fast he will collide with me & injury me.  Conversely If I come around a corner & find six kids laying out in front of me with one boot (hiking one boarders) I can stop in time easily or go around them easily - even if they are camped out on the trail on the summit like they were on Marcy last Saturday.

Injuries:  True medical help is minutes away from skiers, why is that?  Medical help is  moments away when you are in a Hospital but miles away in places where people seldom get hurt - supply & demand & perceived liability.  When hikers  do get hurt you can't slide them down a rocky trail & the injuries are usaully more life threatening (or it's body recovery not rescue) but many of those accidents are the result of your decisions & planning.  I decide when to turn around, when the weather is too bad, what I pack.  (Track record is pretty good so far - knock knock)If a novice skier loses control & runs me over, I don't have control of that.  (from my few times skiing it was my lack of control that was at issue & fear that a knee injury would cost me six months of hiking & volleyball & playing with my kids - luckily my desk job would not have been impacted, it's wheelchair accessible)

Satisfaction on your accomplishment:  I rode a chair 10 times to almost the top of a mountain with 900 other people (Sugarloaf may be easiest to get to summit, Killington, Cannon, Sugarbush (Ellen) & Wildcat (D) require a short walk to the summit,  (Whiteface & Washinton considerably more to the highest mountains with lift/train service) & let my balance, a slipperly surface & slipperly thing(s) on my feet with gravity return me to the bottom & I only went indoors to pee 3X & inside to warm up twice.   I'm going to go to another mountain tomorrow & do it again after getting a loan.

Or:  I'm one of only a few hundred people to get up & down 48, 67, 115 - is a number really important - this/these mountains in the winter, in all seasons in every month to have done this alone or with a couple fo friends for support.   

Afterwards you feel really connected (or you experienced) to something bigger than yourself, the mounatin, the woods, etc...  DO you feel connected to the artifical environment of lift, groomed trail & lodge?

Apres' Ski?  I guess I'm old & responsible now, I don't really get excited about the thought of a big hangover in the morning, I did enough of that from 15 - 30, it was more fun when I was underage (18 then)  a beer or two after hiking/skiing/a volleyball tournament etc is always nice but I don't get giddy & excited about the end of a hike or tournament so I can go drinking, not anymore.  Pizza & a beer or two, that sounds good anytime   :beer: 

Okay skiers, flame on


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## pizza (Jul 29, 2005)

Yeah but when skiing, you get to go fast!!!

(There, I took a well-written argument which probably took 30 minutes to type and destroyed it in 9 words.)


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## Mike P. (Jul 29, 2005)

If your a good skier you get to pay someone to allow you go fast, wait in line, go up slow, go down fast, repeat....
(I never got fast, I got to look I'm gaining speed, fall  ) 

You can drive your car on the Garden State Parkway & do to exactly the same thing even faster; go fast, wait in line, go slow thru E-Z Pass, go fast to next toll booth, repeat.  

It also comes with people to patrol the play area to make sure we all behave.  I get to even change clothes or talk on my cell, eat, etc.,  while going fast so I can leave work in pants & arrive at the beach in my suit.  (or if I go hiking after work I can be dressed to hike & fed wearing boots before I reach the trailhead I just need to avoid those patrol people, passing high SUV's - they don't pass me - & trucks so no one gets a free show.

While a motorcyclist can't change clothes while driving, he gets more of a speed rush while riding, IMO 

Skydivers race car drivers, bungee jumpers, all would say you skiers are still going slow.   Heck the biggest rollercoaters & other rides at an amusement park will reach speeds that only the best downhill racers can match so only Tommy Moe & company should be able to use the I get to go fast argument.  Same with luge, skelton & Bobsledders & jet skis are not far behind those.


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## pizza (Jul 29, 2005)

Mike P. said:
			
		

> (I never got fast, I got to look I'm gaining speed, fall  )



Ahhh.. the truth comes out.. This, of course, explains everything.


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## loafer89 (Jul 29, 2005)

I have been skiing for nearly 25 years, and to date my worst injury was falling down on the sidewalk of our condo in the ice storm at Sugarloaf in 1998.  

As for lift lines, if you know a mountain really well you can avoid or eliminate the need to wait in any line. You can also ski the less traveled resorts to avoid crowds. Bugs can carry a host of diseases that can be life threatening, people do not die waiting in a lift line.

The artifical enviornment of defying nature by making snow when it is a sunny day is cool  

Speed is also a key factor, I believe it would be difficult to attain speeds of 60+mph or greater while hiking????


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## madman (Jul 29, 2005)

I was all about skiing in my late teens and early 20s . When I graduated highschool I moved to VT and skied every day. For three years I thought about nothing but skiing, summer sucked. Then life caught up with me ,I got a real job.Back in CT. The plus side of this was it forced me into other free time activites. Backpacking, MT Biking, Crosscountry skiing, White water Kayaking ,Motorcycle touring . and other things. I love them all equal including the limited downhill I get to do.No one thing is better than the other they are just different. They all have there time and place. The more you do in life for fun the happier you will be when your kids throw you in a home. I say just do it all, or, sit on the coutch watching ski movies wishing for snow.      Life is a big party be there!!!


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## Mike P. (Jul 29, 2005)

60, is that fast?  please don't drive in front of me on the highway, please stay to the right.

Die in a lift line, no but I know of one person who did break their nose when they tried to take cuts in line. :evil: (I was neither party involved, I probably would have put a hole in his pants....) 

No bugs hiking in October - Thru April or wear DEET, DEET works anywhere in the world, knowing all the terrain to avoid all the popular trails on all the mountains all over New England, CO, CA, MT, Canada & Europe, good luck.

Bugs & insect borne diseases are possible doing anything, a day at the beach, gardening at home, sitting on your deck/porch after work or in traffic in a convertible.  Hiking would lower the chance of getting something as insects carrying diseases like  West Nile & Lyme are not everywhere yet.


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## loafer89 (Jul 29, 2005)

My uncle contracted lyme disease while hiking in Bear Mountain State Park, and has been suffering from it for the last 5 years.

I skied 27 days last season, and waited no more than 10 minutes in line, and that was at Hunter, probably the most congested area around NYC. I have waited longer on line the the grocery store or for a table at a resteraunt.

Sugarloaf, Saddleback, Black Mountain, Bretton Woods, Wildcat, skied them all this winter on weekends, no lift lines.

Modern High Speed lift networks reduce or eliminate the wait at most ski areas today.


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## riverc0il (Jul 29, 2005)

> Sunset on any mountain, anytime of year, see if they will let you ride up after hours for a dusk run after the sun goes down, if they have night skiing, ask them to turn off the lights so you can enjoy the colors.


i was thinking about this last night while catching a sunset on bald rock, that i could never catch a sunset on skis.  it is pretty tough to do even back country as you'd need to ski down in the dark or by headlamp... or camp the night somewhere.  both not ideal situations.


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## loafer89 (Jul 29, 2005)

We all love different sports for different reasons. Whitewater Kayaking is more dangerous for me than skiing or hiking. Moving water can be very frightening, it has unbelievable power. Hopefully I will not get on the wrong side of any river and get the chance to find out the hard way.


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## MichaelJ (Aug 4, 2005)

riverc0il said:
			
		

> i could never catch a sunset on skis.  it is pretty tough to do even back country as you'd need to ski down in the dark or by headlamp... or camp the night somewhere.  both not ideal situations.



What's wrong with camping? 

I wouldn't want to downhill ski by headlamp (unless it was on a big, wide open trail under a full moon), but certainly cross-country skiing (in the backcountry) is very doable at night. That layer of snow is very reflective and any light in the sky at all, even starlight, will give you some amount of visibility. Add in a full moon or a headlamp and you're set!


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## blacknblue (Aug 4, 2005)

I'm feeling pretty schizophrenic today.  :-?  I can't decide on which side I should fall.  I've had great and lousy experiences doing both...
There's just such an incredible difference b/t a day standing in line to ski 500 vertical feet and going heli-skiing with friends that it's hard to lump that into the one category "skiing."  And it's hard to lump a hot, buggy, humid, wooded camping trip into the same category as a day spent with marvelous views, a magical sunset, and peacefulness beyond description.
I think skiing is more fun (exhilirating, exciting, etc.), while hiking/backpacking is more satisfying (peaceful, contemplative).  Of course, I have plenty of experiences with both that work against that generality.
Like I said, schizophrenic!


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## Greg (Aug 10, 2005)

What a thread! How did I miss this one? Anyway, I love both. That's why I started this site. I've been hiking longer than I've been skiing, but I think my love of mountains/views/etc (from my early hiking experiences) is partly what appealed to me about skiing in the beginning. I love being at a place like Loon in the winter and looking around at all the peaks I've been on/places I've hiked/camped in the Pemi. Similarly, I now like checking out ski areas from the mountains I climb, or hiking at ski areas in the off season.

I think blacknblue said it best:



			
				blacknblue said:
			
		

> I think skiing is more fun (exhilirating, exciting, etc.), while hiking/backpacking is more satisfying (peaceful, contemplative).


They really are two completely different activities. If I had to choose, I would have to say I enjoy lift-serviced skiing better than hiking (dayhiking at least). For me the biggest reason is the *challenge* skiing offers and the desire to improve. It takes several hundred ski days to get good at skiing. Do you really "improve" much as a hiker? Sure you acquire more strength and endurance if you do it often enough, but hiking takes far less skill than skiing. Once you get to the point where you can rapidly descend a rocky trail mindlessly without thinking about where you are placing your feet, there's little additional ability needed.

Perhaps this is the reason some folks are turned on to hiking. It's a relatively easy thing to do from a default skillset standpoint (you're just walking up and downhill in the woods, after all), but for something that anybody in reasonably good shape can do, the rewards are huge. Maybe this is why so many hikers feel compelled to plan their hikes according to various lists, i.e. to add an additional measure of "skill" or experience. I never followed lists. The experience of just hiking is enough to satisfy me. Maybe the learning curve involved with skiing well is also what turns many people off. For me, it's what makes me want to keep doing it. Backcountry camping/backpacking/basecamping are different animals than dayhiking or peakbagging in that it's necessary to do them often to acquire certain skills to make the experiences enjoyable and comfortable.

Now reconsidering blacknblue's comments above, I can really see the appeal in backcountry skiing. I hope to get into it more once I feel my downhill skills are strong enough. Both are extremely rewarding activities so combining them must be a great way to enjoy both.


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## riverc0il (Aug 10, 2005)

> Now reconsidering blacknblue's comments above, I can really see the appeal in backcountry skiing. I hope to get into it more once I feel my downhill skills are strong enough.


i only skied with you one day greg, but you are more than there from what i saw.  as long as you can handle various snow conditions including bumps and powder, you're all set to ski B/C.  there are lots of degrees of challenge in backcountry skiing that all levels of skiers can participate in.  B/C is almost more about using your mind rather than your skis...  knowing what you can handle, when to turn around, what to pack, being prepared for the unexpected, etc.  it is the ultimate combination of the two activities.


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## Mike P. (Aug 10, 2005)

Greg,

While you have just about nailed the hysical skill set of hiking down, you missed the mental skill set

Planning & decision making, especially if solo is where the learning process is.

How many miles can I do in a day (& enjoy)
Weather forecast is iffy, can I get back down before it turns bad? (What's bad)
Is rain & 50 MPH winds bad? Is snow & 30 MPH at 20 degrees bad?
It's November & your in the Whites, what can I do without crampons?  Do I need them on 11/15?
Should I turn back?

Most of these decisons are made for you at the ski resort, someone at Sugarbush decides if the North peak summit which is bare & open should be open
Is a certain trail not covered enough or too icy, they close it  Is there enough daylight for a last run, it's a non-issue, the resort either has lights or closes at 4:00  Heck they can close the resort if they choose due to weather

Consequence of poor decision at ski resort (I'm going to ski a double diamond run) wipe outs, being laughed at by family, friends & other skiers - especaially if I have to walk in the woods, injury, possibly serious or even fatal but medical help close by - won't help if you kiss a tree at 40 MPH

Consequence of poor decisions hiking: in summer an unplanned night out, a trip that ends at 11:00 PM with headlamp (unless not having a light was one of your bad decisions) Injury if you trip & fall - because you are walking in the dark - or on ice, if bad decisions from October to April in ADK's or Whites,  why did I leaves crampons in the CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRR  
 or I'd be there by now if I was not up to my waist in snow, there was only an inch at the trailhead


fatalitiy possibilities increase, some due to injury, more likely to hypothermia responsibilty for my safety, 100% me or a trip leader (read me)

Who is responsible at ski resort?  While they coulda woulda shoulda closed a trail or got the Rescue people to me sooner, the law in most states does not allow you to sue them so even if you think they are to blame, you likely can't recover because of it, the ride in the stretcher is free though, in the Whites it might cost you some money & it may not be as smooth either.


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## Greg (Aug 10, 2005)

Mike - I see your points. Mine was a bit more simplistic. Put a first time hiker who is in reasonably good shape on Edmunds Path and tell them to follow you up Eisenhower for a dayhike, they probably could do it with little trouble. They will also instantly get a very impressive big mountain hiking experience. Put that same person on skis on a very gentle slope at a local ski hill and they'll most likely have a tough time that first day. From a purly physical/technique standpoint, skiing is far harder than hiking. That physical challenge is what appeals to me. Nothing feels quite like that day when linking turns finally clicks, except that you strive to get that feeling over and over on any type of terrain and on all surface conditions. I agree that all the logistics of hiking/backpacking are exhilirating, but the physical challenge of skiing is what appeals to me more. Apples and oranges, really. I simply appreciate that I live in an area where I can do both.


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## Greg (May 15, 2006)

Bump


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## ChileMass (May 16, 2006)

Gotta agree with you, boss - skiing is harder than hiking because it's a sport which requires a lot longer to master.  It's a precision sport to do well which takes perhaps several years of practice to learn (like golf!!).  Mastering extended outdoor hikes is another matter, which is an other precision endeavor which could take years to master, but almost anyone can grab a copy of the WMF Guide and head off on an enjoyable day-hike.  Almost anyone would also get in big trouble fast on their first day on skis.


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## Mike P. (May 24, 2006)

So Greg bumped this thread to revive the discussion.  I looked at another thread he started recently too, Do you hike ski areas in the off-season?  As I looked at that my first thought was, what off-season do hikers have?  Then I realized he meant the ski area's off-season.

Planning for new & bigger trips IMO has to go to hiking.  Maybe backcountry skiing has similaraties but I don't see how resort would have same process.  

I'm heading up to the Whites for a Memorial Day hike of unknown length & distance.  I have three variations of the same hike, all over 25 miles,  Thinking I'll aim to start at first light (5:00 AM) what time will I finish the just over 25 mile trip estimating my projected speed over the distance.  I want to be at the trail junction that determines if I do 25+ or 28+ miles before 1:45 in order to do the 28+ mile hike.  If I arrive later than that, I head down not up.  To do the over 30 mile hike I need to get to the next junction by 3:00.  

If I hit the times I want on the first two options I'll finish before dark, barely on the 28 mile trip.  I need to be 16% faster than my estimated time in order to realistically complete the 33 mile hike with a couple of hours of night hiking on flat terrain.  Starting a little earlier on flat terrain means I get home sooner.

What would the comparison be for resort skiing, trying to ski over 50 trails on Killington?  Hitting the seven summits at Sunday River?  Start time & finish time is decided for you, for expert skiers, picking the right trails not really an issue, for new skiers triple diamonds = pain or worse.  Day selection would be important to try & lessen waiting in lift lines & lift time (also known as rest time)   

The best way for me to make good time/better time is to shorten or skip rest time. (I've been on the first five summits;  4, 4, 7, 10 & 11 times so I've seen the view)  1/2 way out I can't decide to call it quits & hit the lodge.  While in summer I could end up with a uncomfortable night out if I call it quits & sleep out when that was not planned,   (as opposed to skiing in summer as portrayed in the Capital One Commercial - okay Summer skiing is harder)  in the winter, that decision is fatal, you'd have to plan on the possibility in order to survive.

Skiing harder physcially from a balance & short term strength point of view
hiking harder on a long term (all day) strength & endurance point + safe planning has bigger repercussions if you get that wrong.


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## Greg (May 25, 2006)

Mike P. said:
			
		

> Skiing harder physcially from a balance & short term strength point of view
> hiking harder on a long term (all day) strength & endurance point + safe planning has bigger repercussions if you get that wrong.


I guess I would agree with this synopsis. As a technique, skiing is obviously harder to master. Logistically, there's more involved in planning a hike. A BC tour combines both so that's the ultimate East coast mountain experience.


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## gustmouse (May 25, 2006)

Hiking/backpacking and skiing are two totally different pastimes the only thing in common is they mostly take place in mountain terrain.
I’ll always remember a sign I saw while backpacking in Rocky Mountains National Park. At a designated campsite at 11000 feet named Treeline.
It stated that the Mountains Don’t Care referring to that they don’t care if you live or die! Further up on the Big Horn Flats at about 12000 feet
We found the gear of an party that we found out later bailed off the mountains from a snow storm that past November. The odd thing was one of the names on a pack was from our small hometown in Connecticut. So once we got home we were able to find out more about the event. They were just under prepared and a winter storm hit them at 12000 feet.They all made it out, but the Mountains Really Don’t Care!


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## gustmouse (May 25, 2006)

sorry the name of the site was Timberline, that trip was over 20 years ago!


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## JimG. (May 25, 2006)

Mike P. said:
			
		

> hiking harder on a long term (all day) strength & endurance point + safe planning has bigger repercussions if you get that wrong.



I don't believe this is a valid statement when discussing backcountry skiing. I would argue that BC skiing is alot more physically and mentally demanding than hiking because you are hauling (even taking into account that you can put skins on the skis and tour with them) even more equipment and you are operating in a mostly wintertime weather environment.


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## Mike P. (May 25, 2006)

Is BC skiing & touring, skiing or winter mountaineering?  Is winter mountaineering skiing or hiking?

Is a winter attempt of Katahdin (the East's biggest & hardest winter trip) where you ski into Roaring Brook, snowshoe to Chimney Pond & Use ropes to ascend the peak, a ski trip, a winter hiking trip or winter mountaineering trip?  IMO yes, to all three

When getting into BC & winter travel, their is a blurring of events.

To Emphasis the role of planning (no pun intended as the site I'm about to offer for an example is a financial planning site) I look at the Bernie Dahl's rescue a few years ago on Mt. Washington.  He mentions he had climbed 2 of the 7 summits, major peaks in CO & elsewhere but IMO he needed a rescue based on bad decisions he made.  At some point initially (I believe) he claimed to be a mountaineer, I don't know if that is still true.  I argued he was a tourist who went on guided trips where the guides make all the decisions on going up or down, where to camp, when to turnaround, what is in your daypack & what do the porters carry etc.

Walking where you are told is easier than skiing, being responsible for yourself & others, telling them where to walk whether you need winter gear or might be in avalanches or crevasses is much different 

Bernie Dahl's site is www.mtwashingtonmisadventure.com  If I was selling financial planning I might call this Spam.


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## JimG. (May 25, 2006)

Mike P. said:
			
		

> Is BC skiing & touring, skiing or winter mountaineering?  Is winter mountaineering skiing or hiking?
> 
> When getting into BC & winter travel, their is a blurring of events.



OK point taken...when I refer to BC, I'm talking about hiking/touring, climbing (but without ropes in just about all cases), and skiing. You can argue that helicopters and snowcats are BC, but that's not what I was referring to when I compared it to hiking.

Looking at it from the opposite way, hiking can be anything from a nice walk on a carriage path to a fairly technical climb/rock scramble that may even involve a ladder or two. Hiking doesn't become rock climbing to me until ropes become an issue although I'm sure free climbers would not appreciate me calling that sport hiking and I don't mean to imply that. 

So, to be specific when I compare hiking (based on a fairly strenous walk with some significant elevation gain that also involves ledges, slides, rock scrambles, and/or ladders) to BC skiing (based on a fairly strenous walk/tour/skin up a significant elevation gain that also involves ledges, slides, rock scrambles, steep snow covered slopes, crevasses, falling ice, and possible avalanches that culminates in a graceful set of turns down a steep slope), I think that BC skiing is a little more difficult and requires more planning and expertise.


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## Mike P. (May 25, 2006)

Do you mean like the guys I see on Warren Miller commercials or worse, the guys trying to be like that?  
1.) I think their nuts, isn't some of that bungee jumping without the bungee (skier's version of free climbing but downhill)
2.) I'd classify those guys as pending accident victims...

In both cases, the devil is in the details & planning, if you want to graduate (not that moderate trails at Bretton Woods or just hiking rail trails aren't fun, recreational, relaxing & exercise) to the higher levels in each, being fit & good planning is the main difference.

Climbing I'd say is harder than either with a zero margin for error in big mistakes.


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## JimG. (May 26, 2006)

Mike P. said:
			
		

> Do you mean like the guys I see on Warren Miller commercials or worse, the guys trying to be like that?
> 1.) I think their nuts, isn't some of that bungee jumping without the bungee (skier's version of free climbing but downhill)
> 2.) I'd classify those guys as pending accident victims...
> 
> ...



My answer to your first question is no...Warren Miller stuff is not BC, that's Hollywood. I mean, some of it may be filmed BC, but there are alot of support services like helicopters on site that the common guy like me doesn't have; we have to pay extra for that stuff. Besides, I think it's funny that some folks think that Warren Miller stuff is spontaneous. It isn't. Most of those crazy cliff hucks have been planned and scoped out for months if not years in advance. Then, filming is done when conditions are optimal. Skiers like me don't have that luxury, so you won't often find me flying off of 50 foot+ cliff drops.

I totally agree that planning and good fitness are required for either hiking or skiing if one wants to graduate to more difficult hikes/lines. I'll add experience to that list too.

And I also agree that rock climbing makes both pale in comparison when it comes to difficulty and room for error.


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## highpeaksdrifter (May 26, 2006)

JimG. said:
			
		

> My And I also agree that rock climbing makes both pale in comparison when it comes to difficulty and room for error.



This guy makes it look easy. Unreal.

http://www.break.com/index/fastclimb.html


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## JimG. (May 26, 2006)

highpeaksdrifter said:
			
		

> This guy makes it look easy. Unreal.
> 
> http://www.break.com/index/fastclimb.html



Whoa...talk about extreme exposure.

No room for error there.


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## Nick (Oct 18, 2012)

I love both ... but skiing


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## marcski (Oct 19, 2012)

Nick said:


> I love both ... but skiing



6.5 year bump, eh, Nick?  

I do agree with you. IMHO, skiing is in an entirely different league.


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## ScottySkis (Oct 19, 2012)

Sent from my ADR6410LVW using Tapatalk 2
Skiing for sure!!!


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## Cannonball (Oct 23, 2012)

I find hiking to be a really good way to go up mountains, and skiing a really good way to go down them.


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## skiNEwhere (Oct 30, 2012)

highpeaksdrifter said:


> This guy makes it look easy. Unreal.
> 
> http://www.break.com/index/fastclimb.html




I think that was because he left his lunchbox at the top


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## bdfreetuna (Nov 1, 2012)

lol @ premise of thread

I mean we are talking traveling at 3mph vs 80mph+ !!


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## Nick (Nov 1, 2012)

marcski said:


> 6.5 year bump, eh, Nick?
> 
> I do agree with you. IMHO, skiing is in an entirely different league.



I can't even remember how the hell I found this thread. :lol:


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## Abubob (Nov 7, 2012)

Hiking is just a means to an end. That is to say either to ski back down or get in better shape to ski or to scope backcountry turns. Any way you look at it you're outside.


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## Wavewheeler (Dec 4, 2012)

I do both. I also snowshoe. Hiking is a cheap way to get out and about and enjoy the outdoors. I especially like steep uphills and rock scrambling. It's a great way to stay in shape and I like to combine it with camping.

I tend to hike in spring, fall and early winter. Winter is skiing and summer is for kayaking/biking.


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## andyzee (Dec 4, 2012)

And spring is for hiking/skiing.


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## Rrrricky (Dec 6, 2012)

hiking is better than skiing


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## andyzee (Dec 6, 2012)

Rrrricky said:


> hiking is better than skiing



Hiking/skiing is better than hiking


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## o3jeff (Jan 7, 2013)

I've done quite a bit of hiking this winter and no skiing yet. Hoping to change that next weekend.


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## hammer (Jan 7, 2013)

For me it's all good but to each its time...and now is for skiing.  Would never get the DW out for climbing mountains in the wintertime anyway.

The DW did mention hiking to Tuckerman in the spring but I'd have a hard time watching others ski and not give it a try myself.  I know the top is steep but if I'm in the right shape for the hike can one ski at least part of it if the steeper sections are above one's ability to ski safely?


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## David Metsky (Jan 7, 2013)

hammer said:


> The DW did mention hiking to Tuckerman in the spring but I'd have a hard time watching others ski and not give it a try myself.  I know the top is steep but if I'm in the right shape for the hike can one ski at least part of it if the steeper sections are above one's ability to ski safely?


Sure, you can hike up as far as you feel comfortable, it gets steeper the higher you climb.  It may be a little tricky in some places to put your skis on if no one has created a nice snow platform but it's not that big of a deal if the slope isn't super steep.

But don't underestimate the difference between hiking up to Tucks, and hiking up to Tucks carrying skis and boots.


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