As soon as December rolls around, people begin to search for the perfect way to spend their time in the winter. From adrenaline junkies to families, people from all over flock to the slopes of mountains in the form of either a skier or a snowboarder and as long as skiers and snowboarders are forced to coexist on the slopes, the debate will never end; which is better, skiing or snowboarding?

Before getting into the debate, it’s important to establish the basics; which one is easier to learn? In the world of snowsports, it is common to hear the claim that skiing is easier to learn but harder to master, whereas snowboarding is harder to learn, but easier to master. This is generally correct as the approach to learning how to ski can be broken down into standard steps, but people who wish to perfect their technique are required to become extremely technical. Snowboarding on the other hand, has two basic movements, heel and toe edges. Though these may take awhile to master, once achieved, the fundamental technique of snowboarding is complete and snowboarders are ready to have a bit more fun. “I like skiing better because I can control myself better and I learned faster. It’s more fun to do tricks and pick up speed than when I’m snowboarding,” sophomore Elizabeth Griffin said.

Snowboarding also seems to be the more convenient out of the two. With cheaper gear and equipment that is much less bulky to carry around as well as boots and bindings that are more comfortable, it definitely looks better for the snowboarders. But it has its downfalls. It’s common to see snowboarders stumble and fall when getting off of a ski lift as they were designed to be more comfortable for skiers. And unless a snowboarder is lucky enough to be accompanied by a skier, they will have to unstrap their bindings and walk the flatter parts of the mountain leading to more walking between runs. “Snowboarding is just better, skiers would never understand,” junior Katherine Tsai said.

Skiing has its positives too. A faster speed can be achieved on skis, which can lead to higher and cooler tricks to be performed. Skiing also tends to be the more popular choice as it is more accessible to people of a wider age range.

Whatever it is you enjoy doing on the mountain or maybe at home, these arguments can be presented repeatedly without any final conclusion but that surely won’t stop the lifelong debate between skiers and snowboarders. “I’m sure both are great but honestly, I prefer staying at the lodge and relaxing in the hot tub,” sophomore Saanvi Gadila said.