h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Refusing to allow snowboarders on Ski slopes may come down to personality differences more than anything else - snowboarders generally;

Wear better clothes
Pull phatter tricks (empasis on the 'ph')
Listen to better music...

OK, I'm biased, but you can see where I'm comng from. It's somewhat similar to the conflict/rivalry that exists between skateboarders and rollerbladers (in the UK at least) - 'bladers in their juvenile clothes, pulling puffy little tricks....

It's also got a lot to do with how both parties physically get themselves
down the slope.

Skiers travel straight down the slope, boarders criss-cross down
the slope.

One is at odds with the other and it always appears that the boarder
is cutting in front of the skier when in fact the skier should be aware
that the boarder in front of him and will naturally cross his ski-line.

No easy answer, collision is all part of the game on todays congested slopes.
It just seems that boarders are less anal and more forgiving when it happens.

Arf.

As a former skier and current baorder (okay, i still ski occasionally, but only when the conditions for boarding suck), let me list the primary complaints that skiers have with boarders. BTW, some boarders have the same complaints about their fellow boarders.

1. Because of the need to stop and "strap in", many boarders are completely clueless and stop right in front of the lift exit. This causes problems for everyone, not just skiers. Rule #1, move off to the side to strap in, don't block the exit!

2. Beginning boarders tend to spend a lot of time on their heel or toe edge, sliding down the slope. This is fine on a green run, but should be avoided on steeper runs, especially on powder days. It is amazing how much fresh powder one snowboarder can eat up when they slide down like that. It is rude. If you can't ride the pow, stay off it. Don't mess it up for everyone else. Also, this type of sliding causes big "dams" of snow to be built up that can cause serious problems for both riders and skiers. This is quite common on moguls. Most riders who know better stay off the moguls, as boards just aren't as compatible with them as skis are (although some riders definately know how to rip up the bumps!). Trust me on this one, moguls are far more fun on skis. On the up side, there are some skiers who aren't too fond of moguls and like the fact that sliding riders will tend to shave off the tops of moguls, keeping them from forming on all but the steepest slopes. As a rider/skier that's been on the hills for over 20 years i can tell you that there are a lot less moguls on the slopes today than there used to be, thanks to snowboards.

3. Snowboarders are much more "powder-savvy" than the average skier. This is primarily because riding in powder is easier and, in my opinion, way more fun than skiing the pow. Therefore, on powder days, the riders will help chew up the powder much faster than used to happen before they came along. You'll rarely hear a rider complain about "too much powder", but this is still a common complaint with many skiers up to intermediate levels. It's not that the riders are doing anything wrong (excepting the example above), but i can't blame the skiers for their resentment. After all, i hate it when the powder goes quickly as well.

4. Boarders have more "attitude". This may or may not be true. Most of us have encountered bad attitudes from both riders and skiers. I think that part of the reason for this perception is because most of the younger types and kids that are on the slopes today will be on snowboards. Maybe it's just an age thing...

5. Snowboarders have no sense of "etiquette". I have experienced this to some extent, but riders certainly have no monopoly on rudeness or lack of awareness of the "rules". A ski patrol friend of mine had the following theory about this: Because of the far more "technical" nature of skiing, most beginning skiers take at least one lesson. In that lesson they are taught the rules and etiquette. However, most snowboarders have never had a lesson and therefore aren't ever taught the rules.

There's one way to help solve these problems: Most of us will have a chance to try to teach a friend how to ride at some point. Do everyone a favor and make sure you take the opportunity to teach them not only how to ride, but how to be considerate of everyone else and obey the rules of the mountain. That way, no matter how you enjoy the snow-covered mountains, we can all have a great time. Except of course for those ski-blade things. I just can't tolerate those!

I both ski and snowboard, probably around 50:50 and I've found that it's really great to mix it up.

If the conditions are icey, I ski, slushy I board.

If you one day on and off both, it gives your relative muscles a chance to rest.

Skiing to me has a speed thing and a jump thing (find it much easier to land on skis at pace), whereas boarding is a gliding aesthetic.

Both sports are just superb.