Ask any avid skier, and they'll tell you nothing beats the rush of rushing down a powdery slope with a cool wind blowing in your face. It's also a great cardiovascular activity and allows you to take advantage of the great outdoors. And it must be great: the oldest skis ever discovered are thought to be approximately 5,000 years old. Originally it was used as a method of transportation, but has evolved into the leisure activity we are accustomed to today.

The common types of skiing
Cross-country - The earliest form of the activity would have been cross-country skiing, a part of what is now known as the Nordic skiing family. Cross-country style is similar to hiking, though and can be done on a prepared trail or in more remote areas, such as the woods. Cross-country is considered one of the most challenging endurance sports, as it requires movement that uses every major muscle group in the body.

Downhill (alpine) - One of the primary differences between downhill and cross-country skiing is the way the ski is attached to the foot. In cross-country, the toe of the boot is the only portion of the foot attached to the ski, so that skiers have the ability to climb, descend and traverse. In downhill skiing, the entire foot is attached to the ski and restricts the skier to only downhill terrain.

Equipment needed
For both types of skiing, participants require ski boots, bindings, poles, goggles and often times, a helmet.

Bindings are the device that connect the ski and the boot together and are determined based on the user's classification, height and weight. It is crucial these bindings are set by someone qualified like a certified technician, because these are what release the skier if they happen to fall. If they fail to release the user, serious injury can occur. On the flip side, if the bindings are too loose, a skier may fall more frequently than necessary.

Skiers will also require the appropriate clothing for the conditions they are skiing in. Like snowshoeing, layers are recommended to prevent participants from becoming too hot or too cold. Hats, gloves, scarves and warm socks are essential, as are waterproof pants and an adequate jacket (or sweater if skiing in a warmer environment). Skiers will also want to take precaution to use sunblock on their faces, as many times a sunny day can actually equal sunburn - even if the air is still cool.

As is also the case when snowshoeing, skiing equipment can often be rented in a ski shop or at a ski hill, a good option for those trying it out for the first time.

Snowboarding
If you're already a skier and you're looking for something new, or the thought of skiing doesn't appeal to you, consider snowboarding. Snowboarding is a hybrid of surfing and skateboarding, but on snow (go figure. It's relatively new sport, having only been invented in the U.S. in the 1960s or 1970s, and didn't even become an Olympic sport until 1998.

While snowboarding and skiing may look similar and be available at the same hills and facilities, the two are quite different. For one thing, a snowboarder has both feet attached to their board rather than having each foot attached to a separate ski. And while boots and bindings are also used in snowboarding, the boots are a different style (meaning you can't buy one multi-purpose pair for both sports) and the bindings do not release the skier if he or she falls. A snowboarder will also not use poles.

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