Snowboarding is, without question, one of the most popular outdoor winter sports. So, what is it that makes snowboarding so attractive to so many people?
If you were to head out to the local snowboarding hot spots and ask the folks you met there what they like about snowboarding, you would likely get as many different answers as there are different types of people snowboarding.
That is to say, there is no one specific reason that snowboarding is such a fun and frankly addictive pastime for so many people. However, there are a few reasons that you will hear most often.
Here are some of the top reasons that snowboarding is a must-do winter recreation experience.
Snowboarding Offers Endless Opportunities To Learn
Just like any new activity, snowboarding requires some time spent learning new skills. Fortunately, snowboarding is a fun adventure no matter where you are on the learning curve. From learning to strap into your board, learning to stand upright, learning how to navigate the mountain slope, and even learning to fall correctly, you will enjoy celebrating each small victory and laughing with your friends at your inevitable fails.
The beauty of snowboarding is that the opportunities to learn don’t end once you have mastered the basics. New hills, fresh snowfall, or fellow snowboarders all offer new chances to learn about advanced techniques and hone existing skills.
No matter what your age or skill level, these new opportunities to learn help keep the brain young and make sure that you are constantly building new mental pathways and expanding your knowledge.
Snowboarding Provides An Exhilarating Way To Experience Nature
Snowboarding provides one of the best, and certainly one of the most exciting, ways to connect with nature. You will get to experience the crisp, fresh mountain air as you make your way to the top of the mountain. Once you reach the summit, you will be rewarded with a birds-eye view of some of the most stunning natural scenery that can be found anywhere. From rocky mountain outcroppings to thick, rich forests full of trees, all glistening with a stout fresh dusting of crystal white snow, one can’t help but be moved by the sheer beauty of the natural wonderland.
Snowboarding offers more than just a chance to marvel at the beauty of nature; this particular outdoor activity allows you to interact with and experience the true power of nature. You will become acutely aware of changes in temperature and in weather conditions as you adjust your snowboarding plans and techniques to adapt to the changing snow conditions and the surrounding climate.
Snowboarding Is A Great Way To Connect With Others
While snowboarding can undoubtedly be an enjoyable solo experience, it is inherently a social pastime. Even if you don’t have a squad of fellow snowboarding enthusiasts to hit the slopes with, you are sure to encounter plenty of like-minded folks as you make your way up the mountain and snowboard down the slopes.
The popular snowboarding hot spots and resorts draw snowboarders and other winter outdoor sports enthusiasts from all over the world to come to experience world-class skiing and snowboarding opportunities on their slopes.
When the snowboarding is over for the day, the nightlife begins. Skiing and snowboarding resorts and the towns that surround them are filled with opportunities to meet and mingle with fellow winter sports adrenaline junkies, tourists, and locals. You may come out to the mountain alone, but you are sure to make one or two new friends before you head back home.
Snowboarding Is A Great Way To Get Some Exercise
Snowboarding is incredibly physical. Take our word for it; after just a few hours on the slopes, you will discover muscles that you didn’t even know that you had, and they will all be sore. The great thing is, that snowboarding is so much fun and so addicting that you will not have the slightest concern for your sore muscles when dawn breaks and you are heading up the mountain for another day of snowboarding.
You will work your legs and glutes as you make repeated hikes to the mountain and up the slope. After that, nearly every muscle in your body will get a workout as you cycle through various maneuvers and contortions again and again as you make your way down the slope, navigating your board around and over obstacles, and pulling off super cool stunts and tricks if you are a pro, or picking yourself back up off the ground if you are a beginner. Regardless of your experience and skill level, snowboarding is always a good, all-around workout.
Heck, you can probably even count the calories that you burn as you walk from your vacation rental or the resort lodge to the pub or bust a dance move out on the dance floor at one of the local nightlife hot spots as a workout. Exercise is exercise, after all.
Snowboarding Promotes Mental Wellness
As great as the social experience connected to snowboarding can be, there is also plenty of opportunities to reconnect with yourself while snowboarding. While the resort, the wait for the lift, or the hike up the mountain may present plenty of opportunities for socializing with other people. Once you push off and begin gliding down the hill, you are immediately aware of your own thoughts and your interaction with the natural world around you. This experience has an incredibly centering or grounding effect. Snowboarding is an excellent way to help clear your mind and rebalance your inner self with the outer world.
Why Skiing Is Great, But Snowboarding May Be Even Better
Let’s be clear right from the start; you do not have to choose between skiing or snowboarding; you can absolutely find plenty of enjoyment in both winter outdoor sports. However, people do tend to gravitate to one sport or the other.
To be entirely fair, skiing was the original winter outdoor sporting favorite. When snowboarders first began to arrive on the scene (and the slopes), they were viewed as an annoyance by skiers. However, over time snowboarding has continued to grow in popularity and has developed a devoted group of enthusiasts that rivals, or in some cases, surpasses, the number of dedicated skiing enthusiasts.
So what is the draw of snowboarding? Well, for starters, speed. Skiing and snowboarding both offer the excitement and adrenaline rush that comes from rocketing downhill as fast as possible. While skiing is still the sport of choice for those who want to go down the mountain as quickly as possible, snowboarders are capable of reaching some pretty impressive downhill speeds as well.
Where snowboarding gains a slight edge is in the maneuverability offered by the snowboard. Once past the initial learning curves, snowboarders are able to maneuver around and over obstacles that skiers must generally give a wider berth for safety’s sake. This maneuverability allows snowboarders to venture into areas that skiers cannot access. They are able to explore more diverse areas of the mountain environment and experience a wider variety of challenging terrains.
Snowboarders also report the smooth gliding sensation that is unique to snowboarding. Many snowboarders describe this sensation as floating on a cloud of air, feeling as if they are literally flying down the mountainside rather than sliding along the snow-covered slope.
Finally, there is the undeniable coolness factor. Snowboarding lends itself to inventing and performing incredible new stunts and tricks. Let’s face it; it is just much easier to look fabulous on a snowboard than it is on a set of skis. Of course, looks are not everything, but we all like to look cool whenever we can.
Planning Your Next Snowboarding Adventure
There are plenty of great snowboarding hot spots to check out located all over the United States and Canada. If you are in the Ohio area, Mad River Mountain, Ohio’s largest ski resort, is a must-visit. Mad River Mountain is located in Zanesfield, Ohio, just a short drive from Dayton, Lima, or Columbus. The mountain is open for winter sports from mid-December to mid-March and offers more than 144 acres of prime skiing and snowboarding terrain.
Visitors who are planning a vacation to the Mad River Mountain area can find comfortable lodging in one of the nearby hotels or one of the many private vacation rentals in Ohio. Visit Indian Lake Rentals to check out the selection of privately owned cozy cottages, rustic log cabins, beach condos, and luxury private estates available for rent. Each of these secluded vacation rentals offers comfortable lodging in well-appointed residences with all of the creature comforts of home.
Those looking for a more affordable or more private snowboarding vacation option may want to consider an RV vacation. There are plenty of RV parks and campgrounds in the Mad River Mountain area where RV travelers can park their RV and hit the mountain for a day of snowboarding.
Regardless of how you choose to travel and where you choose to stay, we are sure that you will fall in love with the snowboarding experience. We will see you on the slopes!