Freeskiing vs. Freestyle Skiing – Choose Your Thrills

Soon, snow showers will fall and lifts will open, leaving us to dust off our skis and hit the slopes. For those looking for a new challenge this year, freeskiing just might be the right choice. Combining the acrobatic tricks of freestyle with the big mountain terrain of normal ski resorts, freeskiing provides a challenge to skiers looking to add some flair to their runs. Freeskiing creates a relationship with the mountain unlike any other form of skiing.

Tricks

Just like the freestyle skiing that many of us have watched at the Winter Olympic Games or the X Games, freeskiing includes twists, grabs, and flips while skiers make their way down the ski slope. In fact, many of the tricks used in freeskiing are also used in the man-made obstacles of freestyle such as the superpipe and rail yards. Terms like axis, rotation, and switch describe different styles of tricks employed in a freeski environment. As skiers use the natural ski environment of their favorite resort or backcountry slope, they throw different tricks to enhance the overall ski experience.

Obstacles

The biggest difference between freeskiing and freestyle skiing is the ski environment. In freestyle skiing, skiers use man-made obstacles like jumps, rails, and halfpipes to create the space to throw tricks. Freeskiing on the other hand is entirely based in a natural environment. Learning how to ski through powder and over cliffs comes naturally for experienced freeskiers. Beginners in the freeskiing realm will want to ease into the sport by gradually adding style and flair into their normal ski runs.

Freeskiing is an option for any skier on virtually any ski slope. Different natural obstacles allow freeskiers to add flair and style to their ski runs, creating a ski experience like no other. Looking to start freeskiing this ski season?