Like blades, the edges of my boots carve into the ice and snow, whipping up flurries of sparkling powder behind me. Electrifying air floods my lungs as I stop to stare down the face of the mountain. Then, like a bullet, I shoot down its steep pitch. 

This experience can only be attributed to one of the most popular winter sports: skiing. 

Each year without fail, my family crams everything from our house into the car, straps skis to the roof, and sets off for the mountains. After countless trips of rolling in the snow and observing skiers and snowboarders alike, I can officially say that skiing is the sport to pick. 

For beginners, skiing is intuitive as both feet are separated from each other, leading to easier maneuverability. Skiers face directly where they are going, allowing them to monitor their surroundings, while snowboarders ride with their side facing downhill, which can be a difficult adjustment, according to sophomore and skier Lily Li. 

Not only is skiing easier, but it is also safer. Snowboarders are 50-70% more likely to sustain injuries due to both feet being buckled to the board according to the Guardian. Meanwhile, skis have a built-in release mechanism that detaches them during a fall, reducing the chance of injury. 

Nevertheless, many people who travel to the mountains for the first time choose snowboarding over skiing because it is more comfortable and requires less gear. 

“The biggest downside of skiing is how uncomfortable those boots are,” snowboarder and senior Chris Lee said. “Ski boots are actually so uncomfortable — I can’t walk in them without dying. Snowboard boots are basically really heavy shoes, but skiing, I feel like you’re wearing hard plastic. You also need to rent poles, too, and I feel like it’s easier to lose a ski than it is to lose a snowboard.”

Although a snowboard is easier to carry and manage off the slopes, skis create a much more enjoyable experience on the mountain due to less wait time. 

Many snowboarders sit on the top and bottom of the hill to stop, crowding the runs, according to Li. For many people, after the hassle of renting equipment and standing in lift lines, the last thing they want to do is wait around on the slopes. 

However, choosing to snowboard inherently slows a group down because at the top of every run, snowboarders must buckle into their equipment, inevitably leading to the notorious snowboard sitting wall that blocks the slope. 

Regardless of skill level or experience, skis are the safest and most intuitive option for the slopes. There is nothing like the feeling of flying down a slope with a cool breeze whooshing past your face, and a trip to the snow should not be spent falling on the snow with a board strapped to both feet.