MAMMOTH: Slopes are filled with skies and snowboarders during winter break. Photo Courtesy of Annette Aucamp / The Plaid Press

By Annette Aucamp & Anna-Carolina Knapp

Southern California is renowned for its diverse and enticing climate, featuring a blend of hot and arid conditions that attract surfers looking for the perfect waves and beach-goers searching for the warmth of the sun on our coast. Our state also boasts a moderate and tranquil climate, making it a desirable destination for people from across the country.

It is indisputable that California’s beach lifestyle is extremely appealing, but just because it is the most well-known feature does not mean that it is the only thing California has to offer.

Within the sprawling mountain ranges of California lies an entirely different attraction; winter sports. California is home to a host of mountains, including the infamous Sierra Nevada, which is packed with skiers and snowboarders every winter. World-renowned resorts, such as Mammoth Mountain, entice locals and tourists alike, with its vast skiing and snowboarding terrain and high quantities of snowfall.

Los Angeles is surrounded by a variety of places for snowsports, some just a couple hours away, such as Mountain High and Big Bear. For those looking for a further adventure, Mammoth Mountain is a five-hour drive away from us. With the large availability of ski resorts being close by, people can spend their winter and spring vacations skiing and snowboarding.

“There’s definitely a snow community and it’s always nice to spend the winter together with people who share a love for enjoying nature on the slopes of the beautiful mountains,” senior and skier Oliver Taylor said.

This bond is forged through the excitement that comes from the delight of skiing and snowboarding, something that all those who partake in winter sports can relate to.

“When I went the other weekend it was so packed that I had to park on the east side of the resort and catch a shuttle full of people who were going up to the west side,” senior and snowboarded Ramiro Rios said. “The whole way up everyone was hyped because it had snowed the night before and was going to be a ‘pow’ day.”

A “pow day,” shorthand for the word powder, is when the snow is light, dry, and fluffy, ideal skiing and snowboarding conditions.

Even when the conditions are perfect, the slopes have to be shared by two different groups of people, snowboarders, and skiers, and there can be tension between the two when forced to share the resort.

“The only tension between snowboarding and skiing is on the chairlift when snowboarders take all your space when getting off,” senior and skier Robert Stanfield said.

This tension also translates into interactions between skiers and snowboarders on social media.

“People think that snowboarding is better than skiing or that skiing is better than snowboarding,” junior, skier, and snowboarder Vincent Montoya, said, “People online seem to argue about which is easier to learn, which is harder to master, and which you can do more tricks on.”

Even though this contention is present while on the slopes, it doesn’t have to act as a divide between skiers and snowboarders.

“At the end of the day, we’re all out there for the same reason; our love of the snow and the thrill of going down that slope,” Taylor said. “That love brings people together, no matter how you choose to enjoy it.”