Ode

The sting of realizing you’re just not good enough can pave the way to a whole new enjoyment of the sport.

There are approximately 25,000 genes in human DNA. I’m guessing that one of them wears skis.

Ride them long enough and you come to view chairlifts not just as things, but as entities with lives, vibes, and personalities all their own.

Much has been written about the dads who introduce us to skiing, but it's often the moms who make sure we're hooked for life.

My brother used to lead the way and all I had to do was keep up. But then, he lost his way.

It's mud season in mountain towns, and we're kind of relieved.

Nothing compares to skiing powder. But skiing over glass comes in a close second.

Turns out, there's more to skiing than just getting from point A to point B.

Our top writers have perfected the art of the essay in our near-iconic Ode column. These are some of the best.

When times are tough and the world feels like it's turned upside-down, sometimes play is just what's needed

We’ve found the sun does in fact still rise and set and chairlifts still go round and round

Fostering the generational passion of skiing, but this time, the other way around.

The way to a skier’s heart is through dented bumpers, rusted floorboards, and most importantly, heat that works

These weird and wonderful labors of love signify the sheer passion that makes us skiers special

The comfort that washes over my nervous system while I sit in my office is like the antonym of powder panic

When the snow falls, skiers worldwide understand one other perfectly well, no matter where they come from.

Any guy can present well through drinks and dinner, but if you want to find out what a man is really made of, you have to take him skiing.

Never underestimate the power of bartering in a ski town—especially when fresh-baked desserts are involved.

Sam Coffey helped everyone thrive in the greater skiing family and beyond. He was a person all skiers should aspire to be.

Sometimes the best-laid plans—like a powder-packed RV trip in the dead of winter—get a hard reality check. This is one of those times.

One writer finds inspiration in a ski day well spent—even if it ends at 2 P.M. with a Montucky Cold Snack at the base lodge cafeteria.

It starts on the slopes and ends—often with a thump—on the sidewalk

The best part about skiing might not be the turns, the snow, or even the scenery—it's a chance to disconnect from the digital world

The coveted ski locker at the base of your home mountain

Slush bumps forgive almost all your errors—the missing sections of edge on your skis, bases you haven’t waxed all season, and more

Breaking the shackles of a knee injury is just the motivation one skier needed to ski again

Thanks to you, chairlift heckler, I’ve found a new appreciation for being singled out

The days of summer ski maintenance might be behind me, but the simple act of putting wax to bases recalls the sheer joy of my youth.

The gift of skiing isn't just about skiing.

Pow chasing requires Fuel—and fine fluorescent-lit gastronomy.

When a skiing parent’s relentless care and feeding finally pay off.

Tragic accidents happen. But sometimes staying alive is a commitment you make to the people who love you.

Crappy diem? Throw on a trash brag and seize it.

In the sordid world of ski-town dating, math is cruel and sharing is caring.

Our Wyoming correspondent finds end-of-year salvation at his local hill’s torchlight parade.

The guilty pleasure of living in The Bubble.

Because skiing is what you make of it.

What we do to make it work.

With a little help from gravity, one Midwesterner leaves skiing’s cultural baggage behind.

Celebrating the least appreciated aspect of a great run.

One reader's story of faith lost and found, ski bum economics, and the weird stuff you find on the night shift.

To hell with the internet; a ski resort is the best place to reinvent yourself.

Or why PBRs in the parking lot are the soul of skiing.

Why skiers throw lacy things on trees.

Our sport's crotch-ripping badge of courage.

The making of a believer.

Why skiing and dancing go so well together.

The only fur you'll find here was killed with a rifle and mounted on the wall behind the taps.