Why do you ski/board

The same as Tony H, plus its something we can do as a family. We all don't play golf, we all don't mountain bike, but we can ski/board together.

It's that feeling of being truly alive and it puts into perspective any problems, either personal ones or things going on in the rest of the world.

Great question.

As other people have said, I love the beauty of the mountains and the crisp fresh air, I also love the crunch of snow under your feet, going so fast that your face burns with cold at the end of a run, the sparkle in the air that is left a day after a big snowfall, blue sky days, powder, vin chaud, chatting on the chair lift, laughing at people falling over, laughing at each other falling over (as long as no-one is hurt of course), and that feeling at the end of the day when you've done more exercise on your first day than you've done all year and you can sit around chatting with people who also love what you love and drink beer and re-fuel so you can do it all again the next day.

That's just a few reasons :D

Being in the mountains is a privilege, being there with the great friends I've made over the last decade is a delight.
A lot of people have mentioned the freedom, I have to agree. Free-ride isn't just a marketing buzz word, it really means something.
It's the challenge of the steep and the deep.
Small mountain restaurants and tucked away villages.
Getting the miles under your skis.

Besides, it's the most fun you can have with all your clothes on!

There are some beautiful answers here, people have opened up their hearts.

Love of the mountains is a common theme, expressed so well by snowb4ndit's "peace and tranquility"

The feelings, JonG's "the only beat my day marches to is the beat of my heart"

The respect, Andy's "being in the mountains is a privilege". It certainly is.

The descriptive, Nelly's "the crunch of the snow under your feet", and "going so fast, your face burns with the cold"

The emotions, ParalyticSkiCrazy's "eyes welling up, when imagining the first day on top of he mountain"

Driving through our village this morning, I stopped to talk to a lady, who I know to be a skier. I mentioned the thread, and she told me that on every ski trip, she has an emotional moment of the week, usually at the top of the mountain, when she too, breaks out in tears.

So we think that skiing is love, feelings, respect, and emotion.

I'm pretty much the same as everyone else.

The beauty of the mountains.
The crispnessof the air, how it feels so clean.
The silence whilst on a chairlift.
Seeing the animal tracks from a lift. Wondering what made them, even better if my instructor can tell me what made them.
The feeling I get when I improve a little, even though I'll never be a great skiier.
The cosiness of the bars/restaurants after a hard day.
The smell of woodsmoke drifting through a village.
The slight ache that means I've had a great workout. At home I'd never spend hours exercising.
The complete difference to my everyday life.
As we have always gone skiing as part of a group I enjoy the camaraderie. Mixing with people separate to my usual friends. Getting to know people over a course of a few years only seeing them for a week per year. It's strange because I'd hate to be 'stuck in a group' on a sun holiday or city break.
Oh, don't forget - Fondue and Mulled Wine!

Dave Mac wrote:

Driving through our village this morning, I stopped to talk to a lady, who I know to be a skier. I mentioned the thread, and she told me that on every ski trip, she has an emotional moment of the week, usually at the top of the mountain, when she too, breaks out in tears.

Maybe her boots are too tight?

One of my favourite parts is skiing down a fairly easyish run, and really letting the skis go, the feelings you get as the edges carve and pull round the turn is amazing! Or the silence as you ski through some trees in powder, nothing can beat that!