Friday Fun
Throughout the history of skiing, people have never ceased to innovate and find new ways to have fun sliding on snow. From the first primitive designs used for transportation and hunting to the first metal bindings, the development of the twin tip and the snowboard, camber, rocker, carbon, etc. However, long before these high-tech developments, people wanted to combine some of their favorite pastimes.
Now, what goes better with skiing than almost anything else? If you thought whiskey, then you thought correctly. It keeps you having fun regardless of conditions, warms you up, and keeps you on the mountain longer because you can’t drive home!
Back in the day, some folks decided they wanted to combine these two entities in a more practical manner, and thus, Stave Skiing was born. They would take the wooden planks or staves used to make the barrels the whiskey was distilled in (or wine if you’re European) and turn them into little skis resembling wooden snowlerblades.
In the States, this practice didn’t last too long. It had a slight resurgence in the ’60s in Vermont, but aside from that, it remained a relatively obscure practice.
However, in Austria, some people have kept the tradition alive. In Obertraun, Austria, there is an annual Stave Skiing race. The downhill course is riddled with jumps and obstacles. Spectators enjoy watching racers hurl themselves down the mountain on these little planks of wood, often leaving their feet in the pursuit of speed.
Now, if tiny skis made of wooden planks don’t float your boat, don’t worry. Parlor Skis, a small custom ski company based in Massachusetts, is collaborating with Whistlepig Whiskey, based out of Vermont. Parlor will make a limited-edition ski using the Vermont Oak from Whistlepig’s whiskey barrels to construct the sidewalls. More importantly, the ski will be named after the award-winning Boss Hog Whiskey and come with a bottle! While it’s not the most accessible ski ($2,000, only 25 pairs), it’s fun to see the tradition of skiing and whiskey being kept alive.
So, regardless of whether you find yourself with a pair of Parlor skis, some makeshift wooden stave skis, or just good old faithful waiting for snow in the closet, it’s that time of year again. It’s time to break out the skis, dust off the bottle, and prepare for spring. The sun is shining, and the snow is still falling, so get out there and have fun!
