Skip to main content
SeeChamonix

The Future of Skiing

featured in News & reviews Author Ellie Mahoney, Chamonix Editor Updated

Back in 1968 American SKI magazine endeavoured to predict how skiing would have evolved by the new millennium. While some of the magazine's predictions would not look out of place in a ‘Back to the Future' movie, others were not so far wide of the mark.

According to the magazine, skiers in the new millennium would wear skintight catsuits in fine weather and insulated suits, reminiscent of those worn by astronauts, in cold weather. The forecasters also imagined that the same pair of skis would perform equally well on ice as in deep powder and that chairlifts would become a thing of the past, replaced by enclosed lifts.

But the forecasters at SKI did get some things right. They predicted such technological breakthroughs as hard synthetic outer boots with inner liners that conform to individual feet; travel changes such as cheaper air fares; and development trends such as the plethora of second homes at the base of ski areas.

Imagine a skier from 50 years ago surveying the scene in a modern ski resort. What would he think of iPods wired into jackets? GPS wrist units? Cell phones with cameras? Digitally scanned lift tickets? Polarized contact lenses designed to cut snow glare? PDAs that allow skiers to check in at the office while they're on the slopes? Digitally scanned hands free ski passes? Web cams? Internet video snow reports?

These advances in technology have shaped the sport today and will undoubtedly continue to do so. So what will the future face of skiing look like?

SKIING IN 2056
The following predictions come from three sources: John Fry, author of "The History of Modern Skiing"; Jim Carroll, trends and innovation expert and Michael Berry, president of the National Ski Areas Association:

» Snow-riding equipment innovations. (Think way beyond snow bikes.)

» Year-round activities will be expanded at more ski areas.

» Intelligent equipment will be developed. (Some skis already contain a chip that communicates the release of energy on the ski.)

» Portable offices will be provided at ski areas, allowing skiers to take work breaks. (Bluetooth already makes that possible for multitaskers.)

» Large print will be used on trail signs, catering to older skiers.

» Private ski resorts will be developed—like country clubs with snow.
» Transport mechanisms will change drastically. The magic carpet could become a real magic carpet.

» Wrinklies resorts will thrive as the population nearly doubles in the West in the next 40 years.

» Video will rule. Web cams and ride analyzers are just the beginning. How about a wired terrain park that picks up a rider's signal and films him while he does his best moves?

» Smart goggles will incorporate military helmet-mounted technology to project trail maps on your lenses.

Who knows how accurate the experts' predictions will prove to be? But the future of skiing certainly looks bright.