Long before the days of shredding pow or double backflips, skiing was used as a method of transportation. Dating back to 4000 BCE Norway, skiing was the most efficient way to move across snowy terrain for hunting or exploration. While the sport has evolved ...

Picture this. There are four skiers standing in a start gate, much like ski cross. Below them, a winding track that features natural, unmanicured terrain sprawls. This is a far cry from a manicured World Cup course. The starting gate swings open.