Why Are We So Infatuated With Pond Skims?

All of us here are captivated by sliding down snow on some kind of appartatus, be that two planks or one plank, and when it comes to sliding on water, it somehow makes us want to wear a silly outfit, drink 12 beers, and BBQ in the parking lot until it’s dark.

Yes, that’s right I’m talking about pond skims.

For some reason us skiers and snowboarders (and mono skiers) just go berserk for a good pond skim. Maybe it’s the good weather, the lack of clothes, or the impending doom of knowing that pond skims are a sign that winter is coming to a close.

So, what’s with snow sports enthusiasts’ infatuation with pond skims?

The roots of pond skimming allegedly dates back 100 years to two friends in Alberta, Canada. Legend has it that these two friends came across a big puddle of freshly melted snow.

Of course, they had to try to ski across it. I think it must be human nature. One of the friends made it across unscathed, but the other tumbled into the freezing water.

Unbeknownst to them, their actions helped shape the ski world and some of the most important traditions; zooming across water on planks built for frozen water and laughing at your friends when they fall.

It was then popularized at in Washington at the Mt. Baker Slush Cup. One of the originators of the pond skim party scene.

Here's some vintage footage of the 1964 Slush Cup courtesy of Warren Miller Entertainment.

Objectively, when you look at skiing and snowboarding, it’s already kind of a goofy thing to be doing. Modern humans aren’t meant to withstand the chilling temperatures faced in the middle of a snowstorm in Sierra Nevadas.

We don’t rely on a thick coat of fur, rather we rely on Gore Tex, electrically heated boots, and Fireball to stay warm.

Then, we stepped up the obscurity with pond skims. Snow skis aren’t meant for water i.e. water skis. So why do we love using our snow gear for surfaces they’re not built for?

I think a big reason is because it’s just plain funny, but now it’s so ingrained in ski culture that it is one of the highest forms of tradition in the ski world.

It just makes sense after (allegedly) 100 years of pond skimming that we should make a big deal about it, make it competitive, and drink fermented bread water while we do it.

Oh, and of course wearing silly costumes.

It’s also quite symbolic if you think about it.

It’s a way of casually saying goodbye to winter and hello to spring and summer. The melted snow represents the seasons changing and the natural cycle of mother nature and gliding across it as we do with snow.

In the same realm, it just doesn't quite make that much sense, and that’s why it makes so much sense to us.

The last and most important thing I can think of why we are so infatuated with pond skims is because it’s an excuse to party. We always love an excuse to party. Deep down we know we don’t even need an excuse for it, but it makes us feel better about it.

While this article was meant to be more an ode to pond skims, I couldn’t help but dive into the introspection and philosophy of the pond skim. But, like many things in life, it’s easy to take it for granted.

Pond skim season only comes around once a year, and there’s only one left in the Tahoe area. It’s the legendary Cushing Crossing at Palisades. It’s quite the event, and possibly one of the best pond skims in the country. Hopefully you can make it out.