Some would claim it's about the toys, the social ties, and our inability to give up the scabby knees of youth.

While it may well be these things, I think it is also the pure love of fun and the search for the ultimate thrill.

We are gaining an awareness and appreciation for the environment that draws us to the outdoors. Many of us feel that the beauty of our natural resources is threatened and we mean to enjoy them while we can. These sports also offer both mental and physical challenges, you push yourself to make that jump or hold that crack. You find a focus, a challenge from nature is met, gravity is momentarily defied. The exhilaration is unbelievable. There is the feeling when you're out there that life is good. You are strong, you are young, and life is good.

"The attraction to the alternative sports of today lies in the theme of competition within oneself. We are drawn away from the team competitions, finding greater rewards in nature." - Jason Schnurr

"I love to just go ride, to everywhere - to nowhere. I have a totally tricked out bike named Gerard. I could play outside all day.-Janie Hayes

"The sun coming up on the mountain, glaring off the snow, to know I'm the first one carving tracks, that's it for me." - Sean Pawlowski

"These sports give me a chance to be active and spend time with my friends outside. After a day on the rock, I feel more focused - life makes more sense. I know my head is clear when I have a really boss climb."- Kim Brubaker

"It's all about The Zone."-Cameron Crowe

People have always climbed rocks, but only recently has it become a well-defined sport. Recent advances in equipment makes climbing difficult routes safer. People climb these more difficult routes and develop better techniques, making the sport more challenging and fueling the demand for better equipment. The U.S. alone has hundreds of thousands of climbers. Detailed knowledge of safety equipment is crucial for safe climbing, your life is literally hanging by a thread (alright, a rope). If you're interested, find an experienced climber willing to take you out or go to the local climbing gym.

Snowboarding is a relatively new sport and the gear is quickly improving. Seemingly dominated by "jibbers" (see glossary) the sport carries a style and a language all its own. Like many other avid skiers, I swore I would never give up a day on the mountain to spend on my butt in the snow - where most boarders tend to be. However, all it took was a taste to get me hooked. You're closer to the mountain, more in control (once you get there) and nothing compares to the joy of a perfect turn or fresh tracks in deep powder.

Freestyle Snowboarding - The kind of boarding which is mostly associated with riding the halfpipe, but which may also be used to describe any type of snowboarding which includes tricks and maneuvers.

Freeriding - Snowboarding on all types of terrain for fun...no contests, no halfpipe, no gates, no rules, etc.

Jib - Describes a type of riding which most closely resembles street skating. "Jibbers" commonly slide rails, bonk trees, and perform flatground tricks. They are also usually younger boarders, with bigger attitudes.

Boned - A term used to explain the emphasis of style in a trick. In other words, if someone "boned out a method" they would grab hard and create an emphasis on the maneuver.

Bonk - The act of hitting an object with the snowboard.

Fat - (aka Phat) A term used to describe how cool something is.. Like a "Fat Air" might be a really styled out trick as well as being large, that is, very high.

Goofy Footed - Riding on a snowboard with the right foot in the forward position.

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