I am an avid snowboarder and, I admit, I would have seriously taken this other path this season had I not found myself expecting another child.

For those of you who are open to a different kind of snow adventure, why not try out Airboarding?

[photo source: Fischer Adventures]



Airboarding is the new way to slide down the slopes. It looks a lot like a sled however, it functions as a body board. "The Airboard, according to KidznSnow, is an Inflatable sled made of durable urethane impregnated nylon material. It quickly inflates with a small hand pump (included). What makes Airboard different than other inflatable sleds is the profile runners, which run the length of the board. These indentations in the bottom coated material give the rider control by tracking in the snow. Just shift your body weight and the Airboard carves. Give it a little pressure to the handles and you can carve as well as on a snowboard or skis. It comes with a hand leash so you can capture the board when you bail."Airboarding originated in Europe however, very few are keen to start in US resorts due to liability issues.

The adventurous snow soul in you, however, can head on out to Canaan Valley for some Airboarding action. As I found out from Washington Post, "airboarders have their own terrain park: 600 feet that goes two-thirds of the way up the mountain (as long as there's lots o' snow). Think plenty of jumps to catch big air -- and the boards are yee-haw fast! Speeds have topped 80 mph, although the average is about 30. That's still plenty fast for extreme fun when your face is a few inches from the snow.Hit the slopes this season by airboarding over at Canaan Valley, the first ski area in the US to offer an Airboard terrain park. Check out their official website for lodging details, lessons and travel packages.