Skis are practically as old as snow, particularly in Scandinavian countries, where getting around in winter is an essential fact of life. By the 18th century, wooden skis had made the leap from tools for hunters to basic equipment for Swedish and Norwegian soldiers—their training regimes, which combined skiing and shooting, became the basis for the biathalon of the Winter Olympics, which debuted in 1924. By the 19th century, skis were...Continue Reading