Winter is in full swing, and the clear skies of summer have been replaced with cloudy days, cold temperatures and snowcapped peaks. Nevertheless, winter recreation is just as fun as its summer counterpart, mainly in the mountainous arenas of skiing and snowboarding.

Now, I know there is animosity between the two winter-loving, snow-based-fun fans – snowboarders and skiers — and I understand the roots of each.

However, I also know that snowboarders slice unnecessary furrows in the mountain leading to washboard snow and grooved powder. This is just one of the many reasons why skiing is the best and most-preferred form of winter recreation.

Skiing is much simpler. It is faster, it is easier and both legs are free to roam. Snowboarders trust their lives to a single plank of plastic or wood, not to mention an absence of poles to assist in agility and stability.

In terms of total amount of participants, skiing ranks supreme. However, by winter 2015, statistics from the “ABCs of Skiing” estimate an equilibrium wherein snowboarding will overtake skiers as the face of winter recreation.

Skiing is more ancient, traditional and, ultimately, superior.

According to the book “Two Planks and a Passion” by Roland Huntford, skiing was pioneered by the Norwegians and may have originated in the Stone Age. Theoretically, skiing is as old as the wheel. Archeological dig sites base the discovery of skiing on Norwegian exploration in Norway, Finland and Sweden.

Snowboarding, however, did not break through to mainstream culture until the 20th century (mainly the ‘50s and ‘60s) and is a mixture of skateboarding, skiing and surfing.

Thanks for stealing our sport, snowboarders.

In addition to the historical components to consider are the everyday ones, such as getting on the lift. Skiers find it relatively effortless to easily slide down the lift entry and hop on the lift. Snowboarders are constrained to an ape-like saunter that bears greater resemblance to the Abominable Snowman than anything inherently natural.

Luckily— and in light of a middle ground— most lifts seem to have footrests, which benefit both parties.

Injuries also play a key role in the decision-making process when one decides if one should ski or ride.

A 2011 case study from the “British Journal of Sports Medicine” examining reported injuries of eight Norwegian alpine resorts, showed the risk of serious injury increases with children, beginners, adolescents, and (who would have thought) snowboarders. In reality— and even though Sonny Bono did not have great luck— skiing is actually safer.

Sure, there are fewer terrain parks geared toward skiers, and adventuring off the beaten path does sound tantalizing, but while snowboarding might be the face of off-piste adventure, the advent of fat skis is bringing skiing back into that market with a vengeance. There’s a reason snowboarders who want to get into the backcountry invest in a split board. Secretly, they want to be skiers.

Ultimately, whether you are a skier or a snowboarder, one thing we can all agree on is that nowhere are we happier than sky high on a summit with clear skies and fresh powder.