Snowboarding is a classic, fun pastime that many consider a second home. You can go anywhere to do it, and many states often have hills or mountains that offer a variety of trails or slopes for you to board down. Some of the best slopes are in Colorado, with the Rocky Mountains and others. It can be a time killer or a rejuvenating experience. But with reward comes risk, so how truly safe is snowboarding for the average Joe?

A good ski hill in Wisconsin would be Cascade Mountain as they are located in Portage, right off the interstate. They offer a variety of trails for beginners all the way to pros. Passes are offered at four levels that include their own benefits: Platinum, Gold, Gold Lite, Silver, and Bronze. They also offer passes for children below the age of 12. They also offer additional passes for side activities. Passes range from $660 to $400. They also have private training lessons for about $120.

Another popular ski resort would be Devil’s Head. They are located just north of Merrimac, WI. It has a bunch of trails that are family-friendly to more professional courses. Lift ticket costs range from $30 to about $75, and prices are based on age range. You can purchase yearly packages that range from $200 to about $499 or, if you want to buy a family pass, you can purchase that for about $1500.

With snowboarding, there are great rewards and great risks. Cameron Dominick, who very much enjoys snowboarding, said that one of the best rewards that comes with snowboarding is that “you can always learn new tricks. I like to freestyle.” There are also risks that come along with it. One risk and bad story is when Cameron hit a massive jump and landed on his back, going unconscious for a moment. Then he told me it felt like he couldn’t breathe. “I felt like I was going to die.”

Obviously, there is a lot of skill and practice involved in this sport, as well as knowing where to go. Different mountains offer different variations of trails, and they all have different courses, but one thing always remains the same: there are always great risks.

“With great risk comes great reward.” – Thomas Jefferson