Never mind the prevailing wisdom that skiing was invented in Austria or Scandinavia. It was created in western China's Altai Mountains— a range that runs through Kazakhstan, Russia, Mongolia, and China. 

Skis in the Altai are chopped from single pieces of spruce and given tips through a process of repeated heating, bending, and drying. The end result bears a remarkable resemblance to the most innovative designs in today's powder skis: big, fat, and wider underfoot than at the tip and tail.

The story of these skiers was profiled in Warren Miller Entertainment's 2009 film, Dynasty.