Cheers to The Shotski: A Brief History of Single-Plank Drinking

Wondering what to do with that old pair of skis with no life left in them? Sure, you can get handy and make a cute-but-uncomfortable bench, but why not use that craftiness to transform them into the single best method for simultaneous beverage consumption ever conceived?

by Ace Mackay-Smith

Most shot skis allow for four to five people to indulge at once. In 2011, Whistler residents combined their talents for an 85-person, 5-spoked group shot-ski, but an ambitious wedding party in Fernie, BC took the shot-ski to an epic and world-record-breaking level in 2013 by bolting 700-plus feet of skis together and intoxicating 522 slopeside guests. So bottoms up, the sky’s the limit.

Although, if you ask the Austrians, inventors of the shot-ski (and most everything else ski related) we’ve been doing it all wrong over here. The standard North American ski bum technique is to affi x several shot glasses to an old ski by drilling holes at an equal distance apart to allow three to five people to stand side-by-side along the length of the ski. After gluing the shot glasses into place, us North Americans just giv’r!

The Austrian old timers didn’t bother with power tools or glue. Their traditional schnappski method is to not attach the glasses at all, instead relying on skill, precision and teamwork to achieve shot-ski success.

In Austria, the shot-ski is traditionally known as a schnappski. It seems to have been around since the invention of après ski and the Austrian old timers didn’t bother with power tools or glue. Their traditional schnappski method is to not attach the glasses at all, instead relying on skill, precision and teamwork to achieve shot-ski success. It’s riskier, but skiing has always been about risk, just read the back of your lift ticket!

Of course, times change and technology progresses everything in the ski industry, even the shot-ski. A company called shotzski.com offers a boutique, shot-ski set-up consisting of tiny bindings and ski-boot-shaped shot glasses. It’s definitely easier, more expensive and more sanitary than the ski bum method, but it’s also nice to have a bunny-hill option for shot skiers, too.

Regardless of you methodology, one thing is certain. No one shot-skis alone, that’s what makes them awesome. Racer ready? Set, 3-2-1 shot-ski!

For our guide to building a shot-ski, go to mountainlifemedia.ca/shotski