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10 Unusual Winter Activities You Might Not Know About Read More
Here some unusual activities that you could try for this winter!
This winter, when the snow is piled high outside your doorway, or in the mountains nearby, you could head out into the cold and build a snowman or have an epic snowball fight. Those are some time-honored winter traditions, yet when the temperature drops, thereΆs so much more you can do.
Ingenious (or perhaps crazy) people have been coming up with some unusual and wild winter activities over the years to help them pass the time. You might have even heard of a few of these sports, like ice sailing and igloo building, but our guess is that many of these strange winter events are still a mystery to you.
Skijoring
Skijoring is mushing behind a couple of dogs across the snow while the musher rides on a pair of skis. The name skijoring comes from Norwegian. For variety, horse skijoring also exists. You donΆt ride the horse, but get dragged behind it. The horse is the “powerboat” that pulls the skier along. You can opt to have one or two dogs haul you down a snowy track, although if you choose a horse, only one should suffice.
Ice Sailing
The name says it all: Ice sailing is sailing across frozen bodies of water. This sport takes more money to get into, than say, ice blocking, but itΆs truly a thrill for those who are lucky enough to get to do it. Ice sailing, also known as ice boating and ice yachting, requires a sleek sailboat mounted on runners, which glides across a frozen lake or pond. Some skill is required to do it properly, and it can be quite dangerous, but with some incredible speeds on record, it can also be incredibly exciting. Make sure you get the proper training and equipment before trying this sport out for yourself
Snow Kneeboarding
Snow kneeboarding (also known as redneck kneeboarding) really does exist, although you might have to do a bit of searching until you find a community that has embraced it wholeheartedly. (There are a few towns in Colorado, like Colorado Springs, that might be a good place to start.)
Igloo Building
If you love the snow, and love architecture, why not take part in an igloo building competition this winter? You can usually find them where there is a lot of ice and snow, like Grand Falls in New Brunswick, Canada. If there arenΆt any competitions in your neck of the woods, you can become a pioneer, and start one yourself. Igloo building is tons of fun, and a great way to hang out with your friends in the snow while showing off you building and artistic prowess. If youΆre a novice to the whole process, you can find plenty of detailed igloo building guides online.
Shovel Racing
Shovel racing is a “sport” thatΆs pretty easy to get into. All you need to get started is some kind of slope covered in snow, thick winter bibs and a shovel. A helmet is also advisable, since youΆll be moving pretty fast. You also might want to choose a shovel that doesnΆt end in a sharp point, because youΆll be sitting on the blade of the shovel, with the metal squeezed in right between your legs.
Wok Racing
Wok racing is akin to shovel racing, but competitors race down icy tracks on modified Chinese cooking woks. The Germans first concocted this unusual and inventive sport. Real wok races take place on professional luge and bobsled tracks, which allows athletes to clock in some fairly impressive speeds.
Ice Blocking
Ice blocking is a straightforward “sport,” if you want to call it that. Many people ice block in the summer, but itΆs an activity you can do any time of the year. If you tackle the slopes when the weather is cold, with a light frost on the ground, your ice block will last a lot longer. YouΆll need a grassy hill of some sort, large ice blocks, friends (to laugh at you) and maybe some alcohol to get into the spirit.
Curling
You might have heard of curling before, since itΆs a Winter Olympic event, but did you know that there are curling clubs all over the country? Yes, you too can take part in this, well, not really edge-of-your seat exciting type of event, but still, it looks pretty fun. Curling is a bit like billiards combined with bowling and sweeping –– on ice. If youΆve ever played shuffleboard, you might be pretty good at this.
Snow Kayaking
Running a kayak on snow works almost the same as it does on water, except rather than let the current of a river push you along, gravity is your friend, dragging you down the mountain slope. You donΆt have to worry about rocks jutting out of the water, but you do have to avoid snow-laden trees, which can really cause some damage if you smack into them.
Polar Bear Swims
For those of you who have a high tolerance for the cold, or are somewhat masochistic in nature, you might want to think about joining a polar bear club when the temperatures dip down below zero. Depending on your perspective, diving into icy water with your friends might be extremely enjoyable, or else a painful right of passage into an obscure cult of ice swimmers.
Choose what you fit!!!
Friendly Regards,
Curatolo Leonardo, Atene,4/1/2017
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