When the temperature drops most of us want to hibernate. But there are a few folks out there that enjoy freezing their faces off while taking part in foolish-looking or downright frightening frosty sports and activities. Check out a few of our favorites.
Also known as “ski ballet,” this demonstration sport had its heyday in the ’70s because, well, look at the uniforms! Choreographed snow dances were performed, both by solo athletes and in pairs, and they were set to music. Sadly (?) the International Ski Federation ceased to recognize formal acroski competitions in 2000.
This sounds insane to us … but appeals to some. A dry suit’s required, as well as fully protective gear, because fresh water beneath a crust of ice is still generally in the low 30s, temp-wise. The sport’s only for advanced divers, as there is generally only one entry and exit point, and a ceiling keeping you away from sweet, holy oxygen at all times.
Slap some rudders affixed with metal runners on the bottom of your flat-bottom boat, add a few extra layers to your general sailing attire, and you’re good to go. Ice sailing is super popular in places like Austria and Germany, but was also the cool-kids sport of choice along the Hudson in New York way back in 1790.
You’ve likely heard of ice climbing before, but we wanted to include it because it looks like one of the craziest things a person would want to try. Ice falls and frozen waterfalls set the scene for this sport, which uses a grading system that goes from WI2 (a 60 degree slant to the ice, that can be climbed using an ice axe) to WI7 (described as “near mythical,” sustained overhangs with no rests).
Get back in your boat in order to get up close and personal with humpback whales, porpoises, glaciers and gobsmacking scenery when you take to a place like Alaska’s Glacier Bay National Park in a one-man sea kayak.
Take a biathlon (cross-country skiing followed by rifle shooting) and amp it up by adding fencing, horse jumping, a freestyle swim, and replacing the cross-country skiing bit with a running race, and you’ve got the pentathlon.
What looks like a poor man’s take on snowboarding, shovel racing was included in the 1997 Winter X Games, but was later banned due to the inherent danger to shovel slayers.
Also known as “snowboating” (but we can’t say that without snickering, opening up Urban Dictionary in a new tab, and promptly being contacted by our IT Department), this sport’s officially been around since 2002. You can snowboat solo (HA) or against three other snow kayakers.
Finally, one we’d be good at! Ice bars are increasingly popular across Europe, where ice hotels are set up seasonally and people hand over their hard-earned cash to sleep in what amounts to an igloo with Wifi. Most include a bar made of ice where you no doubt will order something toasty.
