Winter is the slow season, there’s really nothing to do outdoors.
Says who?
Around the world, particularly in temperate regions, winter is the season to get up and get active!
Frozen lakes and snow-blanketed slopes mean all sorts of sports and activities that are only possible in the dead of winter.
So, let’s check out some winter-exclusive sports you can get up to and most importantly-where to find them!
Skiing
THE face of winter sports, skiing probably stands at the apex of winter sports in sheer coolness.
But did you know that skiing is unbelievably ancient?
First used as a practical means of traversing snowy landscapes, skiing arose in the particularly snowy regions of Central Asia and Scandinavia. In this era, animal bones and asymmetrical skis were the norm.
It wasn’t until the 20th century when skiing took off as a recreational sport, mostly thanks to technology like metal edges and fiberglass making the sport easier to pick up and master.
Now an Olympic sport, skiing is more popular than ever, with tons of slopes equipped with courses, ski-lifts and even hotels!
Besides well-manicured ski slopes, you can also try skiing across natural vistas with cross-country skiing or off-piste skiing. Make sure to get a tour or guide if you’re not experienced though!
Where to Find
Grenoble (France): Nicknamed the Capital of the Alps, this mountain-ringed city still has venues from its stint at the 1968 Winter Olympics.
Cerro Catedral (Argentina): This little slice of South America’s underrated Patagonia region contrasts beautifully with the vast lakes and grasslands below.
Mount Erciyes (Turkey): Panoramic slopes that are just a hop and skip away from the fairy chimneys and hot air balloons of Cappadocia.
Snowboarding
Skiing’s much younger cousin, snowboarding involves zipping down slopes not with two skis but with a single, large board.
Originating from “snurfboards” – boards with a rope attached in front – in the 1960s, snowboarding would quickly take on a life of its own and gain widespread popularity and recognition, eventually becoming an internationally-recognized sport in the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano.
Snowboarding is usually divided into three disciplines: freestyle snowboarding (tricks and stylish maneuvers), freeride snowboarding (off-road exploration) and Alpine snowboarding (speed and obstacles).
Although exceedingly rare, a few ski resorts ban snowboarding for safety or for their clientele. In fact, it’s so rare that only three ski resorts out of 531 in the entire United States bar snowboarding. Still, it doesn’t hurt to check before hauling your snowboard up!
Where to Find
Park City (United States): Located right next to Winter Olympics host Salt Lake City, this retreat offers small town vibes amidst the majesty of the Rocky Mountains.
Niseko (Japan): Thanks to the Pacific, this Hokkaido resort town is covered with a powdery layer of snow that lures in snow sports enthusiasts from around the world.
Hemu (China): Located in far western region of Xinjiang, the sprawling Jikepulin Ski Resort ski resort allows you to snowboard down a mountain range that straddles four nations.
Due to longer nights and clearer skies, winter is widely considered the best season for stargazing. Don’t worry, Malaysia has its own stargazing spots too!
Ice Skating
Deceptively easy, ice skating is probably one of the few winter sports that are available in Malaysia in the form of ice rinks.
But way before ice rinks, humans were gliding around the icy waters of northern Europe with skates made with nothing but animal bones (aided with some walking sticks)! It took until the 18th and 20th centuries for us to switch to using iron and then steel blades.
Skating itself has also evolved as a sport, spawning various disciplines such as speed skating, figure skating or even ice hockey.
Although indoor rinks are available year-round regardless of weather, nothing beats skating down what used to be a river or lake in the height of winter while taking in the seasonal views. Just make sure to keep yourself warm and bring your winter gear!
Where to Find
Luleå (Sweden): A vast, 10km-long ice rink that lets visitors skate, sled or even walk across the city’s harbour bay during winter.
Grand Palais (France): Don’t let this ice rink’s temporary nature fool you, for it is housed in one of the grandest public buildings of the 20th century in all its steel and glass glory.
Rideau Canal Skateway (Canada): The world’s largest natural ice skating rink with a length of 7.8 km, this riverine rink is located at the heart of the capital Ottawa.
Sadly, winter is also the peak season for influenza. Find out how to avoid this debilitating disease in our Influenza Survival Guide.
Sledding
From two skis to a large snowboard, we finally reach the winter sport with the largest(?) ride – sledding!
Though that’s not exactly true either, since – like all winter sports – sledding spans a subsets that include everything from your archetypal wagon sleds to tiny luge sleds.
For the iconic sledding experience though, you can’t really beat bobsledding – a sport where riders barrel through constructed tracks in giant, aerodynamic sleighs that fit up to four people. It’s also one of the most recognizable Winter Olympics sports.
Whatever the size, all sledding usually involves barrelling down natural slopes or manmade tracks, such as the famous bobsled tracks of Sarajevo, now sadly abandoned.
Where to Find
Wildkogel Toboggan Run (Austria): One of the world’s longest sled runs, this 14km stretch of snow lets you barrel past the landscapes of Southern Tyrol.
La Plagne (France): Wanna sled like a pro? Then book a bobsled and zip down this ski resort’s Olympic-tier track at 80km/h!
Zermatt (Switzerland): Like Toblerone? Then you’ll probably love the sled run at Rotenboden-Riffelberg sled run, which lets you savour the iconic Matterhorn. Make sure to stop by Zurich if you can too.
Just getting warmed up? Then try visiting some of the venues and non-sports attractions of these Seven Winter Olympics Cities. We also have more detailed guides for a chill Zurich winter and for Tokyo travellers – a day hike to the mountain quarries of Mount Nokogiri.
Links
Powder.com – The Evolution of Skis: A Look at How They’ve Transformed Over Time
https://www.powder.com/gear/evolution-of-skis
Powder.com – These 3 Ski Resorts Ban Snowboarding: Here’s Why
https://www.powder.com/ski-resorts/no-snowboard-ski-resorts
La Plagne – Bobsleigh, skeleton, sled
https://en.la-plagne.com/explore-the-multitude-of-activities-on-offer/plunge-into-the-heart-of-winter/bobsleigh-skeleton-sled
