Going for winter sports: what is it, why do it, and where is the best place to go?

What are winter sports?

• Winter sports are athletic activities that take place on snow or ice, usually during the colder months of the year. 
• They include both recreational pastimes like sledding, skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing and ice skating, as well as competitive disciplines such as ski jumping, biathlon, ice hockey, and figure skating.
• Less common, or more specialized, winter sports: kite skiing, snow blading, snow kiting, big foot skiing, mono-skiing, ice cricket, off-piste skiing, heli-skiing, paraskiing, ski jumping, ski mountaineering, speed skiing, bobsleighing, mogul skiing, luge, skeleton, telemark skiing, deep snow skiing, ski touring, ice-caving and ice diving.
• Many winter sports rely on specialized equipment like skis, snowboards, skates, and sleds to glide over frozen surfaces. 
• These sports are popular in mountainous or cold-climate regions and are often associated with winter resorts. 
• Due to the inherent cold and slippery conditions, winter sports are generally considered as more dangerous than other sports

Why should you go on winter sports abroad?

• For your physical health: most winter sports are a great work-out, in combination with clean mountain air
• For mental health: on the slope, the mountain top or deep in a snowy forest your worries melt away
• Raising awareness: going outside to enjoy snow and ice makes you more aware of climate change

What are the risks when going for winter sports abroad?

• Winter sports can be physically demanding, combining speed and skill, with slippery conditions. Injuries like sprained ankles, twisted knees, and broken bones are quite common
• Avalanches are extremely dangerous, but with proper preparation, the risk can be greatly reduced.
• Frostbite and hypothermia, especially when temperatures drop suddenly, a cold wind picks up, or you get lost.
• Running out of snow and ice due to climate change, snow seasons get shorter and less predicable

Where is the best place to go for winter sport abroad?

• Canada: Lake Louise - Alberta or Sun Peaks - British Columbia
• USA: Aspen - Colorado or Park City - Utah
• Australia: Snowy Mountains and Victorian Alps
• Chile: several resorts near Santiago
• Japan: resorts near Sapporo or Nagano
• France: both the alps and the Pyrenees
• Austria: in the Austrian Alps
• Sweden and Finland: endless ski touring and dog sledding