8 Crazy-Fun Sports to Mix Up Your Winter

Ice Sailing

Ice sailing has been around for a long time. Ice boats were first used in the 17th century by Dutch sailors to transport goods across frozen lakes. Over time, they evolved into racing boats, which turned ice sailing into an extreme winter sport embraced by boating enthusiasts around the world.

Ice boats are wind-powered and closely resemble sail boats, only they have three skate blades underneath them, which glide over ice instead of through water.

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(Photo: Thinkstock/iStock)

Snow Kayaking

When most of us recall our last kayaking trip, warm weather and the beach likely come to mind. But interestingly enough, snow kayaking, which has been considered a sport since 2002, is now a common winter activity among seasoned kayakers and winter thrill-seekers.

Riders typically wax the bottom of the kayak to gain speed before descending down the mountain, and then use the paddle to guide themselves down. Controlling the weight of a kayak is harder than it looks, so use caution and go with an experienced snow kayaker if it's your first time.

(Photo: Petras Malukas/Getty Images)

Snow Kiting

While it's similar to kite surfing—in which a person uses a wind-powered kite to launch into the air and over water—snow kiting puts its own twist on things by incorporating a snowboard or skis. Snow kiters can travel uphill, downhill or straight across the snow, depending on the direction of the wind. The sport emerged in the 70s and today it's popular in Central and Northern parts of the U.S., Canada, Europe, and New Zealand.

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(Photo: Thinkstock/iStock)

Yukigassen

If there were major leagues for snowball fighting, this would be it. Yukigassen, which means snow battle in Japanese, originated in Japan, and later became popular among men and women in Scandinavia, Alaska, and Canada. Similar to Capture the Flag, the game is played on a court with two teams of seven, and each team gets 90 snowballs that are premade by a machine. Players can cross to the opposing team's side to steal snowballs, but once you're hit, you're out.

(Photo: Finnish Yukigassen Championships via Shutterstock)

Skijoring

If you have an energetic pet at home who loves the snow, they'll make the perfect partner for this next sport. Skijoring is similar to dog sledding, in which a person is pulled by a dog or team of dogs; but here, you're gliding on cross-country skis pulled by a dog or horse.

Skijoring originated in Norway in the 19th century and, until recently, was mostly found throughout Europe. Today, it's a nationally recognized sport in North America, which hosts many skijoring events, including the annual National Skijoring Championship in Minneapolis.

Ready to get started? Here's what you need: cross-country skis, a waist belt, and a pulling harness that can connect to the dog's or horse's harness.

RELATED: Where to Ski This Winter

(Photo: Husky and athlete skijoring via Shutterstock.com)

Shovel Racing

Believe it or not, downhill shovel racing has been a surprisingly popular niche sport for nearly four decades. Competitive shovel racing originated in Angel Fire, a ski town in North-Central New Mexico, and today, participants between ages six to 65 come together annually for the World Championship Shovel Races, held at the Angel Fire Resort. Competitors decorate their shovels and dress in costumes, and some participants have been known to reach speeds of nearly 75 miles per hour.

(Photo: Orlando/Getty Images)

Snow Scooting

Snow scooting is a sport that combines the skills of driving a scooter and riding a snowboard. It's done by standing on a board roughly the width of a single-wide ski that has a mountain bike handle bar attached to the front, allowing you to shift your weight from side to side.

An important thing to note: While riders are encouraged to wear hiking or snowboarding boots, snow scooters don't come with bindings to keep you strapped in. To slow down, you must drag one foot across the snow or carve a line as you would in skiing or snowboarding. If you're just starting out, go slow and practice on flatter surfaces first, then work your way up.

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(Photo: Norbert Eisele-Hain/Getty Images)

Snow Biking

For years, snow biking, which is essentially bike riding on skis, has been a favorite winter activity among Europeans. Today, it's growing increasingly popular in North America as well.

While snow bikes come in a variety of styles, they traditionally have a bike seat, peddles, and a handle bar in the front, and are supported by two or three skis, or by a ski-and-wheel combination. Snow biking is a great option for people who don't ski or snowboard because it's easy to learn and can be done without any prior skiing experience.

More from SmarterTravel:

• Learning a Snow Sport With the Kids
• What It's Really Like to Sleep in a Snow Hotel
• 10 National Parks That Are Better in Winter

Olivia Briggs is ready to forgo her snowboard and try something new winter. Follow her on Twitter @Olileibri

(Photo: Yvette Cardozo/Getty Images)