6 Outdoor Activities to Try in the USA
The moment you hear the word ‘winter’, do you think ‘skiing’? Think again. Below is a list of six winter sports that you can try this year while maintaining a physical distance. Test your winter sporting expertise by scaling frosty plains or by sliding down slippery slopes. You have a whole avalanche of snow-packed activities to choose from.
Note: Please plan before your visit. Look up destination websites for the latest travel regulations prior to your visit.
1. Cat Skiing
Why stick to the usual trend of skiing down a beaten path when you can pave your way down snow-capped mountains on a souped-up snowcat? Here is one of many of the best cat skiing hot spots in the United States that you can choose from.
Powder Mountain in Utah a.k.a Pow Mow is a spot you might miss given it has a similar name to Canada’s famous Powder Mountain Lodge in British Columbia. Powder Mountain in Utah is situated just an hour away from Salt Lake City. With an average annual snowfall of 500 inches, it is well suited to accommodate first-time cat skiers and those who would like to ski in deep powder, you are sure to feel delightfully chilled!
2. Snowkiting
For those of you who enjoy riding the waves, it would only take you a couple of hours to begin snowkiting, a much faster learning curve than kiteboarding. A fusion of snowboarding and kiting, the power of the wind helps power you over jumps and lifts you off the snowy surface leaving you feeling like a bird.
Lake Dillon, Colorado, minutes from ski slopes, offers some highly recommended snowkiting terrain. The season is limited, usually begins from Christmas and goes on until early April. This map bundle of Lake Dillon includes detailed trail maps with clearly visible contours and difficulty levels of each trail. Find similar on the Avenza Map Store.
Map: 607:: Dillon, Silverthorne [Local Trails] - National Geographic
3. Snowtubing
This is a winter sport that many enjoy. There is no particular skill required and certainly no need for investment in any kind of expensive equipment, you just need to plant yourself onto a tube, hold on, and slide all the way down!
On the Avenza Maps Store, you can find maps to resorts across North America and other destinations around the world. Here is a map of the largest snow tubing resort in the United States, Camelback Mountain Resort. The resort also offers nighttime snow tubing lit up by lights, Galactic Snowtubing.
4. Snowshoeing
Snowshoeing is a great way to stay on your feet and be active on the trail. This might very well become your favourite outdoor winter activity.
On the Avenza Map Store, you can find detailed maps of snowshoe trails, cross country skiing trails, and mixed-use winter trails. The map here to Bear Basin Winter Trails, near McCall, Idaho, features nearly 405 vertical feet terrain which is the only lit ski and snowboard hill in the area. You have lots of trails to choose and it is home to some of the most dramatic winter landscapes. The state is covered with some of the best snowshoeing spots, for the first-timer and the seasoned pro
5. Cross-country Skiing
Well-powdered landscapes turn out to be the perfect condition for cross country skiing. The Berthoud Pass Ski area in Colorado was the first to introduce a rope tow, the first chair lift for two persons, and the first to introduce snowboarding. Here is an extremely detailed digital map among many others you can find in the Avenza Map Store.
Helpful tip: Backcountry Awareness and Gear are indispensable when heading out.
6. Snow Mountaineering
“Everyone wants to live on top of a mountain but all the happiness and growth occurs while you’re climbing it” - Andy Rooney. The last activity we’re going to suggest for you is winter climbing. Mount Rainier is the ultimate American alpine snow mountaineering destination and is the premier training ground for amateur mountain climbers and must hike mountains for athletes training for higher pursuits.
This slope hazard map helps you identify surrounding ski mountaineering opportunities and terrain hazards while on Mount Rainier. The map has been specifically designed for ski mountaineers by a ski mountaineer/GIS analyst.
Sources: www.powderhounds.com, www.blog.bstoked.net
Image Sources: www.fineartamerica.com, www.istockphoto.com, www.comfort-ski.com