With winter on the horizon, you may want to start planning for a season-appropriate trip or vacation. If so, there is no better type of landscape to head to than mountains. There, you can enjoy all kinds of interesting pastimes that aren’t available to you normally. You’ll also get a nice break from your usual surroundings. To give you specific ideas of what you can try, we present some unique activities to do in the mountains during winter. Even if you are erring more on the side of caution due to coronavirus at present, you can use this article to think about what you want to pursue farther in the future as well. Then, when things reach a state of normalcy once again, you’ll be ready to go.
Cross-Country Skiing
Skiing is an activity that people typically partake in during winter, but cross-country skiing is less common. Similar to cross-country running, cross-country skiing encompasses much longer distances than its normal counterpart. You use more of your own power to keep moving instead of riding lifts up to the top of the mountains and relying on gravity to do the brunt of the work for you. Due to this, you get a full-body workout and improve your cardiovascular endurance while cross-country skiing. You just need to find a suitable mountain area where there is enough area for this activity. Though you may drive far for that perfect spot, you can learn how to make your road trip comfortable with a bit of research.
Snowshoeing
If you’re a fan of hiking, you may want to give snowshoeing a shot as an activity to do in the mountains during winter. You can head to a scenic location, using some smart travel tips along the way, and then simply strap snowshoes onto the bottoms of your winter boots. You will also probably want to hold a pole in each hand to maintain balance. With this done, you’ll be ready to traverse the wintry landscape without sinking deep into the snow. Since snowshoeing is less technical and fast-paced than skiing or snowboarding, you have more opportunities to absorb the beautiful mountainous environment that you’re walking through. You might even get to see some local wildlife if you stay attentive.
Fat Biking
Riding a bike in a mountain already seems difficult. It seems even less feasible when you factor in the snow to the equation. However, none of this will hinder you when you go fat biking. The hefty tires on a fat bike give it the traction and weight it needs to get through rough and snow-covered terrain. Because it’s relatively rare when compared to other forms of locomotion in these conditions, fat biking can be a fun change for you on your next winter trip. If you’re worried about how tiring it might be to continuously pedal with great resistance, you can also invest in an electric bike with fat tires, which will supplement your efforts with motor power. This will prove useful for uphill climbs too.
Van Rundell is a writer and author who specializes in transportation, travel, guidance, health & fitness. With over 10 years of experience in the industry as a driver and an entrepreneur, he has seen it all. His tone is professional but friendly with a dash of humor thrown in for good measure. In past, he has been advising, educating and writing about transport for the public and professionals alike.
A qualified fitness instructor with over 5 years’ experience as a personal trainer and group fitness instructor, Van brings his deep knowledge of health and exercise science to his articles on health & fitness.
