Not everyone loves winter. There are those who hibernate, and there are those who see winter as a new playground for adventure. Some people fall somewhere in the middle. No matter where you fall on this spectrum, it might be time to introduce some adventure into your winter bucket list. There’s a time for Christmas movies and hot cocoa in front of the fire, and there’s time for ski slopes and snowball fights. This winter, add some adventure to your winter bucket list.
Find a new way to hit the slopes, find adventure in a winter cabin, take in winter with a hike, try something completely new, or see what a lake day means in the wintertime. Each season is beautiful in its own right, and winter is not an exception. Even if you prefer enjoying winter from a cozy blanket on the couch, you might be pleasantly surprised by what winter has to offer.
Hit the Slopes in a New Way
Skiing Alta Ski Area. Photo by Melissa McGibbon.
Skiing and snowboarding are some pretty obvious adventurous activities for winter time, but that doesn’t make them less amazing. If you don’t hit the slopes often, take this winter to add a ski or snowboard trip to your bucket list. If you do hit the slopes often, make your bucket list item something you haven’t done in a while. Try skiing if you’re a snowboarder, or vice versa. (Despite the rivalry in these sports, both are pretty awesome!) If your local ski hill offers other activities, try those. Sledding or snowshoeing are new activities your hill may offer. The idea here is to hit the slopes in a way that you haven’t in a while to try something different.
Just be sure you’re taking precautions on the hill. For one, just because it’s wintertime doesn’t mean you won’t need sunglasses. The reflection from the sun off of the snow can be damaging for your eyes. You’ll also want to get familiar with your ski hill, bring warm gear, and give plenty of space to the skiers and snowboarders near you. You might try Steamboat Springs, Colorado or a number of amazing resorts in Utah.
Stay in a Winter Wonderland
Just because it’s wintertime doesn’t mean you can’t travel and take a vacation. It also doesn’t mean your vacation has to be to a sunny location to get away from all things winter. This snowy season, try staying in a winter wonderland. This might mean staying at a great ski resort, finding a hotel near some winter fun, or renting an Airbnb out in the wintery wilderness.
With an Airbnb rental, you can stay somewhere fun with some personality — which is one of the reasons Airbnb is so successful. Find a little cabin in the woods and explore your surroundings, find animal tracks, and take a vacation in a little slice of winter you’d never get anywhere else. This type of lodging can provide a more authentic and local feel to the area you’re visiting.
Take a Winter Hike
Hiking in the snow is a surreal feeling. In the snow, everything is muted. There are fewer animals; the air is thinner, and you can only hear the sound of your breathing paired with your footsteps. Everything looks breathtaking, and nature’s snowy art takes place in every tree branch and on each blade of grass. Winter hikes are great in order to maintain your fitness in the colder months, and it’s a fun way to get close to winter and appreciate the beauty of it. Utah offers many amazing winter hikes that provide a look at the beauty of winter and Utah as a whole.
Try a New Winter Activity
A winter bucket list is intended to get you out of your comfort zone and do something new and fun. This winter, put some activities on your winter bucket list that you’ve never done before. This could be polar bear swimming, running a holiday marathon, finding a winter biking event, exploring a Utah national park in the winter, visiting a hot spring, going snow camping, or even surfing. Even a sport you normally enjoy, like running or rafting, can be done in the winter. However, the change in the season may make that sport into a whole new adventure.
Stay in a yurt, drink some winter ales, and explore your favorite summer outdoor locations in the winter and experience them in a whole new way.
Have a Lake Day
It sounds a little backward, but the lake in the winter is an amazing experience. If you’ve never skipped a rock on a frozen lake and listened to the sound, you are missing out. You can also ice fish, snowmobile, hike, or snowshoe around the new, snowy terrain around a lake. Bring the family and a thermos of hot cocoa and build snowmen, have a snowball fight, and view the beautiful things that winter can do to water. The patterns in the ice, the silent sound of a usually busy lake, and the snow on the beach are all fun and new experiences for everyone. Walking along the beach is an entirely new experience in the winter.
While having a wintery lake day, be sure to take some outdoor safety precautions. Be extremely careful around the ice — especially when having any children or animals on the ice. Not only can they fall in, but a dog chasing a ball on the ice can lead to slips that can injure them. Bring lots of warm clothing and know the area you’re in. Cold weather can lead to trouble fast, especially around water.
Winter isn’t just about the holidays, limited sunlight, and being cold. It’s also about snow sports, new experiences, and the beauty of winter. It’s a season that isn’t for everyone, but that may just be because not everyone has found their favorite winter adventure. You can’t find it until you try it, so add some adventure to your winter bucket list and discover all the magic that happens in winter. If you’re a snow bunny who already loves winter, have new winter adventures to validate your love for this amazing time of year.
