Lakeshore RV Center
Although most people prefer to use their RVs during the warmer times of the year, the winter months can be a lot of fun too! The temperatures are low and the days are short, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy RVing in the wintertime. In addition to enjoying a beautiful winter wonderland, RVers can spend their days skiing, snowmobiling, ice fishing, and so much more. Here are some of the many winter sports for RVers.
Snowmobiling- Jump on your snowmobile and speed over frozen lakes and through national forests to see sights that are often hidden during warmer months.
Alpine Skiing- Otherwise known as Downhill Skiing, this sport takes you down a snow-covered slope on skis that feature fixed-heel bindings (unlike cross country skis) for boots. This sport is usually done on a slope with a medium or steep drop.
Cross-Country Skiing- For a great workout, try this sport! Snap on your skis and head out over snow-covered surfaces that gently slope (unlike Alpine Skiing). This is a great way to enjoy your quiet, peaceful surroundings.
Freestyle Skiing- Not for a beginner or part-time skier, Freestyle Skiing consists of performing various figures and tricks (such as flips and spins) in the air while trying to land jumps. It also includes sliding on rails or boxes on skis. Freestyle Skiing is part of the Winter Olympics.
Ski Jumping- In Ski Jumping, a skier picks up as much speed as possible before flying off a ramp and trying to cover as much distance as possible in the air before landing. As part of the Winter Olympics, this sport has skiers being awarded points for form and distance.
Speed Skiing- If you love speed, then Speed Skiing is for you! As one of the fastest non-motorized sports on land, this sport is both exhilarating and dangerous. Speed skiers often reach speeds over 200 mph and carry poles that are curved to bend around their bodies.
Curling- A fun sport to watch, Curling features two opposing teams of four players who slide stones made of granite over the ice toward a circular target on the ice. This sport is part of the winter olympics.
Ice Hockey- As one of the most brutal contact sports, Ice Hockey is played on an ice rink with two opposing teams of six players. Players skate up and down the rink trying to shoot a rubberized puck into their opponent's net.
Figure Skating- Figure Skating is a beautiful and exacting sport where skaters execute jumps, spins, and figures while skating to carefully chosen music. Skaters can skate individually or in pairs. This is a very popular winter olympic sport to watch.
Bobsledding- Riding in a gravity-powered sled, teams of two or four teammates race down a narrow, twisty, ice-covered track with the goal of attaining the quickest time to the finish line. Most modern tracks have a total of at least 15 curves for teams to navigate around. Bobsleds can reach over 90 mph, making this an exhilarating and fun sport to watch and participate in.
Luging- Traveling at speeds of over 87 mph, a luger lays supine (face up) and feet first, much like going down a slide in a water park. Lugers race down an icy track on a singles or doubles luge. Steering is done by using the calf of each leg to move the runners on each side of the sled or by applying pressure with a shoulder to the seat of the sled. Lugers are timed to the thousandth of a second, making this one of the most precisely timed sports around.
Skeleton- Similar to Luge, competitors race down an icy track on a gravity-powered sled, but they lay prone (face down) and head first (resembling a skeleton). This is an individual sport, and racers can reach speeds of 85 mph.
Snowboarding- Developed as a combination of skiing, surfing, and skateboarding, Snowboarding is a popular winter sport that requires a snowboard and boots. Snowboarders and skiers share the slopes and enjoy the rush of descending the hills and mountains at their own speed. Snowboards are steered by bending the knees and using your arms and upper body to turn. It became a Winter Olympic sport in 1998 and was made a part of the Winter Paralympics in 2014!
Biathlon- If you ever wanted to feel like an international spy on skis, then the Biathlon might be the sport for you! This winter sport combines cross-country skiing with rifle shooting. This interesting sport includes individual and team events (relays).
Snowshoeing- Just because it's winter doesn't mean you have to hang up your hiking boots. Instead, strap on snowshoes and take to the snow-covered trails where you can view winter wildlife and enjoy the scenery. Made of lightweight materials, snowshoes feature a large footbed so a person's feet do not sink down into the snow. Bindings keep the feet attached to the snowshoes and latticework keeps them from accumulating snow.
Ice Climbing- For extreme adventure enthusiasts (who aren't afraid of heights), ice climbing is a popular sport. Climbers ascend frozen waterfalls, ice falls, cliffs, and rock formations that are covered with ice. Due to the inherent danger involved with Ice Climbing, beginners are strongly encouraged to learn from experts before ever giving this sport a try.
Ice Diving- Apparently, the best time of year to view underwater scenery is during the winter. With a layer of ice on top of the water, the lake bed gets a break from the wind, boats, and people who usually stir it up with motion. Since the divers enter the water through a hole that has been cut out with a chainsaw, there is only one way out when they're ready to exit the water. For this reason, they are typically tethered with a harness and a line to a point above the surface so they can easily find their way out.
Ice Sailing- Ice Sailing is done on a boat similar to a sailboat but the sail (or kite) is attached to runners or skis so that it glides over an ice-covered lake with ease. Called “wind dancing” by some, ice sailing can be done anywhere there is wind and snow or ice. Ice boats can be seen racing across frozen lakes at speeds of over 85 mph.
Sledding- One of the most-loved and easiest outdoor winter sports that the whole family can enjoy together, Sledding is great fun! All you need is a sled, a hill, and warm winter clothing to have a great time! Sleds can be a plastic saucer, a tube, a toboggan, or even an old mattress (not recommended though!).
Ice Fishing- Enjoy a peaceful day on your favorite lake and maybe catch a little dinner by going Ice Fishing. When safe ice is present, you can travel across lakes either by foot or snowmobile in search of a great fishing hole.
