{"id":2031,"date":"2018-10-07T19:10:14","date_gmt":"2018-10-07T18:10:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sno.co.uk\/blog\/?p=2031"},"modified":"2020-10-29T16:06:09","modified_gmt":"2020-10-29T15:06:09","slug":"12-weird-and-wonderful-winter-activities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sno.co.uk\/blog\/12-weird-and-wonderful-winter-activities\/","title":{"rendered":"12 weird and wonderful winter activities"},"content":{"rendered":"

Don’t get us wrong – we’d gladly spend all 365 days of the year skiing or snowboarding. But that’s not to say you shouldn’t have a crack at something new now and again. We’ve gathered together the weirdest, most wonderful activities we’ve found in the mountains so far:<\/span><\/p>\n

Bun J Ride, Tignes<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Andy

\u00a9 Andy Parrant & Tignes<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

A genius combination of\u00a0ski jumping and bungee jumping… If you\u2019ve ever seen a ski jump, you have a good idea of how it begins – soaring down a 30 m ramp on skis. In this case, however, someone\u2019s whipped away the floor to reveal a 40m drop. Launch yourself off, somersault in the air, or just flop over the edge.<\/span><\/p>\n

Snow Rafting, Beitostolen<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Snow

\u00a9 Beitostolen<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

For a team building exercise or a family thriller, we can\u2019t think of anything better, or more teeth-grinding than being pushed down a precipitous piste on one of Beitostolen\u2019s unique inflatable snow rafts. Hoisted up on the back of a snowmobile, the tables are turned at the top as the snowmobile thrusts you screaming down to the bottom.<\/span><\/p>\n

First Flyer, Jungfrau<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"First

\u00a9 Jungfrau Railways<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

If you\u2019ve always dreamed of flying, but haven\u2019t quite managed it yet, make your way to the Jungfrau\u2019s First Flyer for a taster. Once you\u2019re strapped into a harness-like seat, the gates open sending you hurtling down a 800m zipline, past the cable cars towards Schreckfeld. Unlike traditional wires – several cables side by side mean families and friends can soar down together like flocks of birds – screaming and squawking through top speeds of 50mph.<\/span><\/p>\n

You try something similar in The Three Valleys<\/a><\/span> – the Tyrolienne links Orelle and Val Thorens for a breathtaking glide across 1300m at over 100km\/h.<\/span><\/p>\n

Alpine Coaster, Montafon<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Montafon\"

\u00a9 Golm & Montafon<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

The Montafon Alpine Coaster is a ride we don\u2019t mind being taken for. Passing through the forest from Latschau to Vandans, each two-seater toboggan is taken through 360\u00b0 loops, 180\u00b0 turns and lots of jumps at a speed of your chosing (up to 40mph). So all the family, little and large will have a blast…<\/span><\/p>\n

Park City<\/a> also has a cracking Alpine Coaster, where you can control your speed over four thousand feet of curves, loops and bends.<\/span><\/p>\n

Snowscoot, Crans Montana<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Snowscoot\"

\u00a9 Denis Emery & Crans Montana<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

If you remember the feeling of gliding down the road on your very first scooter, you\u2019re half way to capturing the joy experienced on the snowscoot, essentially a scooter on snow. Much like skis or boards, if you have a taste for danger, you can use these to jump off ledges and try tricks on big bumps \u2013 Crans Montana even has a special course. Once you\u2019ve graduated from those, you may consider trying out for the Snowscoot World Cup championships.<\/span><\/p>\n

You can also scoot down pistes in Tignes<\/a><\/span>, Avoriaz<\/a><\/span>, Les Gets<\/a><\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Cresta Run, St Moritz<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Legs

\u00a9 JR Larraman & Engadin St Moritz<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

If you\u2019re looking for an adrenalin overdose, the Cresta Run is the surest way to do it… Though it\u2019s the exclusive territory of the private St Moritz Tobogganing Club, you can apply for a one off permit to tackle the terrifying 1200m descent. Unlike a bob run, in which you fly down feet first, the Cresta involves hurtling down head-forward using rakes on the end of special boots to brake and steer. 82.87mph is the latest speed to beat… we can only hope your insurance is expensive.<\/span><\/p>\n

Llama Trekking, Ellmau<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Winterliches

\u00a9 Ellmau Wilder Kaiser<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

The\u00a0<\/em>Wilder Kaiser’s weirdest and wooliest winter activity: ‘Llama Mother’ Ruth farms award-winning llamas and leads hikes from the family farm, where you can join Bruno, Leonardo, Josef et al on an amble through the winter landscape before returning to the farm for a steaming cuppa.<\/span><\/p>\n

Moliboard, Morzine<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Moli

\u00a9 Moliboard & Morzine<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

The Segway is having something of a moment across the Channel. Keep your eyes out for individuals whizzing around, cackling as they cut you up on the pavement (as well as on the piste). There\u2019s only one thing to be done for it – get yourself a set of wheels and pursue! Even without an arch nemesis to avenge yourself on, we can see why segways have such a following. Moliboard provide night tours, guides and an entertaining way to discover (or rediscover) your favourite sights in Morzine like the the Montriond lake and Praz de Lys.<\/span><\/p>\n

Val Thorens<\/a><\/span>, Courchevel<\/a><\/span>, Les 2 Alpes<\/a><\/span>, Westendorf<\/a><\/span> have also stocked up on Segways.<\/span><\/p>\n

Snow yoga, St Moritz<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Snowga\"

\u00a9 Suvretta Snowsports School & Engadin St Moritz<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

A resort known for its firsts, St Moritz has gone and done it again – dedicating the world\u2019s first yoga piste, the Paradiso near Corviglia. If your chakra\u2019s feeling a little off centre, or your chi needs topping up, make this your next resting place on your\u00a0 journey that is life. There\u2019s nothing like saluting the sun while gazing out over frozen panoramas. The Suvretta ski school run weekly sessions here to teach you your Om from your Virabhadrasana.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Snowtubing, Vail<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Family

\u00a9 Jack Affleck & Vail<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Long transforming family trips to the seaside, the rubber ring is taking its turn on the snow. Sitting or lying, facing forwards or backwards, tubes and snow are a recipe for hours of fun. You\u2019ll find snow tubing all over the Mountains in Italy, France, Switzerland and the US of A, where some of the best is in Vail’s Adventure Ridge Park, which stays open late.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fat Bikes, Livigno<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Fat

\u00a9 Giacomo Meneghello & Livigno<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Forget summertime bicycle rides: the Fat Bike will see you swooping down snowy mountains in the deep midwinter. With a 20km cycle path specially dedicated to the cycle, special \u201cfat bike tours\u201d and nightime expeditions, Livigno draws more mountain bikers these days than it does duty-free shoppers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Winter Windsurfing, Yll\u00e4s<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Talvisurf\"

\u00a9 Talvisurf & Yllas<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Throw caution to the wind with the Talvisurf school in Yllas, making use of the power of north easterlies and south westerlies to propel yourself across a frozen lake. The basic techniques are essentially those of windsurfing on water, but considerably easier since you don\u2019t have to contend with a “tipping effect”. You\u2019ve no excuse, therefore, not to sail round at the end of the day, when your 4 hours of training are put to the test in a class race.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\n\t<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Don’t get us wrong – we’d gladly spend all 365 days of the year skiing or snowboarding. But that’s not to say you shouldn’t have a crack at something new now and again. We’ve gathered together the weirdest, most wonderful activities we’ve found in the mountains so far: Bun J Ride, Tignes A genius combination […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2033,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2031","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ski-holidays","has-post-title","no-post-date","has-post-category","no-post-tag","has-post-comment","has-post-author"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sno.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2031","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sno.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sno.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sno.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sno.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2031"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/www.sno.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2031\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6126,"href":"https:\/\/www.sno.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2031\/revisions\/6126"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sno.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2033"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sno.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2031"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sno.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2031"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sno.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2031"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}