How To Put The Extreme Into Skiing

Not too long ago there was just one type of extreme skiing available, and that came in the form of any snow-covered slope with a steep incline. Although this may not seem very thrilling to the average skier nowadays, back then steep hills were reserved only for the daring or reckless.

In contrast, the hardcore skier of today has plenty of choice as there are now at least six types of extreme skiing that anyone can experience. These experiences are available if you have been planning a skiing holiday for years or have just managed to book one of the available last minute ski deals. In this article, we will examine six types of extreme skiing activities available and how crazy you have to be to give them a go.

This first activity is Ski Gliding or Ski Flying; the name should give the skier a good idea of what to expect from this experience. Ski Gliding involves skiing straight off the edge of a sheer cliff, while securely attached to a hang glider. Not only do you get the unbridled rush of skiing, but the absolute thrill of gliding over some of the most spectacular countryside in the world. There are several locations to try this activity if you book France ski holidays.

The next activity to consider is Ski Jumping, an Olympic sport which features two phrases that will get a ski enthusiast’s heart racing: big air and big speed. Professional athletes who undertake this sport will often reach amazing speeds of 60 miles per hour and once airborne, can to travel the length of an entire football pitch in one leap. For the hardcore skier seeking an extreme discipline to master, this is a perfect choice.

Another extreme form of skiing is Freestyle, which has been popularised by the large number of popular skiing and snowboarding games that have been played on consoles. Freestyling is perfect for those skiers who have a keen imagination, a love of acrobatics and an urge to have a little bit of fun. An extreme freestyler will search out every opportunity to perform stunts, flips, spins, board grabs and every single other trick they can think of. Every second where both skies are in contact with the snow, is considered wasted to a freestyler. The majority of ski resorts today cater for this variety of extreme skier.

The next truly extreme skiing activity on the list is Heli Skiing and this was created by a group of extreme skiers in British Columbia. They used aeroplanes and helicopters to get them as high up into the mountains as possible before making their descent. This activity is perfect for those people who want to spend all day on the slopes without the need to take a lift back to the top.

Ski Kiting is another exciting activity and one that is considered as the little brother of Ski Gliding. Ski Kiters will be strapped to a kite or huge sail that will catch the air when they ski off a big jump, allowing them to gain as much airtime as possible. This is a great way to traverse rocky terrain as you can simply wave it goodbye and leisurely glide straight over it.

For the final extreme skiing activity, we have Ski-BASE jumping which is an activity not for the faint-hearted. To prepare for their jump, skiers will ski straight off the edge of steep cliffs at speeds of more than 50 miles per hour. They will then detach their skis from their feet and enjoy freefall, before opening a low-altitude parachute.

Extreme skiing has come a long way from the days of skiers finding a large, steep snowy slope to test their skills. Mankind has discovered new and innovative ways to combine skiing with many other adrenaline fuelled activities. The only question being, which one do you want to try?