In the blink of an eye, the Spring Festival has arrived. If you love life, you’ll naturally want to take advantage of this perfect time to embrace the snow and challenge yourself with the trendiest winter sports in your dreamy snowy wonderland. Hoping for a smooth and worry-free snowy adventure? Proper preparation is a must. Before you set off, why not check out the following winter sports "self-defense" tips to ensure a perfect winter trip?
If you still think snow tourism is just about skiing, taking the cable car, and then going back to the resort to sip tea and play cards when you’re tired, then you’re out of date. Today’s snow tourism is far more diverse and thrilling than you might imagine. DIY snow adventures are not only a top choice for modern adventurers but are also becoming a highlight of winter tour packages offered by travel agencies.
You can enjoy the magical sensation of "one step at a time" during snow hikes; or savor the thrill of intimate contact with the vast nature while camping in the snow; or immerse yourself in various exciting and unique snow sports. In the snowy world, let your youthful energy flow—your winter journey could begin in such a wonderful way in 2012.
Of course, the power of nature is always unpredictable, so preparation for snow tourism must be thorough. The following preparation tips for various snow activities will provide you with both "safety" and "joy" during your snowy adventure.
Snow Hiking
Walking through thick snow, listening to the soft "crunch crunch" under your feet—it feels like a scene from a movie coming to life, and you are the protagonist chasing your dreams.
Essential Gear
Snow Gaiters: Worn over the feet, covering from the upper knee to the shoe, these prevent snow from entering your footwear.
Windproof and Waterproof Jackets and Pants: Outdoor clothing that offers windproof, waterproof, and breathable features. Most jackets and pants are made from waterproof and breathable materials like GORE-TEX or DENTIC, perfectly meeting these requirements.
Hat: A must-have, as over 30% of body heat is lost through the head and neck. It’s best to wear one with ear flaps.
Gloves: Choose ones that are warm, windproof, waterproof, and durable. Fleece gloves sold at outdoor stores work best.
Socks: Always carry extra pairs for winter outdoor activities, as damp socks may freeze overnight.
Trekking Poles: Essential for certain sections of snow hiking where the depth of snow is unpredictable.
Hiking Boots: For winter snow trekking, high waterproof and breathable performance is crucial. Non-waterproof boots—if your feet get hot while walking, the heat will transfer to the boot surface, melting the snow and causing it to seep in. Even with gaiters, this won’t help. Waterproof but non-breathable boots—sweat will make your feet damp, though not extremely cold. However, tired hikers who rush to eat and sleep after reaching camp may wake up to find their wet, non-waterproof, or only-waterproof-but-not-breathable boots frozen solid like rocks, making them impossible to put on.
Other Essential Items: Flashlight, spare batteries, compass, extra socks and insoles, matches, knives (a larger one, generally over 6 inches, not too sharp, mainly for trailblazing, chopping wood, and self-defense against humans or animals; a tactical knife, generally under 3 inches, ensuring sharpness—for cooking, repairing, fixing, and tool-making).
Safety Precautions
One: Beware of glacial floods. Melted ice water due to sunlight can cause glaciers and rivers to rise and fall unpredictably. Since the sun is strongest at noon, glacier river peaks usually occur in the afternoon.
Two: Never dig for meltwater under ice rocks.
Three: Be cautious when crossing snow bridges. On snowfields, snow bridges appear as regular, saucer-shaped depressions extending in near-straight lines. Older, sunken snow bridges are more solid than newer, flatter ones. Use an ice axe and snowshoes to test them before crossing to ensure safety. If carrying heavy loads, test with even heavier items to safely cross.
Four: Prevent avalanches. In alpine areas, avalanches are a major disaster. For safety, avoid hiking in snowy conditions during snowstorms. In strong winds and extreme cold, be especially vigilant against avalanches. Avoid crowding when crossing slopes; maintain a visible safety distance between individuals.
Five: Exercise extra caution when traveling in cold regions. Climbing glaciers and snow slopes requires particular care. Glaciers have many crevasses, with the most dangerous being icefall zones and mountain-foot edge crevasses—especially those hidden beneath snow. When crossing crevasses, travel in roped groups of several people, keeping 10–20 meters apart. The lead person should frequently probe ahead. Those behind should step in the footprints of those ahead for greater safety. When crossing ice or snow bridges over crevasses, proceed crawling.
Endless Snow Sports
Snow sports aren’t limited to skiing. Snow kiting, snow golf, snowmobiling… All sorts of trendy and thrilling snow activities are sure to make your winter trip unforgettable. Get ready, and let’s dive into the passion of snow sports together.
Snow Kiting
Flying a kite on snow? Yes, you heard that right—and you do it while wearing skis or a snowboard. Doesn’t that sound a bit “risky”?
Actually, this kite-flying method is also called kite skiing, one of today’s most popular extreme sports in Europe. On deep-snow slopes, you speed down while flying a kite. With your feet on a snowboard and hands gripping the kite, you’ll soar through the air and race across the snow. The lift generated by the kite guides your direction. This combination of skiing and kiting is more thrilling than regular high-altitude kite flying, making this somewhat “death-defying” activity highly favored by extreme sports enthusiasts in recent years.
