For people who absolutely love skiing and snowboarding, there really isn’t any worse time up here than summer. You just can’t go snowboarding or skiing when there is a total lack of snow, and it’s around 90 degrees outside.
However, luckily for you, there are other sports and summer activities out there that are similar to skiing and snowboarding. Let’s take a quick look at 5 summer sports that are similar to skiing and snowboarding.
1. Water Skiing
If it’s summertime and you are an avid skier, the only option you have at your disposal that is as close to actual skiing as possible is water skiing. For those who don’t know, water skiing is an absolutely exhilarating sport that sees you being dragged behind a boat at breakneck speeds.
Although some people might not think that it’s possible to stay afloat on top of water with nothing more than some skis, it most certainly is. The speed at which you move, combined with the design of the water skis, allows you to glide over top of the water, just like a jet ski.
It’s easy to reach very high speeds, and some people even do tricks like flips and much more. If you like skiing, and you like watersports too, then there is nothing better than water skiing. Seeing as you’re used to having your feet strapped to skis, this should feel totally natural!
2. Roller Blading/Inline Skating
If rocketing across the top of a body of water at breakneck speeds isn’t exactly your cup of tea, something else you can try is rollerblading or inline skating.
For the record, roller blades and inline skates are technically two different things, as they have slightly different designs. Although for our purposes, we could use the two terms interchangeably.
Here, just like with skiing, your feet are kept separate, one in each roller skate, thus allowing you to independently move your feet for great control. Roller skating still allows you to travel at high speeds, plus it keeps you on dry land.
Just beware that to roller skate, you need to be physically fit, as it requires a lot of endurance. It certainly makes for a great form of exercise. If competition is something you like, check out some roller derbies!
Interested in rollerblades? Read our related post “10 Activities Like Roller Skating to Do With Your Friends” here.
3. Mountain Biking
If being on flat and level ground just isn’t your thing, and you want to be on that mountainside whether it’s below or above freezing temperatures, then one of the best summertime sports for you is mountain biking.
As the name implies, here you get a special kind of bicycle specifically designed for hardcore terrain. Now, not all mountain biking has you racing down the mountain, but downhill mountain biking certainly does!
As far as adrenaline inducing summer sports go, downhill mountain biking is right at the top of the list. You can reach some truly insane speeds going down a winding mountainside path. That said, there are plenty of paths and trails for people of all skill levels, just like there are ski runs for people of varying skill levels too.
4. Skateboarding and Longboarding
If you like snowboarding more than skiing, then as far as summer is concerned, you’re much more likely to enjoy skateboarding, mainly due to the way your feet are oriented.
If you like being on flat ground or even doing tricks like kickflips, ollies, and more, then a skateboard is best, but if it’s speed and some downhill excitement you’re looking for, then the longboard is for you. If you have large hills where you live, shredding downhill on a longboard can be quite a rush.
5. Surfing, Wakeboarding, or Skimboarding
If you prefer being on the water, and you like the style and feel of snowboarding as opposed to skiing, then skimboarding, wakeboarding, or surfing might be best for you.
The cool thing about all three of these summer sports is that while they are fun and exhilarating, they aren’t overly dangerous, and for the most part don’t have you moving nearly as fast as with some of the other sports on our list today. If you like sunlight, ocean water, and riding some waves, then surfing could be ideal for you.
All that said, if you do like the whole danger aspect, then there are some places around the world where you can ride waves as high as skyscrapers!
Can You Go Skiing in the Summer Without Any Snow?
Have you ever heard of dry slopes?
Dry slopes are ski slopes that are man-made, these are made of plastic bristles designed to increase sliding for skis and snowboards.
There are a handful of places around the globe that offer a dry slope for you to try skiing on, this may be a summer offering for a ski hill or a full time offering for a location that doesn’t get any snow but wants to offer some sort of skiing for their visitors.
Let’s look at some popular dry slope locations so you can scratch the itch of skiing and snowboarding.
Copenhill – Copenhagen, Denmark
CopenHill, or “Amager Bakke”, is actually a revolutionary waste-to-energy power plant in Copenhagen. It was designed by the architectural firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG).
What makes it so unique is that it’s not just a power plant but also doubles as public infrastructure, providing recreational facilities like an artificial ski slope, hiking trails, and the world’s tallest artificial climbing wall.
This is one of the most unique dry slopes in the world as it is located on top of a building and flows to the ground level. The hill can hold up to 100 people at a time; they have terrain park options so you can grind rails and boxes, hit jumps, or just choose to casually zoom down the hill.
If you are looking to scratch the ski itch this would be a pretty incredible spot to do so!
Mont-Tremblant – Quebec, Canada
Year-round skiing is now offered at the popular ski resort Mont-Tremblant in Quebec, Canada. Since August 18th, 2023 you can learn to ski in the summer months at the resort.
They have two different surfaces:
- a long-fiber mat that is a softer feeling material located in the “Upper Equilibre” section, and this is better for longer, wider turns.
- They have a short fiber mat that is a harder surface in the “Lower Equilibre” section, perfect for practicing and learning how to stop and control your skis/snowboard.
You can use your own gear, or rent for the same price, I recommend renting the skis or snow board so you don’t wear and tear it at all.
Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre – Lynchburg, Virginia
The Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre is a unique facility located in Lynchburg, Virginia, on the campus of Liberty University. It provides year-round skiing, snowboarding, and tubing experiences for both the Liberty University community and the general public.
There were other locations for dry slope skiing in the USA besides the Liberty Mountain Snowflex Center, however, it looks like Buck Hill and Powder Ridge dry slopes are no longer in operation as their website offers no information on them.
Another No-Snow Ski Option: Sandboarding or Sand Skiing
Sandboarding or sand skiing is an extreme sport similar to winter skiing and snowboarding, but instead of descending over snow-covered slopes, you glide down and across sand dunes. It is like combining winter skiing and water skiing together, it offers a unique experience.
Usually, you will sandboard or ski in desert or coastal areas with large dunes. There is also a sport called volcano boarding that is similar, but you fly down the side of volcanos in a jumpsuit to stay safe.
Other Summer Activities You May Be Interested in:
There are still other summertime sports and activities that may suit your fancy, at least until you can get back into the fresh powder.
Slacklining
For those who don’t know, slacklining is almost like tightrope walking. It involves spanning a line between two points, and then walking across it. It is also possible to do tricks and flips. While most people will do this at ground level, like in between two trees, there are much more extreme versions that have you walking across canyons!
Dirt Biking or ATV Riding
If you just want to go as fast as possible, you could always hop on an ATV or dirt bike. If you’re a speed demon, then this is for you! There are tons of trails, both in forests and even on mountains, that are ideal for these vehicles. Even better is that you can always go to a track to hit some big jumps too!
Rock Climbing
If danger and adrenaline is what you’re looking for, then there isn’t much better than climbing up a rock wall that is totally vertical. Of course, this is not for the faint of heart, but if you want to get your blood pumping, it’s certainly worth a try.
Jet Skiing
If you want to combine speed and water sports, then we recommend doing some jet skiing. These are miniature boats with what essentially amount to jet engines. It’s like a racing bike on water, and you best believe that these can get your heart pounding too!
Jamie is the founder of Action Sporter. He is the chief zipline writer and the lead editor. He has 5 years of zipline experience being a tour guide in Newfoundland. Most of the time you can find Jamie adventure traveling, hiking, skiing, skateboarding, or anything action related!
