Are you so enamored of the slopes that winter passes too quickly, leaving you with ski withdrawal symptoms long before you’re ready to call it quits? If you can’t get enough of skiing in winter, you might be interested in a relatively new phenomenon that is slowly spreading around the world: sand skiing.
What is sand skiing? It’s just the new extreme sport. From Palm Springs, California to Dubai, from Abu Dhab to Idaho, it’s the latest extreme fashion.
There are two types of sand skiing. Downhill and cross country, both of which more or less mirror their snow ski counterparts.
Alpine sand skiing involves finding a dune, hill, or mountain, climbing to the top, and skiing down it. It’s fun? Lots, except for the part where you have to walk up the hill. You won’t find any ski lifts, no trams, not even a rope trailer. If you want to climb the hill, you have to climb it by yourself. However, the lack of these niceties does not seem to have stopped newcomers from being drawn to the sport.
Cross-country skiing in the sand consists of skiing by finding a nice long scenic stretch of sandy ground, putting on your ski boots and skis, and getting down to business. Nothing builds muscle and stamina like cross-country skiing on sand.
Whether you’re downhill or cross-country skiing, this is a fantastic workout. If you are not in shape, this sport will definitely get you in shape. If you’re already fit, sand skiing will keep you fit.
Sand Skiing Essentials
So what equipment does a sand skier need? Pretty much the same as a snow skier. Of course, you’ll need skis, preferably old ones, as sand, even fine sand, is abrasive and can, over time, remove material from the ski’s running surface.
Sand blindness, like snow blindness, can cause temporary loss of vision. To avoid this, you will need a good pair of UV resistant sunglasses or goggles. You will also need ski poles to get through some of the denser sand areas.
Sand skiing is generally done in warmer environments, so dress accordingly. Wear light clothing and if the sun is intense, wear a hat to protect your head.
Finding the perfect arena
Snow skiers are very familiar with different types of snow, for example, powder skiing is a very different experience than skiing on packed snow. It may surprise you that sand skiers have similar experiences. Coarse sand provides a very different experience to fine sand. Wet sand is much more difficult to traverse than dry sand.
As you get deeper into sand ski culture, you hear the terms “fast sand” and “slow sand.” Quick sand is great, you will feel like you are sliding on glass. It’s almost effortless. Slow sand can be a grind, like walking through quicksand. And there are all kinds of gradients in between. Skiers looking for the perfect sand are much like the prototypical surfer looking for the “perfect wave.”
Then the skiers unite. You are no longer confined to the winter season. With sand skiing, not only can you enjoy your sport year-round, but you can enjoy it almost anywhere in the world.
