▲Chamonix in the French Alps is famed for this exhilarating winter leisure pursuit, a blend of paragliding and skiing that lets you ride/glide the slopes at incredible speeds. Just be careful not to fly off the handle.

▲There's an American snowkiting school in Utah's Ogden Valley with a reputation for excellence in this uplifting pastime. All you need is a power kite and an appetite for excitement.

▲Here's a real cliffhanger of a winter sport. Ice climbing is not for the fainthearted. Terrifying and spectacular in equal measure, scaling a skyscraper-sized glacier tests the most adventurous adrenaline junkies. For the ultimate thrill, strike out for the impressive El Morado Glacier at Cajón del Maipo near Santiago, Chile.

▲Alaska's official state sport, dog sledding (or mushing), brings you together with teams of adorable huskies and a pristine outdoors environment. The Yukon–Tanana Terrane is dog sled central. Why not combine a spot of winter mushing with a hiking expedition?

▲Another magical and fun way to get down the mountains, snow scooting is the combination of a freestyle scooter and snowboard. No wheels, but plenty of thrills.

▲When they freeze over in winter, Holland's network of waterways are transformed into long and strong ice rinks. The Dutch have been skating on canals in winter for centuries, so why not join them?

▲What sounds like a nasty bowel disorder is, in fact, a snowball-fighting competition from Japan. Besides being held in the land of the rising sun, tournaments take place across Scandinavia, Russia, Canada, the US, and the Alpine region of Victoria in Australia.

▲The art of cross-country skiing with a canine, skijoring gets your dog out on the powder with the promise of a belly rub afterwards. Go for 'walks' with your furry friend in the Rocky Mountains near Canmore in Alberta, Canada.

▲For three weekends every February, the White Turf snow races are held on the frozen lake at the Swiss Alpine resort town of St. Moritz. Besides skijoring, the event combines traditional flat-racing with trotting races.

▲Harness racing at White Turf is adapted for the frigid winter conditions. Instead of using wheels, the cart sits on skis.

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Give Santa the boot and let a wildlife expert take the reins on a sightseeing winter safari. These nature lovers are enjoying a guided tour of Wyoming's National Elk Refuge.

▲Did you know you can join enjoy an igloo building holiday? This is a great activity to do on a family winter vacation. While not so much a sport, you can still build in a little festive competitiveness, like the last one to finish buys the hot apple cider!

▲Believe it or not, the people in this photograph are all fishing for trout on a frozen river during the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival in South Korea. Visitors can take the fish they catch to be served fried or in raw slices for a fee in the food centers. They can also put them back in the water if they so choose.

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When a ski lift can't get you there, a helicopter can. Here, a pair of snowboarders are being dropped off on an isolated peak in the Chugach Mountains near Valdez, the hub for heli-skiing in Alaska.

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The frozen lakes of Kuusamo in Finland welcome reckless wannabe F1 drivers whose only desire in life is to tear around a frozen circuit while bumping off the opposition.

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Fort Erie, a town on the Niagara River in Ontario, Canada, is well known as an ice sailing venue. With no waves to slow you down, iceboats can reach amazing speeds. So don't go overboard and get the wind knocked out of your sails!

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This is what horse power is all about! Equestrian skijoring teams skier with charger. Lake St. Moritz in Switzerland is where the sport of skijoring was invented.

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Slap on a pair of snowshoes and continue along even the softest of snow as you trek through the wilderness. If you're heading off the beaten track, hire a guide and explore places like Queyras Regional Natural Park in France.

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You don't have to be an Olympian to indulge in a spot of speed skating. There are schools that offer lessons in this slick sport. Pictured here are youngsters finding their feet at Prince George in British Columbia, Canada.

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No, not a reference to overweight cyclists, but to the oversized tires fitted to these specialized bikes that move over packing snow with ease. The White Mountains National Recreation Area in Alaska features a trail specially devised for this type of bicycle.

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Not quite ice hockey, bandy is a team winter sport played with a bandy ball and a bandy stick.

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A great one for kids... and for adults who want to discover their inner tube, er, child!

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Popular winter sports at the resort town of Zakopane in Poland include skiing, snowboarding, sleigh rides, and snow polo. Saddle up and have a ball!

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No water, no problem! But on ice, a kayak's torpedo-shaped hull turns it into a projectile of sorts, so try not to end up snow creek without a paddle.

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Red Bull Crashed Ice is part of the ice cross downhill world tour, and events have been hosted in major cities the world over. Pictured: a Crashed Ice event in Quebec City, Canada.

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Lots of enthusiasts dig this weird winter sport. The biggest competition takes place annually at the Angle Fire Resort in the US state of New Mexico.

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Attach a bicycle-type frame to skis instead of wheels and you have skibobbing. Head for Austria and the national championships to see the best "bobbers" in the business.

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This sport involves competitive downhill skating on a walled track featuring sharp turns and high vertical drops. Only those with an iron nerve need apply. Pictured: a women's run at the Quebec City Red Bull Crashed Ice event.

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When you think of traditional winter activities, seasonal pastimes like skiing and snowboarding often top the cold weather to-do list. But there are lots of other weird and wacky things to check out involving heaps of snow in sub-zero temperatures.

Browse this gallery for a list of quirky non-traditional winter season ideas that are just too cool!