subject: Five Unique Utah Sports You Need To Try [print this page] Utah is one of the finest locations for outdoor sports. Whether you are skiing
'The Greatest Snow on Earth' or exploring the state's remarkable trails, you
quickly realize why Utah is known as one of the world's greatest adventure
locations.
Aside from the usual sport prospects, there are several outdoor activities that
every outdoor enthusiast needs to try while in Utah. Stand up paddle surfing, land paddling, kite boarding, ice climbing, and freestyle sledding completes the list of atypical action sports well worth attempting to learn.
Stand-up Paddle Surfing
Stand-up paddle surfing (SUP) emerged from the Hawaiians who paddle on large
surfboards in the ocean. While Utah lacks the ocean some may consider necessary to stand up paddle surf, Utah's many lakes create prime conditions to enjoy the sport.
Popular locations for stand-up paddle surfing in Utah include the Pineview Reservoir, Great Salt Lake, Utah Lake, Deer Creek, Jordenelle Reservoir, and
Lake Powell. Here riders enjoy exploring different lakes while getting one of
the best workouts you can find.
SUP gives the rider an incredible workout. According to the St. Petersburg Times, the average male burns between 800-1,000 calories an hour, considerably more than by running on a treadmill or elliptical machine.
Paddle surfing also strengthens the muscles in the abs, hips, buttocks, arms, and shoulders. Balance and endurance is greatly improved by stand up paddle surfing.
Land Paddling
Utah's great trails have helped longboarding become one of the fastest growing sports in the state. To enhance the longboarding experience, one must try using a land paddle.
Land paddling was invented in Ogden, Utah by the owner of Kahuna Creations, a land-locked surfer who craved the thrill of the ocean. It is essentially stand-up paddle surfing on the street with a longboard and paddle that has rubber contacts on the bottom to grip the road, called the Kahuna Big Stick.
Although land paddling can be done anywhere that has street or trails, Utah is
where the sport originated and where it should be tried. The rubber contacts can be used as a break while riding down hills and offers similar health benefits to stand up paddle surfing while riding flat land.
Kiteboarding
Kiteboarding (or "kitesurfing") is done by being propelled by kites on boards similar to wakeboards called kiteboards. Kiteboards exist with or without straps, and either inflatable or adjustable Bow Kites are used.
Although typically done on water, kiteboarding can be tried on the snow with a snowboard (called snow kiting) or on ground with a mountain board (called land kiting).
For kiteboarding on water, Deer Creek, Rush Lake, or Utah Lake is recommended. Snow kiting can be done at Skyline, Strawberry Reservoir, Powder Mountain, Midway, or the East Unitas.
When learning how to kiteboard, one must be familiar with flying a kiteboarding
kite. Before jumping on a board, one should learn how to maneuver the kite while standing on solid ground
Ice Climbing
Although many in Utah rock climb, few take advantage of the state's ice climbing opportunities. Although a greater degree of precaution should be made, it is arguably one of the most beautiful and exciting sports Utah has to offer.
The Utah ice climbing season usually goes from December to February. Typical ice climbing locations include Little Cottonwood Canyon, San Rafael Swell, and Provo Canyon.
Ice climbing equipment can be quite expensive. However, to try the sport, lessons and rentals can be found for under $200.
Freestyle Sledding
If looking for a thrill on a tight budget, freestyle sledding may be for you. All it requires is access to a snow-covered mountain, a snow sled, and a little imagination.
Although it may seem like a harmless activity, one should take necessary precautions to freestyle sled. Freestyle sledding should only be attempted with plenty of powder and protective gear, especially a helmet.
To do the sport, a decent-sized jump needs to be made in the snow. The jump needs to allow the rider to get enough air to perform desired maneuvers.
While in the air, the object of the sport is simple: land the coolest-looking trick in front of your friends. Popular freestyle-sledding tricks include the backflip, barrel roll, heel clicker, or superman.
Since freestyle-sledding is a new and unique sport, the rider should be creative in deciding what tricks to try. Freestyle-sledding tricks can be adapted from any extreme sport from skateboarding to motorcycling.
