In winter sports, the most popular is skiing. Many are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the white season and the first snowfalls to slip into their warm suit and descend the mountain at speeds of vertigo. However, one of the main disadvantages of skiing is the high cost of practicing it: renting and preparing the equipment, buying the right clothes, traveling and lodging in the mountains, ski pass ...

But if we do not want to leave the salary in the attempt or we just do not go skiing, there are alternatives, such as these winter sports to enjoy the snow without having to go skiing.

Hiking on the mountains

We do not need to travel to a ski resort to enjoy the snow and what the sport brings us in the middle of nature. Near the cities we can find places where you can practice trekking, hiking routes and mountain trails, such as the trails of the Port of Canencia, in the north sierra of Madrid.

Simply remember that it is important that you shelter properly and that you leave early in the morning: in winter the days are much shorter, and from six in the evening the darkness begins to fall, so that time arrives We must be back.

Snow rackets

If descending a mountain skiing is fun, snowshoeing also has its one, especially if we season with a snowball battle in the middle of the route. Snowshoes attach to boots and weave our weight over a larger surface, so it is easier for us to move through snow or ice.

The rackets are much cheaper than the ski equipment (you can find them in Decathlon for less than 50 euros the pair) and can be a good alternative to spend a day in the snow with the whole family.

Sleds in the snow

If there is something that amuses children and adults alike, that is the snow sled. From the most basic sleds to sit down and launch down the mountain to a few more elaborate options, with which we made our sled into a whole car.

To get off at top speed first you have to climb, so prepare your legs for a good ride up the mountain before enjoying the descent and the more than sure skid in the snow.

Fat bikes

Can you imagine riding a bike in the snow? Sounds complicated, right? Fat bikes make it a bit easier. These are bicycles with thicker wheels and much thicker than usual: lift a very low pressure and without suspensions. In this way the fat bikes are "grab" much better.

Although the ideal place to use fat bikes is snow, we can also make a lot of them in the sand of the beach, which is equally soft and malleable.

Snowbike

Another mode that combines bicycle and snow, but in a different way: in this case we change the wheels of the traditional bike for a pair of skis and ... voila! We already have a snowbike to enjoy the snow on "wheels".

With these bikes you can reach high speeds (the world record is 166 km / hour) and are highly valued by people with knee problems that limit them when practicing other snow sports such as skiing or snowboarding.

Ice climbing

Only for brave and expert mountaineers, the ice climbing invites us to enjoy unrivaled blue landscapes. To practice it we will need good protections, ropes, piolets and other equipment: safety is ahead of everything in this sport.

If you are still in an initial level, you can practice climbing to use in the different free climbing walls that exist in different cities. Practice first "dry" to be able to move easily on the ice.

Cross-country skiing

With this type of ski you will save your ski pass, but it is necessary a very similar equipment to the alpine ski. In this case, the skis rise in the area of ​​the heel, which is free to get a greater movement.

Cross-country skiing combines the best of mountaineering and downhill skiing: we will make a route on the snow walking with our skis, usually climbing up to a peak (you do not need to go by a marked path: we only need the presence of snow) As in traditional skiing. A demanding but very grateful exercise that will put us in direct contact with nature.