Are you an adventure junkie? Then you must be familiar with paragliding, scuba diving and the like. But now it’s time for you to take the adrenaline rush to the top-notch level.
Videos of extreme downhill skateboarding and street luge starting making a splash online a few years ago, but that’s just a small part of the list of extreme activities.
1. Heli-Skiing
It's the most adventurous—and dangerous—way to ski. Those who embark on a heli-ski excursion are delivered to a mountaintop via helicopter, allowing them to access powder virtually untouched by others. It's similar to back-country skiing in that paths are unmarked and the risk of avalanche is greater, but skiers are able to reach heights they only dreamed were possible—the high altitude record for a helicopter was achieved in 2002 at height of more than 42,000 feet. And while heli-skiing may seem like a new phenomenon, it's been around for more than 50 years; Austrian Hans Gmoser is credited with commercializing the sport in Canada in 1965. Today, the sky's the limit when it comes to heli-skiing, but popular destinations include Whistler, Canada, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Zermatt, Switzerland and Haines, Alaska.
2. Wingsuit Flying
Right now, wingsuit flying is probably the closest humans can get to controlled, non-machine-assisted flying. Wingsuit flying is a variation of sky diving in which the “pilot” or jumper wears a special suit that essentially makes them look like a flying squirrel. This specialized suit features “wings” along the side of the body and between the legs. The wings have air pockets that give the pilot more lift, allowing them to fall slower and control where they go with an amazing amount of precision. Wingsuit flying can take place from a helicopter or off a base and some expert flyers get incredibly close to mountainsides and even cruise in a controlled free fall through ravines.
3. Base Jumping
Base jumping is the kind of adventure sports that would send chills down the spine. It is very similar to skydiving, but instead of jumping out of an aeroplane with a parachute, you either jump from the top of a building or a cliff. If you think it is quite exciting to jump thousands of feet above the ground, think again! There is always a risk of getting thrashed by the wind. Thus, base jumping is considered extremely dangerous, and the injury rate is 43% higher when compared to parachuting and is definitely one of the most extreme sports in the world.
4. Highlining
It's the art of tightrope walking taken to the extreme. Highlining involves rigging a one-inch piece of webbing (similar in consistency to a rubber band), thousands of feet in the air, usually between two mountains. There's no net, however, and no pole for balance. Even when tethered in (the bravest highliners, such as Dean Potter, who holds the world record for highest walk, work with no safety harness), the risks for injury are great; if the highliner falls too close to the start, they can be smacked back against the rocks, and if they fall off the middle of the line, the possibility of snapping the line is great. Then there are the swirling winds to contend with. Every year there is a highlining festival that takes place in Moab, Utah.
5. Ice Climbing
Ice climbing is an intense sport that requires agility, strength and endurance. It is not for the faint-hearted. Ice climbing is one of the dangerous forms of climbing and requires a lot of preparation. The climbing takes place on natural structures such as snow-capped mountains, icefalls and frozen waterfalls. The climbers are at risk to unforeseen occurrences such as avalanche, falling ice or rock and many more. So, one needs to be extra careful and pay attention to the weather conditions before planning a climb.
