9. Ice Magic, Lake Louise
It’s hard to beat the Rocky Mountain setting of this winter festival. Lake Louise hosts an annual competition for the world’s top international ice carvers – aptly known as “ice magicians”. These are feats of engineering as well as artistry. The amount of hard work and dedication that goes into creating these fleeting masterpieces is astounding. There’s plenty of fun for the family beyond the sculptures, such as horse-drawn sleigh rides, cross-country skiing and skating on stunning Lake Louise.
10. Mammoth Mountain Pond Skim, California
California’s Mammoth ski resort hosts an annual shivery Pond Skim event, where snowboarders swoosh into a frigid splash zone. Skimmers are encouraged to dress up in costumes before heading down the hill. It’s fun to watch superheros, bikini babes and all sorts of fancy dressers wipe out in the slush pit.