Skydiving, snowboarding, hang gliding, surfing, mountaineering and rock climbing are just a few of the daredevil sports that claim to be extreme. The relationship between extreme sports and weather is one fueled by danger, adrenaline and the elements. Extreme sports tend to be individual as opposed to team sports and are all about pushing yourself to the limit of physical capability and fear.

Not surprisingly, extreme sports tend to be dominated by the fearless youth who have not been softened by some of the crutches of society, namely physiotherapy and sensible footwear. But it’s not just BMX biking teenagers and daredevil ice climbers that are embracing the world of extreme sports. If you are the type of person that seeks challenge, competition against the ultimate competitor (yourself), can convince yourself that you’re fearless AND you love the outdoors, then this sub-culture might be for you.

As a self-proclaimed weather junkie, I am fascinated, almost daily by the shear power of Mother Nature and the fact that she always runs the show and has the last word in any situation. She is the ultimate contender/challenger/opponent and fearless leader of her domain, which includes the atmosphere and the earth...not a bad show to run. I guess it was only a matter of time before I put my love of nature and my own nature to the test and dove into the world of extreme sports...or at least one!

Three years ago, I went to Whistler, B.C., which is one of my favorite ski destinations. It boasts some of the best peak skiing in the world. Whistler attracts a wide range of seasonal sports enthusiasts from skiing and snowboarding in the winter, to mountain biking and hiking in the summer. Still in my twenties and rebelliously curious by nature, I considered myself willing, ready and able to at least try what so many of my friends were obsessing over…snowboarding. I had heard the tales of spending more time on your posterior than actually upright but how hard could it be. Everyone was doing it, from the fearless 6, 7 and 8 year olds...to the show-off teens. How hard could it be? I had skateboarded in my teens and surfed a few times, so the only difference here was the combination of speed, height, ice and danger and what I soon realized, an adrenaline rush compared to no other.

I won’t bore you with the monotonous first two days spent entirely on my backside. My instructor (can’t recommend this enough for first-timers) kept telling me about this “a-ha” moment when it clicks and your body moves with the board in harmony with the snow beneath you. Needless to say, the “a-ha” moment took awhile, but it came and now I too am obsessed with an extreme sport.

It’s hard to say what is so thrilling about pushing the boundaries of your own physical exertion against the backdrop of fear. The long answer is that it is so easy to slip into a world of routine and comfort where time passes you by and every day is a series of checklists which give you a brief, if not momentary, sense of accomplishment. Did laundry? Check. Ate a balanced diet today? Check. Burned 600 calories on the elliptical? Check.

But what about the real tests that remind you that you’re alive, namely testing your corps, your mental and physical strength and in essence seeing what you’re really made of? If you’re looking for an escape from the rigors of day to day existence and love the outdoors, get on a snowboard this winter. As Bob Drury, a paraglider pilot says “we do these things not to escape life, but to prevent life escaping us."