Sand Skiing - How to Ski Without Snow

sand skiing photo
Extreme Skiing  - No Snow Needed
Is it Possible to Ski Without Snow?
Are you so in love with the slopes that winter flies by much speedy leaving you with ski withdrawal signs long before you are prepared to give it up?

In the event you cannot get of winter skiing, you might have an interest in a comparatively new phenomenon slowly sweeping the world - sand skiing.

No longer are you confined to the winter season. With sand skiing, you can not only enjoy your sport year round, you can enjoy it in very any place in the world.

What is Sand Skiing
It is basically one of the newest extreme sports that share many of the same benefits of snow skiing except for the fact you can do it year round, and the ski conditions and climate are somewhat different. From Palm Springs to the Dubai, it is the latest extreme craze.

Styles of Sand Skiing
There are two main types of sand skiing: cross-country and downhill,  both of which more or less mirror their snow ski counterparts. The downhill version involves finding a dune, hill, or mountain, climbing to the top of it and skiing down it.   It can be an experience of a lifetime, except for the part where you need to climb back up the hill.

Unlike it's snow covered counterpart you won't find any ski lifts, trams, not even a rope tow. In the event you need to get up the hill, you need to climb it by yourself.  Nevertheless, the shortage of these niceties doesn't appear to have prevented newcomers from being drawn to the sport.

Whether you try your hand at downhill or cross country sand skiing, they are both great ways to stay in shape. If you’re out of  shape, this sport get you back in good form real quick.

Cross- Country sand skiing involves skiing finding a pleasant long scenic stretch of sand covered land, strapping on the ski boots and skis and having at it. Cross country sand skiing is a great way to increase stamina and overall fitness.

Type of Equipment Needed
So what equipment does a sand skier need? much the same as a snow skier. You’ll need skis, preferably older ones since sand, even fine sand, is an abrasive and over time can remove material from the ski's jogging surface.

You'll also need ski poles to push past some of the denser spots of

sand. Since sand skiing is usually done in warmer climates you want to dress accordingly. Wear light clothing and if the sun is intense, a hat to protect your head.. Sand blindness, like snow blindness, may cause a temporary vision loss, so you'll also want to bring along a  pair of UV resistant sunglasses or goggles.

Snow skiers are very familiar with the different types of snow, for example skiing on powder is a much different experience than skiing on packed snow. It may surprise you that sand skiers have similar experiences. Coarse sand gives a much different experience than fine sand. Wet sand is much harder to traverse than dry sand.  As you get more involved with the culture of sand skiing, you may even become familiar with the difference between Fast Sand and  Slow Sand. Speedy sand is great, you'll feel as though you are gliding on glass. It is very effortless. Slow sand can be a grind, like slogging through quicksand. And there's all sorts of gradients in between. Skiers looking for ideal sand is much like a professional surfer looking for the Perfect Wave.