Why Skiers Are Ending the Season With a Splash—and Keeping the Raucous Tradition of Pond Skimming Alive
For nearly 100 years, die-hards have been saying goodbye to winter by speeding down the slopes and water skiing over massive puddles
Learn to Ice Climb at Alaska’s Most Extreme Community Festival
For more than 40 years, Alaskans have been gathering in the tiny coastal town of Valdez to celebrate the art of climbing ice
Check Out These Spellbinding Snow Sculptures—Before They Melt
In places like Colorado and Minnesota, international teams of talented snow artists are creating larger-than-life masterpieces from fluffy white powder
Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries
Walk Through a Wintry Wonderland of Seasonal Fun With These 15 Photos
Get into the winter spirit with these images from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest
How a College Gym Teacher in Massachusetts Invented a New Sport to Keep His Students Entertained and Fit During the Frigid Winter
From a humble first game with peach baskets and a soccer ball on this day in 1891, basketball evolved quickly into one of the world’s most popular sports
These 17 Pictures Tell the Stories of Black Athletes in America
A new book from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture shows the images and impacts of athletes on and off the playing field
Archaeologists Unearth 1,000-Year-Old Ice Skate Made of Animal Bone in Czech Republic
The artifact dates to a time when skates were used primarily for practical purposes
These Climbers Just Set a New Record for Ascending the World’s 14 Highest Peaks
Kristin Harila and Tenjin Sherpa completed the series of climbs in just over three months
Dust From the Drying Great Salt Lake Is Wreaking Havoc on Utah’s Snow
Last year, the snow melted 17 days earlier because of dust, which warms more quickly than pure white powder, a new study finds
Ski Areas Reported More Visits Than Ever This Past Winter
Heavy snowfall—particularly in the Rocky Mountains—attracted record numbers of American skiers and snowboarders
Ski Resorts in the Western U.S. Will Stay Open Into the Spring and Summer
Slopes in California, Utah and Colorado are extending their seasons after record-breaking snowfall
Three Fishers Die After Falling Through Ice in Vermont
Ice fishing competitions on Lake Champlain have been canceled after an unusually warm January
This Canadian Ski Area Doesn’t Make Snow—It Farms It
Sunshine Village Ski Resort in Alberta is in the perfect position for piling up powder
Biden Declares His First National Monument at Colorado’s Camp Hale
Once home to the Ute Tribes, the site later became a military training base for the skiing soldiers who fought in World War II
This Past Winter Was the Busiest Ski Season Ever
As the pandemic still raged, more and more Americans took part in the snowy sport
For 50 Years, Dogsled Teams Have Been Testing Their Mettle at the Iditarod
Three men who have lived and breathed the Alaskan race for much of its history recall how much has changed—and what has stayed the same
A New Appreciation for Artist Joan Mitchell
The painter was also a formidable presence on the ice
The Freaky Physics of Ski Jump
Olympic ski jumpers do everything they can do counteract the effects of gravity and fly as far as they can down hills
The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics
As you watch the Beijing Winter Olympics, enjoy this guide to the history, science and thrills of the worldwide athletic competition
Meet the Trailblazers in Women’s Olympic Snowboarding
The careers of Shannon Dunn-Downing, Kelly Clark, Amy Purdy and Hannah Teter are recognized in the Smithsonian collections; learn their stories
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