Getting Back to Nature with 20 Extreme Outdoor Activities

I was never much of an outdoor person in my adulthood. As a child, I spent every minute of summer daylight and a good portion of the moonlit hours hanging out at the public pool. All day, every day, baking in the sun with my friends. Not a care in the world. Sitting in the grass wearing nothing but my swim suit. Eating all the nasty concession stand food without a worry about calories. A trip to the beach (the Jersey shore, folks) was a much anticipated annual vacation that had me exploring like a curious little marine adventurer. Tree houses and excursions into the woods were places where I found much solace as a child.

And then I became an adult and for some reason I began hating the outdoors. Everything about it. The bugs, the pollen, the sounds, the wind, the sun, the dirt, the tree sap. It all bothered me. I spent about 20 years indoors, quite content with being completely out of touch with nature.

But we know that being out of touch with nature can very quickly put us out of touch with ourselves. I didn’t realize the importance of this until I was in my 40’s. Finally, I am embracing the outdoors and all of the magic it holds. I still don’t like the bugs all that much and I seem to always find myself sticky with tree sap. Don’t even ask about that last part because I have no answers. But I am in the process of rediscovering the enormous playground that Mother Earth has given to us.

As I am embracing the outdoors more, I am also becoming interested in the various types of extreme activities that one can do to challenge one’s self while uniting with and relying on our great earth. However, I am giant chicken when it comes to getting hurt. Let’s face it, we don’t heal as quickly in our 40’s as we did in our 20’s and the hurt just seems to hurt a little more these days. Plus I cannot be inconvenienced by injury at this stage of life. And I am absolutely terrified of heights, so you won’t catch me doing any activities that involve heights. Anyway, check out this fun list of activities to get back to nature and challenge that amazing body of yours! Maybe I will get courage enough to try some of these myself.

In the Air

1. Hang Gliding: Launching into the air suspended by a harness attached to a gliding piece of aluminum sounds more frightening than exhilarating to me. However, this extreme sport will provide you with breathtaking scenic views and a calming outdoor experience with little danger as long as you possess the proper knowledge and training.

2. Paragliding: Gliding through the air harnessed to just a giant piece of fabric sounds equally terrifying to me. But this extreme sport is just as calming and scenic as hang gliding but it is easier to land and much better suited for the extreme sports novice.

3. Sky Diving/Parachuting: Jumping out of an aircraft and free falling for a few seconds before deploying a large piece of fabric on which your life depends is another activity that does not appeal to me. However, adrenaline junkies everywhere probably list sky diving as one their favorite past times. Plus, you don’t need any experience at all to give this extreme sport a try as long as you are jumping supported by an experienced sky diver.

4. Bungee Jumping: Tie a giant rubber band to your feet, secure the other end to a very high structure and jump head first into the unknown. Another sport that is not calling my name, but a very traditional adrenaline inducing activity for those folks who like the rush of a free fall. This is also a great activity for the inexperienced extreme sportsman as long as you are working with experienced jumpers.

5. BASE Jumping: Basically parachuting from one fixed object and steering your way to safely land on another fixed object…at extreme heights of course…is not a sport you will find me attempting any time ever. As one of the most dangerous extreme sports, BASE jumping is illegal in some places so be sure to check the laws and regulations before planning to try this activity.

6. Zip Lining: Riding down a stainless steel cable harnessed high in the air sounds like the tamest of these extreme air sports and one that I may be inclined to try…as long as it is not too high. Many zip lines run through rain forests and are sure to be an amazing experience with breathtaking views.

On the Ground

7. Bobsledding: An extreme sport not at all suitable for the inexperienced. (That would be me…the inexperienced.) You need a team of experienced sledders to man a bobsleigh. Traveling at over 90 mph down an ice covered chute is an extremely dangerous sport that requires much skill and training to safely participate.

8. Skiing: Gliding through the snow on skis is much more my speed. Although I have never done it. Nope. I have never had skis attached to my feet. And I live in one of the snowiest, wintriest places in the United States. While skiing itself is not necessarily an extreme sport, I suppose the higher you go, the more extreme it becomes. So you might find me one day on cross country skis. But flying down the side of a giant mountain may not be for me. If skiing is your choice of sport, however, do so safely and responsibly by wearing the appropriate protective gear like an outdoor master premium snow helmet which ensures maximum safety with its multi-direction Impact Protection System.

9. Snowboarding: Similar to skiing but different. You are sort of bound to going downhill on a snowboard so no cross country snowboarding for me. And again, the higher you go, the more extreme this outdoor sport.

10. Sandboarding: Similar to snowboarding except you ride down sand dunes instead of snowy mountains. Sandboards are harder than snowboards so they can glide freely through the sand. However, finding effective dunes to ride is often difficult so this sport is not readily available to many extreme sports fanatics.

11. Mountain Biking: Off road biking over rough terrain is a great way to catch that adrenaline rush without much planning other than finding an off road trail to ride. This is one of the most popular outdoor activities for extreme sports enthusiasts. As long as you have the right equipment and safety gear, you can easily go explore nature on two wheels.

12. Rock Climbing: A combination of an air and a land sport, you keep contact with the earth as you climb higher up a rocky cliff. Sure to give you access to stunning scenery and a good hearty physical challenge as well. You won’t ever find me climbing the side of mountain. But if there is a field of rocks on lower ground, I am like a child and will go climbing across! Does that count as an extreme sport?

13. Caving: I am all about a nice walk through an already discovered cave, but the extreme activity of caving is much more than that. It is a very technically challenging activity that will land you in small dark spaces with all sorts of other hazards such as unknown waters and uneven rocky surfaces. Not for the feint of heart, caving requires a lot of dedication and knowledge.

In the Water

14. Parasailing: This is the kind of parachuting I would be more tempted to try. Secured to a boat and flying just above the water on a parasail can be a relaxing sport with beautiful water views. Parasailing is a very popular holiday activity and suitable for beginners.

15. Kayaking: Riding in a vessel on the water is so much more my thing. Propelling your vessel with only the strength of your own body is an exhilarating and rewarding activity. How extreme the kayaking is depends on the aggressiveness of the water. Lake kayaking is a much more leisurely sport than white water kayaking on river rapids. Being on the water, traveling through nature, is one of the best ways to reconnect with the earth.

16. Canoeing: I went kayaking on Lake Champlain many years ago and I really enjoyed the experience. While I would love to go kayaking again, my interest in canoes is growing of late. It is a similar sport with a different type of vessel and a different way of paddling. Like kayaking, the sport is only as extreme as the water you are riding.

17. Scuba Diving: This super popular activity can be found at ocean front resorts everywhere and provides an unforgettable underwater experience. As long as you are properly trained and educated by skilled SCUBA instructors, this extreme sport is low risk and connects you to a part of the earth that we don’t get to experience often as land mammals. If you want to make this sport a regular hobby, you can earn PADI certifications for all levels of SCUBA diving from highly trained instructors who will teach you how to dive safely so you can enjoy any underwater location.

18. Surfing: Riding the waves has to be one of the most energizing experiences for extreme sports fans. I am not at all coordinated enough to even attempt to balance on a surf board, but I can watch surfers all day long. I have known a few surfers in my day and it seems that once you’ve got the surfing bug, you are a surfer for life.

19. Windsurfing: Riding a longboard with an attached sail as you cruise across the top of the water is another fantastic sport that will give you the adrenaline rush along with beautiful scenic views. Also requiring balance that I do not possess, windsurfing is not the best choice for me.

20. White Water Rafting: A relaxing outdoor group activity can turn as extreme as the rapids you encounter. Great for team building exercises and reconnecting with nature, this sport is very popular in most river communities.

Which sports have you tried? Which would you like to try? Do share your experiences with me in the comments!

Keeping it on the edge,

Shelbee

Cover Image Source