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Winter sports in the United States

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Popular winter sports in the United States include (from left to right, top to bottom) figure skating, ice hockey, skiing, and snowboarding

Winter sports in the United States are popular, both professionally and recreationally. Most sports activity on ice and snow takes place in the northern half of the country, but indoor facilities, simulators and artificial surfaces enable participation in all geographic areas.

The US has about 2000 ice rinks for skating sports. Ski touring, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing opportunities exist wherever there is sufficient snow cover on public access land, such as National Forests, state parks, and municipal parks.[1] The US has over 135,000 miles of snowmobile trails.

Compared to 2022, total winter sports participation grew by 22% in 2023.[2] Snow sports generated over $20 billion for the US economy in 2016.[3]

Sports

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Bandy

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Main article: Bandy in the United States

Introduced to the US in 1980, National championships have been held since 1981. United States men's national bandy team has taken part in the Bandy World Championships since 1985, with a 2025 fourth place finish as the best result. The United States Bandy Hall of Fame was established in 2014.

Biathlon

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Main article: US Biathlon

The US participated in the demonstration sport at the 1948 Winter Olympics, and established a national program at a Camp Hale training center in 1958.[4] The US hosted Biathlon World Championships in 1973 and 1987, and 5 Biathlon World Cup events starting in 2004. More than a dozen clubs across 9 states participate in competition, with 1000 members.

Broomball

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Main article: American Broomball Alliance

Broomball, as a game played on ice, has been in Minnesota since the 1930s.[5][6] The first Minnesota broomball state championship was in 1966. Now with participants in around 10 states, National championships have been held since 1996.[7]

Curling

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Main article: USA Curling

First popular in "the upper midwest and small pockets of New England", curling is gradually making inroads in the rest of the country.[8] The first curling club in the United States was established in 1830, then later the nation-wide Grand National Curling Club (GNCC) founded in 1867. There are around 185 curling clubs across 33 states with 23,500 participants.[9] The U.S. men's team won the gold medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics, and bronze at the 2006 Winter Olympics.

Ice climbing

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Main article: American Alpine Club

Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) reports over 3 million participating in ice climbing across the US. In 2019, ice climbing gear purchases were more than $15 million.[10]

Annual Ice Fests are held in Ouray, Colorado and Bozeman, Montana. Denver hosted an international World Championship in 2019.[11]

Ice hockey

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Main article: Ice hockey in the United States

Twenty-four of the thirty-one professional National Hockey League teams are based in the United States, the other seven in Canada.

USA Hockey is the national ice hockey organization in the United States. In the 2022–23 season, USA Hockey had 556,186 registered hockey players.

Ice skating

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Figure skating

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Main article: Figure skating in the United States

The governing body of figure skating competition in the United States is US Figure Skating. There are over 186,000 competitors as of 2020. Figure skating competition is a popular televised sport in the US.[12]

Speed skating

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The national governing body of speed skating competition is US Speedskating.

Iceboat sailing

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Main article: Iceboat

In 1790 iceboats were introduced on New York's frozen Hudson River, with clubs forming by 1865.[13] Important race series have included:

  • 1881 Ice Yacht Challenge Pennant of America (established c. 1877)[14]
  • 1903 Stuart Cup
  • 1904 Hearst International Challenge Cup[15]
  • 1940 Gar Wood Trophy (Skeeter class)[16]
  • 1953 IDNIYRA North American Ice Yacht Championship
  • Nite National Championship.

Skiing

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Main article: United States Ski Team

Skiing in the US is a multi-billion dollar industry of growing popularity, with over 11 million recreational snow sports participants in the winter of 2022–23.[17] Annual reported totals of the skiing population vary somewhat with the quality and length of the ski season, which averages 106 days. Most popular are the regions of the Rocky Mountains, the Northeast and the Sierra Nevada/Cascade Mountains. The states of California, New York, Florida and Texas are home to the most skiers.[18][19]

There are 486 alpine ski areas,[20] around 1,000 cross-country ski areas and more than 25 ski jumping hills in the US. There are 7 states which offer backcountry snowcat and heli-ski opportunities. The largest resorts see more than 85% of skier visits. More than 85% of alpine ski areas use snowmaking to some extent. Between 2008 and 2013, US ski resorts experienced annual revenues of about $3 billion.

National organizations include U.S. Ski & Snowboard, USA Nordic Sport (USANS), United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association, National Ski Council Federation, Women's Ski Jumping USA, NASTAR, National Ski Patrol, Professional Ski Instructors of America, Snowsports Industries America (SIA), National Ski Areas Association (NSAA), Cross Country Ski Areas Association and National Ski & Snowboard Retailers Association.

Sledding

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Main article: Sledding
New York Saratoga Springs Toboggan Run, 1907

Recreational use of toboggans and sleds in coasting downhill is a traditional form of juvenile snow play.[21] Advancements in the 1880s include constructed snow slides as part of winter festival attractions (starting with Saratoga Springs), and the Flexible Flyer sled with steerable runners. Snow tubing and mountain coasters are more recent variants.

Bobsled

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Main article: United States Bobsled and Skeleton Federation

Throughout the Nineteenth century in the US, bobsledding referred to a horse-drawn conveyance with two pairs of runners.[22] In 1929 the Lake Placid Club built a bobsled course, followed by the Mt. Van Hoevenberg Olympic course which opened in 1930. World championships were held at Lake Placid in 1949, 1961, 1969, 1973, 1978, 1983, and 2003. American innovations have included the flexible four-man bobsled in 1935, and the all-steel, four-man bobsled in 1946.[23] The Utah Olympic Park Track opened in 1997 for use in the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Olympics. Bobsleigh at the Winter Olympics has resulted in US medals in 1928, 1932, 1936, 1948, 1952, 1956, 2002, 2006, and 2010.[24] USA Bobsled is the governing body for bobsledding in the United States.[25][26]

Kaillie Humphries is one the most successful bobsledders for the United States.[27]

Luge

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The national governing body for luge is USA Luge. US has 30 World Cup wins since 1994. Lake Placid, New York hosted the World Luge Congress in 2016 and 2024. Luge facilities are in Lake Placid, Park City, Utah, Muskegon, Michigan, and Negaunee, Michigan.

Skeleton

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Main article: United States Bobsled and Skeleton Federation

Sled dog racing

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Main article: Sled dog racing

Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is an annual long-distance sled dog race run in early March from Anchorage to Nome, entirely in the state of Alaska.

Marquette, Michigan plans an annual Dog Sled Race, depending on snow conditions. The UP 200 held in Michigan's Upper Peninsula is another sled dog race. The trial covers over 240 miles of challenging terrain through the areas of Marquette, Grand Marais, Wetmore, and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and finishes at Mattson Lower Harbor Park in Marquette. The UP 200 is one of America's premier 12-dog, mid-distance sled dog races, qualifying teams for the Iditarod.

Snowboarding

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Main article: U.S. Snowboarding

Snowboarding originated in America, and after rapid growth in the 1980s and 1990s has stabilized at over 7.5 million participants in the US.[28][29][30][31][32]

Snowmobiling

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Main article: Snocross

Recreational snowmobiling in the US began in the 1950s and by 2010 had from 3–4 million participants.[33] The International 500 Snowmobile Race (since 1969), World Championship Snowmobile Derby (since 1964) and World Championship Snowmobile Hill Climb competitions are held annually. World Championship Snowmobile Hill Climb competition is held in Jackson, Wyoming at the Snow King Mountain resort each year in March. Alaska's "Iron Dog" at 2,031 miles (3,269 km) long is the longest snowmachine race in the world.

Snowmobile trails can be found in 27 states. National organizations are the American Council of Snowmobile Associations (ACSA), United Snowmobile Alliance and there is a regional Rocky Mountain Snowmobile Hillclimbing Association.

Snowshoeing

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Main article: Snowshoe

Snowshoeing may be the oldest winter sport in the Americas, arriving with the first people over the Bering land bridge.[34] The United States Snowshoe Association (USSSA) was founded in 1977 to serve as a governing body for competitive snowshoeing. Since 2001 they have held annual National Championships in February. Since 2019, participation in snowshoeing is up 12%.[35]

Multi-sport events

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Arctic Winter Games

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Main article: Arctic Winter Games

Alaska has participated in every Arctic Winter Games, and has hosted the event 7 times starting in 1974.

Winter Dew Tour

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Main article: Dew Tour

In 2008 the Action Sports Tour (AST) first annual Winter Dew Tour included halfpipe and slopestyle competitions. In 2019, the Winter Dew Tour moved to its new home at Woodward Mountain Park at Copper Mountain, Colorado. Events include slopestyle, superpipe, team halfpipe, snowboard streetstyle, and adaptive banked slalom.

Winter X Games

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Main article: X Games

Winter X Games are held in Aspen, Colorado every winter, starting in 2002. The first Winter X Games took place in 1997 at Snow Summit ski resort in Big Bear Lake, California. The X Games were next held at Crested Butte Mountain Resort in Colorado for two years. Mount Snow, Vermont hosted the X Games in 2000 and 2001.

Winter World University Games

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Main article: United States at the FISU World University Games

The US has participated in the Winter Universiade since 1966, and hosted the 1972 and 2023 Winter FISU World University Games.

Winter Olympics

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Main article: United States at the Winter Olympics

The United States is a traditional powerhouse in the Winter Olympics.[36][37] However, the 2018 Winter Olympics saw the country's worst performance in terms of medals in 20 years.[38][39] Over the past 6 Winter Olympic Games the US has consistently earned at least 9 gold medals.

Participation

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In 2022, winter sports had over 30 million US participants.[40] Outdoor Foundation reports that 8 million people participated in cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or telemark skiing in the 2012-2013 winter season.[41]

Winter sports are underrepresented by ethnic minorities due to the fact that such sports are expensive to play.[42][43][44][45][46][47] In an effort to broaden participation, the Share Winter Foundation and its partners aim to share winter with 100,000 youth by 2028.[48] Other inclusion-focused programs include SOS Outreach, and Discover Winter in Utah.[49]

Other notable events

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References

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  1. ^ Winter sports National Park Service
  2. ^ Popke, Michael (2024) A Record Number of Americans Participated in Sports Sports Destinations
  3. ^ Foersterling, Jack (2018) Low Snow Years Cost Ski Towns $1 Billion Powder magazine
  4. ^ Herz, Nathaniel (2010) Biathlon Boom Skiing Heritage v22 #4:43
  5. ^ Additional Attractions Complete Program for Festive Winter Frolic [MN] Ely Miner v42 #35:1 1936 Feb 20
  6. ^ Winter Outdoor Sports in St. Paul Recreation v31 #10:609 1938
  7. ^ History of the USA National Championship aebroomball.com
  8. ^ "Puzzling yet popular, Americans are learning to love curling". Associated Press. February 16, 2018.
  9. ^ Nauright, John (2012) Sports around the World: History, Culture, and Practice p1759
  10. ^ Cochrane, Andy (2020) How Ice Climbing Moved From Niche to Mainstream Field mag
  11. ^ Mitka, Nate (2019) Denver Hosts First US Ice Climbing World Championship GearJunkie
  12. ^ Lewis, Jon (2024) Figure skating cruises on NBC Sports Media Watch
  13. ^ Jenrich, Charles H. (1963) The Front-Runners Boating Vol 13 #1:35 1963
  14. ^ Fast Ice Yachts Scientific American Supplement v3 #63:997 1877
  15. ^ Bentsen, Ellen (1981) Wisconsin Ice Monsters Yachting v149 #1:61
  16. ^ Whitehorse, Deb (2017) Looking Back: The Gar Wood Regatta iceboat.org
  17. ^ Kuta, Sarah (2023) Ski Areas Reported More Visits Than Ever This Past Winter Smithsonian Magazine
  18. ^ The State of US Skiing and Snowboarding: 2022-2023 kenver.com
  19. ^ Insights, data & more: A closer look at skier participation around the United States Freeskier 2023
  20. ^ Ski Areas 2024 NSAA
  21. ^ Traditional Sleds National Park Service
  22. ^ bobsled merriam-webster.com
  23. ^ Riess, Steven A. (2015) Sports in America from Colonial Times to the Twenty-First Century p177
  24. ^ "SLEDDING SPORTS / Bobsled best U.S. bet". SFGATE. February 9, 2006.
  25. ^ "At Olympics, Holcomb still an inspiration for USA Bobsled". Toronto Star. February 15, 2022.
  26. ^ Dave Sheinin (2022-02-20) [2022-02-19]. "U.S. bobsled's secret weapon: A mysterious 'genius' who sees things others don't". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. ISSN 0190-8286. OCLC 1330888409.[please check these dates]
  27. ^ Prewitt, Alex (13 February 2022). "Kaillie Humphries, Elana Meyers Taylor Steer the Way for Women in Bobsled". Sports Illustrated.
  28. ^ Higgins, Matt (March 6, 2016). "Snowboarding, Once a High-Flying Sport, Crashes to Earth". The New York Times.
  29. ^ "Why snowboarding is fading in popularity". Nypost.com. January 23, 2015.
  30. ^ "Snowboarding declining in stats, coolness". Denverpost.com. December 26, 2013.
  31. ^ "Is snowboarding melting in popularity?". Ocregister.com. February 23, 2015.
  32. ^ "Don't Believe the Hype: Youth Snowboarding is Thriving". Snowsports Industries America. March 6, 2018.
  33. ^ Snowmobiling Fact Book International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association, 2013
  34. ^ "Snowshoes" The Museum Journal vol II #4:82-94 (December 1911) Penn Museum
  35. ^ Akabas, Lev (2023) Americans More Active sportico.com
  36. ^ Graham, Bryan Armen (25 February 2018). "USA fell short at the Winter Olympics and things could get worse". Theguardian.com. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  37. ^ Doyle, Terrence (16 February 2018). "The U.S. Stunk At The Winter Olympics Until Extreme Sports Came Along". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  38. ^ Steinberg, Leigh. "5 Reasons Tiny Norway Dominates The U.S. In Winter Olympic Medals". Forbes. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  39. ^ Lauletta, Tyler. "The US team is falling apart at the Winter Olympics and on pace to have its worst medal performance in 2 decades". Business Insider. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  40. ^ Nearly 10 Percent of U.S. Population Participated in Winter Sports Last Season SGB Media 2023
  41. ^ Eisen, Hilary (2015) Winter Recreation on National Forest Lands Winter Wildlands Alliance
  42. ^ Prigeon, Jermell (11 February 2022). "Bobsled Opening Doors for More Black Athletes to Live Winter Olympic Dreams".
  43. ^ "United States seeing uptick in diversity for Winter Olympics team". USA TODAY Sports. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  44. ^ Douglas, William (3 February 2018). "2018 Winter Olympics: Numbers show black athletes making inroads in winter sports". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  45. ^ "Economic report" (PDF). /gzg764m8l73gtwxg366onn13-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com. 2018. Retrieved 2019-07-17.
  46. ^ "Winter sports face a double threat, from climate and demographic change". Economist.com. 27 January 2018. Retrieved 12 March 2019 – via The Economist.
  47. ^ "Trying to make Team USA look more like America". The Washington Post. 2018-02-04. Retrieved 2019-07-17.
  48. ^ Primeau, Brittney Buti (2023) Nonprofits unite to bring inner-city students to the slopes for a life-changing experience sharewinterfoundation.org
  49. ^ Kelly, Tom (2024) Winter sports Sports Business Journal
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