For those who love winter, outdoor activities are abundant throughout the Pacific Northwest. There is no shortage of downhill skiing resorts to choose from and warm, cozy firepits roasting marshmallows is always a treat. There are other activities you can choose to do that you might not think of or even know about in this region too.
Snowshoeing
It's hard to walk trails during the winter months, many of them don't receive maintenance when the snow comes so it makes them impassable. However, if you still want to experience nature, but don't necessarily want to strap on a pair of skis, then snowshoeing might be more of your thing. The sport is geared for either beginners or more advanced users with trails ranging from flat terrain or more challenging steeper hills. A lot of the ski resorts do have snowshoe trails, or you might want to strike out on your own and take your own trail. If you do, check with the Northwest Avalanche Center to ensure your trail is safe.
Skijor
You might have thought you would like to try dog sledding, but either don't have access to a team of dogs, or you would like to combine your love of skiing with taking your dog for a run. Skijor is the best of both worlds. You harness your dog to you and strap on a pair of skis and your dog will pull you along the trail. It's great exercise for both your dog and yourself. This only really works if your dog is a larger breed so their weight and strength are greater. Not all dogs are great pullers, but some dogs are great for it like Huskies and German Shepherds.
Fat Bikes
The winter months certainly don't lend themselves to being a great time to take your bike out for a spin, but even in the snowy months, it is still possible and more challenging than summer riding. Fat bikes are bicycles with large, fat wheels attached to them so the bike can glide over the snow. There isn't a lot of places where you can rent these bikes, or trails that offer the experience, but if you simply can't go through winter without cycling, then you might want to make the investment and either purchase one of these bikes or do a search in the area you want to bike in and see where fat bikes are offered to rent.