"More so than most places, Switzerland offers serious skiers the chance to fly down unblemished mountainsides—especially in Mürren. The town is blessed with powder-packed bowls that maintain fresh snow for days after a big fall, drawing backcountry fanatics from all over the world. Take the cable car up the Schilthorn to find various opportunities for challenging off-piste skiing. Just to be sure to bring a guide along."

"Descend into the Depths of an Eerie Glacier For pure exhilaration, try your hand at ice climbing. Expert guides from a variety of tour companies, such as Outdoor Interlaken and SkiAscent, take groups up and down frozen waterfalls, glaciers, and ice-covered rock slabs in various locations in the Alps. The great news is that you don’t have to be an expert to strap into the harness and rappel down those crystalline blue ice crevasses. SkiAscent in particular offers three levels of tours designed to limit the amount of instruction and maximize the climbing time."

"The Matterhorn Just as Rome has the Colosseum and Paris the Eiffel Tower, so Switzerland has the Matterhorn. Located above Zermatt, this 48,195-foot wonder attracts hordes of visitors, eager to see the morning sunlight beam off its four faces, ski its neighboring mountains, or even attempt to climb the beast itself. The Matterhorn, however, is not for the faint-hearted and has claimed the lives of more than 500 people since it was first scaled in 1865—an average of 12 per year. It’s also been replicated at Disneyland in California as a rollercoaster."

"For the most epic jumps, freestyle aficionados head to Laax, one of Switzerland’s biggest piste areas. The five-valley resort features a labyrinth of facilities for freestylers of all levels, including four terrain parks, a super pipe, a mini pipe, freestyle slopes, and Europe’s first indoor training center, where classes are offered throughout the year. In fact, the terrain at Laax is so great that the resort played host to famed freestyle festival The Brits in 2012."

"A Climber's Paradise Taking advantage of Switzerland’s mountain ranges isn't just restricted to skiing in the winter. Climbers from all around Europe descend on the Alps throughout the year, testing their skills on some of the most challenging and thrilling terrain around. Climbs range from beginner to expert and can last for a few hours or two to three days. One of the longest and most demanding is the Via Ferrata in Leukerbad, which includes vertical ladder climbs, lengthy and seriously steep rope climbs and often difficult weather conditions. For lesser experienced climbers, Bergell on the Swiss-Italian border offers some intermediate level challenges. The Spazzacaldeira ridge is the place to head and is popular due to its easy access by cable car and well-bolted rock faces. Climbers are drawn here to scale the famous Fiamma pinnacle, as shown in the photo, where those who dare are rewarded with spectacular views and a terrifying 600meter drop. While many of the climbs vary in difficulty and can be affected by weather conditions, it is advisable to plan routes thoroughly beforehand, or use expert tour companies such as SkiAscent, http://skiascent.com/."

"Treetop Adventures For a different view of Saas-Fee, tackle the ropes course in the town's Adventure Forest. Four courses increase in their degree of difficulty with obstacles ranging from monkey bars to tight rope walks. The last two sections are a true test of balance and agility. Try to keep calm and enjoy the spectacular views of the distant mountains as you walk across wobbly planks and swinging ropes high up in the trees. The course ends with a ride down the longest zip lines in Europe that cross over the gaping Fee Gorge. Hold on tight and try not to scream too loudly."

"Paragliding in Zermatt After 20 minutes on a series of gondolas, we arrived at the top of Rothorn peak and walked over to our take off point. My friend, Hera, turned to her guide and said, "Uhhh, I didn't realize I would have to run off of a cliff!" "It's more like walking off of a hill," he replied soothingly. He wasn't just being cheeky. After the initial shock of getting airborne (it was a hill leading down to a cliff, to be fair), the rest of the flight was incredibly peaceful. Our guides gave us a few roller-coaster-like spins (after asking permission of course) to compliment the tranquility of floating through the air, while the slow descent allowed us plenty of time to enjoy our view of the Swiss Alps. As novice snow-boarders, we needed extra activities like this to allow some rest for our snow-beaten bums, but even if you are an expert skier/snowboarder, make sure to take out some time away from the slopes to enjoy the breath-taking view from above. The Matterhorn's entrancing anatomy is all the more compelling from this angle. By Maria Khalid"

"Hurtle Down the Longest Sled Run in Europe Switzerland has in its midst the longest sled run in Europe. Fifteen kilometers of immaculate slope from the Faulhorn summit, 2,680m, down to the resort of Grindelwald has given the “Big Pintenfritz” legendary status in the Alps. Grindelwald also offers night sledding on selected runs, with packages including dinner and a gondola ride. St. Moritz’s “kamikaze” remains a popular steep, winding slope, while even Zürich has its own brand of sledding—urban sledding down the tree-laden slopes of the Üetliberg Mountain. Accessible by train, this bumpy 3.1km run weaves down to Triemli station, but watch out, you could come face to face with brave walkers ascending the hill in the opposite direction."

"Hurtle down slides during a day of water frolics A plethora of twisting, fast and furious slides makes Aquaparc in Le Bouveret, Valais, an ideal water fun-day for families. Three themed areas, including Jungle Land with exotic plants and a squirting boat, ignite children's excitement, while adults can drift along the outdoor lazy river or head to the wellness baths or whirlpools. The seven slides, some requiring inflatable rings, can get busy so head there early to guarantee as many adrenaline-rides as you can handle. Don’t miss the bridge to the beach where sun-baked locals enjoy games of soccer, volleyball and pedal boat rides on Lake Geneva. Aquaparc is open all year round and costs 32CHF (32 dollars)."

"Disco Inferno on Ice For an urban musical ice-skating experience, check out Switzerland’s largest pop-up ice rink. Every winter, Locarno - near Lake Maggiore, in the district of Ticino - welcomes skaters of all abilities to glide (or stumble) around on the disco-ball illuminated ice. The rink sits on the beautiful Piazza Grande: the city's main commercial and cultural center. Four large transparent igloo bars skirt the rink and serve drinks, food and even host live music. Children can skate for free and lessons are available. Even for non-skaters, the wintery square proves a popular hang-out and shopping destination."