Looking for something a little more exhilarating than the usual Alpine ski trip this winter? How about one of these bracing adventures for only the coolest customers…

Tectonic-plate diving in Iceland
Iceland is the only place in the world where you can dive between the Eurasian and American tectonic plates and effectively ‘hold the world apart’. Only recently discovered, this experience has you diving down to 60m beneath the earth’s crust in water that is recognised as being the clearest in the world. When you dive the divide in dry suits with snow covering the landscape all around you, it makes for one of the most surreal yet memorable ventures in the world.

Snow-mobile safari in Alaska
Not the obvious choice for a safari, but this winter adventure leaves the competition far behind. Head to the deep powder of Valdez for five days of snow-mobiling through uninhabited valleys. Staying in old hunters’ lodges, you’ll spend the days carving virgin tracks through hundreds of miles of majestic scenery and spotting wildlife, from wolverine to caribou, in their natural habitat. Few people have done this.

Ice-climbing in the fjords of Spitsbergen
Part of the Svalbard archipelago, this is the hip destination for those in search of an alternative winter adventure this year. Just north of the Arctic Circle, nestled above Norway, Spitsbergen has winter landscapes to rival anywhere in the world. The best adventure here? Scaling some of the toughest ice walls in the world, accessible only by a combination of snow-mobile and kayak.

Frozen plunges in Finland
Take refreshment to another level with Finnish ice plunging. With experts on hand, you’ll plunge naked into a freshly cut hole in the lake-ice, stay in for 10 seconds, then dash back into the warmth of a sauna. The juxtaposition of such extreme temperatures leaves you on an amazing sensory high. Repeat multiple times and finish off with a round of local beers. Heaven.

Snow-kiting on Icelandic glaciers
We all know snow-boarding and kite-surfing but few know the adrenaline-pumping winter sport snow-kiting. Flying through the heartland of Iceland’s glacier fields on a kite-propelled board is undoubtedly the coolest (no pun intended) winter adventure this season. Snap into your board and, get ready to soar up to 20ft off the ground through breathtaking icy scenery.

Wolf tracking in Wyoming
Venture deep into the vast wilderness of the Rockies, where wolf-tracking is one of the most thrilling winter adventures around. Spend the night in a western mountain lodge and rise before dawn to catch these fascinating and enigmatic creatures on the hunt. In the expansive frozen scenery the silence is all-encompassing, and tracking the wolf packs as they glide silently in pursuit of elk is a truly exhilarating experience. – Tom Marchant

Tom Marchant is co-founder of travel website Black Tomato. www.blacktomato.co.uk