It was a bleak day in the canyon of the Devil Track River. Lake Superior was a mile downstream. I swung an ice ax and pulled, the first move on a climb that stretched almost 20 stories into the sky.

Each winter, the white landscape of our state lures active people outside to hike, ski, skate, climb and bike. From skijoring in a Three Rivers park to ice climbing along the North Shore, Minnesota offers venues for dozens of winter sports.

Lace up your boots. Sharpen your ice axes. This is your guide to 10 winter adventures.

Frozen river gorges along the North Shore are the stage for an activity involving cross-country skiing as well as dealing with thin ice. Pick from more than 50 whitewater streams that cut a precipitous path through the Sawtooth Mountains, rushing en route to Lake Superior. Gear up and head into the depths of a gorge, where participants rope together to skirt open water and navigate upstream on a labyrinthine course. The University of Minnesota Duluth's Outdoors Program leads river trips January through March.

www.umdrsop.org or 1-218-726-7128

Clip into skis or a snowboard, loft a parachute in the wind on a frozen lake, and "fly." That's the basic premise in snowkiting, a fast-growing sport in which participants rocket on wind-powered rides for miles across frozen land or lake ice. Tighe Belden, founder of Twin Cities-based Lakawa School of Kiteboarding, said the activity is accessible to almost anyone: "Most students require only one day to learn the basics."

www.lakawa.com or 651-428-4121

As North America's largest sheet of refrigerated ice, Roseville's John Rose Oval offers a 400-meter speed-skating track open to the public. Rent skates inside, and lace up for a sport that sees experts pushing past 40 miles per hour on flat ice. An immense underground refrigeration system allows the Oval to maintain its ice from early November to March. Classes are available for first-timers looking to try the Olympic sport.

www.skatetheoval.com or 651-792-7007

Hang 10 on Gitchigumi, where Great Lakes surfers ride all months of the year in what is one of the world's most unlikely surfing scenes. Each fall, Lake Superior's famous "gales of November" signal the start of the cold-weather surfing season. Wind pushes water into rhythmic waves at a dozen breaks along Hwy. 61. Thick wet suits, gloves, hoods, booties and petroleum jelly smudged on exposed skin form a protective shell against the crushing cold. "There is a spirit of adventure here," said Bob Tema, founder of Superior Surf Club.

www.superiorsurfclub.com

Cut a hole in the ice, suit up, tie into a line and jump in. Ice dives deliver scuba fanatics to a frozen world heretofore seen only by ice fishing bait. Smith Diving in Fridley offers a course.

www.smithdiving.com or 763-574-1280

Among the most challenging races ever designed in Minnesota, the Arrowhead 135 starts in International Falls and follows a snowmobile trail to Tower, snaking in the woods for the race's namesake 135 miles. Participants go solo and are totally self-supported. You can ski, trek or use special snow bikes to attempt to complete the race in the 60-hour limit. A tent, sleeping bag and survival gear are mandatory equipment on this human-powered trip through the Frozen North.

www.arrowheadultra.com or 651-777-6868

Frozen waterfalls and ice cliffs are the medium of the sport. Ice axes, ropes and crampons are the tools. In Minnesota, rivers on the North Shore sprout towers of ice up to 175 feet tall. Near downtown St. Paul, Lilydale Regional Park has an ice-climbing practice area with short ice walls that form on dirt cliffs near the bluff top. Vertical Endeavors leads introductory ice-climbing trips.

www.verticalendeavors.com or 651-776-1430

Join a mass of polar bear aspirants at one of the many plunge events held in Minnesota. Groups run and jump into the winter water at an area lake -- no matter the temperature. Charity plunge events for Special Olympics Minnesota -- motto: "We're Freezin' for a Reason!" -- take place throughout the state in 2010.

www.specialolympicsminnesota.org or 612-604-1280

Running doesn't stop when the snow falls. Lace up your Nikes -- or your Sorel boots -- for the Securian Frozen Half Marathon, a 13.1-mile foot race held in conjunction with the St. Paul Winter Carnival on Jan. 23.

www.winter-carnival.com or 651-223-4700

Skis, a dog harness and a willing canine friend are the keys to skijoring, a growing activity that connects dog and owner for an exhilarating ride. Breeds from huskies to golden retrievers are appropriate for the sport. Several Three Rivers parks in the Twin Cities have skijoring trails. The Midwest Skijorers Club offers lessons and "demo" days where you can hook up to a borrowed dog buddy to try a ride on the snow.

www.skijor.org

Stephen Regenold writes about outdoors gear at www.gearjunkie.com.