With legendarily frigid temperatures lasting several months, it’s no surprise that Chicagoland hosts a variety of winter sports. From hockey to skiing (yes, you read right), to winter surfing and the famed Polar Plunge, adventure lovers can experience Chicago’s arctic chill while participating in various seasonal activities.
Amateur hockey leagues are popular throughout the city, and the Chicago Blackhawks host a number of youth events at their Fifth Third Arena practice facility (1801 W. Jackson Blvd., 312-455-7600) as well as at their home digs next door at the United Center (1901 W. Madison Ave., 312-455-7000). For adults interested in the sport, Johnny’s Icehouse runs two ice hockey rinks — Johnny’s East (1350 W. Madison Ave., 312-226-5555) and Johnny’s West (2550 W. Madison Ave., 312-243-4441), with the latter location having served as the Blackhawks’ official practice facility from 2010 to 2017. Both Johnny’s facilities have indoor parking, locker rooms and a Stanley Club bar overlooking the rink, and Johnny’s West features an additional rink along with the main ice surface.
Adult programming offered by Johnny’s includes instructional hockey, weekly invitational pick-up games, classes for beginners, as well as an elite league that is one of the nation’s largest and most competitive. Johnny’s Breakfast League for adult beginners, as well as clinics for players at various levels, are also organized on Friday mornings from 7-8 a.m.
Although Chicago doesn’t provide slopes high enough for skiing, there are plenty of resorts just outside the city, including Wilmot Mountain in Wisconsin, which is within an hour’s drive. Ski clubs have also blanketed the city and the suburbs with members eager to take advantage of the long winter season, and two of the more prominent clubs have made it a mission to encourage diversity in the sport.
The National Brotherhood of Skiers (NBS) — also known as the National Brotherhood of Snowsports — is a Chicago-based non-profit that serves as an umbrella organization for Black ski clubs throughout the country. Additionally, the Sno-Gophers Ski Club — which is the third oldest Black ski club in the U.S. — organizes regional and national ski trips and summits, in addition to holding weekly meetings and local events. NBS co-founder Art Clay is a member and an honoree of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame, and he is also a member of the Sno-Gophers.
With the waves of Lake Michigan churning up to five feet during the winter months’ high winds, surfing is a popular sport for a hardy group of adrenaline junkies. The Chicago Waveriders Club surfs the Chicago beaches where it’s legal to do so — on Montrose, Osterman, Rainbow and 57th Street Beaches. The group is also active during the warmer seasons, as it hosts beach clean-ups during the spring and fall.
And what is a winter in Chicago without the Chicago Polar Bear Club? Every January, hundreds of club members head to Oak Street Beach to dip into the frigid water at noon sharp on a weekend day, raising money for families in need. The event ends with a festive after-party celebrating the cold yet colorful adventure with a drink and a few snacks.
