This Olympic sport is most often described as shuffleboard on ice. Team members take turns "shooting" (pushing) a stone—a disc of polished granite—down an ice rink, while broom-wielding teammates run ahead sweeping the ice to help the stone reach its target=. Then the next team pushes its stone, trying to either get it closer to the target= or knock the other team's stone out of play.

Don't be fooled by the staid take-your-turn nature of this sport: It's harder than it looks, requiring balance, the ability to shoot straight while sliding on ice, the leg and lung power to run ahead of the stone, and a mind for strategy. Curling is wildly popular in Alaska and Canada, not the least because it is suitable for all ages, from kids through seniors, and because it offers a social setting in any kind of weather. (While curling started as an outdoor sport on rivers and lakes, it now takes place almost exclusively indoors in specially constructed rinks.) Local clubs are enthusiastic about welcoming visitors and spreading word of their sport.

The Anchorage and Fairbanks curling clubs each have programs and classes for newcomers, as well as opportunities to watch games; if you've curled before, speak up and you may be invited to sub-in.