I'm happy to have a few girlfriends who say yes to adventures most won't consider. Cue my friend of almost four decades - Jo. She has always wanted to visit Quetico Provincial Park in northwest Ontario, though a winter trip was perhaps not what she initially had in mind. To her credit, she said she was game for a stay in a simple cabin on a frozen lake, accessed via a 2 kilometre snowshoe in.…
If you're looking to get outside and make the most of winter why not hit one of these five cross-country ski trails, all within an hour of Calgary. West Bragg Creek - one of the best places to cross country ski near Calgary You are spoiled for choice with well over 40 kilometres of cross-country ski trails in the West Bragg Creek area just 45 minutes away from Calgary. When there's fresh snow this place…
If I was a resident of Sault Ste. Marie (located 675 kilometres northwest of Toronto) I would be making twice weekly trips to Hiawatha Highlands to cross-country ski on trails that have been described as offering some of the continent's finest Nordic skiing. Located less than 10 minutes outside of "the Soo" in a rolling landscape filled with stands of pines, hardwoods, creeks and waterfalls, a day trip to Hiawatha Highlands will leave you feeling…
Canadians have been slow to catch on to the charms of Stokely Creek Lodge, located just 35 minutes by car north of Sault Ste. Marie - especially considering the ease of getting to 'the Soo" from Toronto. You can easily fly on either Porter Airlines or Air Canada. The American owned lodge has been drawing guests primarily from Michigan and Wisconsin since the first cross-country ski trails opened in 1976-77. Stokely Creek Lodge is better…
I wouldn't call myself a creature of routine. I thrive on change and new experiences. But there are exceptions and a winter ski trip into Sundance Lodge in Banff National Park is one of those exceptions. I first learned about the lodge through a blog a number of years ago but for the most part this place remains a secret in winter. Few people have heard about it or even know that its open in…
What can you do and where can you go if you have three delicious days to spend on a winter getaway? If you've never been to the Kootenay Rockies, put this area on your must-visit list. In particular, plan stops in Kimberley, Invermere and Panorama along British Columbia's famous Powder Highway. Here's what to do on a 3 day winter getaway in the Kootenay Rockies (starting in Calgary) The drive from Calgary through both Banff and…
Drive 35 minutes north from Peterborough or two hours northeast from Toronto and you'll reach the Kawartha Nordic Centre. With trails for both classic and skate skiing running through Canadian Shield country you're in for a delightful day of skiing in an exceptionally picturesque setting. Ski through stands of towering white pine trees, past frozen rivers and small lakes. Make one of the four warming cabins your destination for the day. Kawartha Nordic rents skis for classic…
Latigo Ranch near Kremmling, Colorado is one of the best places I've been in the world for cross-country skiing. And good old western-style hospitality. The landscape of rolling hills dotted with aspen trees and far-reaching views makes for a splendid backdrop. Run as a dude ranch in the summer, Latigo Ranch transforms itself into one of the top spots in the USA in winter for cross-country skiing. Try to imagine what it's like to have…
Down in Alberta's southeast corner within sight of the Sweet Grass Hills of Montana sits Cypress Hills Provincial Park, a four season beauty that has escaped the notice of almost all Albertans. Of course the folks in nearby Medicine Hat and parts of Saskatchewan know its winter secrets but do you? This post includes some affiliate links. If you make a qualifying purchase through one of these links, I may receive a small percentage of…
With 135 trails covering the full gamut from perfect corduroy groomers to long cruisers, glades, bumps and powder, Sun Peaks, a Kamloops ski resort, earns the title as Canada's second largest ski resort. Along with its three mountains and a cute, colourful European style village, its got Nancy Greene. She's a gold medal Olympic athlete, Canadian senator and mountain host extraordinaire. Sun Peaks is about a 50 minute drive from Kamloops and its airport. Take a shuttle to keep…