Dreamscapes Travel & Lifestyle

DREAMSCAPES WINTER 2023/2024 40 T R A V E L S L E U T H W inter holds Canada in its snowy grip for much of the year, giving nature a chance to catch its breath and snow buffs nearly limitless options to pull on mitts, boots and toques to venture outside. Whether you choose fat biking on historic trails in Atlantic Canada, ice fishing on a fjord in Quebec or snowshoeing and skiing on snowcapped peaks through forested glades in Alberta and British Columbia, these 10 standout winter sport experiences will inspire you to embrace the frozen beauty of the winter season. TAKE THE FAMILY SKIING SilverStar Mountain Resort in Vernon, British Columbia, offers a blizzard of family-friendly winter activities for kids of all ages. Practice ice skating and slapshots on a frozen pond, careen down snowtube runs and of course, enjoy steaming cups of hot chocolate in the rustic Paradise Camp after skiing SilverStar's 132 runs and 12 gladed areas. The resort is also home to 105 kilometres of scenic Nordic trails that with Sovereign Lake form Canada's largest daily groomed cross-country trail network. GO ICE FISHING ON A FJORD During the dark winter months, the ice of Quebec's Saguenay Fjord in La Baie is brightened by hundreds of colourful ice fishing cabins. Fishers try their luck catching smelt, Arctic cod and turbot in the fjord's deep salt water, all the while keeping cosy in cabins equipped with wood-burning stoves. CAT SKI STEEPS AND DEEPS Venture off-piste into 81 square kilometres of pristine terrain near Ross- land in the Kootenay mountains of B.C.'s legendary Powder Highway. Home to 100+ skiing operations along its route, this is prime backcountry territory for cat skiing. You can experience Big Red Cats' powerful snow machines as they ferry skiers up the slopes to carve first tracks through glades of feather-light, knee-deep champagne powder. SKATE THROUGH A SNOW-COVERED FOREST Lace up for a magical "fairy tale" skate through the snowy kingdom of Arrowhead Provincial Park. Located in Muskoka, Ontario's fabled cottage country, the 1.3-kilometre Ice Skating Trail sparkles in the winter sun, and once the stars come out on a weekend's Fire & Ice night, the groomed trail is illuminated by hundreds of glittering torches lighting the way through snow-covered evergreen trees. BY CLAUDIA LAROYE Go Play Outside! 10 WAYS TO ENJOY WINTER IN CANADA

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