Contest update: Congrats to Judy Burgschmidt for winning our latest mini-contest here at T&C. Winter camping, wolves and snowshoeing canoe routes in Prince Albert National Park? How Canadian is that?
A huge thanks, also, to Toronto’s Linda Boyko for pointing out the “quiet peacefulness of winter” in Ontario’s Bruce Peninsula National Park and to V. McLennan for naming Manitoba’s Riding Mountain National Park as a great place to cross-country ski or snowshoe, “no matter how cold it can get here in Manitoba!”
Judy, we’ll be contacting you via e-mail so we can get your coordinates. One Toque & Canoe-inspired swag bag is on its way!
We’ve just returned from attending the Dark Sky Festival in Jasper National Park, a corner of Canada which is already a winter wonderland at the higher elevations. (Seriously, if there were mountains in heaven, this is what they’d look like.)
Anyway, our trip got us thinking. Do you make a point of travelling to Canada’s national parks during the winter? If so, where do you go and why?
We’re prepared to offer a Toque & Canoe-inspired swag bag to the person behind the most interesting and informative response to our question.
Our contest will remain open until midnight January 1, 2015. Standing by!
Jasper National Park / Photo by Toque & Canoe
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Mike Day commented:
I came to Jasper for summer employment starting in 1986 and decided to stay for 1 winter in 1989. I’m still here 25 years later!
toque & canoe commented:
Thanks for commenting Mike. So what ARE your favourite Jasper winter activities?
Mike Day commented:
Family time when the kids were little was Sunday at the ski hill. I would bribe them into one more run by offering to buy poutine and hot chocolate at the upper chalet at Marmot Basin. Such a great way to spend a day in the mountains!
V McLennan commented:
Riding Mountain National Park is our winter getaway. Seems that most folks like to escape to the warmer areas, but the beauty and stillness of the trails we use for snowshoeing and cross country skiing are the best way we have found to relax and enjoy the winter no matter how cold it can get here in Manitoba!
toque & canoe commented:
Thanks for your comment. Well put! We love that – “beauty and stillness” are definitely a few of the benefits winter brings to our national parks! We discovered this in Yoho National Park last year during our visit to Emerald Lake Lodge. http://toqueandcanoe.com/2014/03/05/emeraldlakelodgeyohonationalpark/
Linda Boyko commented:
Bruce Peninsula National Park is our winter wonderland. Even though we live in Toronto we try to get up to the Bruce a few times during the winter- mainly for the snowshoeing. Years ago we decided that it didn’t make sense to hibernate during the winter so… we decided to embrace it. There is something about the quiet peacefulness of winter on a nice sunny day that just isn’t there the rest of the year. (Providing there are no snowmobilers in the vicinity!)
toque & canoe commented:
Thanks for your comment Linda. We keep hearing about how amazing Bruce Peninsula National Park is! No matter what time of year. And we’re huge fans of snowshoeing – a highlight of our Winter Awesomeness in Fernie, B.C. story from last winter. What did our guide say? If you can walk, you can snowshoe! http://toqueandcanoe.com/2014/02/22/fernie-winter/
Judy Burgschmidt commented:
Snowshoeing some of the canoe routes in Waskesui National park is a lot of fun. Not to mention winter camping with the lovely sound of howling wolves! Last year we had the pleasure of watching a pack of 8 wolves playing in the snow!
toque & canoe commented:
Lucky you, Judy. Howling wolves in the wild. Pretty sweet! Snowshoeing canoe routes? Doesn’t get more Canadian than that! Do you mean the Waskesui Wilderness Region within Prince Albert National Park?
Judy commented:
Yes it was on Crean Lake in Prince Albert National Park that we saw the wolves. winter camping is amazing!