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Exploring Winter IN CANADA
Q&A
From the Prairies to the mountains, Canadian professional snowboarder Craig McMorris shares his experiences in Canada and highlights activities for your next adventure.
WITH CRAIG MCMORRIS
Growing up in Saskatchewan, what kickstarted your love for snowboarding?
interior, the Rockies, and the western Prairies. I’ve spent time in all these locations, and each one is so special. I love it.
P H OTO C R ED I T: J O S EP H R O BY
I fell in love with snowboarding simply because I didn’t have access to it all the time. I was fortunate enough to get time at our local hill, Mission Ridge, but I always wanted more time on the snow. So my brother Mark and I would wakeboard all summer and jump on the trampoline doing everything we could to imitate snowboarding. We watched videos and read magazines, so we knew there was this whole world out there, and we wanted in.
Follow @craigmcmorris on Instagram.
What recreational activities do you recommend for people looking to spend more time outdoors? I think the most underrated and simplest activity is a walk through the forest. I know it’s not the wildest thing one can do, but there’s something grounding about being surrounded by huge trees. It’s an activity that I find helps me put things into perspective. Whenever I need to think, I’ll go for a trail walk through the forest.
What do you love most about Canada? Great question! How could I pick just one? For me, it comes down to two things: the people and the terrain. The people are down to earth, and the terrain is simply unmatched. Nowhere in the world do you have such dynamic landscapes, from the island to the ocean to the coastal mountains, the snowy
What should be on someone’s bucket list when visiting Canada? Fly into Vancouver on a clear day. The mountain tops will be snowy, and the city will be blooming. Drive the Sea to Sky Highway on a crisp morning. I’ll argue that there isn’t a more scenic drive.
Publisher: Hunter Veltri Business Development Manager: Melanie Kosev Country Manager: Nina Theodorlis Content & Production Manager: Raymond Fan Designer: Kylie Armishaw Lead Editor: Karthik Talwar All images are from Getty Images unless otherwise credited. This section was created by Mediaplanet and did not involve The National Post or its editorial departments. Send all inquiries to ca.editorial@mediaplanet.com.
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LOOKING FOR A UNIQUE WINTER ESCAPE?
This Region in Northern Alberta Is Redefining Cool P H OTO S C O U RT ESY O F FO RT M C M U R R AY WO O D B U F FA LO
Canadians are searching for one-of-a-kind travel experiences, and Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo ticks all the boxes. This expansive region in northern Alberta has bucket-list adventures and epic landscapes waiting to be explored. Ken Donohue
F
rom the urban delights of Fort McMurray, Alberta to the wild backcountry splendours of Wood Buffalo National Park and all the places in between, there’s something for everyone here. And come winter, the region takes on a truly magical feel. While you can enjoy unique travel experiences in Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo in all seasons, winter here is just a little bit cooler. Your ultimate winter adventure playground is closer than you think. With non-stop flights from Calgary, Edmonton, and Toronto, convenient connections from across Canada, and good road links from southern Alberta and surrounding provinces, getting here is easy. And with so many outdoor activities to experience, it’s the kind of place you’ll be telling your friends about. Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo offers exceptional natural beauty with smalltown hospitality.
What are you waiting for? Start dreaming and planning your Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo adventure at fmwb.ca. This article was sponsored by Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo.
4
Must-Do Winter Activities When You Visit Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo
Ken Donohue
A front-row seat to Earth’s natural light show
A sled of a different kind
Sit back and look at the night sky. On clear nights, the Northern Lights put on a dazzling show of light that dances in the night sky. It’s on many people’s bucket list to see this natural wonder, and if you visit between October and March, there’s a good chance you’ll be left mesmerized by this spectacle. While Wood Buffalo National Park is home to the world’s largest dark sky preserve, making it the perfect place to view the Northern Lights, you can still get a frontrow seat closer to Fort McMurray. View on your own or hook up with a local operator to show you the best viewing spots.
If you’re looking for a motorized sled experience, then you’ll want to consider snowmobiling. The region is a snowmobiler’s paradise. While you can’t ride down Fort McMurray’s Franklin Avenue (or any other street within the city limits), there are hundreds of kilometres of trails and waterways nearby to explore. Many of the trails are groomed and maintained by the local snowmobile club, with warm-up locations, firepits, and washroom facilities out on the trails. Grab some moxie, hop on a snowmobile, and explore winter like you’ve never done before.
Go cross country A sledding experience like no other Anyone who has seen images of a dogsled cutting across the frozen landscape through pine and birch forests wished they could hop on a sled themselves one day. Now’s your chance. Dogsledding — a traditional form of transportation in the Canadian North — is one of those once-in-a-lifetime activities. You’ll enjoy a comfortable ride on a handcrafted sled, as you glide along remote forested trails, and forget the city you’ve left behind. It’s an experience like no other.
Want to experience the incredible quiet that comes with a beautiful winter’s day? Imagine the landscape all around you, a blanket of white, and the only thing you hear are your skis or snowshoes gliding across the snow. With long and short distances on offer, a vast network of cross-country ski and snowshoe trails will please all experience levels. New to the skinny skis? The Birchwood Trails system offers 35 kilometres of groomed tracks, and the Ptarmigan Nordic Ski Club has you covered with gear rentals, tune-ups, and lessons.