It’s a wonderful thing when the season’s first snow falls. Large flakes fall from the sky, blanketing the ground in a fluffy white blanket that brightens the night and muffles noise. That first snow is always short-lived (as is the second and, if we can get it, the third) in Vancouver, British Columbia, where I’m from. The winters there are so mild that I’ve always called it “fake Canada.” We’re already counting down the weeks until our crocuses show up, while the rest of the nation is getting ready for three months of backyard skating or snowshoeing through the forest.
It was a (cold) revelation the first time I saw winter in the East. Even though snow sports are well-known in our West Coast mountains and ski resorts, the steep slopes—which can be expensive—are frequently crowded and busy. Although they are lovely and bright, I had to travel back to the East to enjoy the kind of traditional winter I’ve always imagined, where snow is always just outside the door, lakes freeze over for fishing or skating, and clear, dark nights can hold the promise of the northern lights.
I found a more serene, contemplative winter in the East, where spending a day in the snow is frequently followed by spending an evening by the fire; where everyone you know has cold, chapped cheeks and discussions center on the wind and the texture of the snow.
Continue reading for some of my favorite low-key wintertime activities and advice on how to stay warm.
Snowshoeing in Wanuskewin Heritage Park, Saskatchewan, along historic bison trails
The first time I tried traditional snowshoeing, which looks like enormous wooden tennis rackets, I tripped and fell into a snowbank. I was positive that the sport wasn’t for me.
In terms of the shoes I tried on, not much has changed since Indigenous people used a version of the shoes made of rawhide and bent branches to traverse the terrain thousands of years ago. Luckily for me, the shoes I tried on were much bigger and more challenging to use than the modern ones borrowed from Wanuskewin, a park outside of Saskatoon that documents the history of buffalo hunting and the Plains People. Thanks to their comfortable snow boots, these snowshoes provide novices with an easy way to explore far-flung, uncharted winter environments.

Snowshoeing is possible practically anywhere there is more than 6 inches of snow, but I was captivated by a recent experience on the 4.3 miles of trails in Wanuskewin. The valley temperatures were mild enough to spend a few hours exploring the beaver dams, teepee rings, and buffalo jumps along the winding trails along the frozen Opimihaw Creek, even though the winter wind blew across the grassland. We saw the park’s new herd of bison and deer at prairie level.
Bring water and wear layers because snowshoeing can cause perspiration.
A forest trail in Fredericton, New Brunswick, where ice skating is permitted
One of the most distinctively Canadian pastimes is outdoor skating. An outdoor rink with skate rentals or loans can be found almost anywhere that gets cold enough (January to March is typical). The 4.8-mile Rideau Canal in Ontario is Canada’s most well-known ice trail, and I’ve long dreamed of gliding for miles along it. However, skating has reached a whole new level thanks to shorter, less well-known trails.
Skate parks can take many different forms, such as paths carved into lakes or meandering forest trails that are flooded to create slick surfaces. They are usually a few meters wide, and many of them are illuminated for skating at night. The Mactaquac Provincial Park forest trail, which is 25 minutes from Fredericton, New Brunswick, is one of the newest. There are two 700-yard (635-meter) loops through the forest that are free to use, and skate rentals are available.

The Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area in Ontario also has a trail. The intermediate Lake Superior Ice Trail will follow the shoreline for 765 yards (700m) after the freeze has set in. The easy Lac-des-Loups trail in Quebec (but only 45 minutes from Ottawa) is 3km long and winds through a snow-covered forest that protects you from the bitter cold.
Even though trail skating is a physically demanding activity that keeps you warm, pick a route with warming stations so you can stop for hot chocolate and chat with locals until you get the hang of it. Make sure you have warm socks and a decent hat (a Canadian hat for the winter).
Skiing in Quebec’s Mont-Orford National Park’s boreal forest
Downhill or non-skiers believe that learning Nordic skiing, also known as cross-country skiing, is a difficult and physically taxing task. It’s actually a fun way to explore a wintry landscape once you understand the fundamentals. It’s less expensive than downhill skiing, easier on the body (it’s popular with everyone from seniors to athletes in training), and doesn’t require a fancy resort stay or specialized ski equipment (socks and fleece layers are typical).
My favorite ski areas have rolling, wooded terrain that is kept just cold enough to keep the snow from melting and turning icy. Competitive ski teams can train at Mont-Orford thanks to its 26km of skate trails and 50km of traditional runs. Located 1.5 hours east of Montreal, Mont-Orford offers rentals, lessons, basic lodging, and meals, as is typical of cross-country ski resorts across Canada.
Explore the Anishnabek canoe routes on Manitoulin Island in northeastern Ontario.
Wasse-Giizhik Tours’ ice fishing blends two of my favorite activities: fishing and Indigenous tourism. The Canadian tourism industry with the fastest rate of growth is indigenous tourism. Businesses like Wasse offer tourists the opportunity to view the land from a different angle, or in this case, the opportunity to see the waters surrounding Manitoulin Island from the viewpoint of those who have lived there for ages.
The ridiculousness of ice fishing captivated me, even though I must admit I never imagined I would love it. Is it really possible that people would sit in heated tents and move a line up and down a hole in the ice? The first thing that surprised me was how lovely fishing is in the winter. A journey through a winter wonderland is necessary to reach a fishing spot, which is situated on a frozen lake in the middle of a frozen landscape.

The fishing comes next. Once inside a darkened cabin, it’s easy to spot trout swimming past and (hopefully) taking your bait because the clear water takes on a luminous quality through the ice. The room is kept warm by a heater, and the hours fly by as people tell loud stories about those who managed to escape.