Live a unique winter experience in Canada

If there's a paradise for winter sports enthusiasts, it's Canada. Don't be impressed by extreme temperatures and the harsh Canadian winter, because when you love something, you don't count the cost! From East to West, the country rolls out its white carpet, for our greatest happiness. So, how to enjoy the Canadian winter?

It may seem completely crazy, but the event isn't that rare! All it takes is for temperatures to stay below -5°C for several days for the magic to happen. Water continues to flow over the three waterfalls of the site (American Falls – Horseshoe Falls and Bridal Veil Falls), but the surrounding landscape freezes and gets covered with snow. The famous falls have completely frozen only once in their documented history, and that goes back to 1848. It's also the season of the "Winter Festival of Lights" (Niagara Falls) which gives you a breathtaking light show like North America knows how to do, coupled with fireworks that illuminate the falls.

With a winter as long as it is harsh, our Canadian friends have no choice but to fully embrace this season, learning to make the best of it! Here are some of the festivities you can participate in:

Quebec Winter Carnival: simply the world's largest winter carnival! Ice palaces and sculptures, canoe races, not to mention the grand night parade led by the Bonhomme Carnaval!
Igloofest in Montreal: to come dance well bundled up and melt the snow at the Old Port! For 4 weekends from January to February, the best DJs come to raise the temperature in Montreal!
Winterlude in Ottawa: this festival highlights various flagship winter activities, with ice sculpture competitions, skating on the large rink of the Rideau Canal, but also emphasizes Canada's cultural and artistic diversity with many sites offering special and free programming.
Festival du Voyageur (Winnipeg): A tribute to the history of coureurs de bois and French explorers, with music, historical demonstrations and family activities in the francophone district of Saint-Boniface
Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous (Yukon): A festival to dive into the gold rush era, with axe throwing competitions, log splitting, chainsaw sculpture demonstrations, etc.
Jasper in January (Alberta): If you're in the Rockies area, this festival combines skiing, culture and gastronomy in the spectacular setting of Jasper, one of the country's most beautiful national parks.
Hotdog day (British Columbia): the small resort of Fernie invites you to travel back in time and come ski in the 80s! Bring out your best fluorescent outfit and go down the slopes to the rhythm of DJs who animate the slopes!
World Ski and Snowboard festival in Whistler: the country's largest resort brings together mountain professionals and artists during a 10-day festival. While pro riders compete on the slopes, headliners give free concerts in the resort's bars. Film screenings, fashion shows and other types of exhibitions are also organized.
Toonik Tyme (Iqaluit): this festival celebrates the return of the sun in the Arctic. The Inuit organize activities like igloo building, dog sled races and demonstrations of local traditions, like ice fishing or crafts.

These sugar houses, or maple groves, are the places, as you've guessed, where spring sap is harvested from maple trees, which will allow the production of maple syrup among other things. It's hard to find something more Quebecois than the sugar shack, so don't miss visiting one! Even if the ideal period to visit them is from February to April, some shacks are open year-round and offer you to discover the world of maple production!

A brief history of sugar shacks

Indigenous peoples, close to nature and sharing its secrets, were the first to harvest maple water to sweeten their food and drinks. Trees were tapped with tomahawks (traditional axes) and sap collected in bark cones. Legend has it that a young boy, hunting partridge, planted his arrow in a tree. Noticing that it caused a thick liquid to flow, he tasted it and discovered the sweetness of maple water.

How does it work?

The sugar season begins at the end of February and lasts about twenty days. Maple producers start by tapping the maples, then install tubes, connected to collector pipes, which will harvest the sap. Maple water is generally collected in spring, when the temperature exceeds 0° during the day but drops below 0° at night (the process is a bit complicated, but basically this allows the sap to flow!). This sweet water is then concentrated before passing to evaporation which will give, depending on the desired threshold, maple syrup, butter, or sugar. For info, it takes about 40L of maple water to obtain 1L of syrup!

What to expect when visiting a sugar shack?

Going to visit a maple grove is above all immersing yourself in the customs and traditions of rural Quebec. The rustic wooden cabin, generally located in the middle of the forest, immediately propels you into the warm authenticity of Canada. You can discover the harvest and transformation process of maple syrup but also attend maple taffy demonstrations on snow. This is one of the great traditions of the sugar shack! Hot maple syrup is poured directly onto snow, which slightly solidifies it. You then wrap this delicious treat around a stick to savor it.

But the heart of the visit is the hearty Quebecois meal served on long wooden tables covered with red and white checkered tablecloths. Generous and drizzled with maple syrup, it's a moment of sharing and conviviality with other guests. You'll generally be served pea soup, baked beans, cretons (pork rillettes with spices), oreilles de crisse (crispy fried salt pork), omelet, maple ham, and sausages in syrup, tourtière (meat pie), pickled beets, homemade red or green ketchup, thick pancakes covered, as you've guessed, with maple syrup.

The already festive atmosphere is complemented by musicians playing folk tunes and sometimes by games and dances organized for children. The visit will end with the souvenir shop where you can buy some delicious maple-derived products, which are the pride of the inhabitants and the reputation of the country.

Here's one of the most emblematic winter activities in Canada! Every year, this exceptional UNESCO site transforms into the world's largest natural skating rink! The canal freezes in winter and allows connecting downtown Ottawa to Dow Lake, 8 km away. The surface is well maintained, various entrances allow access to it and authorities closely monitor the quality and thickness of the ice. The Rideau Canal serves both peaceful walks and sports activities! You'll even see some people use it to get to work! Heated chalets are installed all along, allowing you to rent equipment, or taste beaver tails, famous sweet snack, resembling an elongated donut. During Winterlude, the canal is decorated with winter decorations, and receives shows and various festive animations. It's really something not to miss if you have the chance to pass through Ottawa during this season!

Amazing scenery, spectacular mountains, meters of exceptional fresh snow, superlatives are lacking to describe the experience of the Rockies in winter. Most travelers choose to visit Canada in summer, some try the Quebec experience in winter but few finally dare to venture into western Canada in the heart of winter season. If you have a one-year visa (PVT or student type), then perhaps you'll more easily have the chance to go marvel at the famous Rocky Mountains, but others don't miss this unique opportunity!

Breathtaking landscapes

The great classics of the Rockies, such as Lake Louise, Banff or the Columbia Icefield, take on magical postcard airs once dusted with snow, and without the usual groups of tourists. You can thus enjoy iconic places in a more intimate setting and experience nature in its wildest state!

Experience exceptional powder days!

Attention freeride enthusiasts among the fir trees, the Rockies offer you a spectacular and easily accessible playground. Here are some of the best resorts to test without delay!

The best resorts:

Whistler Blackcomb (British Columbia): one of the most famous in the country and the largest ski area in all of North America! Precipitation is heavy, but snow is wetter than in the rest of the Rockies, due to its proximity to the Atlantic coast. It's the resort to go to party and enjoy the lively village life. However, prices there are quite high.
Banff (Alberta): the Banff ski area encompasses those of Sunshine and Lake Louise, offering great diversity of slopes for all levels. Powder snow is often dry and of very good quality. Rates are lower than at Whistler and accommodations are numerous. Right in the heart of one of the country's most beautiful national parks, Banff is the ideal choice to combine winter sports and spectacular views.
Revelstoke (British Columbia): They say that Revelstoke has the best snow in the country! Famous for its impressive vertical drops and legendary off-piste, it's the favorite resort of experienced skiers and snowboarders. Accommodation rates are affordable, but lift tickets are expensive. It's the resort to choose if you love off-piste and have a good skiing level. However, there are very few slopes suitable for beginners.
Fernie (British Columbia): If everyone knows the legendary powder of Revelstoke, the secret is a bit better kept regarding Fernie. The resort is renowned for its abundant powder snow and its "tree rides". The area indeed offers varied terrain and large wooded areas ideal for intermediates and experts. The town itself is more authentic and less touristy. It's the resort to choose if you want to experience retro Canadian charm and ride in powder among the fir trees.
Kicking Horse (British Columbia): wild and adventurous, this resort calls the most intrepid among you to come down its slopes. Its excellent powder lends itself perfectly to freeride, and you'll find many off-piste areas. It's a resort for advanced and expert skiers, with few areas for beginners. Prices are a bit higher than Fernie or Revelstoke but cheaper than Whistler. It's the resort to choose if you're not afraid and seek to experience thrills away from crowds.

Admire frozen waterfalls:

Just because it's winter doesn't mean you can't go hiking! It's precisely the opportunity to wander through a striking landscape, frozen by ice! Here are some emblematic sites to go see the beautiful frozen waterfalls of the Rockies.

Johnston Canyon (Banff NP): one of the most popular winter hikes in Banff! A developed walkway allows you to get as close as possible to the Lower and Upper Falls, transformed into ice columns by the cold. Climbers, bring your gear, this is a very popular ice climbing spot!
Maligne Canyon (Jasper NP): this canyon, one of the deepest in the region, sees its walls covered with ice stalactites in winter and plunges you into a strange and fairy-tale universe made of ice and snow.
Weeping Wall (Icefields Parkway): this huge rocky wall becomes a gigantic frozen waterfall in winter. It's one of the most impressive in terms of size and appearance. It's very popular with mountaineers and photographers alike.
Takakkaw Falls (Yoho NP): one of the country's highest waterfalls (373 m), very touristy in summer, transforms into an icy marvel in winter. The hike that leads to it is more difficult to access (you'll need snowshoes or skis) but is well worth the detour.
Grotto Canyon waterfall (Canmore): easily accessible, these waterfalls are an ideal excursion for a family outing. Moreover, you can see petroglyphs there, that is, engravings and drawings, present in the rock for thousands of years and made by the indigenous peoples of the region.

Wildlife observation:

One of the highlights of a trip to Canada is often the moving encounter with a moose, bear, or caribou. Even if many hibernate or burrow in winter, you'll still have the opportunity to observe wolves, elk, or the beautiful white mountain goats in the national parks of Banff, Yoho or Jasper. Moreover, snow allows observing tracks and learning a bit more about these wild animals.

Iconic animals visible in winter

Wolves: in winter, wolf packs hunt deer and elk, you'll easily see their tracks in the snow. To see them, choose Jasper park, near the Athabasca river, as well as along the Icefields Parkway.
Elk: to escape areas covered with deep snow, elk move closer to plains in winter. You'll certainly have the chance to spot some near the small town of Banff or in the Bow valley.
Mountain goats: You might think that white on white, mountain goats will be difficult to observe, but they're actually very visible on the rocky cliffs of snowy mountains. You might see some near Johnston Canyon or on roads around Mount Edith Cavell.
Arctic hares: their white coat helps them camouflage in snow, but you can encounter them during a snowshoe walk, in forests and open plains.
Golden eagles and bald eagles: look up, and you might see large birds circling in the sky, soaring over valleys in search of prey. Stay near rivers, like in the Bow valley or walking along the Athabasca river.
Beaver and River otter: beavers are harder to see in winter, but you can admire the superb constructions of these little river engineers. Otters however remain active in winter and continue to swim in partially frozen waters.
Canada lynx: now you'll need to be very lucky, as observing a lynx is a rare and precious event. This snow feline prefers boreal forests and remote areas of densely wooded mountains. Their thick fur takes on a pale gray color that camouflages them in snow. Choose the most remote places in parks or get accompanied by a guide if sightings have been reported.

How and when to observe them

Guided wildlife hikes: if you're passionate, nothing beats being accompanied by a guide specialized in the subject. They'll teach you to track wild animals and answer all your questions!
Wildlife safari: if you prefer not to walk hours in snow, you also have the possibility to participate in a car safari, in a group, accompanied by experienced guides.
Snowshoes or cross-country skiing: it's alone and in total communion with nature that you'll have the best chance of letting animals come to you. You can rely on tracks they'll have left in snow, as well as on trees (deer and elk often leave marks by rubbing against bark).
When?: Leave early in the morning, when light is soft and there's less noise, animals are more confident and active. The same goes for sunset.
Recommended equipment: give wild animals their space, it's appropriate to bring binoculars or a camera with good zoom to observe them without approaching. If you leave in the morning or return late evening, don't forget your headlamp.
Safety: if you go alone, don't forget to inform someone of your itinerary. It's also recommended to carry a first aid kit and take into account park guidelines regarding behaviors to observe in case of encounters with predators, like wolves or cougars.

As you've understood, winter is a season that can prove wonderful if you know how to approach it. Whether it's to discover snowy landscapes, observe winter wildlife or practice winter sports, each destination offers a unique experience that promises to amaze adventure enthusiasts as well as nature lovers. From the magic of the French Alps to the vast snow expanses of Canada, passing through the Nordic forests of Finland and the ancestral customs of Japan, winter reveals many treasures to explore. No matter the destination, the important thing is to fully experience this magical season and create unforgettable memories, while enjoying the incomparable beauty of winter around the world.