Issue link: http://read.canadatravelguides.ca/i/809166
resort is Blue Mountain, about two hours north of Toronto (www.bluemountain.ca); Québec's leading ones are Mont Tremblant north of Montréal (www.tremblant.ca) and Mont-Sainte-Anne near Québec City (www. mont-sainte-anne.com). Newfoundland's Marble Mountain (www.skimarble.com) is also noteworthy. Aside from having Atlantic Canada's highest vertical drop, the area features Whistler-esque perks such as cat-skiing and winter zip-lining. ICY ALTERNATIVES From climbing frozen waterfalls in the Rockies to snowkiting over frozen lakes on "The Rock" (Newfoundland), cool options abound. If you want to stick with the classics, you can skate alfresco almost anywhere—even in the middle of major cities—given the wealth of natural and artifi cial rinks. Variations on tobogganing, similarly, are available on countless hills and slick pro tracks, like those at WinSport's Canada Olympic Park in Calgary ( www. winsport.ca) or the Whistler Sliding Centre (www.whistlerslidingcentre.com). And don't forget snowshoeing, an ancient mode of transportation made easier by today's lighter equipment. Folks who dream of yelling "mush" can try dogsledding, another time- honoured tradition, in most provinces and territories. Snowmobiling is a speedier update, and there's no shortage of trails; you'll fi nd more than 22,000 km (13,670 mi.) worth just in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Of course, simply sitting back to savour the aurora borealis is appealing, too. While Mother Nature's dazzling light display is visible in many northern locales, clear skies and an enviable position below the aurora oval make Yellowknife an optimal observation point ( www.astronomynorth.com). Not to be outdone, city dwellers host their own dazzling seasonal celebrations. Foremost among them is the Québec Winter Carnival —the world's largest winter festival —which brings snow sculptures, sleigh rides and cold-weather competitions, all enhanced by the joie de vivre of historic Vieux-Québec, from the end of January through mid-February ( www.carnaval.qc.ca/en). Top draws elsewhere include Winterlude in the National Capital Region ( canada.pch.gc.ca/eng/1416239267950) and Winnipeg's Festival du Voyageur (www.festivalvoyageur.mb.ca). SPRING The fi rst day of spring can look very diff erent depending on where you are. Some Canadians will be digging out from the latest snowstorm; others will already be in gardening mode. No matter when the thaw sets in, though, it's greeted warmly. TRAIL MIX Events like the World Ski and Snowboard Festival, staged in Whistler each April, prove how persistent the white stuff is ( www.wssf.com). As the mercury rises, however, even winter wonderlands morph into playgrounds for sunnier pursuits. In fact, once the snow melts, it isn't uncom- mon to see mountain bikers tackling the vertigo-inducing slopes that Alpine skiers formerly swooshed down, or nature buff s taking to the paths their Nordic counter- parts traversed earlier. Each province and territory has trails that put lovely landscapes within easy reach of hikers and bikers. The marquee one is The Great Trail which, when complete, will be the longest of its kind in the world ( www.tctrail.ca). P.E.I.'s pastoral section— the gently graded Confederation Trail— follows a converted rail bed across the Island from tip to tip ( www.islandtrails.ca). If that sounds daunting, city systems such as Saskatoon's Meewasin Valley Trail ( www.meewasin.com) or the Grand Concourse in St. John's, give urbanites a taste of the country (www.grandconcourse.ca). FLOURISHING FLORA The maple leaf is our national symbol, yet this time of year the tree's sap matters just as much because making syrup from it is a rite of spring. About 80 percent of all maple syrup comes from Canada and, as the sap rises, producers from Ontario to the Atlantic kick into high gear for "sugaring off ." Québec alone has 400-odd cabanes à sucre (sugar shacks), so there are lots of places where you can see the sweet treat made, then sample it poured on pancakes or poured over snow to create taff y-like la tire. Blooming fl owers are another sure sign of spring. Residents of Victoria do a blossom count in late February, gleefully broadcasting the results; and before long the city's acclaimed Butchart Gardens are awash with colour ( www.butchartgardens. com). But it takes the rest of the country time to catch up. The Devonian Botanic Garden outside Edmonton doesn't open until May ( www.devonian.ualberta.ca); ditto for notable Maritime cousins includ- ing Nova Scotia's Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens ( www.historicgardens.com) and New Brunswick's Kingsbrae Garden (www.kingsbraegarden.com). VICTORIA, BC • SHUTTERSTOCK/STEVE SMITH 37