Three Snowy Days in Alberta, Canada
Less than two hours by plane from Seattle, southern Alberta’s winter wonderland beckons you to come out and play.
Illustrations by Matt Chinworth
LOCALS IN THIS PART OF ALBERTA don’t just survive the winter — they celebrate the season in all its whiteout glory. Sure, there’s skiing aplenty, but there are also alpine lakes to skate, frosted forests to snowshoe, and snow-covered streets to fat-bike. The rosy-cheeked fun isn’t just for weekend warriors; it’s an everyday pursuit that invigorates body and soul.
Day 1
See all those yoga studios, organic cafés, and kombucha breweries in Calgary? Since hosting the 1988 Winter Olympics, this town in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies has taken wholeheartedly to healthy living, adding bike trails and drawing hard-core athletes and recreational mountaineers. Snow doesn’t slow anyone down; many trails are cleared and salted within 24 hours of snowfall, and the warm Chinook winds, along with generally sunny days, make for conditions that are more pleasant than bitter.
Get your bearings on two wheels. Nomad Mobile Gear Rental will deliver fat bikes (the four-inch tires offer stability in snow) to your Airbnb. From downtown, follow the Bow River Pathway along its namesake waterway and past the iconic Peace Bridge, toward Edworthy Park. The half-hour ride goes from the city center toward the forested outskirts, with lots of scenic vistas between.
Follow the ride with some active recovery at LIV Yoga in the form of snoga — yoga on the snow. The out-there practice is even more transcendent against the riverfront landscape of Eau Claire Park. Just give the studio a week’s notice.
There’s no shortage of farm-forward chefs in Calgary who mind nutrition without skimping on flavor. At Ten Foot Henry, put in for the hanger steak with grilled mustard greens and the yogurt mashed potatoes, topped with an egg and beet chips. Everything comes out family-style, in portions that leave you neither sluggish nor wanting.
Day 2
Travelers might blow past Canmore en route to Banff and its buzzy ski resorts, but seasoned outdoor enthusiasts know better. Surrounded by mountains, the former coal-mining town was revitalized when the Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park was built for the Olympics’ cross-country-ski events.
Stop for a frittata brunch at Mountain Mercato, and while you’re at it, stock up on their regional artisanal goods, including sourdough bread, Drizzle honey, and True Büch kombucha, for the rest of the trip.
From any Main Street sidewalk, you’ll spot the mountaintops of Kananaskis Country (or K Country), the locals’ alternative to the touristed Banff National Park trails. The million-plus acres of jagged peaks and dense forest played a starring role in the Oscar-winning movie The Revenant. Before venturing out, get kitted with snowshoes, skates, and Nordic skis at Gear Up. They won’t charge to keep the equipment overnight — or for the expert trail intel.
Snowshoeing takes some getting used to, but it grants you easy access to dazzling backcountry terrain and wooded paths. Trails around Spray Lakes Reservoir, like Chester Lake or Mount Shark, are relatively flat and often packed down, so they’re good for newbies. Any frozen lake along the way is likely to have locals skating or playing shinny (pickup hockey), and you’ll want to get in on the action. While K Country’s wild lakes depend on Mother Nature’s whims, there’s a groomed rink near Main Street with a warming hut and a view of the Three Sister peaks.
Spend the afternoon browsing the casual-cool boutiques and galleries full of local art that line the quaint downtown before making your way up to the Nordic Centre to pump arms and legs on Olympic-quality trails. Wait it out until 5 p.m., when you can cross-country ski for free on a lit loop perched at 4,675 feet.
Meander back to lower elevation for a nightcap at Toniq, known for its cold-pressed juices and warm elixirs. The chaga hot chocolate with raw cacao, cashew butter, and dates is an antioxidant-rich potion said to boost immunity and quell stress.
“As folklore has it, the word Chinook means ‘ice eater.’ The warm, dry winds are created by the downward- moving air that occurs at the lee of a mountain range. Chinooks have been known to raise temperatures from -20°C to 10°C in as little as a few hours.” — Damion van’t Kruis, Airbnb superhost
Day 3
You’ve earned yourself a proper rest day, complete with a leisurely drive and spa time. Less than two hours from Canmore is Radium Hot Springs, your final target. Take Highway 93, which cuts through Kootenay National Park as it winds through the Rockies. There are no gas stations or cell service on this 65-mile stretch, but you’ll be rewarded with mist-hugged peaks, rime-covered evergreens, and sugar-coated canyons at every turn.
Time it so you’re rolling into Radium Hot Springs Pools — recently gussied up with $8.2 million worth of enhancements — midday, before the après-ski crowd descends. Even before the springs were commercialized in the 1920s, indigenous peoples took to these mineral waters for health and medicinal purposes. Sitting in a cloud of steam amid frost-covered rock walls and watching bighorn sheep climbing up and down the canyon, you’ll be humbled by the greatness of it all. A sign at the entrance of the village reads the mountains shall bring peace to the people, and as you melt into the therapeutic warmth, you’ll believe it.
Winter Wisdom
Chilly temps come with hazards. Mike Bracko, a sports physiologist and hockey skating coach in Calgary, offers tips on avoiding cold feet (and everything else).
Layer properly
“If your torso gets cold, then everything gets cold,” says Bracko. Prep yourself with three layers: a synthetic-fiber base that wicks sweat (because soggy-prone cotton will make you freeze), a fleece to insulate, and a wind- and water-resistant shell. And don’t forget a hat.
Move a bit
Before hitting the snow, exercise indoors for five to ten minutes. “Your body will literally be warmer when you get outside,” Bracko notes.
Breathe easy
It’s not the coldness of the air that hurts your lungs; it’s the dryness. Wear a Buff or scarf over your mouth and nose, and breathe in through the nose to minimize the effects of dry air.
Mind your digits
Frostbite, which targets extremities first, is rare, but frostnip (a form of pre-frostbite) is common — and can be painful. So stack merino or silk liners under hefty gloves, and add toe warmers between two pairs of socks (one thin, one thick).
Hydrate
“Drinking water is more important in the winter,” Bracko says. Dry air sucks moisture from the body, and the rapid evaporation means you might not notice you’re sweating.
About the author: Stephanie Granada is a Colombian-American freelance writer, who splits her time between Florida and Colorado. She’s into books, her dog, all things ocean-related, and small towns. You can also find her work in Sunset, Woman’s Day, National Geographic Traveler, Southern Living, and others.
