Winter in Canada begins in early December with snow and negative temperatures well into February and beyond. Although these months may not seem like the best time to plan a vacation to visit our neighbors up North, there are so many incredible locations, events, and activities that make it worth the runny nose and frozen toes.
Activities
With some places in Canada reaching more than 21 feet of snow in the winter and averaging 141 days of snowfall, it should come as no surprise that skiing and snowboarding are incredibly popular activities during the Canadian winters.
In British Columbia alone there are 13 major ski resorts and 10 mountain ranges – ranging from small ski villages to large resort towns. Big White is Canada’s largest ski-in/ski-out resort village with the slopes of the Okanagan range that reach over 7,000 feet of elevation are right outside each visitor’s lodging.
Mount Washington Alpine Resort is located on the secluded and breathtaking Vancouver island. Positioned between the Pacific Ocean and the Strathcona Provincial Park, this resort provides the unique opportunity for its guests to surf and ski in the same space.
Also located in British Columbia is Ainsworth Hot Springs Resort in the Kootenay Rockies. This historic location was first visited by the Ktunaxa First Nations peoples for its healing properties.
It may be tempting to stay a whole vacation in one of these hot springs or slopes, but if one can pull themselves away from the relaxing waters, there are even more exciting activities to experience, like a snow polo match.
Snow Polo
Similar to traditional field polo, snow polo is as its name suggests; played in the snow. In addition, snow polo is played in an arena rather than an open field. The FIP Snow Polo World Cup is held annually and began in 2012.
A Canadian Polo team first participated in the tournament in 2013 and played every year until 2017. Although Canada has not participated in the most recent Snow Polo World Cup, many Canadian players did make an appearance at the Snow Polo World Cup held in St. Mortiz.
As the sport continues to gain popularity, more competitions are being held in Canada, including the first ever all-women’s snow polo event, which was held at the DiRosa Polo farm in Toronto. Additionally, women like Hailey Van der Burgt are growing the game for women in Canada, and used snow to her advantaged. Van der Burgt, who created the Canadian Women’s Polo Series, typically hosts the tournaments at in-door arenas. But on the first day of the annual tournament, a fresh layer of snow covered the field outside the indoor arena. Van der Burgt decided to have some fun, and hosted her first ever Canadian Women’s Snow Polo Tournament.
Written in collaboration with Lily Brennan