Brandy Fredrickson, Free Press
Here are 10 budget friendly outdoor adventures that you can plan for this winter season.
Hike the Hill Top and Hillside Trails in Eagle Point Blue Rapids Provincial Park. This traill loop is located above the North Saskatchewan River Valley. It’s nestled in a forest of birch, spruce and pine. After a snowfall the trails feel like an enchanted winter wonderland.
It is a little early yet but as the mercury drops and the ice freezes you can take your family over to Discovery Park (old HW Pickup school) for a pickup game of shinny hockey or if you have a brood of little ones there is a nice smaller ice surface just for them located right next to the outdoor arena. Also further afield are Breton and Rocky Rapids outdoor skating rinks.
3. If you were not the thousands of people who recently took up kayaking or fishing this summer, winter is the next best time to start. Ice fishing at Buck Lake is a popular winter activity. I am not much of an angler myself but even I took up the rod two winters ago and had some success.
4. So about five years ago I reconciled myself to the fact that I live in a country that is snowy and cold in the winter and I bought myself a pair of classic cross country skis. This is a decision I never regretted. With 20km of groomed trails overlooking the North Saskatchewan River Valley the Pembina Nordic Ski Trails gave me a new view of how fun winter can be.
5. So this one I am not as familiar with but I hear that there are 40 and 80 mile sledding trails out near Lodgepole. These trails are managed by Brazeau Snowmobile Club volunteers. Another club in the area of Seba Beach is the Trail Seekers Snowmobile Club they also manage a snowmobile trail system.
6. If you are not much of a flatlander and you have a need for speed there is always the local downhill ski hill. I spent many a season on this hill back in the day, this is where I learned to ski before taking to the big ol’ Rockies. The ski hill is volunteer-run by the Drayton Valley Brazeau Snow Club. This great group of volunteers manage a t-bar, a concession, rentals, basically everything you need to crush some sweet pow pow. Open dates are snowfall dependent but the past two seasons the hill has been open between Christmas break and Family Day weekend.
7. Not keen on skiing? Take the family to the hill anyways and get the little ones riding the donuts on the tube run. My four year old has logged some serious hours on the local tube town.
8. Explore Drayton’s only forest park the Lion’s Park and plan an outdoor picnic and fire. In the winter you can follow animal tracks with the kiddos, see an array of bunny burrows and even see some deer.
9. Winter wouldn’t be winter without some tobogganing. Although this is not a complete list these hills make my top three because of access or thrill. For those thrill seekers check out the big hill at Ivan To Park. You have to access this park by a short walk but it is worth it. Another short walk only access hill is the Peace Park (Northview Park) this hill is also worth the venture for the whole family. Lastly, if you are crunched for time and looking to burn off some energy then the drive to hill at St. Anthony school is a good option.
10. So I know we mentioned outdoor skating but, throughout the winter season there is also free indoor public skating that is offered at the Omniplex. This is a nice Friday night or Sunday afternoon option on those really cold days.
And a bonus idea…
11. We are Canadian right? So snowshoeing should be a no brainer. Well, that being said I didn’t get my first pair of snowshoes until about six years ago. So over the years I have gone off trail with them but some good on trail locations you could snowshoe are: the Rose Creek trails west of Alder Flats, the single track trails at the Pembina Nordic Ski Club, Hill Top and Hillside Trails, and the number of ATV trails in the Blue Rapids Provincial Park.
Get out there and enjoy yourselves!
