Get Outdoors in the Pontiac this Winter
The weather outside may be frightful, but The Pontiac is so delightful! There is so much to do all winter long.
Ice Skating Trails
Skating trails are becoming increasingly popular in recent years; instead of circling round and round, you follow a winding ice path through the forest.
Great news, an outdoor skating trail very close to home in Wolf Lake. Patinage en Foret is a charming spot to discover with family and friends. There’s a heated building on site where you can lace up your skates, and rest areas along the trail where you can sit back and enjoy the scenery, birds and squirrels. 9 Mnt Beausoleil, Lac-des-Loups
Dog Sledding
Is there anything more Canadian than dog sledding? Gliding through the snow behind a pack of huskies gives riders a very exciting perspective on the world around them. You can enjoy world class dogsledding adventures right here in the Pontiac at Escapade Huskimo in Otter Lake. Go for a sprint, a half- or a full-day adventure with guides and the cutest pack of hounds around. There is also tobogganing and snowshoeing onsite. Check out their website at www.escapadehuskimo.com for location and information.
Take a Tour on a Snowmobile
Here’s a great way to shake off the winter blah’s. Take a trip around the Pontiac on a snowmobile. If you feel the need for speed and the rush of a sled beneath you, there are over 400 kms of beautiful nature-lined trails and wide-open spaces for you to enjoy. Every trail will eventually lead to a great place to relax at the end of your day. There are terrific restaurants to discover, historic inns to visit and outfitters to welcome you after a great day out on the trails.
Snow Shoeing
Snow-shoeing was once an essential mode of transport but now has evolved into something that’s completely unique and a lot of fun at the same time. The activity is quite simple; you strap on large tennis racket-looking “shoes” that are designed so your feet don’t sink into the thick snow, and take a leisurely stroll through the woods.
Don’t be fooled, this may look easy at first, but there is a slight learning curve to the process, which often involves a few stumbles. Be patient, it does not take long to catch on.
Curling
Speaking of Canadian traditions, another wintery activity you should try is curling. Whether you’re an expert sweeper like Marge from The Simpsons, or you’ve never heard of curling in your life, you’re in for a treat with this sport. An interesting combo of lawn bowling, shuffleboard, and your daily kitchen sweep (I’m only half kidding), curling involves players sliding stones on a sheet of ice toward a specific target area to score points, while also using a broom to manipulate its path as the stone glides across the ice.
The end result of participating in this activity, quite different from the Olympics version, is usually plenty of mistakes, a few falls on the ice, and a healthy competitive spirit that gives new meaning to the broomstick.
It’s a very Canadian thing to complain about how long our winters truly are. This year, you can make the season fly by as you take adventure after adventure and see what our area has to offer in a winter wonderland.
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