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Alberta and BC have some of the most gorgeous scenery and national parks in the country. From Banff to Jasper, Waterton, Yoho, Kootenay, and Glacier, there is nothing better than being in the backcountry during the winter. Even the drives west or south are spectacular, particularly in the morning just as the sun begins to peak above the mountains in a splendid red glow that perfectly accents the snow-dusted evergreens.

The opportunities for exploration and activity are endless. Ice skating, skiing and snowboarding, backcountry hiking, snowshoeing, ice climbing, and cross-country skiing. The air is crisp, with a bite that smells even better with the hint of a freshly crackling fire at the end of trek to a beautifully frozen alpine lake in a cirque of peaks. And if you’re lucky (or foreward thinking!) you’ll have brought a thermos of hot chocolate to warm your core.

If there’s time for a multi-day excursion and you’re not up for winter camping, then try the stunning Emerald Lake Lodge, right on the shores of Emerald Lake. The Kicking Horse Ski club is maintaining the cross-country and snowshoe trails for the 2012/2013 season in Yoho so there’s plenty to do right from the lodge.