Life’s a Biche
Held in Lac La Biche every year, the Winter Festival of Speed goes beyond the sugar shacks that typify most winter carnivals. It has honest-to-God drag races on the plowed, frozen surface of the lake. “It’s like a three-ring circus on ice,” says co-organizer Brad Musat. Parents can drop little ones off at a kids’ carnival site before they check out snowmobile and ATV races, some on groomed trails, others on bare ice. |  Speed Freaks |
Rustic retreat
Eschew the lift ticket even if you crave the mountain vibe. An accessible backcountry experience can be had for those willing to strap on some snowshoes or Nordic skis for the self-guided, well-marked 11-kilometre jaunt to historic Skoki Lodge from Lake Louise. The off-grid lodge, famed for resident chef Katie Mitzel’s high-end cooking, is heated mainly by wood and lit by a mix of solar, battery and oil lamps.
Dog days of winter
Skijoring is kind of like dogsledding, only – on skis and hooked to a dog – you’re the sled. While you don’t need to be a great skier, says Dawn Donald, owner of Mad Dogs & Englishmen Expeditions, “you should have intermediate skills.” Mad Dogs offers two-hour guided skijoring outings in Canmore, providing the canines and equipment. If you’re all downhill and a bit rusty with XC, Donald provides a two-hour Nordic primer in the morning before you head out with the dogs in the afternoon. Cost: $75 per person per hour. Like it? Purchase your own single-dog skijoring starter kit from Calgary’s Urban Mushers for $120.
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