Winter Appears to have Arrived

The National Capital Region is known for its robust winter. Although Ottawa is not the coldest capital city in the world - it is only seventh, behind Ulan Batar, Astana, Moscow, Helsinki, Reykjavik, and Talin - it is sufficiently cold that one of the region's largest festivals is Winterlude, held every February.

Cross-country skiing is tremendously popular in the region. In Gatineau, the Nakkertok club has become one of the largest, by member count, in Canada. In Gatineau Park, more than 185-km (depending upon who you ask) of trail is groomed for cross-country ski. And in the Greenbelt, although no trails are groomed, skiers can be seen on almost every pathway.

Snowshoers are becoming nearly as frequent, especially in recent years as more and more people trade in their traditional design baskets for those more high tech and user-friendly. This increase in popularity is being reflected in the number of trails that are being designated for snowshoe use. In Gatineau Park, for example, there is an extensive new network that permits snowshoers to have access to both Herridge and Healey Shelters, as well as the Lac Brown Cabin.

Walkers are more likely to be found on the Greenbelt Trails, and the pathway system where it runs close to housing. In addition, whenever conditions become icy, as they did in the winter of 2009-10, many people put away their skis and snowshoes and trust in their hiking boots instead. But even when the snow is thick, many walkers can be found on trails all over the region.

All 50 routes profiled in Hiking Trails of Ottawa have the permitted snow season uses listed, including mentioning those, such as Pink Lake, where they are closed in the winter. These winter uses may be found in the "Trails at a Glance" table on page 19.

So, whatever your preferred method of winter recreation, you should find the information that will keep you active this winter. The snow may have arrived, but that does not mean you need to hibernate until next spring.