Six Star Magazine Six Star Magazine Winter 2009/2010 Outback | Page 15
Parc-vélo
FEATURE
Bike Park
SUGARLOAF BIKE PARK
CAMPBELLTON, NB
MOUNT ASSINIBOINE LODGE
MOUNT ASSINIBOINE PROVINCIAL PARK, BC
MONT-SAINTE-ANNE
BEAUPRÉ, QC
P.E.I.
good for the body, but connecting with the great outdoors is also
fantastic for the mind and soul.
If you have always done resort-style vacations, think about
eschewing the traditional southern beach holiday for a northern
spa and natural exploration destination. The year-round Radisson
Hecla Resort on Manitoba’s Lake Winnipeg (www.heclaoasis.com)
offers a variety of seasonal outdoor activities, cultural, historical
and “wildlife watch” itineraries, and combines them with the
opportunity to retreat to the mineral spa afterward. The resort
has a full-time naturalist on staff who takes guests on guided
wilderness tours like Snowshoe by Starlight, Marsh Treks, Snake Den
Safaris and Woodland Wanderings.
Depending on the terrain, two wheels can be an incredibly
exciting way to work your muscles. New Brunswick’s Sugarloaf
Provincial Park is home to Atlantic Canada’s only bike-park
trails that are accessible by mountain lift. Whether you are just
beginning to ride or if you are an experienced veteran, you are sure
to have an epic day riding in this downhill bike park with trails
that range from smooth, gentle cruisers to steep and rocky blackdiamond trails.
Canyoning is another great mode of exercise, but this one is
for the not so faint-of-heart. Canyoning is generally deemed to
be a technical descent down a canyon, requiring rappelling and
rope work, technical climbing or down climbing, and sometimes
technical jumps. However, if you are 10 years of age or older,
and you don’t have a debilitating fear of heights, you can safely
experience the thrill of canyoning next to a waterfall at
Mont-Sainte-Anne in Quebec year-round. In this adventure,
(www.canyoning-quebec.com) you will rappel down a cliff next
to the Jean-Larose Falls, which comprises two cascades measuring
12 m (39.5 ft.) and 19 m (63 ft.) high that carve a path through the
limestone bedrock and plunge into magnificent basins. In the
winter, you can rappel down a 41 m (135 ft.) frozen waterfall. Not
only is this sure to get the legs pumping, but we’re pretty sure it
will also get the heart racing.
For anyone who does not think horseback riding is athletic, just
give it a try. (And check out the muscle tone on cowboys and
cowgirls!) From ranch holidays and cattle drives to horseback
riding and cowboy poetry, Saskatchewan and Alberta have a vast
range of western adventures to choose from. Just get some boots
and chaps and join the fun. Whether it’s an hour’s easy amble
on horseback or six straight days in the saddle, there’s a wide
variety of trail riding, pack trips and ranch vacations to suit
your style. Check out www.sasksaddletrails.com or
www.albertaoutfitters.com to find out how to get
into the saddle.
Not all great adventures have to take place on dry
land. Scuba diving is a big sport in Canada and while
diving is particularly well known on the BC coast, there
are countless places all across the country to learn
and enjoy the sport. In Nova Scotia, Torpedo Rays
(www.torpedorays.com) invites divers to have their
picture taken with Scuba Claus during their annual
December Christmas Tree Dive! Divers head to
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