More Than Frozen Tundra
By Lynn Martel
Feb 1, 2002, 15:19
Banff, AB: Home of the Banff Film Festival
With a scant 32 million Canadians inhabiting the world’s second largest country, we can afford to share. Glaciers, rain forests, boundless wheat fields, raging rivers, cosmopolitan cities and solitude second only to Siberia’s—we’ve got it all…unless you’re pining for a tropical beach.
From the fishing villages of Newfoundland to Toronto’s office towers, from street hockey in Brandon, Manitoba, to dry-suit surfing off Vancouver Island, Canadian lifestyles are as varied as the fall colors of Quebec’s maple trees. With the loonie (the Canadian dollar coin) floundering at an all time low, Canadians have little choice but to vacation at home and Americans can’t afford not to visit.
The colder the temperature, the more excuses we find to plan fun events outside. Survivor’s tropical island castaways could learn plenty from the mushers who race teams of sled dogs for four days across central Saskatchewan’s frozen farmland at the Canadian Challenge. Lake Albiti Crossing takes advantage of Arctic tempatures when competitors grind if out over the frozen lake. And, in case the 500 established waterfall ice climbs in the Canadian Rockies aren’t enough, folks in Canmore, Alberta, erect a 60-foot ice structure in the middle of town each winter where local stars compete tool to tool at the Canmore Ice Climbing Festival.
But even Canadians can’t live by winter alone. Come June, Montreal’s sidewalk cafes are swarming with fashionable diners savoring the hot and steamy sounds of the Festival International de Jazz de Montreal. On Prince Edward Island, the Island Trails festival gets visitors to this eastern coast Maritime province walking, running, biking and building up an appetite for seafood fresh off the boat. In southern BC’s wine region, August temperatures can melt your tires, but that only makes the 24 Hours of Adrenalin mountain-bike race in Kelowna a more heated challenge.
Just a couple of mountain ranges further east, however, participants in August’s TransRockies Challenge had better prepare for the possibility of snow, mosquitoes, scorching heat and drenching rain during the week-long mountain-bike stage race.
Winter or summer, Canada relishes its reputation as the globe’s hot spot for outdoor sports culture. If you’re looking for just one event that sums up the nation’s intellect and love of the wild, head to the Banff Mountain Summit, celebrating life in the extreme with the world’s best mountain films, books and lectures. And don’t forget to cap off the festivities with a potent pint of Canadian beer.
The 2002 Can’t–Miss Events list for canada
sweat:
Canadian Challenge
February 13-18; Prince Albert, SK
Bark like mad when more than 30 teams from North America and Europe compete for cash prizes in this 300-mile sled dog trek from Prince Albert to La Ronge and back. 306-982-3798; www.canadianchallenge.com.
Ice World Cup
March 1-2; Quebec City, PQ
One hundred athletes from 20 countries will use their ice tools here on an 80-foot artificial structure in this final event of the Ice World Cup. The Festiglace The North Face du Quebec ice climbing festival will take place the weekend before the World Cup event at Pont-Rouge. 888-517-4546. www.festiglace.com.
Canmore Ice Climbing Festival
March 8-10; Canmore, AB
Ice climbers sharpen their tools and crampons and race up a 60-foot man made ice wall. Clinics, demos, slide shows and really cold beer. 403-678-1636; www.canmoreicefestival.com.
Lake Abitibi Crossing
March 5-9; Eades, ON
Teams of five haul heavy sleds in this five-day cross-country ski trek across the frozen wastes of Lake Abitibi. 819-339-3300; www.theconquerorsofthenorth.com.
The Yukon River Quest Canoe Race
June 27; Whitehorse to Dawson City, YT
The gold rush is on: Travel 460 miles across Lake Laberge and down the Yukon River toward the Klondike in the world’s longest canoe race. 867-668-4711; www.polarcom.com/~riverquest.
Sea to Sky Mountain Bike Trail Ride
July 6-7; Whistler, BC
Don’t miss this two-day bike ride topped off with a night of music and partying in Whistler. 800-242-1825; www.great-explorations.com.
Conquerors Bike Raid
July 30-August 3; La Sarre, PQ
Hit this five-day/four-night mountain biking endurance test and whiz through ancient forests north of the 49th parallel. Conquerors of all ages welcome. 819-339-3300; www.tourisme-montreal.com.
Kootenay Fat Tire Festival
August TBA; Nelson, BC
Mountain bike revelry in one of Canada’s coolest towns on some of North America’s sweetest trails. www.netidea.com/fat-tire/; email: fat-tire@netidea.com.
Canadian Death Run
August 3; Grande Cache, AB
Individuals and relay teams follow 78 miles of extreme mountain trails—or perish. Or bite the dust in the Death Ride on August 31st and Death Snowshoe in winter. 780-827-3300; www.canadiandeathrace.com.
Marathon by the Sea
August 11; Saint John, NB
Part of St. John’s Festival by the Sea, this race draws participants from Canada, the US and overseas to this charming city by the Bay of Fundy. 506-658-4715; www.marathonbythesea.com.
TransRockies Challenge
August 11-17; Fernie, BC to Canmore, AB
More than 350, two-man teams grind out 373 miles, crossing over the Continental Divide three times for a total elevation gain of 29,500 feet in this mountain bike stage race. 403-299-0355; www.transrockies.com.
24 Hours of Adrenalin
August 17-18; Barrie, ON
Teams of four to 10 mountain bikers compete with everything in their glands during the world’s largest 24-hour test of endurance. If you miss it, check out other 24 Hours of Adrenalin events across Canada. 905-944-9436; www.24hoursofadrenalin.com.
boost:
Carleton Cup for Cystic Fybrosis
February 3; Ottawa, ON
Help raise money for Cystic Fybrosis: Skate the Rideau Canal followed by a walk/run topped off with a cold beverage! www.carletoncup.com; email: carletoncup@yahoo.com.
Bruno Engler
March 24-35; Banff, AB
Founder and namesake Engler skied this event for 35’s and older until he was 84. 403-762-4421; www.banffnorquay.com.
Terry Fox Run
September 15; Across Canada
Participants in this annual event, named in memory of the one-legged runner who ran halfway across Canada in 1980, can run, walk, skate or cycle 10K to raise money for cancer research. More than 1,000 Terry Fox runs take place per year across Canada and the world. 888-836-9786; www.terryfoxrun.org.
CIBC Run for the Cure
October 6; Toronto, ON
The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation organizes this race that raises money to fight breast cancer. If you can’t make it to Toronto, participate in more than 30 other Run Sites across Canada. 416-596-6773; www.cbcf.org.
vibe:
Snowsculpting Championships
February 3-5; Kelowna, BC
Teams transform blocks of snow into sculptures, competing to represent the province at the Canadian Championships at Silver Star Mountain Resort. 250-558-6025; email: events@skisilverstar.com.
Caribou Carnival
March 29-31; Yellowknife, NWT
Get ready to raise hell on the frozen wastes of Frame Lake. Music, fireworks, ice-sculpting and a whole lot more! Email: info@city.yellowknife.nt.ca.
Festival International de Jazz de Montreal
June 27-July 7; Montreal, PQ
Be part of the 23rd annual International Jazz Fest and listen as world-class musicians take to the stage to blow cool jazz and hot riffs. 888-515-0515; www.montrealjazzfest.com.
SaskPower Regina Dragon Boat Festival
August 30-31; Regina, SK
Follow the Tao Canadian-style and join more than 120 teams in this floating festival of ancient Chinese boats rallying for world peace. 306-543-6868; www.dragonboat.regina.sk.ca.
Island Trails
September 23-29; PEI
Held in communities across Prince Edward Island, Canada’s smallest province, this event features myriad activities and events encouraging people to walk, run, bike or hike the island’s Confederation Trail. 902-894-7535.
Banff Mountain Summit 2002: Extreme Landscape
October 22-November 3; Banff, AL
See the world’s best mountain films and videos and hear mountain stories that inspire at the Banff Mountain Film Festival and the Banff Mountain Book Festival. 800-413-8368; www.banffmountainfestivals.ca.
fringe:
2002 Cardboard Downhill Derby
February 2; Fernie, BC
Cardboard sleds duke it out on ski slopes in a race for the “stop on a dime award.” 250-423-2435; www.skifernie.com.
World Championship Bathtub Race
July 28; Nanaimo, BC
Participants try to float their tubs across the Straits of Georgia in this 1.5-hour race. 250-753-7223; www.bathtub.island.net.
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