Recent snow turns Riding Mountain National Park into a ‘winter wonderland’

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This article was published 30/12/2016 (3413 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Snow conditions at Riding Mountain National Park are “great,” visitor experience manager Dave Tovell reported on Thursday, affirming that recent snowfall events have pushed them over the edge into a “winter wonderland.”

The Wasagaming townsite has been packed for the past few days, Tovell said, reminding park visitors that they operate 12 months of the year, not just during the two summer months.

At the same time, he recognizes that the summer months are when they’re at their busiest.

As such, it’s worth reminding outdoor enthusiasts that camp site registrations for 2017 open up at 8 a.m. on Jan. 16, at reservation.pc.gc.ca/Home.aspx, or by phone at 1-877-737-3783.

It’ll be a busy year, during which our nation marks its 150th anniversary, Tovell said. Day entrance fees are being waived throughout 2017 in recognition of the year-long celebration.

For now, however, Tovell is focused on winter.

While conditions have been great for outdoor activities, this winter season hasn’t been without its challenges.

The volunteer Riding Mountain Trail Stewards have joined Parks Canada staff in having a busy December clearing and grooming the park’s many trails; no easy task given heavy snow and freezing rain.

“There were a lot of trees bending or breaking over ski trails, but the majority of trails were cleared by the (Christmas) break,” Tovell reported. “Nothing major. It’s been a good team effort and we have everything back up and running.”

Another recent challenge relates to safety, in that there’s some thin ice throughout the park that might prove dangerous to hikers.

Although there were a few cold periods in recent weeks, an early winter snowstorm created a layer of insulation over bodies of water, so a lot of rivers, streams and creeks didn’t have a chance to freeze properly, Tovell described.

“We caution everyone, whether it’s on a lake or a stream or a creek crossing to take precautions and have an extra set of dry clothes and tread carefully when you’re experiencing any frozen water or water crossings, even in the winter time,” he said.

Still, most people experiencing the wilderness of Riding Mountain National Park at this time of year do so on snowshoes, cross-country skis and fat bikes (bicycles whose tires are twice the size of a traditional mountain bike).

Others skate at an outdoor skating rink or a skating lane that winds through the trees.

Some people are even spending nights at the park at one of their new oTENTiks, which are a cross between tent and cabin.

They have five of these oTENTiks, which include a wood stove, heater, lights and electricity, and Tovell said that they’ve proven popular thus far.

They’re almost certain to be booked out for the Winter Adventure Weekend, set to take place Feb. 10 to 12, during which various family-friendly outdoor activities will take place, including boot hockey, skiing, s’mores making and other such outdoor fare.

A special 1930s-style outdoor ice hockey game will also take place, in tribute to the games they used to have between parks staff and teams from various area communities.

“There’s lots to do year-round,” Tovell said, adding: “Especially with this being a busy year it might be better to come in the off-season.”

» tclarke@brandonsun.com

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