Canada is known for its winters. While the length and strength of our snowy season varies from place to place, snow is a fact of life for nearly all Canadians. And rather than hide away from the elements, many Canadians choose to embrace winter and make the most of it through a wide range of outdoor activities. In BC, winter sets the stage for world class skiing and snowboarding, from the busy mountains of the Lower Mainland to the hidden small-town hills of the Kootenays. In the Alberta Rockies, backcountry skiers and snowboarders test their limits on some of the country’s highest mountain peaks. Across the prairies, snowshoers travel a well-established network of trails that often lead to incredible ice fishing lakes, with plenty of other wildlife to see along the way. Snowshoeing near Lake Louise, Alberta. Photo credit: shutterstock.com In Ontario, many take advantage of the freezing temperatures by clearing a spot on their local pond or lake for a game of outdoor hockey, widely regarded as Canada’s national pastime. In the Maritimes, places like Cape Breton Island offer some of the most scenic cross-country ski trails in the country, leading you through mature forests and along ocean vistas. No matter which part of the country you find yourself in, there is a unique winter adventure waiting to be had. Cross-country skiing on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. Photo credit: skituonela.com With this in mind, Backroad Mapbooks includes as much outdoor recreation information on our maps as possible. Cross-country ski, snowshoe and snowmobile trails are clearly marked, along with fishing lakes and downhill and backcountry ski areas, and we also include written descriptions in our Winter Adventure section. Here are a few of the key features that make Backroad Mapbooks your go-to guide for winter adventure across Canada: Industry-Leading Trail Coverage Backroad Mapbooks shows you more cross-country ski, snowshoe and snowmobile trails than any other map source, covering every province from BC to Alberta, plus the Yukon Territory (GPS only). From the scenic snowshoe routes of BC’s sunshine coast to the cross-country ski trails of Newfoundland, these maps have you covered. We also show you countless logging roads, resource roads, unclassified roads and deactivated roads, many of which remain unplowed through the winter and make excellent winter trails. The same goes for cutlines, pipelines and powerlines, all of which are clearly shown on our maps. Kootenay Rockies – Backroad Mapbook 1000s of POIs In addition to countless trails for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling, we mark a host of natural and man-made features on our maps that you may encounter while exploring Canada’s winter wonderland. These include big trees, scenic lookouts, warming shelters, huts and cabins, winter campsites, day-use rec sites, ranger stations, downhill and backcountry ski areas, Nordic ski centres, wildlife viewing hotspots, hot springs, waterfalls, microwave towers and more. With these maps in hand, you know exactly what to expect from the area you are exploring, whether you are winter camping in New Brunswick’s Fundy National Park or backcountry skiing in Crowsnest Pass near the BC/Alberta border. Canadian Rockies – Backroad Mapbook Unparalleled Map Detail Our maps feature industry-leading topographic relief and shading, so you know exactly when to expect a change in elevation while exploring a trail or logging road on your cross-country skis or snowmobile. We also show you virtually every lake, pond, moraine, river, stream and creek that you may encounter, so you do not have any unexpected crossings. Mountain peaks are clearly labelled and include elevation, and we show you glaciers and wetlands as well. No other topographic maps are as detailed or as easy to read as ours, so you can count on the most current map information wherever you are in Canada, from the cross-country ski trails of Manitoba’s Interlake region to those in Kechibouguac National Park. Vancouver Coast & Mountains – Backroad Mapbook Written Descriptions The winter adventure destinations shown on our maps are supplemented with written descriptions found in our Winter Adventures section, compiled by our team of outdoor writers and researchers. These include winter trails, national and provincial parks, downhill ski resorts, backcountry ski areas, Nordic ski centres, ski touring routes and more. Where applicable we provide you with trail distance, elevation gain, opening hours, contact information, highlights and more. With the help of these written descriptions, you can approach any winter adventure area with the confidence of a local, whether you are backcountry skiing in Alberta’s Banff National Park or taking a leisurely snowshoe through Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park. Thompson Okanagan – Backroad Mapbook Multiple Platforms In addition to our classic Backroad Mapbooks, we offer a wide range of map products geared specifically towards winter adventure. Our Waterproof Rec Maps contain all the detail of our Backroad Mapbooks blown up to an even larger scale. Printed on durable, waterproof material, these maps can withstand any winter storm and fold up neatly to fit right in your pocket, so you don’t have to worry about packing extra weight while exploring the outdoors. We also offer over 1,500 TOPO Maps. Beginning at 1:50,000 scale, these maps are great for trip planning. The large format and high level of detail gives you the clearest picture possible of the area you are exploring. Our GPS Maps contain all of our detailed map data and written descriptions, plus added features such as trip tracking, so you can easily retrace that cross-country skiing route at a later date, or share it with friends. We also offer our BRMB Maps App for Apple and Android which functions much like the GPS Maps with detailed maps, written descriptions and trip tracking. The app also has added features including geotagged photos, so you can snap a shot of that frozen waterfall or hard-to-find warming shelter for future reference.
