The Arrival of Ski Resorts in Western Canada
Scandinavian immigrants, particularly Norwegians, were at the origin of cross-country skiing in Western Canada in the 19th century. Originally seen in a negative light, as an "uninteresting" activity, skiing gradually became popular after 1890. The skis, then made of two pieces of wood, were called Norwegian snowshoes. It is in Revelstoke, in the east of British Columbia, that the advent of skiing really became popular. Revelstoke was the pioneer and capital of ski jumping, made famous by Nels Nelson, a Norwegian immigrant who held the ski jumping record in the 1920s. A historical trail is dedicated to him in the town where the ski jumping hill that marks the beginning of the history of this competitive sport is located. One of the first ski clubs in Western Canada was formed in Revelstoke in 1891 as the Revelstoke Ski Club. Revelstoke is now a world-renowned ski area and the Revelstoke Museum and Archives houses a wealth of information and artifacts from the early days of skiing in the area. Ski resorts were established in Western Canada between 1930 and 1950, but skiing has been practiced in the Rockies since the 1920s, long before the installation of lifts and other infrastructure. There is no shortage of exciting trails in the region that attract the world's greatest skiers, but here is a partial list of the most famous. In British Columbia, Whistler Blackcomb ski resort, the scene of the 2010 Olympics, attracts more than 2 million skiers each year, with Cypress Mountain playing a major role in the snowboarding events during the Vancouver Olympics. In the Rockies, Lake Louise Mountain Resort, Banff Norquay and Sunshine Village Ski & Snowboard Resort in Banff are Canada's downhill ski mecca. Most of these resorts serve as training sites for Olympic athletes. People come from all over the country and the world to ski on their natural snowy slopes.
The development of winter sports and their predominant place in society
With thousands of kilometres of trails, provincial, regional and national parks are great destinations for winter sports such as snowshoeing, skiing, dog sledding, etc. Skiing comes in many forms: cross-country skiing, speed skiing, freestyle skiing, ski jumping and is constantly innovating. Heli-skiing is part of one of the booming activities that consists of being dropped off by helicopter on the mountains in off-piste areas. HELI-SKIin Revelstoke allows the practice of this sport on the Selkirk and Monashee mountains and Purcell Heli-Skiing in the Rockies - a new experience reserved for intermediate and experienced skiers. Fat Bike is a popular activity that is becoming more and more popular. The Canada Olympic Park, Calgary's sports complex, offers this activity during the winter season in addition to its ski slopes, just minutes from the city. During the winter, most municipalities hold ice climbing events on ephemeral ice towers, a special and traditional event that is repeated every year.
Canada, home of ice hockey
Canada proudly displays its national sport. Since the beginning of the 20th century, hockey has always stirred passions across the country. Much more than a sport, it is a religion! The proof is that as soon as children can walk, they are put on skates to go play on the pond or on the rink around the corner, and as soon as they are old enough to join a sports club, every family hopes to see their boys play hockey and their girls practice figure skating. Nowadays, this seems a bit of a cliché since mixed teams exist in both cases. Three major hockey teams in the National Hockey League (NHL) compete in Western Canada: the Vancouver Canucks, the Calgary Flames and the Edmonton Oilers. The latter two are the most successful in the region, having won the famous Stanley Cup five times, including when they had Wayne Gretzky, considered the greatest hockey player of all time, on their team. You can't spend a trip to these cities without seeing a poster in the colours of these teams or one of their players in a television ad. Scotiabank saddledome in Calgary is home to the Flames, and Rogers Place in Edmonton is home to the Oilers. Tickets are expensive, but the festive atmosphere and the game is worth the cost.
Curling, a national sport in second place
Curling, less well known than ice hockey because it is less impressive and less publicized abroad, is nonetheless a national sport in Canada. This sport, which is part of the Winter Olympics, consists of throwing a 20 kilogram granite stone on an ice rink (in a lane), a bit like bowling or petanque, with the objective of hitting a target. Once the throw is completed, the teammates (the sweepers) must rub the ice to try to make the stone advance even further, or deflect it a few centimetres towards the goal.
Winter Olympics in Western Canada
Considered a favourite venue for the Winter Olympics, Western Canada has hosted these historic events on several occasions: Calgary in 1988 and Vancouver in 2010. The organization of these Games and their smooth running constitute a real legacy and an economic boom for the country, allowing the development of the infrastructure, the city, and its attractiveness on a global scale. Numerous global events and competitions continue to honour the potential of winter sports in the region. Canada's Sport Hall of Fame located in Calgary Olympic Park is a museum dedicated to Canada's athletes and tells the stories of these heroes who have made Canada's history. Finally, don't miss the Whistler Museum to learn more about the Vancouver Olympics.Sled dogs, a historical practice valued for tourism
An ancestral practice. A privileged winter experience in Western Canada, the practice of dog sledding goes back several millennia. An invention of the northern peoples to facilitate their mode of travel across the Great North, the Aboriginal peoples were already exploring the wilderness with their faithful allies in search of new hunting grounds. Efficient partners for trappers, they used dogs to set their traps and capture small fur-bearing animals. Born in the Yukon in Canada, this practice became popular with the Klondike Gold Rush (1896-1899), when thousands of men used this valuable aid to cross certain otherwise inaccessible areas. Dogs, these historical heroes, could travel for hours under extreme weather conditions and played a major role in transporting goods, delivering medicine, repatriating men, as well as delivering mail, from Skagway to Dawson in particular. Wrongly, these furry beasts have not always been treated gently, yet they were so indispensable to man, before he replaced this means of locomotion with snowmobiles in the 1970s. Saviours and messengers, these heroes have left their mark. Many films and writings honor them. Jack London is the most famous writer who wonderfully recounts, in his book The Call of the Wild
, the story of Buck, a pampered dog from California forced to find himself in the Great North alongside the formidable gold seekers.Hitching up the dog sleds. Different breeds of dogs are used to harness the sled, among them are the Siberian husky, the Alaskan malamute, the samoyed, and the Greenlander. Not afraid of the cold and able to withstand temperatures of -50 to 30 degrees, they are able to travel an average of 30 km per hour. The musher also plays an important role in this team sport: he can help his dogs on a steep slope by running alongside the sled, control the speed by braking on descents, and encourage and guide the trained pack in several directions. The draft line must always be taut so as not to hit the dogs and to avoid capsizing the sled. The team usually consists of six dogs attached with the help of a harness. The most common dog team in Canada is a tandem team on either side of the draft line. The position of the dogs is extremely important: in the first row are the lead dogs, usually the most obedient dogs. In second place are the swing dogs, those who set the pace of the race, in third place are the team dogs, and finally the wheel dogs
, in front of the sled, the strongest dogs capable of taking a beating, usually males.A fairy-tale activity prized for tourism and sled dog racing.
Nowadays, dog sleds are mainly used for tourism, although some mushers voluntarily choose to perpetuate this ancestral practice for their travels in the Great North. Moreover, dog sledding is used by mushers, sled drivers, who participate in the great races of the Yukon and Alaska. From a tourist point of view, the experience is generally expensive but the pleasure that comes from it is well worth it. Dog sledding tours will fill you with surprises at various locations in Western Canada: Alayuk Adventures in the Yukon and Kingmik Dog Sled Tours in Banff National Park. The Great Divide Trail is a popular and one of the most affordable rides. It's a magical setting and an unforgettable experience if you're well bundled up. Whether you want to enjoy the ultimate in comfort on the sled, enjoying the silence only broken by the noise of the dogs, or you want to get into the musher's skin, the adventure is waiting for you, so put on your boots, your parka and get out there! Dog sledding trips range from one hour to half a day and can be extended over several days to fully enjoy the northern adventure. These long two-day trips offer the possibility of bivouacking, and some companies offer sleeping in igloos or the experience of a tent. Strict rules must be followed for the safety of all, it goes without saying. The season is generally from November to April when the snow is deep. For the record, the term mush is a distortion of the French word marche, used to mean "to drive a dog sled". In 1860, mushers of all nationalities were still training their dogs in French. International races brought athletes from around the world to compete in the far north, Alaska and the Yukon. The very first dog sled race in the world, the All Alaska Sweepstakes, was held in 1908 in Alaska. One of the most challenging races in the world, and a testament to Canadians' love of adventure in the great outdoors, is the highly anticipated Yukon Quest, held every February. It follows the gold-digger's trail 1,600 km from Fairbanks, Alaska to Whitehorse, Yukon, the equivalent of an 11-hour drive. This trolling sport, which is one of the greatest competitive sports, requires a lot of training, communication, but also a good dose of concentration and precision.
