As I gingerly stepped onto the ice, I could see frozen air bubbles and fissures beneath my feet.
As a California girl, this was my first time experiencing a frozen lake. The sun behind the windswept clouds cast a beautiful pastel yellow hue throughout the sky. I was standing on Lake Windermere’s The Whiteway, the world’s longest ice-skating trail at nearly 20 miles in length.
The track was built by Toby Creek Nordic to connect the lake towns during the winter. People were walking their dogs, pushing strollers, and even driving on the ice to small outhouse-looking structures for ice fishing. There are also cross-country skiing and skate skiing paths, as well as areas for ice hockey and curling. Benches are strategically placed along the path for visitors to take a rest and enjoy the breathtaking views, which is what I did, unsure of my skating skills on the less-than-smooth ice.
This is just one stop on British Columbia’s legendary Powder Highway, a 630-mile loop in the Kootenay Rockies. The region lies on the unceded traditional homelands of the Ktunaxa Nation, which is shared with the Secwépemc, Sinixt, and Syilx nations. Although it is renowned for its powder-covered slopes, it’s also the charming ski towns, enthusiastic locals, and plenty of off-piste activities that make this a must-visit winter wonderland with activities that can last well into spring.
Here are just three of the eight main communities and alpine resorts along the Powder Highway.
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