Warm up your Winter

SPECIAL SECTION A S U P P L E M E N T T O T H E W I N N I P E G F R E E P R E S S View online at winnipegfreepress.com/publications D5 Looking to scale new heights this winter? If so, you may want to visit the Club d'escalade de Saint- Boniface's three-sided ice climbing tower at 141 Messager St. in St. Boniface (www.cesb.net). The tower is open Saturdays and Sundays from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Ice climbing equipment is available free of charge to first-time climbers. The facility is open to both CESB members ($10) and non- members ($40). Snowshoeing is a great way to get off the beaten path and explore some of Manitoba's less-travelled geography (www.travelmanitoba.com/things-to-do/ fall-winter/snowshoeing). Best of all, there are hundreds and hundreds of spots to choose from. The snow-covered paths at Assiniboine Park and Windsor Park Nordic Centre are among the best the province has to offer and are both located in the heart of Winnipeg. Meanwhile, Whiteshell Provincial Park and Riding Mountain National Park are just a short drive from the city and offer some of the best groomed trails available in Manitoba. There are few winter activities Manitobans are more passionate about than snowmobiling. That might explain why this province ranks behind only Quebec and Ontario when it comes to the more than 12,000 kilometres of groomed trails it has to offer snowmobiling enthusiasts. It also boasts 52 clubs throughout the province. One of the most popular snowmobiling destinations in Manitoba is Nopiming Lodge (www.nopiminglodge.com). Located in Nopiming Provincial Park near Lac du Bonnet, it's a perfect spot for riders to enjoy miles and miles of groomed snowmobile trails in one of the province's most picturesque settings. Winter adventurers can also indulge in ice fishing, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing or just sit back and relax in one of the lodge's hot tub cabins. If the great indoors are more your thing, check out Celebrations Dinner Theatre (www.celebrations.ca). A fixture of the Winnipeg theatre scene for over a quarter century, its live productions offer hilarious parodies of some of the biggest names in movies, music and television as part of an immersive and truly Canadian experience. We bet you won't be able to stop yourself from singing along with the cast. Upcoming productions include Country Star (Feb. 14 to April 19), the story of a talented young singer with a gift for writing country tunes, and Old Time Rock 'n' Roll (April 24 to June 28), which tells the tale of a music fan who chances upon a stash of old records in his attic. We've all probably heard enough flatlanders jokes to last us a lifetime. But did you know that Manitoba is home to some of the best downhill ski slopes on the prairies (www.skimanitoba.com/ programs/ski-locations)? That includes the likes of Stoney Mountain and Asessippi ski areas, Springhill Winter Park, Falcon Ridge Ski Hill, Ski Valley, Falcon Ridge, Mystery Mountain. For those who prefer one board to two, they all offer snowboarding facilities as well. OK, we all know the Assiniboine Park Zoo is a must-see during the summer, but did you know it's got plenty to offer visitors in the winter too? Of course, the award-winning Journey to Churchill exhibit (www.assiniboineparkzoo.ca/ zoo/home/explore/exhibits/ journey-to-churchill) offers one of the most comprehensive exhibits of northern animal species in the world including polar bears, muskox, fox, leopards and seals. You can also check out facilities such as Aurora Borealis Theatre and Leatherdale International Polar Bear Conservation Centre while you're there. Fort Whyte Alive (www.fortwhyte. org) is an award-winning nature centre located in the heart of the city and is a great place for Winnipeggers and visitors to get moving during wintertime and experience the great outdoors. It offers a wide variety of winter programming for visitors of all ages including Storytelling by the Fire sessions, mom and baby snowshoe hikes, family winter immersion classes and even snowshoe yoga. When you're done exploring, take a load off and visit the Buffalo Stone Café for a cup of freshly ground coffee or a tasty meal. The Forks (www.theforks.com) is the perfect destination for anyone who wants to shake off a case of cabin fever without having to travel very far. The Artic Glacier Winter Park is open until Feb. 23 and offers Indigenous storytelling and bannock- making sessions, the Soul On Ice ice skating dance floor and horse-drawn wagon rides. You can also visit the warming huts that are part of a competition with entries from around the world. Afterwards, you can warm up inside the Forks Market with a cup of hot chocolate or sample the 20 craft beers and 20 wines on tap at The Common. Did you know Manitoba is home to a current Guinness Book of World Records holder? The A Maze in Corn Amusement Farm (www.cornmaze.ca) in St. Adolphe is home to the world's largest snow maze. It's open until early March (depending on weather). In addition to testing their tracking abilities, visitors can enjoy a warming bonfire, slide down a giant snow mountain or hop on a sleigh for a ride. Jonesing to work on your golf swing but all that snow on the ground getting in the way of those plans? Allow us to suggest a trip to The Golf Dome (www.thegolfdome. ca), Manitoba's premiere indoor golf centre. It's three-tier driving range offers more than 50 stations where you can get the kinks out of your swing prior to golf season. It also features five virtual reality golf simulators, an 18-hole miniature course for families and a licensed lounge area where you can watch your favourite sport on the big screen, challenge your friends to a game of pool or play the arcade game of your choice. OK, we all know how cold winter in Manitoba can be. And while it might be an ideal time to binge watch your favourite TV show, it's also an excellent opportunity to get out of and explore some of the cool things that are happening in this winter wonderland we call home. Cold temps, cool times S AT U R D AY, F E B R U A R Y 8 , 2 0 2 0 Sponsored by:

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