Issue link: http://publications.winnipegfreepress.com/i/81685
26 PITCH A TENT: It requires substantially more energy than summer camping (and there isn't as much time for sitting on a lawn chair with a cold one), but winter camping can be an exciting way to test your mettle — while experiencing nature at its most extreme. Forego traditional tents for quinzees and snow trenches, strap on some snowshoes for improved mobility, and see if you can take what Mother Nature dishes out. Given that temperatures can drop as low as -30°C or -40°C, you'll want to stock up on heavy-duty sleeping gear, outerwear and boots. (Also bear in mind cooking will require more time and fuel, and light sources will likely be in short supply.) To bone up on your skills, the University of Manitoba offers winter survival workshops at Delta Marsh (www.umanitoba.ca), after which you can take part in a customized excursion. After that, you're all set to enjoy the solitude of the Whiteshell region's backcountry, or Riding Mountain and Turtle Mountain National Parks. GIVE UP THE GHOST: The Prairies have long been a hotbed of paranormal activity — from UFO sightings and haunted hotels to séances at local landmarks. To learn more about the history of the region's supernatural side, take part in one of Heartland Travel's Haunted Winnipeg bus tours, which explore reports of ghostly goings-on at the Hotel Fort Garry, the Roslyn Court Apartments, and the Vaughan Street Jail. During the last two weekends in October, you can book passage on the Prairie Dog Central's (www.pdcrailway.com) Howlin' Halloween Express, where kids can accompany Igor on a spook-tacular trip to Grosse Isle and back, then visit his haunted house and workshop and vie for prizes for best costume. Or head to Selkirk for the Marine Museum of Manitoba's (www.marinemuseum.ca) annual Halloween Haunt, where guests can explore the deck of a haunted ghost ship, and the nautical beasties lurking around every corner. And the kids will love Assiniboine Park's annual Boo at the Zoo (www.assiniboineparkzoo.ca/news- events/boo-at-the-zoo.php) event, which finds much of the area near the zoo's South Gate crawling with costumed creatures and funhouse freaks. The family- friendly displays and theme zones cover everything from Sleepy Hollow to alien autopsies, and the trail culminates with a hair-raising haunted house, plus midway rides and concessions. A C TIVITIES Test Your Mettle! Brave the elements in a wintry base camp!