Outdoor Winter Fun

Wonderful Winter

The air is crisp and snow crunches beneath your feet. Your breath vapours hang in the air momentarily. There is no better way to clear your head than a walk through the bush in newly fallen snow. Winter can be long in the Bonnyville/Cold Lake region, but there is plenty to do when outfitted properly.

Kinosoo Ridge Snow Resort

It’s all about families, and the best view in the region.

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Whether you’re young or old, a beginner or seasoned skier, or snowboarder, Kinosoo Ridge is for you. All ages. All abilities.

At the Learn To Ski Park, there is a Magic Carpet to whisk you to the top of the hill. Or sail to great heights over the Terrain Park features. There are four lifts, including a quick quad chair, to take you to the top of the trees to explore the rest of the 42 acres of skiable terrain.

Let our staff guide you through the many services the Ridge offers, including lessons, sit-ski experience for those with special needs, freestyle camps, and equipment rentals.

Lessons start at age four and up. New this year is a Senior Season pass (55+) for those who want to take up a new sport or reacquaint themselves with a past passion. 

Get on the hill over the holidays and sign up the family (ages four and up) in our Christmas Camps. Spend the day learning new skills and then finish up with a few slides down the Tube Park. 

Equipment rentals are available for ages 17 months and up. We’ll fit up to a size 14 boot and someone over six feet. The Ridge has a Tuning Shop for major repairs or just a wax and sharpen. We have everything and everyone covered for a day, or a whole season at the Ridge.

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It’s a thrill for anyone, of any age, to fly down our hill in a pumped up tube. The laughter is contagious. Then, put a chain of tubes together with your group of family or friends, lock your arms, and slide. Quickly, real quick. The ensuing shouts of joy will echo through French Bay.  

Once at the bottom, you don’t even have to walk back up the hill if you don’t want to. The Magic Carpet will zip you back up in a flash. 

When your feet and hands get cold, warm up with some hot chocolate or enjoy a meal in the chalet.

Call 780.594.5564 to book if you are coming with a group of more than 10 people.

The winter season is from late November to early April.

Kinosoo Ridge is located 14 kilometres northeast of downtown Cold Lake on French Bay. Call 780-594-5564 for more information, Like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram.

Cross Country Skiing

There is nothing more peaceful than gliding through the boreal forest on freshly groomed trails. The silence envelops you, as your rhythmic motions propel you through the trees.

pg 8 Muriel Lake cross country trail

M.D. of Bonnyville Parks staff regularly groom, and maintain, 13 km of trail in Muriel Lake M.D. Park throughout the winter. The Park is just 11 km south of the Town of Bonnyville.

There is a good mix of trails throughout the Park, enabling a skier to build up their expertise. Beginners can stay on the main road, while the experienced skier can tackle the three moderately challenging runs.

Take the chill off in the warming shack. Skiers can get the code from the M.D. Parks office by calling 780-826-3972. There is a firepit, with wood and kindling available. Just bring your striker. 

Cross-country skis can be rented at Sylvestres’ Source For Sports in Bonnyville for $25/per day. Located at 4918-50 Ave. 780-826-4458.     

Keep an eye on our Facebook page for updates on trail conditions. 

Private Cross-Country Ski Trails

Hamilton House – A Woodland Oasis Inn & Adventures offers 17 kilometres of mapped, machine-groomed trails that take you gliding through open fields, forested valleys/hills and lakeshore. All trails start and end at the house, with five, short or long loops, of one to eight km. Each loop offers a different experience and view, with a variety of proficiency levels. A daily trail pass is $6 per adult and $4 per child or you can purchase seasonal and monthly passes. Rentals are available for adults and children. Lessons and guided tours can be booked for an hourly rate. Snowshoes are also available for rent for adults and youth, to be used in the open areas (not on the ski trails).
Located 10 minutes southeast of the City of Cold Lake on Highway 55.
Find more information on Facebook, the Hamilton House website, or contact the Hamiltons with inquires via email, or 780-594-7257 or 780-812-6525.

Public Cross-Country Ski Trails

Cold Lake Provincial Park offers 13.5 km and Moose Lake Provincial Park provides six km of intermittently groomed cross-country ski trails. The Cold Lake Golf and Winter Club grooms a seven km, looped trail on the golf course. Call the pro shop at 780.594.5341 or email for facility hours. Check the website for updates.

Ice Fishing

Getting out on the lakes is a lot easier in winter. And if you want to rough it, you don’t need a lot of equipment either. Reel in a monster Lake Trout on Cold Lake, snag a “northern lobster” (Burbot) or sink a line for Rainbow Trout on Little Bear Lake. Catches of Walleye, Yellow Perch and Lake Whitefish are always possible on many of our lakes.

Kim Grey of Anglers Fishing Tours, operating out of Evergreen Birch Lodge, has many years of experience on local lakes and is always ready to share his knowledge with other fishermen. Kim supplies all fishing gear, snacks and refreshments. Ice fishing tours January through March.
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Email 
780.660.9336

Snowmobiling

pg 14 snowmobililng through borealLocal Snowmobile Clubs

A dedicated group of volunteers has created an extensive trail network in the Bonnyville/Cold Lake area for riders to enjoy. Riders can use the 300 km Iron Horse Trail as a jumping off point to access countless kilometres of backcountry trails and cutlines that weave through the region’s more rugged terrain. In our region, snowmobilers can experience virtually every type of riding. The area offers a diverse mixture of open areas; lakes, hills, valleys, ravines, creek beds, rivers, treed and sheltered trails. Snowmobilers who want to take a longer route can access the Trans Canada Snowmobile Trail on the east side of Cold Lake.
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The Bonnyville Snowdusters Snowmobile Club has developed trails around Moose Lake, and along the Beaver and Sand Rivers, providing a 50 km round trip. The South Cabin Trail is an 80 km round trip, connecting to the Heinsburg and Elk Point trail systems. The Wolf Lake area offers a forested region of cutlines and old roads. 

Once Cold Lake freezes over, it is a snowmobilers paradise. The Cold Lake Snowmobile Club has a warm-up shelter on the northeast side of Crane Lake, accessible from a trail starting at Sandy Beach on Cold Lake, with a viewing point at Ethel Lake.

Snowmobile Rentals

Don’t have your own machine. Pioneer Offroad Rentals/Trailer Shop located at #5B 4551 HWY660 north of Bonnyville can suit you up.
Website
Email
780.826.2622 


Ice Sports

Pontiacs Debra Kaban

Hockey

There is plenty of fast action in all our ice arenas over the winter months. Playoff competition always takes it up a notch. You can often catch a rising star at the beginning of their career. We’ve seen a few future NHL players hit our rink boards over the years.

Bonnyville Jr. A Pontiacs home rink is the R.J. LaLonde Arena in the Bonnyville & District Centennial Centre. Click here to look up their schedule. 

The Cold Lake Hornets, a Junior A level team with the Western States Hockey League (WSHL) are new this year. They play out of the Cold Lake Energy Centre. Find their schedule here. 

The Cold Lake Jr. B Ice usually sport a few local names on their jerseys. Home ice is Imperial Oil Place at the Cold Lake Energy Centre. Their schedule can be found here.    

Curling

There are some top curlers in the region who consistently place in the medals at provincial and national tournaments. If you love watching Canada’s game, or setting broom to ice, there are two venues that host a bevy of tournaments and leagues throughout the winter. 

Bonnyville Curling Club features four sheets of ice, men’s and women’s locker rooms, a meeting room, small banquet room, licensed lounge and kitchen. Open October to March. Located at 4810-49 Ave.
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Website
780.826.2468.

Cold Lake Golf & Winter Club houses a six-sheet curling rink and banquet facilities. There is a weekly league, a Junior Program and lots of tournaments looking for an audience. Pro shop with curling, golf and office casual apparel is open year round. Call or email for facility hours.
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780.594.5341 (Pro Shop)