Backpacker Buzz

Did you know that 2012 is a leap year? Take advantage of the extra day this February and head out to David Thompson Country for some winter fun. Read more »

Frozen waterfalls more than 30 metres high and dozens of epic climbs, with some yet to be formally discovered. This is the David Thompson Corridor, home to some of the best ice climbing in the Canadian Rockies yet without the crowds of the National Parks. Read more »

Looking for a post-holiday escape? Jasper offers the perfect laid-back mountain experience, with equal options for adventure, discovery and relaxation. You'll find it hard not to 'unplug' and enjoy the serenity of the Rocky Mountains. Read more »

Most people prefer to visit Jasper National Park in the summer season but the folks in Jasper want to show you just how much fun winter can be! Jasper in January is Western Canada’s premier winter festival, running from January 13 - 29, 2012.

New to the festival lineup this year is Yukigassen, Japanese for Snow Battle. That's right, it's an organized snowball fight. Although Yukigassen was developed in Japan, this sport is about as Canadian as it gets. Says Maggie Davison, CEO of Tourism Jasper, “From new ski lifts at Marmot Basin to dynamic snow battles, the winter experience in Jasper just keeps getting better.” Read more »

Running from January 28 to February 13, the Quebec Winter Carnival embraces winter and is an annual celebration not to be missed. Read more »

Back by popular demand, Hostelling International’s winter packages get you right slap bang in the middle of the action in Western Canada’s biggest outdoor playground – the Rocky Mountains. Winter packages combine accommodation, transportation and lift tickets for the area’s ski resorts. So what are you waiting for, it’s time to hit the slopes! Read more »

Maybe you'll do anything to skip the malls at Christmas time. Maybe you’re just a big old Grinch. Whatever the reason, you want to avoid the season, but you want to have a good time doing it. Here are our ideas for great places to escape to for Christmas: Read more »

Back in February, the eyes of the sporting world were focussed on Whistler, BC for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. This winter, HI members can live like an Olympian, skiing the same slopes and staying in the same accommodation as athletes at the 2010 Winter Games. Read more »

During the winter most of HI's Wilderness Hostels close for periods of time.  Please check out full details on closure dates here. Read more »

It’s often said there are only two seasons in Canada: hockey season and the off-season. Well, Canada's favourite time of year is well underway as the 2010-11 NHL season kicked off last month. Read more »