Fitness for all seasons: whether you want to walk, hike, cycle or kayak, Canada offers spectacularly affordable outdoor adventure for half the price you'd pay in the U.S.! - Venture Out

Shape, Nov, 2002 by Carole Jacobs

You gotta love a country that delivers all views all the time -- and at bargain-basement prices. Were talking, of course, about Canada. With its nearly 4 million square miles of gorgeous wilderness -- from craggy peaks to windswept beaches -- and only one person per square mile, well, you don't need a beautiful mind to do the math. In Canada you could pick a peak (any peak!) and likely have it all to yourself. From winter through spring, here are some incredible fitness retreats you can't afford to miss, plus a couple you could never afford if they were anywhere else but in Canada! Note: All prices are in U.S. dollars; rates are per person per night, double occupancy, unless otherwise noted.

Winter in Quebec

In winter, Quebec City looks more like a ski slope than an ancient fortress. Stone buildings dot steep, narrow cobblestone streets that wind up from the St. Lawrence River to towering cliffs. Perched at the tippy-top is Chateau Frontenac, a fairy-tale castle resort with an indoor pool, fitness center, in-room massage, restaurants, cafes -- everything but the prince ($100; 418-692- 3861). Pathways tunnel through the snow down to the river, which resembles a chunk of the Arctic. Or get down really fast on the historic (1880s) toboggan run, which plummets from the Chateau to d'Younville Square. Reward your minute or two of sheer terror with a cup of chocolat chaud (or something stronger) at one of the gingerbread cafes surrounding the quaint square, or head down to the river to watch the locals ice-canoe around the icebergs.

Nearby at Montgomery Falls -- a Niagara-size plunger that freezes into a sparkling fantasia -- watch ice-climbers pick their way up icy slivers. Or pull on your long underwear for snow rafting (like a winter water slide) and skittling (tubing) at Village des Sports, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing at 30 local Nordic Centers, or downhill skiing with a French twist at Mont-Sainte-Anne, a beautiful resort in the Laurentians.

Stick around for Quebec City's Winter Carnival, Jan. 31-Feb. 16 ($5: call 866-422-7628 for info or go to carnaval.qc.ca). Founded in 1894 to inject a little cheer into the long, cold winters, the 17-day booze-infused revelry features ice-canoe races, dancing, music and food. To honor the festival's origins, locals concoct fiery brews, which they carry in flasks for warming nips.

* Don't miss! For a truly chilling experience, check out Quebec City's new Ice Hotel Glace, an architectural jewel rebuilt each winter from blocks of ice. Everything from the tables in the dining room to the walls and floor of your guest room sparkles like diamonds -- you can practically ice-skate from bed and out the back door. Just don't blame us if you get cold feet! The hotel is located (until it melts in late March) just outside town at Duchesnay Ecotourism Station, a year-round outdoor sports center ($140 per person per night; 877-505-0423, www.icehotel-canada.com).

Springtime on Vancouver Island, British Columbia

You've never seen so many wildflowers (emerald mountains, aqua lakes, crashing waterfalls, mistyisles, etc.). See them all (and more) at Clayoquot Lodge, a deluxe spa resort located at Quait Bay on Vancouver Island's rugged west coast ($195, including lodging, meals, activities and gear; 250-726-8235, wildretreat.com). A floating lodge houses the guest rooms, gourmet restaurant and massive stone fireplaces. A boardwalk leads to a forested shoreline where The Healing Spa, built into the side of a waterfall, nestles in lush fern gardens and ancient cedars. Next door is a towering log, stone and glass masterpiece modeled after a Native American longhouse that may be the most dramatic place you've ever taken a yoga class. Enjoy a variety of guided kayak, hiking and horseback-riding trips around the bay, along the coast and to Strathcona National Park.

* Don't miss! The overnight kayak/camping trip to Hot Springs Cove. Mineral springs tumble from the mountains to the sea, forming exquisite pools for soaking and relaxing.

From the lodge, it's a quick motorboat ride to Clayoquot's companion resort, the Wilderness Outpost at Bedwell River. Nestled in a remote cove, this 21st-century enclave of elegant white safari-style tents on raised platforms is furnished with everything from brass beds and antique dressers to grand dining-room tables and turn-of-the-century armoires. Don't bother bringing a sleeping bag! In fact, with its 10 luxurious sleeping tents, two dining tents, library tent, lounge tent, spa tent and sauna room, it almost feels like you're in a Victorian house that's been dropped into the wilds, one room at a time.

Enjoy guided kayaking, hiking and horseback riding; relax in the wood-fired hot tub; get a massage; and dine on gourmet fare in the dining tent, where a long wooden table is set with fine china and crystal goblets that sparkle in the candlelight ($469 per person per night, all inclusive, two-night minimum stay; 250-726-8235, wildretreat.com).

Summer in the Rockies

Canadian Mountain Holidays, the inventors of hell-hiking, lift you up where you belong for the ultimate Rocky Mountain high. You'll copter in to one of five beautiful backwoods lodges for guided heli-hiking to turquoise lakes ringed by wildflowers. Cool your heels in glistening ice fields, boulder-hop across pristine streams, peer into deep crevasses and climb secret ridges with only mountain goats for company. Back at the lodge, relax in the wood-fired whirlpool and sauna, enjoy gourmet meals and fall sound asleep in a comfy bed. It's all part of the peak experience (from $330 a night, including accommodations, guides, meals and gear; for more info, go to cmhhike.com).