A look at what lies ahead for fall and winter.

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Ashleigh VanHouten

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We maritimers are a tough breed; we're used to harsh weather. We know that our summer consists of two warm weeks in September, and the rest of the year is basically, well, winter. I might be exaggerating a bit here, but the main point is this: to live in New Brunswick, you have to embrace all the wonderful activities that can be enjoyed in cooler weather.

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As fall turns to winter, you don’t have to stay inside.

It's now officially autumn, and while this is a beautiful season of changing colours and crisp, cool air, the frost is sneaking in. Before we know it, the first snowfall will be upon us and we will be scraping our windshields in defeat, shaking our heads and wondering where the sun went. It's important for us to look directly into the cold face of winter and say, "no! You will not keep me inside for six months!"

There are plenty of fun activities that can make you forget how cold it is "" seriously. And New Brunswick is full of breathtakingly beautiful spots to enjoy the outdoors, regardless of the season.

Typically, New Brunswick is the snowiest of the three Maritime Provinces. The bad news? You better have a sturdy shovel. The good news? If you like skiing, skating or snowmobiling, you're in the right province! Here are a couple fun activities to get you started:

Snowshoeing/nature walks:

Exploring the trails can be more fun in fall than in summer; after all, people come from all over the world to see the incredible blooming colour of our forests. Lindsay Valley on the Gagetown military base has about 35 km of trails groomed for skiing and snowshoeing in the winter, and is great for walks in the fall.

Skiing:

Whether you enjoy cross-country or downhill skiing, there are plenty of options in New Brunswick. Crabbe Mountain, in Hainesville, is the provinces' highest vertical at 260 metres and has plenty to offer skiers of all abilities. Mont Farlagne in Edmundston offers 19 trails open to downhill skiing and snowboarding (and tubing!) Sugarloaf Provincial Park in Atholville has 12 alpine ski trails from beginner to expert with a slope featuring a vertical drop of 155 metres and the longest run at 1,070 metres.

Our province also boasts 28 cross-country ski areas. You will find trails at Mactaquac Provincial Park, Fundy National Park of Canada and Kouchibouguac National Park of Canada. Check out these and other trails here: www.canadatrails.ca.

Skating:

Everyone knows skating (often with a hockey stick in hand) is a favourite pasttime of ours. While we wait for the weather to cool enough for us to skate outside, check www.rinktime.com to find a rink close to you.

Snowmobiling

The snowmobile season usually runs from December until the end of March. Our province boasts over 1,000 kilometres of trails running through Miramichi, Bathurst, Campbellton and Edmundston. The New Brunswick Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (www.nbfsc.com) provides snowmobilers with safety, trail and weather information.

Camping:

This activity might be reserved for the more adventurous once the cooler weather creeps in, but sleeping under the stars can also be an incredibly invigorating experience. There is certainly no shortage of beautiful campgrounds in New Brunswick, whether you want to see the Acadian or Fundy coast or anything in between; bring a good sleeping bag and lots of layers! Visit www.campcanada.com to view a campground guide for our province.

For the health-conscious among us, here's some good news: you can burn up to 400 calories an hour downhill skiing, 500 calories cross-country skiing, and over 550 snowshoeing. Even better, these activities are so fun that you don't realize you're exercising at all. You get to see the most beautiful views that our province has to offer, and take advantage of our naturally, ahem, cooler climate. So what are you waiting for? Grab a toque and start making your plans to get outside.