Photo by Ben Taft
The approach of winter’s crisp embrace is Mother Nature’s cue to all living things, humans included, of the need to slow down, conserve energy and trade screen time for cabin and trail time. From cozy eco-lodges in Algonquin Park to a fly-in island in the Yukon and remote off-grid retreats on both coasts, get ready to unplug and recharge your body and mind with a delightful, hibernal, digital detox at one of these five Canadian destinations.
Otter Island, Yukon
Photo by Claudia Laroye
The tiny Piper Super Cub prop plane descends onto frozen Big Salmon Lake east of Whitehorse, Yukon, skis skidding onto the compact drifts below the cabins of Otter Island. In this true northern wilderness, the only sounds are crackling fires, birdsong and snowshoes crunching a path through thick dry powder snow. A solitary winter adventure unlike any other, nights under the stars on this remote island are ripe with the promise of aurora borealis and astronomical pursuits while sunny bluebird days invite outdoor activities like snowshoeing, kick sledding, ice fishing, building snow lanterns, birding or relaxing in the sauna and reading by the cozy fireplace.
Photo by Claudia Laroye
Multi-course gourmet meals are prepared by two experienced female guides who double as true frontierswomen. These rustic log cabins invite a complete disconnection from the world, making Otter Island into your own long weekend fortress of blissful solitude.
Les Refuges Perchés, Mont Tremblant, Quebec
Photo by Mont Tremblant
Channel your inner child with a cozy backcountry stay in a treehouse cabin at Park Eco Laurentides in Mont-Tremblant, Quebec. Les Refuges Perchés eco-resort is home to 20 unique off-grid cabins set in a spectacular forested setting on two sides of Lac Cordon—Lakeside East and Lakeside West. Each treehouse is built to blend into the natural environment and are all fully winterized and heated by a slow-burning wood stove, furnished with comfortable beds and equipped for cooking.
Photo by Les Refuges Perches
They’re also pet-friendly, so Fido can accompany guests on long cross-country ski outings on the park’s 20 kilometres of trails or 36 kilometres of scenic snowshoe routes overlooking lakes, beaver ponds and snowy forests. In the tradition of back-country refuges, Leave No Trace policies are in effect and guests must pack out everything they’ve brought in for their stay. All the treehouses are accessed by foot only, and all gear and baggage must be transported by cart or toboggan. These cozy cabins are a golden opportunity to make memories and tread softly in nature with the smallest of footprints.
Algonquin Eco-Lodge, Algonquin Park, Ontario
Savour the outdoors without having to rough it at the Algonquin Eco-Lodge, located on the southern border of Algonquin Park in Ontario. The secluded, off-the-grid lodge is only three hours from Toronto or Ottawa and is wilderness enthusiasts’ dream during the quiet winter season. Despite its remote location, the Eco-Lodge produces hydroelectricity from its own waterfall and provides all the finer comforts guests expect, like indoor plumbing, hot showers, an outdoor wood-fired sauna and even a carbon neutral hot tub. Snowshoe or cross-country ski along 40 kilometres of groomed forested trails inside Algonquin Park or try dogsledding, snowshoeing or a GPS-guided bushwhacker’s adventure. Algonquin Eco-Lodge is beyond the reach of phone lines, making it the ideal detox destination and place to spend time with family and friends, playing board games or toasting marshmallows around the campfire after an invigorating day outdoors.
Purcell Mountain Lodge, Golden, British Columbia
Photo by Ryan Creary
Switch on airplane mode and step into an Alpine Helicopter for a thrilling lift ride from Golden, British Columbia, to Purcell Mountain Lodge. Situated amid the alpine splendour of snow-covered Bald Mountain, this off-grid, backcountry eco-lodge operates its all-inclusive winter season from December 21 until mid-April, offering guests boundless opportunities to participate in ski-touring, snowshoeing and deep-powder skiing.
Photo by Kari Medig
Ski trails on Copperstain and Ptarmigan Mountains provide guests with expansive tree runs and longer ski lines, while non-skiers can enjoy snowshoe treks, self-guided yoga or steamy sessions in the wood-fired sauna. Active alpine days conclude with fireside après sessions and gourmet dinners before turning in to rest up for the next day’s adventures in the deep champagne powder of the spectacular Selkirk Range.
Wild Gros Morne Backcountry Cabins, Newfoundland and Labrador
Photo by Gros Morne National Park
Located high in Newfoundland’s Long Range Mountains in Gros Morne National Park, Wild Gros Morne Backcountry Cabins are a rustic base for exploring the frosty beauty of an island winter. Accessible by snowshoeing, skiing and snowmobiling, the cabins offer homey and secluded accommodations for the outdoorsy adventurer to really get away from it all.
Photo by Gros Morne National Park
Powered by a gas generator and heated with a traditional wood stove, the cabins include many of the comforts of home, like a kitchen, propane range, comfortable mattresses and manual flush toilets. Snowshoe to the nearby frozen pond and try your hand at ice-fishing, bundle up for a snowmobile ride through the snow-dusted boreal forest of fir and pine trees or simply snuggle up with a good book to make the most of this memorable east coast digital detox expedition.
READ MORE: Adventure, Health and Wellness, Winter
Claudia Laroye is a freelance writer and editor living in Vancouver, British Columbia. She writes about adventure, family, luxury and sustainable travel for a variety of online and print publications around the world, including; Lonely Planet, Fodor’s, Matador, WestJet Magazine, and BCAA’s Westworld. Claudia loves all form of active adventures and when home, enjoys walking her dog and sipping pineapple margaritas in her backyard garden.
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