The opportunities for cross-country skiing in the Labrador Straits are superb.

While there are no prepared ski tracks, the back-country lies pristine after each fresh snowfall -- and it's free for the taking. Your effort to get to the back-country -- which in the Labrador Straits is merely a step away -- will be repaid many times in the quality of skiing.

Here you can enjoy complete skiing as it was originally, mixing Nordic and alpine, skating and diagonal, telemark and slalom, beginner and expert manoeuvres. Open untouched slopes give way to fast slalom through pine and spruce trees that, in turn, give way to low undulating rises and frozen lakes over which to kick and glide toward home.

The skiing season is often extended long after the commercial areas in other plaes close down. You'll still find great skiing in April, and some years even May.

Snowmobiling is one of the best ways to enjoy a Labrador winter.

From January to late April it is by far the most exciting way to explore the open countryside, where there are countless snowmobiling opportunities.

There are many local trails suitable for a day-long outing. For a longer excursion, the snowmobile trail from Red Bay to Lodge Bay takes about 3 hours to complete, one way. This trail is groomed for a part of the distance.

Many local people have cabins in the barrens which are only accessible by snowmobile, affording opportunities to enjoy the unspoilt beauty of the area in comfort.

Ice fishing is a traditional family pastime in the Labrador Straits in late winter and early spring, as the weather starts to warm.

Trout are caught by drilling a hole in the ice and lowering a baited line. Most people make a day of it, taking a picnic and having a "boil-up", a local term for brewing tea out-of-doors.

The best ponds are only accessible by snowmobile. Check ice conditions with a local resident before setting out, particularly in the spring when temperatures are rising. There is a catch limit. Check this with the local wildlife officer.