Winter settles into Kamloops without much fuss. Holiday lights come down, traffic thins, and the pace of daily life slows. Some chase the sun. Others lean into snow. Plenty stay right where they are, finding value in a slower season.
When I asked readers how they planned to spend the winter months, their responses revealed how differently this community approaches the season. Early mornings on frozen lakes, long-haul flights, local ski hills, and living rooms warmed by conversation all appeared in their answers.
For Sandy MacDonald, winter means ice, patience, and a well-worn auger. A longtime fish and game biologist and member of local fishing clubs, he heads to nearby lakes several days a week. Ice fishing fills his winter calendar. “We have some excellent lakes within 50 km from town,” he wrote, naming Paul Lake, Edith Lake, and Red Lake as favourites, prized for kokanee, rainbow, and brook trout.
Jody Nuttall and her partner, longtime winter road-trippers, have paused their annual migration south through the U.S. and into Baja due to border concerns and travel fatigue. “Those days are over, at least for the time being. We will not subject ourselves to the US border experience and have no interest in spending any money in the USA,” she wrote. This year, they’re staying put. Their plan? Snowshoes, outdoor fires, and a slower season of snowfalls rather than border crossings.
Ted Guthrie also decided to remain in Kamloops. Road conditions and health concerns played a role, but outlook mattered most. “It is all about ATTITUDE, and with a positive one you cannot go wrong,” he wrote. On a mid-December day that reached 18 degrees, Kamloops reminded him that winter here can still surprise.
For some, travel remains essential, just carefully chosen. Gordon Davis and his wife are heading to Costa Rica in January, followed by a spring journey to Norway and Svalbard. They arrive early at each destination, allowing time for delays and a chance to enjoy each place more fully.
Others are trading snow for sand. Greg Hall, originally from Australia, will spend the winter in Perth, swimming daily and preparing for the 2026 BC 55+ Games in Kamloops. “I often tell people I have two homes, I am blessed,” he wrote. His winter ritual isn’t après-ski, but laps in outdoor pools and time with family.
Belize continues to call Ann Stoughton and her husband, who return year after year to the same small village. Their winter involves morning walks, familiar faces, and a community that now recognizes them as regulars.
Closer to home, Elwira Rosiak decided to learn to ski. With her kids growing older, she’s choosing time together over airport logistics. “A whole season of fresh air and beautiful scenery seems more rewarding than packing a family of five, making arrangements for the dog, dealing with airports and travel. Looking forward to some solitude and quiet.”
Writing from La Paz, Cecile McVittie and her husband are spending two weeks soaking up sunshine before returning home for Christmas. Her travel advice is to spend money on comfort rather than souvenirs and learn a few words of the local language. “Good manners and a smile will usually take you a long way,” she wrote, adding that preparation and flexibility make travel easier.
Not everyone is going anywhere, and that, too, carries its own kind of richness. Kathy McArthur is embracing winter at home in her seniors’ community, surrounded by photos, messages, and familiar faces. Heide Neighbor is doing the same, hosting Christmas dinner for friends and finding meaning in staying close to home rather than navigating winter roads.
And then there are those of us whose winter calendars are written in ice time and tournament schedules. This year, I spent Christmas at Sun Peaks and welcomed the New Year at home in Kamloops before packing up once again for the coast. Our winter revolves around hockey rinks, cheering from cold bleachers as our kids chase their goals. The coming months will take us to tournaments in Edmonton, Calgary, and Penticton, and eventually across the Atlantic to Switzerland—proof that winter travel doesn’t always mean beaches or rest, but movement, commitment, and showing up for the people you love.
What struck me most in reading these responses wasn’t where people were going, but why. In the end, there is no one way to do winter here. Some head out early, some stay close, and some take things day by day. That mix feels familiar, and in many ways, very Kamloops.