Winter has shaped Canada's image and has been embraced with hearty enthusiasm from snowshoeing hikers in the nineteenth century, to future hockey stars on backyard rinks, to the indoor spectacle of figure-skating carnivals and curling bonspiels. Much of our literature, our songs, and our memories of youth reflect the bracing tonic that winter brings even as we curse the ice-laden roads on morning commutes or during weekend ski trips.

But alas, winter's demise to a weak reminder of its former glory is a real possibility as climate change wreaks long-term havoc. This timely book takes a fond look at winter's past, its place in Canada's story, and how it has shaped our sports history. It also explores what climate change means for our sense of Canadian identity, for our winter sports heritage and its related industries, and for our ability to hold winter sporting events beyond the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.