Winter has arrived early this year in much of central and southern Alberta, with a healthy dumping of snow last week that appears to be sticking around for a while.

With temperatures still well below zero – and expected to stay low for at least another week -- all the snow that fell last week in Calgary, Edmonton and areas in between is not going anywhere soon.

But many are making the most of the early winter, hitting the tobogganing hills and hiking trails and pulling out the hot chocolate and marshmallows.