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Ontario Ski Resorts: Blue Mountain.
Blue Mountain and
Collingwood
are at the heart of Ontario ski resorts country. About two hours driving north from Toronto and facing north onto Georgian Bay, the snow arrives here early and leaves late -- giving the operators a long season. Getting there from
Toronto
is easy too. The same Highway 400 that takes folks north to their cottages in summer also zips them to their ski chalet in winter.
At Collingwood, there are 3 Ontario ski resorts -- Blue Mountain, Toronto Ski Club (a private club), and Georgian Peaks.
The mountain, a ridge really, has become so popular that
Club Intrawest, one of the largest leisure developers,
has built a European-style village at the base of the hill that contains all the expected ski resort amenities.
Blue Mountain is the biggest resort with about 36 runs, of which 9 are for beginners, and 14 lifts, of which 7 are for beginners, and a Snowboard Park. The runs and lifts I've counted above also include the Toronto Ski Club (TSC) section, which adjoins Blue Mountain and is available to both Blue Mountain and TSC guests. In the village, you'll find restaurants, clothes and sporting supply shops, as well as bars and clubs to whileaway the apres-ski hours.
Blue Mountain village outdoor heated pool
The village provides entertainment for kids, both indoor and outdoor, with events around the fireplace in the village square and heated swimming pools with slides and other features if skiing and boarding haven't worked off enough energy.An outdoor sports rental store, Activity Central, also provides snowmobiling and All-Terrain-Vehicles (ATV) for those who aren't totally focused on the slopes.
Away from Blue Mountain are other Ontario ski resorts, such as
Horseshoe Valley, just off Hwy 400 and about 90 minutes from Toronto, Mount St. Louis-Moonstone, just north of Barrie, Talisman near Kimberley and an hour north-west of Toronto, and Calabogie, about an hour from
Ottawa,
to name a few of the bigger resorts. You'll find these on our
Ontario Ski Resorts page.
For more information about skiing at Blue Mountain, visit
Blue Mountain Resort
or the page of the
Toronto Ski Club.
Planning your first trip to Ontario? Whether it’s a peaceful, snowy ski resort or a wild and wonderful city, the beauty and appeal of the
province
may strike you with such strength that you’ll want to make it a temporary home for a little longer.
Hotels
in many cities offer opportunities for a longer visit; this
extended stay hotel Toronto
is just one example. Be sure to look for similar deals if you think you’ll end up sticking around.
Guide to Whistler BC
-- One couple's advice for visitors considering a vacation to Whistler BC. Skiing, hiking, heli and cross country skiing. Campgrounds, parks, travel maps, renting motorhomes, accommodations, golf courses, history. Everything a visitor will need to have a memorable vacation in the mountains.
If mountains are what you love, you may want to visit this site for ideas on a future trip --
Fun In And Around Colorado Springs
-- where you can discover the beautiful city of Colorado Springs, Pikes Peak, and all of the beauty of nature that the area has to offer. Another mountain range with fine skiing is the Alps. A number of countries share the Alps but here's a site that looks at just one of them --
Switzerland.
For those of us in the northern hemisphere, skiing down under is pretty exotic but skiing there has the advantage of being in our summer. By taking a skiing holiday in New Zealand, you can ski or snowboard all year-round. For ideas on where to go, visit this great site --
Explore New Zealand.
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