Here are my picks for the top ski hills and clubs near Toronto.
Blue Mountain
The largest ski resort in Ontario, Blue Mountain is also one of the best kept. There are 14 lifts and over 40 trails to choose from, with a healthy range of difficulty levels. It's pricey at over $70 for a full day pass, but you can get a lot of runs in thanks to the high capacity of the resort. Night skiing is plentiful here.
Mount St. Louis Moonstone
Another ski resort with great capacity, Mount St. Louis is often the choice of those making day trips. At just over an hour away from Toronto, the lack of on-resort accommodation doesn't diminish the popularity. There are over 35 trails and 12 lifts. A day pass will run you $56.
Hockley Valley
If you're looking for a ski getaway that's close to Toronto, Hockley is one of your best bets. With 14 trails for skiing and snowboarding (many of which are lit at night), a half pipe, and decent on-site accommodation, you can focus on your traversing through day and evening, before resting up to do it all over again. The day pass is $47 on weekends.
Horseshoe Resort
Horseshoe has 29 runs, a snowboard half pipe, and a ton of trails for cross country skiing. It's also a full service resort with overnight accommodations, and a spa. It's significantly smaller than Blue Mountain, but it's closer and tends to be less busy. There is night skiing all over the hill. Your day pass will cost $56.
Hidden Valley
A smaller resort (there are only four lifts), Hidden Valley is a great spot for beginners and families. The trails aren't so challenging and the hill has a rather low capacity, but it's laid back and geared toward folks who don't need Black Diamond trails to have a good time on the hill. A 9:00am to 9:30pm costs $64.
Dagmar
Dagmar Resort is located in the Oak Ridge Moraine between Ajax and Whitby. Here you have access to 17 runs of a whole range of varying difficulties. Along with four chairlifts and two carpet lifts for both day and nighttime skiing, there's also a coffee lounge and restaurant with licensed bar at the resort for a little apres ski. Prices vary, but a day pass will run you around $50.
Lakeridge
Lakeridge Resort is also in the Oak Ridge Moraine in Uxbridge, Ontario. It has 23 runs spread over 70 acres, with black diamond trails for experts and beginner hills for novices. There are also mogul runs and three dedicated snowboard terrain parks. While hours vary depending on the day and time of year, night skiing is generally available until 9:30 p.m.
Mansfield
Mansfield is a private ski resort with public access during the week. With seven lifts and 15 slopes, wait times are kept low. The resort is geared for families. There's nothing too challenging here, but the educational programs are strong. A day pass will cost you $63 on Fridays.
Glen Eden
Glen Eden has two major selling points: 1) it's extremely close to Toronto, and 2) it's reasonably priced. Passes range from $20 to $37. It's not a big hill by any stretch, but there's a terrain park and even a tubing field for kids who have yet to master skiing (or just those who want to have fun).
Briacombe
Briacombe is a not-for-profit initiative in Orono, Ontario, between Oshawa and Port Hope. It has 21 slopes of varying difficulty, 11 of which are open for night skiing. There are also two chalets with cafeterias, three quad chairlifts, and professional instruction available. An all-day adult pass is $49.
What did I miss? Add your suggestions in the comments.
Photo from Horseshoe Resort
by Derek Flack via blogTO
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