There are a lot of ski hills in Ontario. Some are worth visiting, but most aren’t…
After more than twenty years of skiing in Ontario, here is my list of five ski hills in Ontario that are actually worth visiting this winter!
Blue Mountain Ski Resort
Overview
Read any list of the best ski resorts in Ontario, and Blue Mountain will be at the top.
Located roughly 2 hours north of Toronto in Collingwood, Blue Mountain Resort is the premier ski destination in the province, offering the most terrain and greatest uphill capacity of any resort.
The wide variety of runs allows all types of skiers to have a good time, with entire sections of the resort dedicated to beginner skiers, park skiers, novice skiers and even advanced/expert skiers, all of which is spread across close to the most vertical of any ski resort in Ontario at 720 feet.
The extensive terrain is equally matched by the extensive lift infrastructure that includes five 6-person express chairlifts, one quad chairlift, one triple chairlift, and four magic carpet lifts. Combine these eleven lifts, and you arrive at an impressive uphill capacity of 26,750 people!
Looking at Blue Mountain’s snowmaking coverage and the impressive stats continue, with the resort having 100% snowmaking coverage. As long as the temperatures are just below freezing, Blue Mountain can blow snow onto any run they’d like, allowing them to open the resort early in the fall and stay open longer in the spring.
And best yet, nearly all of this can be enjoyed under the lights, with Blue Mountain offering night skiing seven days a week from 3:30pm to 9:00pm across most of their terrain.
For most, this impressive combination of extensive terrain, larger vertical, great uphill capacity, 100% snowmaking coverage, and night skiing would be enough to keep them happy, but Blue Mountain goes far beyond that.
The resort continues to shine as you look at the large village located at the base of the runs. There you will find endless accommodations, numerous restaurants, countless stores, umpteen local boutiques, several lodges, lots of ski rental options, and a variety of other activities you can participate in.
All of this can be enjoyed by purchasing a lift ticket or season pass! Blue Mountain offers many different options, including their standard lift tickets, season passes like their 5×7 or Icon Pass, or deals and packages like their Stay and Ski option that includes 20% off lift tickets.
All-in-all, Blue Mountain provides easily the best ski experience in Ontario. The vertical is among the most in the province, there is more terrain than anywhere else, the snow conditions are generally very good, grooming is excellent, and there is an entire village at the base of the resort full of every amenity you could want.
If there’s one place you should ski this winter, it’s Blue Mountain Ski Resort!
Stats
- Vertical: 720’
- Total Runs: 42
- Night Runs: 30
- Longest Run: Gord’s Groove – 1.6km
- Skiable Terrain: 364 acres
- Lifts: 11
- Uphill Capacity: 26,750 people/hour
- Terrain Parks: 4
- Average Snowfall: 304 cm (120”)
- Snowmaking Coverage: 100%
- Night Skiing: Yes
Helpful Links
- Website
- Hours
- Getting There
- Trail Maps
- Trail Conditions
- Lift Tickets
- Season Passes
- Deals & Packages
- Rentals
- Lessons
- Accommodations
- Shopping
- Food & Nightlife
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, Blue Mountain is expensive when compared to other ski hills in Ontario. This is mostly due to the popularity of the resort and the number of people visiting. However, the resort also offers the best skiing and resort experience of any Ontario ski hill, so you receive a lot of value for what you’re paying.
No, there is no entrance fee to Blue Mountain Village. Anyone can enter the village, walk the stroll, eat at restaurants, and visit the shops for free.
Yes, Blue Mountain is a great resort for beginners. The South Learning Centre and Village Learning Centre are two beginner-dedicated areas that are accessed by their own chairlifts.
The best time to visit Blue Mountain is mid-week (Monday through Thursday) during the day. These are the least busy days, allowing you to ski and snowboard the most.
You should spend at least 2-3 days at Blue Mountain. This will allow you to fully explore the ski runs while also having time to dine at different restaurants and visit the many boutique stores in the village.
Mount St. Louis Moonstone
Mount St. Louis Moonstone is another great option for those living in Southern Ontario.
The resort is roughly 1.5 hours outside Toronto (just north of Barrie). It lies right alongside Highway 400, making it extremely accessible to those coming from the surrounding areas.
Its location north of Barrie also puts it right in Ontario’s snow belt region, blessing Mount St. Louis Moonstone with great early-season snow as snowsqualls blow in off the nearby Georgian Bay to the west. This means that Mount St. Louis Moonstone’s lifts are often the first to spin in Southern Ontario, making it a perfect destination for those eager to get out and ski.
Once at the resort, you’ll be met with a well-developed ski hill, complete with four 6-pack express lifts, two quad lifts, two triple lifts, and four magic carpet lifts that combine for a total uphill capacity of 23,600 people per hour!
The lifts access a total of 36 runs which include everything from beginner green runs to advanced black diamond runs. Night skiing is also available, with the majority of the 36 runs open from 4:00pm to 9:00pm Wednesday through Sunday. And, of course, like all the great ski hills in Ontario, Mount St. Louis Moonstone has 100% snowmaking coverage to keep the runs well-groomed and in good shape during periods of no snow.
A notable standout of Mount St. Louis Moonstone is its three terrain parks: the School Yard Grom Park for beginners, the Junkyard Progression Park for intermediates, and the Outback Terrain Park for advanced/expert riders. The parks are the best in Ontario, attracting park skiers and snowboarders from far and wide who want to hit the biggest jumps, the longest rails, and the most technical features available.
And while there is no village like at Blue Mountain, Mount St. Louis Moonstone still has two fully-equipped chalets complete with cafeterias, bars, rental shops, equipment service centres, and boutique stores, providing the perfect spot to start your day, sit down for lunch, and warm up after a day out on the slopes.
Mount St. Louis Moonstone offers various lift ticket options for day and night skiing, each categorized by age group. The resort also provides multiple packages, including their Beginner Packages for Ages 6-12+ and Beginner Packages for Ages 13+, and their Podium Pass, a version of a season’s pass with various other perks. Important to note is that you must purchase your lift ticket online before your arrival.
Overall, Mount St. Louis Moonstone is one of the great ski hills in Ontario, providing a really good #2 option to Blue Mountain. It’s not as built-out or as large, but it makes up for this with better snow conditions, far superior terrain parks, better accessibility right off Highway 400, less busy lifts, and a more welcoming, old-school, local ski hill feel that so many love and enjoy.
Stats
- Vertical: 550’
- Total Runs: 36
- Longest Run: 1.6km
- Skiable Terrain: 180 acres
- Lifts: 12
- Uphill Capacity: 23,600 people/hour
- Terrain Parks: 3
- Average Snowfall: 305 cm (120”)
- Snowmaking Coverage: 100%
- Night Skiing: Yes
Helpful Links
- Website
- Trail Map
- Mountain Report
- Lift Tickets
- Lift Packages
- Season Passes
- Rentals
- Private/Semi-Private Lessons
- 8 Week Night Programs
- 8 Week Afternoon Programs
- Accommodations
Frequently Asked Questions
No, Mount St Louis is not bigger than Blue Mountain. Blue Mountain has 720′ of vertical drop, more than Mount St Louis’ 550′. Blue Mountain’s skiable terrain is 364 acres, larger than Mount St Louis’ 180 acres.
Mount St Louis Moonstone is owned by Robert Huter, the son of Mount St Louis Moonstone’s original founder Josl Huter.
To see if Mount St Louis has snow, you can visit their conditions page here: https://mountstlouis.com/status/#conditions
Calabogie Peaks Resort
Overview
Simply put, Calabogie Peaks Resort offers the best skiing in Eastern Ontario.
Located roughly an hour west of Ottawa, Calabogie Peaks is the best option for anyone in Eastern Ontario, proudly offering great snow conditions, lots of vertical, long runs, and relatively advanced terrain.
In fact, not only does Calabogie Peaks Resort offer the most vertical of all the public ski hills in Ontario at 780 feet, but it also provides the longest beginner run in the province, with their Ole K&P run stretching an impressive 2.1kms in length!
This impressive terrain is accessed via two quad lifts that briskly bring you to the top of the hill. From there, you can choose from one of Calabogie’s 25 runs, varying from beginner green trails to black diamond glade skiing (a rarity for ski hills in Ontario). You can also practice your skills in their mini terrain park if you’d like!
While not as naturally snowy as Mount St. Louis Moonstone, Calabogie Peaks Resort still averages a respectable 203cm (or 80 inches) of snow each year, and their location further north means their 95% snowmaking coverage can quickly provide great snow coverage and conditions for most of the season.
A nice benefit of Calabogie Peaks Resort, especially considering its more remote location, is its on-site hotel and mountain condos that provide various accommodation options. This is great for overnight stays or weekend getaways, removing the need for early morning or late-night drives.
Along with accommodations, you’ll also find various food options and other activities you can partake in, like snowmobiling, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, pond skating, and nightly campfires.
All of this can be accessed via Calabogie’s daily lift tickets, season pass, or a variety of package options like their Weekday Quad Pack Lift Ticket package or Anytime Quad Pack Lift Ticket Package.
Overall, Calabogie Peaks Resort is a hidden gem, boasting the most vertical and longest beginner run in Ontario, all while having its own little village complete with accommodations, dining options, and many other activities you can partake in. It’s a great staycation or weekend getaway option and certainly one of the ski hills in Ontario worth visiting this winter!
PS – If you’re looking for another hidden gem, consider visiting Antoine Mountain in Mattawa!
Stats
- Vertical: 780’
- Total Runs: 25
- Longest Run: Ole K&P – 2.1km
- Skiable Terrain: 80 acres
- Lifts: 3
- Uphill Capacity: 6,300 people/hour
- Terrain Parks: 4
- Average Snowfall: 203 cm (80”)
- Snowmaking Coverage: 95%
- Night Skiing: No
Helpful Links
- Website
- Trail Map
- Mountain Report
- Lift Tickets
- Quad Pack Lift Tickets
- Season Passes
- Rentals
- Private Lessons
- Kids Programs
- Adult Lessons
- Ski Clubs
- Hotel
- Mountain Condos
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, Calagoie is good for beginners. The resort has the longest beginner run in Ontario, providing beginner skiers with lots of time and space to improve their skiing. They also have a vibrant snow school community to help beginners learn how to ski and improve their skills.
Calabogie has 25 runs; 6 beginner, 9 intermediate, and 10 advanced. They also have 4 snow parks.
To see if Calabogie has snow, you can visit their trail status page here: https://www.calabogie.com/mountain/trail-status/
PS – Calabogie Peaks is also one of my favourite resorts in the Ottawa region. To discover my nine other favourite ski hills near Ottawa, read my post, “The Best Ski Hills Near Ottawa – Visit Them This Winter!“
Loch Lomond Ski Area
Overview
Southern and Eastern Ontario have been covered; now we head to the north (and west) to visit Loch Lomond Ski Area!
Located in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Loch Lomond is a long-time favourite of avid skiers and snowboarders in the Northern Ontario region, providing a variety of interesting and exciting terrain.
Overall, the resort provides 17 runs spread across a very respectable vertical drop of 750 feet. Accessing the runs are three chairlifts, one quad and two triples, all of which contribute nicely to the quaint and slowed-down vibe of Loch Lomond. And for those that love to ski under the lights, night skiing is also available Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 6pm to 9pm!
The runs can also be roughly broken down into two regions, with the beginner runs being situated on the south side of the resort, while the more challenging terrain and the greater vertical drop are located on the northern side. This provides a nice separation within the resort, providing a safer and more relaxed area for beginners to learn while the more advanced skiers have their own space.
Another standout feature of Loch Lomond is its ski lesson options which include everything from 1-hour group lessons to 2-hour private lessons to multi-day camps, all of which can be tailored to those that have never skied or snowboarded before, to those that are beginners, and even to those that consider themselves advanced but still want to improve.
Several lift ticket options also let you choose what works best for you. These include day passes, season passes, and special passes like their Friday Pass, After Fire Night Pass, or Weekday Warrior Pass.
In terms of food and accommodation, there is little to choose from. However, Thunder Bay is very close by, and where you’ll find any sort of accommodation or food option you could want.
Overall, Loch Lomond Ski Area provides a fun, welcoming, and local Ontario ski hill experience that just so happens to include a nice amount of vertical and a great variety of trails. It isn’t your built-out, over-the-top resort experience but a simple and enjoyable ski hill that can easily provide days or weeks’ worth of great skiing and good times.
Stats
- Vertical: 751’
- Total Runs: 17
- Longest Run: 2.4km
- Skiable Terrain: 60 acres
- Lifts: 3
- Uphill Capacity: 4,600 people/hour
- Terrain Parks: 3
- Average Snowfall: 203 cm (80”)
- Snowmaking Coverage: 85%
- Night Skiing: Yes
Helpful Links
Frequently Asked Questions
Loch Lomond Ski Area’s vertical is 751 feet.
Yes, Loch Lomond offers ski lessons. They provide one hour group lessons, two hour private lessons, first time ski lessons, and multi-day ski camps.
Loch Lomond’s hours change depending on the time of year. To see the most recently updated hours, you can visit their hill hours page here: https://www.lochlomond.ca/hill-hours/
PS – Loch Lomond is one of my five favourite ski hills in Northern Ontario. You can discover the other four here!
Searchmont Resort
Overview
Located roughly 40 minutes outside of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Searchmont Resort easily provides the best skiing and snowboarding experience in Central Ontario.
Like every other resort on my list, Seachmont also offers a very respectable vertical drop and a great variety of trails, this time ranking in at 703 feet of vertical and 26 trails in total. Amongst those 26 trails you’ll find a great distribution of difficulty, with 30% being beginner, 50% intermediate, and 20% advanced, truly providing something for everyone.
All these runs are accessed by a well-built lift infrastructure that includes three triple lifts, one quad lift, and two magic carpets, which for the size of the resort, provide great uphill capacity resulting in little to no lift lines! The well-built infrastructure continues with its snowmaking capacity, which covers 90% of the resort’s terrain.
That said, just like Mount St. Louis Moonstone, Searchmont Resort is blessed with mother nature’s snowsqualls, this time blowing in off Lake Superior to the west. These squalls quickly accumulate, contributing to Searchmont’s impressive average yearly snowfall of 336 cm (or 132″), which, of course, contributes to great conditions and a longer season!
At the base of the hills, you’ll find Searchmont’s chalet in addition to The Kiln, their restaurant and bar, and The Outpost, their on-site retail shop. Rentals are also available at the base of the mountain, including full rental packages, helmets, poles, and snowshoe’s if you’d prefer.
Searchmont also provides a variety of snow school lessons and programs, 1-on-1 private lessons for any skill level and first-timer lessons for those just starting out.
Daily lift tickets are available for purchase, with everything from beginner area tickets to full-day, 9am to 9pm, tickets being offered. Uniquely, Searchmont also offers gift cards, making an excellent gift for those you know who plan on visiting this winter! If you plan on visiting a lot, then a season pass may make more sense.
Overall, Searchmont is easily the best Ontario ski hill choice for those living in Central Ontario and a worthy competitor for the best ski hills in all of Ontario. There is lots of vertical, a great variety of terrain, dining right at the base, extensive lift ticket options, rentals for those that are just starting out, and ski lessons and programs that are tailored to any and all ski levels, making it easy for you to pick and choose the exact type of day you want to have!
Stats
- Vertical: 703’
- Total Runs: 26
- Skiable Terrain: 100 acres
- Lifts: 6
- Terrain Parks: 1
- Average Snowfall: 336 cm (132”)
- Snowmaking Coverage: 90%
- Night Skiing: Yes
Helpful Links
- Website
- Hours
- Trail Map
- Lift Tickets
- Season Passes
- Gift Cards
- Rentals
- Lessons
- Accommodations
- News and Events
Frequently Asked Questions
Searchmont Resort is owned by Wisconsin Resorts Inc., which has been in the skiing industry since 1958. The company also owns four resorts in Michigan, including Pine Knob Ski & Snowboard Resort, Mt. Holly Ski & Snowboard Resort, Bittersweet Ski & Snowboard Resort, and Alpine Valley Ski Resort.
Searchmont’s vertical drop is 703’.
Conclusion
And there you have it! Five of my favourite ski hills in Ontario that are 100% worth visiting this winter!
What do you think of my list? Are there other Ontario ski hills that you’d include instead? Let me know in the comments below!
