While not as well known as their Southern counterparts, Northern Ontario’s ski hills punch well above their weight, providing some of the best skiing in the province.
Here are five of my favourite ski hills to the north that’ll get you away from the chaos of the Southern Ontario resort experience and into the serene wilderness of Ontario’s vast reaches.
*Skip to my five favourite ski hills*
Why Ski in Northern Ontario?
First things first, why should you consider travelling to Northern Ontario to go skiing? After all, Ontario’s biggest resorts, like Blue Mountain and Mount St. Louis Moonstone, are within a couple of hours’ drive of the GTA, making them easily accessible to the vast majority of Ontarians. Those are simply the best options, right?
For most, yes, skiing close to home will be the simplest and best option. But, for those looking for a bit more adventure or a different Ontario ski experience, Northern Ontario has a lot to offer!
Great Conditions
Northern Ontario is cold, and with cold weather comes better ski conditions. With the common freeze-thaw cycle of Southern Ontario occurring less frequently, Northern Ontario ski hills can maintain generally better conditions, with less ice and a deeper base.
Consistently colder temperatures also allow for more snowmaking opportunities, helping resorts keep the hills full of fresh snow even when mother nature isn’t producing.
That said, much like Blue Mountain in Collingwood, ski areas like Searchmont Resort in Sault Ste. Marie and Adanac Ski Hill in Sudbury greatly benefit from lake effect snow, with average yearly snowfalls topping 120+ inches.
All of this combines to create great conditions that generally surpass those found in Southern Ontario.
Short Lift Lines
The ski hills of Northern Ontario are much further away from the province’s most populated areas. As such, the resorts are generally far quieter, allowing for less time spent in lift lines and more time on the hills.
Anyone that has visited Blue Mountain on the weekend or during the holidays knows how busy the resort can be and the feeling of spending more time in line than on the ski hill. It takes away from the experience and will have anyone’s brain wondering where a quieter ski area is.
Well, the answer is Northern Ontario, and while the acreage of resorts like Searchmont or Loch Lomond is less than Blue Mountain or Mount St. Louis Moonstone, the vertical is comparable, meaning you’ll still be getting in the same length of runs while waiting in line for a fraction of the time. It’s a win-win.
Less Expensive
The pain of waiting in long lift lines hurts even more when you’ve paid $100+ for your lift ticket. You want to be on the hill as much as possible when you’re paying that much.
The ski hills of Northern Ontario find the sweet spot here, with adult weekend lift ticket prices averaging closer to $65 per day vs. Blue Mountain and Mount St. Louis Moonstone’s coming in at well over $100. Other things like food, drinks, and accommodations also fall well below the prices of Ontario’s most popular resorts.
The amenities and infrastructure are less extensive, but the basics are still there, and with that comes simple, down-to-earth ski experiences that focus on maximizing on-hill fun.
As a die-hard skier, I appreciate saving some money while visiting resorts that are truly focused on providing the best skiing possible.
The Top 5 Northern Ontario Ski Hills
Searchmont Resort
Searchmont is located roughly 40 minutes outside of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario and has been a long-standing favourite of avid skiers and snowboards throughout the area.
With 703’ of vertical, 26 runs, and a nice variety of terrain, Searchmont not only offers some of the best skiing in Northern Ontario but in the entire province.
There is dining right at the base, extensive lift ticket options, rentals for those just starting out, and ski lessons and programs tailored to all ski levels.
All of this is offered at a great price point, making Searchmont Resort one of the easiest recommendations for any level of skier looking to try a new resort!
You can read my post, “The Ultimate Guide To Searchmont Ski Resort,” to learn more!
Loch Lomond Ski Area
Loch Lomond is located a mere 20 minutes outside of Thunder Bay, Ontario, providing exceptionally easy access to anyone coming through the city.
There are 17 runs, great terrain, and, most impressively, 750 feet of vertical, putting Loch Lomond’s vertical drop just 31 feet less than Ontario’s most at Calabogie Peaks.
The 17 runs are split into two areas; one contains beginner runs and the other more advanced. This provides nice separation within the resort, allowing beginners to learn in a safe area while the more advanced skiers have their own space to let loose.
There is also a great snow school program, with lesson types for every ability of skier. Whether you’ve never skied before or are looking for expert suggestions, Loch Lomond will have an instructor for you.
Overall, the ski area is the epitome of a great local ski hill, providing an enjoyable ski experience with truly great terrain serviced by friendly and welcoming staff.
You can read my post, “The Ultimate Guide To Thunder Bay’s Loch Lomond Ski Area,” to learn more.
Antoine Mountain
Antoine Mountain is one of Ontario’s most exciting and up-and-coming ski hills. Located in Mattawa, Ontario, it boasts the province’s longest ski run, has newly cut glades for the 2022/2023 season, and is consistently improving with almost yearly upgrades to the hill.
The mountain has 15 runs that include a great variety of greens (40%), blues (35%), and black and double black diamonds (25%). A custom terrain park is also built annually for those who like to hit jumps, rails, and boxes.
Antoine’s vertical drop is 630′, providing relatively long runs. That said, the standout feature is the fall line skiing Antoine Mountain delivers, with all runs taking advantage of the full 630′ of vertical. This makes Antoine Mountain great for carving, as there is little-to-no traversing.
Snow conditions are known to be great, and thanks to the relatively remote location in Mattawa, Ontario (an hour east of North Bay), lift lines are generally short.
This combination of great terrain variety, lots of vertical, lots of natural snowfall, and not a lot of people makes Antoine Mountain a true hidden gem amongst Ontario ski hills.
You can read my post, “A Complete Guide To Antoine Mountain – [Aka Mattawa Ski Hill],” to learn more.
Laurentian Ski Hill
The hill is small yet well-equipped, with 300’ of vertical spread across 11 runs that range from beginner to advanced. There are also glades and a terrain park (accessed via its own handle tow), all of which combine to keep things interesting despite the lack of vertical drop.
That said, Laurentian Ski Hill is truly best for beginner skiers, with a fully stocked rental shop, expert ski instructors, and a dedicated carpet lift all set up to help beginners learn how to ski in a comfortable and supportive environment.
Overall, Laurentian Ski Hill spoils beginner skiers and families living in the North Bay area with a friendly, well-run, well-equipped ski hill capable of providing an entire season’s worth of entertainment and good times!
You can read my post, “The Ultimate Guide To North Bay’s Laurentian Ski Hill,” to learn more.
Adanac Ski Hill
Like Laurentian Ski Hill, Adanac is also conveniently located in the centre of a city, this time right in the middle of Sudbury, Ontario.
Overall, Adanac is small, with only 6 total runs and a vertical drop of 240′. Adanac knows this and, as such, has done a great job tailoring its experience to beginners, with a dedicated learning area, magic carpet lift, and longer “Easy Rider” beginner run being all purpose-built for those learning to ski.
Aside from the magic carpet in the beginner area, skiers access all runs with a newly installed Doplymayer quad chairlift, a welcome upgrade for the increasingly busy hill. Beginner skiers also get to learn on consistently great conditions thanks to daily grooming.
So, is Adanac ideal for intermediate or advanced skiers? No, you’d be much better off visiting Searchmont, Loch Lomond, or Antoine Mountain. But, if you’re a beginner skier living in or visiting the Greater Sudbury Area, then Adanac is a great ski option for you and will serve as an excellent stepping-stone as you progress to bigger and better hills!
You can read my post, “Adanac Ski Hill – [Everything You Need To Know],” to learn more.
Wrap-Up
And there you have it. Five of my favourite Northern Ontario ski hills!
Have you visited any? If so, what did you think? And perhaps even more interestingly, how do you think they compare to some of Ontario’s larger resorts like Blue Mountain or Mount St. Louis Moonstone? Let me know in the comments below!
