Toronto Mags

[knowsam]

Hey,

Looking at a move to Toronto - it's further from the hills than either of my last two cities (Calgary & Vancouver), but I'm hoping not further than my current city, London UK. In summer it seems pretty easy to get outside with tons of options close by, but what are the options like for skiing? What is the closest door to door skiing for a weekend? (Real skiing* - so SLC, somewhere in Colorado, Wyoming, Canmore... etc.). Any suggestions? Anywhere that seems good but is a nightmare in practice (Whistler seems ok, but the time change on the flight back means you arrive at 6:00 am - maybe that's the trick, sleep on the plane and straight to work...)

As I type, so not totally thought through, I'm wondering if the all-in nature of cat skiing might not start to make a lot more sense for extended weekends when the alternative is getting a hotel + food + tix + car rental and transport + + + ....

Cheers

[mntlion]

suggestions:

mountain collective pass, and fly last minute to where ever is good?

cat/heli is actually NOT much more then day skiing, if you dont have pass, geat, etc Day = $100 ticket, + $60 gear + $200 hotel, + $150 meals or $500+/day/ cat is $1000 / day BUT you get MUCH better snow usually, and WAY less crowds.

If you are only skiing a few days a year, just spread your season budget out over less days, and it all kinda works.

[DougW]

Red eye directly to work after skiing that day before? You are a bigger man than me unless you are a really good plane sleeper and have enough points to upgrade to business or at least have access to bus class lounge.

Trips as a single or at least 2? I would think SLC would be best option for weekend as quick from airport to hill.

[tintin5]

If you don't want to fly West: Porter Airlines, offers flights in the winter from Downtown/Toronto Island Airport to Vermont and Mont Tremblant. Also consider Jay Peak in Northern Vermont. About a 6.5 hour drive from Toronto - lots of snow (honest!) and good tree skiing. When I lived in Ontario, we used to leave on Friday night, and get back to town late on Sunday.

There's an Ontario thread here: https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...Ontario-Thread

[knowsam]

cat/heli is actually NOT much more then day skiing, if you dont have pass, geat, etc

Yeah I was kind of hoping (afraid?) that might be the case. Sort of mixed whether it's good or bad that cat skiing is almost an economically equal option....

Tintin, I'd actually never considered not flying West, though I guess I should explore the east coast skiing as well. It is actually good skiing though? or short, icy and cold? One thing I love about little resorts/hills where conditions aren't incredible a lot, is the vibe of people having fun and making every effort to make the most of it. I love Whistler - but there's something awesome about being outside with people just happy to be out there and to have fun - I bet there's a ton of that out East.

[mntlion]

Yeah I was kind of hoping (afraid?) that might be the case. Sort of mixed whether it's good or bad that cat skiing is almost an economically equal option....

http://www.kpow.ca/pricing starting at $400/day and is 90? min from YYC. stay at lodge at Kananaskis, and ski nakiska for a day and you have a weekend out of it?

also day Heli with RK heli in panorama (shuttle from banff) or Percel out of golden (shuttle out of banff) and LOTS of shuttles from YYC right to banff as well, so no car rental needed.

You cna do most of the cat/heli on standby for last minute rates (or might not get in)

The mountain collective pass is $500? US, but that gives you 4-5 days in banff included, 2 reve, PLUS all the other days in the US (easy fly into SLC)

If you have a bit of buget, and dont mind travel, the MC pass, some easy trips to calgary, and some cat/heli days seem like a good set up for your location

[Todd Zander]

from most of toronto you're a good 7 hours away from vt, either north or south. Catskills are within reach of albany. The plus to that is most of I-90 is new pavement and tolls only run you about $13 one way.

Its not always short and icy, re: magic mtn thread year 20XX

[johnnyg82]

Tremblant is about an hour flight from Billy Bishop, Vermont's not far either. There's Blue Mountain north of Toronto, but I've never been there. Nothing like the west out here really.

[XXX-er]

people from down east (I think more of a family vibe?) used to fly into kelowna and ski at Bigwhite / silver star, I don't know if thats a thing anymore

[danmelon]

You're right, there is no 'real skiing' in the East. I would recommend you don't even think about it and just head west. Whistler sounds right up your alley.

This.

Blue mountain is a tiny bump that gets mobbed by southern Ontario on weekends, but yeah that's the closest to Toronto. Also, when it snows in Toronto, the city shuts down and they have to call in the military.

You can fly direct from Toronto to Tremblant as mentionned, but why in god anyone would anyone ever want do that to ski elludes me?

[Mr. Multiglisse]

If you just want to make some turns, there is even skiing within the city limits, reachable by public transit. Yes, then there is Blue Mountain, Horseshoe, MSLM, etc in under two hours. Whiteface within 5 hours, Jay within 7 hours drive. Or this, 2.5 hours drive north, though you have to work for it:

http://forum.nyskiblog.com/file/n4102028/Backlit_TD.jpg

http://forum.nyskiblog.com/file/n410...rles_exits.jpg

http://forum.nyskiblog.com/file/n410...ki_debrief.jpg

[Mr. Multiglisse]

PS: I give up on posting pictures.

[knowsam]

Thanks for all the responses, sounds like some short YOYO tour days and blue, to keep the legs in shape and a few weeks and weekends out west are the ticket eh. I will have to try Vermont/Quebec etc., seems a waste to be close and not give it a go.

Mr. Multiglise - How far from TO do you have to go for touring? What's the terrain like? I imagine it's some beautiful tree skiing, keeps me and my legs in shape and works with the dog - any info you care to share would be well received.

[Mr. Multiglisse]

Mr. Multiglise - How far from TO do you have to go for touring? What's the terrain like? I imagine it's some beautiful tree skiing, keeps me and my legs in shape and works with the dog - any info you care to share would be well received.

Knowsam, I live in Huntsville, about 2 hours drive north of the city. The fellow in the pictures lives in TO and drives up with his buddy to ski some of little zones we have been developing over the past few years. Most of the places we tour for tree skiing are within a 30 minute drive of Huntsville. There's not a lot of vert (maybe 500 feet max) but we do get a lot of snow due to lake effect. Rumour has it that there is some nice tree skiing on the Escarpment near Blue Mountain, look back in the Ontario thread (if you can find it!) for a cool video some guy made. I'll send you a PM with links for more info.

[knowsam]

Anyone ever get involved with the local ski clubs? Nice to get out with people from some x-country skiing, though I imagine our dog is less that welcome with formal events, so might be best to go it on our own (or to do some rolling hills touring to stretch the legs). The trips seem like a decent approach though - good prices and some reasonable locations - what are your experiences, good group for fun skiing or more faff and rules than benefit? If I can get on board as volunteer instructor, that might be fun too...

Cheers

[knowsam]

Anyone ever get involved with the local ski clubs? Nice to get out with people from some x-country skiing, though I imagine our dog is less that welcome with formal events, so might be best to go it on our own (or to do some rolling hills touring to stretch the legs). The trips seem like a decent approach though - good prices and some reasonable locations - what are your experiences, good group for fun skiing or more faff and rules than benefit? If I can get on board as volunteer instructor, that might be fun too...

Cheers

[brraaap802]

So sorry for your loss...

[knowsam]

So sorry for your loss...

Hum, I'm actually looking forward to it (lack of local skiing aside) and it means good things for the family and I, but sure, rain on our parade. That's the normal, well socialised response.

[sarahmskis]

Since you mentioned family - especially if you have kids - and you have money - I'd look into the private clubs in the collingwood area. Its kinda a unique thing to ontario skiing, and they aren't cheap - but they have a bit of that vibe - family orientated, good kids programs (Georgian Peaks has produced some world cup racers, i believe) , community, and as a bonus, much less crowded than blue. They also get so little skiing traffic during the weekdays that if it's snowed mon-fri you will have powder days on Saturday. Yes it will never be interior BC, but you can still have good days. I spent a few years in Toronto and took it as an opportunity to work on skiing skills that you don't use as much out west - its really made my skiing much more well rounded, and I had lots of fun too.

[DougW]

Aren't the initiation fees like 20K and then 1-2K a year for private hills ? At KH there are people who own a condo and just come out of a week at a time not sure if that works for you, a weekend or long weekend is hard to work with plane ride then a 3 hour drive. SLC is close to skiing but not sure direct frequency from Toronto.

[knowsam]

Wow, really - 20K seems like a lot of trips or even a down payment on a place - still worth looking into and seeing what they offer though. DougW, KH was my first thought actually, but as you say the 3 hr drive from the airport seems prohibitive - considering Canmore though, close to the in-laws, good skiing, lots to do all year round and the flight/time zones don't kill you - plus I love Canmore....

[DougW]

I just had to look it up " for an initiation fee of just $35,000 plus applicable taxes" or "A limited number of Annual Memberships are available each season for $4,000 plus applicable taxes" Though there doesn't seem to be an annual fee so right there a big saving.
So you can get a annual membership rather than life , and I don't think you can sell back your membership. A $4000 annual for a family doesn't seem to bad esp if you can sneak a niece or nephew on it , a non local KH family would be $3800 full price $2700 right now. But if only one person right now $1200.

KH /golden would be 2 more hours each way than Canmore that is for sure.

[Gcooker]

Wow, really - 20K seems like a lot of trips or even a down payment on a place - still worth looking into and seeing what they offer though. DougW, KH was my first thought actually, but as you say the 3 hr drive from the airport seems prohibitive - considering Canmore though, close to the in-laws, good skiing, lots to do all year round and the flight/time zones don't kill you - plus I love Canmore....

If you ever head west I'm always looking for ski buddies around Whistler/Lower Mainland.

[Dee Hubbs]

There is a direct fight from Toronto to Vail.

[gramboh]

I'm assuming you must work in finance? If not just move back to Vancouver and deal with less money but ridiculously awesome recreation every single weekend of the year. Lived in TO for a couple years and it is just brutal if you like outdoors stuff, sorry man. I lived in Calgary the majority of my life and it's light years better than TO.

If you have finance money, I would just do one week or heli or cat a year and maybe a couple SLC weekends as the skiing there is awesome and very accessible from the airport. Since you know Whistler well, that could also make sense although red eye straight to work would be tough (get sleeping meds and upgrade to at least premium economy), plus it's a longer drive to YVR than I remember SLC being from LCC.

Seriously though, I would make Calgary/Vancouver work if you can. I would honestly need 3-4x salary increase to even think about Toronto.