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A full-service resort about an hour north of Toronto (and just a few minutes from Barrie) Horseshoe offers something for everyone in the family. There are special kid"s programs in the Kids" Korral, eight-week improvement or competitive programs for families, and a rental program that offers everything from conventional alpine or cross-country skis to twin-tips, snow blades, or high-performance gear. And if you"d rather do your sliding sitting down, there"s Thunder Valley, the tubing center. Twenty-two trails, a ½ pipe, terrain park, and tubing park are served by eight lifts, which include a detachable quad, two triples, and three doubles. The quad serves terrain for all abilities and the ½ pipe, so it"s a good place for groups to start the day or evening. Overall, about half the terrain is rated green circle or blue square. The base facilities are what you"d expect in terms of services, but perhaps more, too. The main chalet is generously-proportioned, lodging (The Lodges, a five-story complex, and The Inn at Horseshoe) is spacious, there"s a spa, restaurants, and more. Up on the hill Horseshoe skis and rides wide rather than steep, despite the black diamond rating on about half its trails. The steepest terrain might be in the fold between the top of the C5 double and C6 triple, on trials like The Wave, Stampede, and Horsefeathers. The terrain is comparable to other resorts in the area, where trails drop down without too much drama from the tops of broad escarpments or ridges. One-hundred percent of the trails are covered by snowmaking. Thirty-five kilometers of cross-country ski trails start at the resort complex, and snowmobile trails criss-cross the region. Despite the rural view, this part of Ontario is by no means in the boonies, and the area abounds with cultural and sightseeing opportunities, interesting shops, and plenty of restaurants and other lodging.
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Ski Report
Ontario
