Snow Adventure in Ontario, Canada
By Lisa Young - 01/03/2010
Canada, host of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, is a Mecca for top level, snow filled activities. If there was a gold medal for being the friendliest people on the planet, Canada would win hands down.
Wherever I went throughout Ontario, people with warm smiles and polite demeanour greeted me at every turn.
The first stop on my Canadian winter adventure was Deerhurst Resort, an easy two and a half hour drive (235 kilometres) north of Toronto, near the town of Huntsville.
Huntsville is one of the largest towns in the popular resort area of Muskoka in Ontario, where pretty lakes and spectacular countryside make for an ideal and relaxing break.
Deerhurst has its fair share of celebrity connections. Internationally acclaimed singing star, Shania Twain, launched her career at the resort and in June 2010, the world will be focussing on Deerhurst as they host the G8 Summit of world leaders. The Olympic torch passed through Muskoka in December 2009, on its way to Vancouver’s Winter Olympics.
Englishman Charles Waterhouse originally founded the resort in 1896, but back then the only way to access the area was by steamboat. Times have changed and roads and rail links now lead to the resort. Should you happen to hire your own small plane, you can land on the resorts private landing strip. There are 425 suites and guest rooms, including self-catering accommodation, conference facilities, 2 ballrooms and exhibition spaces.
Deerhurst overflows with snow-filled, soft-adventure sports, with everything from cross country skiing, ice skating on huge frozen ponds, ice hockey, horse drawn sleigh rides, snowmobiling safaris (you need a driving licence for this activity), Hummer tours, horse riding in the snow…to ice fishing, indoor sports (tennis, swimming and gym facilities) to name just a few fantastic activities.
Experienced guides are on hand to talk guests through the various sports on offer and help them chose the most suitable activity for their fitness level. All activities are based within easy reach of the resort and can be booked efficiently through the friendly staff at the sports desk inside the main lodge.
Indulge in a classic Canadian past time and experience the exhilaration of ice-skating outside on a frozen lake or try a Hummer tour across the Canadian Shield. The bright yellow, environmentally friendly bespoke Hummer is fuelled by bio diesel recycled from the kitchens at Deerhurst and moves across frozen lakes and deep snow on snow tracks, similar to a small tank.
A novice at cross-country skiing, I took to the sport easily after a quick lesson. The narrow cross-country tracks meander around the resort and lead to the top of an observation hill offering views of the resort and valley below. A spectacular snowy landscape greeted us, with rolling snow-covered hills, ice covered lakes, snow fields and frozen wooded terrain that glistened in the sunlight. Deerhurst resort sits right in the middle of this 800-acre winter wonderland.
Cross-country skiing is a suitable sport for all levels of fitness and you don’t need any prior experience. Once you get the hang of it…especially stopping…it is a fun activity and a brilliant work out, which uses just about every muscle in your body and one of the most efficient calorie burning and cardio activities.
I wandered through the winter setting, passing silent woods, frozen ponds and white-tailed deer searching for acorns and beech-nuts, which build up their body fat, helping them to survive the harsh Canadian winter.
A good tip…spread your activities out. Don’t ware yourself ragged on the first day. Remember to mix your adventure with relaxation and enjoy the quiet moments too. End your day with a rejuvenating spa treatment, followed by a gourmet dinner at the resorts superb Eclipse Restaurant, which uses fresh local ingredients. Their 300 bottle wine list has some of Ontario’s top local wines, including Icewine, a speciality made from frozen grapes.
Horseshoe Mountain:
Another round of snow-filled activities awaited at the Horseshoe Resort, located near the town of Barrie, just 1 hour north of Toronto.
Highlights at Horseshoe include downhill skiing, snowmobile safaris, and snowshoeing. Guests can indulge in a true Canadian experience called ‘mushing’ or dog sledding. The two-man sleds are pulled through the snowy wilds by a team of four husky dogs. As soon as the dogs see the sled they become excited at the prospect of running.
Their excitement is expressed in a chorus of loud howls and intense barking. I was given a lesson in how to drive the dogs by stand on the back of the sled and using a foot break and voice commands. It’s a
fantastic experience, which encompasses adventure, excitement and
closeness with nature.
Horseshoe boasts its very own ski slopes. It’s not the Canadian Rockies, but at 306 feet high there are 25 decent runs making it an ideal place for beginners - either skiing or snowboarding. In addition there’s 35 km of cross-country and shoe-snowing trails to explore. The slopes open at 9-am and close at 9-pm, when it’s dark!
Many of the runs are flood lit for night skiing. These days you’ll find most people sporting a ski helmet while on the slopes. I was toasty warm in my Bolle helmet. It’s good practice to wear one, they help protect your head should you fall or someone skis into you. Above all, it keeps your head and ears warm. After a while you don’t even realise you are wearing one. With all the colours of the rainbow available, ski helmets have become a ‘cool’ ski accessory.
Bolle have a great selection of protective head-gear well worth checking out. Helmets are available to rent at Horseshoe’s ski rental shop.
One Horseshoe highlight is snowmobiling with Yamaha Riding Adventures. Clinton Smout, a wonderfully humorous character with a voice not dissimilar to Ned Flanders from The Simpson’s, runs his operation from the back of Horseshoes’ ski hill. Clinton’s guided tour teaches you how to drive your own snowmobile in a controlled environment. A valid driver’s license is needed for this activity.
A warm snowsuit, gloves, boots and helmets are provided. Riders will go through a fun safety course before heading out with Clinton and his professional guides. Similar to a motorbike, there is no cover on the snowmobile, just a windshield to protect the driver.
The powerful engine drives a continuous track at the back of the snowmobile, which pushes it through the snow. Two skis at the front of the bike provide directional control. It’s a lot of fun driving through narrow forest trails, across frozen lakes and deep snow.
You don’t need any prior bike riding experience and speed restrictions do apply.
Having used up a fair few calories charging around on snowmobiles and throwing myself down ski slopes I was in need of sustenance. It’s not hard to eat well at Horseshoe. Silks Restaurant offers fine dining in a casual atmosphere. It would be unfair not to mention the melt-in-the-mouth AAA Beef Tenderloin, it was truly the best I have eaten in a long time – highly recommended.
Ontarians are proud of their wine. They have been producing wine in Canada for the past 200 years. Grapes are grown mainly in southern Ontario in the Niagara Peninsula, which is at the same latitude as Provence and Languedoc in Southern France. The most prominent wines produced are reds and rose. But one of their most successful wines has to be Canadian Icewine, produced from grapes taken from the vine while frozen, resulting in a sweet desert wine. Peller Estate produces an Ice Cuvee worth sampling, as well as their Family Select Chardonnay, Family Select Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and the Private Reserve Late Harvest Vidal.
There is something for everyone at Horseshoe Resort including a relaxing afternoon at the Shizen Spa. A large menu of treatments includes, Salt Glow and Massage, Rose Massage, signature facials, aromatherapy and Indian Ayurvedic treatments.
Appropriate outdoor clothing is essential for all outdoor activities. Temperatures can drop well below zero in this part of Canada during the winter and the wind chill factor only adds to the cold. Don’t forget to pack a warm winter coat, ski pants or waterproof trousers, hats, gloves, warm socks, thermal underwear and good waterproof footwear. Dressing in layers is the best way to keep warm and a good pair of sunglasses will help reduce snow glare on sunny days.
Fact Box:
For more information on Ontario visit: www.ontariotravel.net/uk or contact the UK office on: 0207 644 6129.