Jam packed.
That’s how local ski resort operators are describing March break 2025.
Coming off one of the best snow seasons in recent memory, local ski and snow-sport venues haven’t slowed down since the season’s first snowfall, back in December.
“This is one of the better years, as far as snow goes, from beginning to end,” said John Ball, general manager of Snow Valley, located about five minutes north of Barrie. “We opened up mid-December and we’ve been open every day since.
“We haven’t missed a day,” he added.
The region’s snowfall has been a magnet for skiers and snowboarders.
James Vallely and his partner, Jennifer Murray, who hail from Stoney Creek in the Hamilton area, were at Horseshoe Resort, about 15 minutes north of Barrie, on Tuesday, enjoying the sun and the warmish temperatures on the patio.
The couple, along with their children and one of their friends, checked into the resort a few days ago and say they have been having a great time.
“Yesterday was absolutely unbelievable,” Vallely said. “There were folks skiing in T-shirts.
“We’re already talked about coming back next year and we might stay here and go up to Mount St. Louis as well,” he added.
While March break has traditionally been the last hurrah for skiers and snowboarders, this year it looks like the season could be extended by a couple of weeks.
All three locl resorts — Snow Valley, Horseshoe Resort and Mount St. Louis Moonstone — are reporting a minimum 100-centimetre base, which should last well into April.
“We have tickets online available right up to the end of March,” said Ball. “Our night skiing stops on March 16, but we’ll still be open after that for skiing, snowboarding and tubing.”
Like Snow Valley, Mount St. Louis Moonstone is keeping the slopes open until the end of March.
“We’re selling tickets to March 30 and from there it will be day-to-day,” said Nick Huter, whose family owns Mount St. Louis Moonstone, about five minutes north of Horseshoe on Highway 400. “The snow will stick around and we don’t have a single brown spot on the hills.
“We have lots of snow and it will be here for a while,” he added.
Horseshoe Resort’s last day of skiing this year will be March 23, with snowtubing closing the weekend after on March 29 and 30.
According to Amber Currie, director of sales for the resort, the staggered end dates are to accommodate the Ultimax National Snowcross finals, a snowmobile event that takes over the hills from March 28 to 30.
She said the resort has had its best season since the pandemic, with near-record revenue.
“It might not be quite as high as our COVID years, when skiing was the only thing you could do, but it’s very, very comparable,” Currie said. “It’s been a great winter.”
According to Kris Puhvel, executive director of Orillia and Lake Country Tourism, this year’s snowfall has resulted in record numbers for local tourism operators.
“The abundant snow has led to a boom in winter tourism with our resorts and skiing operators reporting their highest visitation in years,” Puhvel said via email. “In fact, a number of (accommodations) have been sold out on weekends and during the holidays.
“Moreover, with the long winter season, activities such as snowmobiling attracted thousands of visitors to the region,” he added.
Puhvel said this winter will go down in the books as “a true Canadian winter” and one of the best in recent years.
“It allowed our region to showcase itself as a premier winter destination in Ontario,” he said.