Published in 2019 updated in December 2021
Perfect for families that are looking for a gift of an experience rather than more stuff
Trying new things and exploring new places as a family while improving our skills in outdoor sports checks off a lot of boxes in our family.
We love to do adventures and create memories. Christmas time has always been full of memories because we often travel during the holidays and it is fun to reminisce about what we did at Christmas when we were in Norway or Christmas in Florida.
Last Christmas, we decided to take the kids to ski camp at Hidden Valley Highlands in Huntsville as their big Christmas gift. Though cross-country skiing is our family’s #1 winter sport, we also enjoy skiing downhill. With a usually cold spell on the way we packed extra warm cloths and jumped into the minivan to leave the city.
Hidden Ski Valley is located in Huntsville about 3 hours away from Toronto. In Huntsville you can combine downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, tubing and skating in Arrowhead Park and Algonquin Park. There are many lodging options in Huntsville, you even can stay close to the ski hill.
Because the kids have cross-country skied since they were 2 years-old, my kids are solid intermediate downhill skiers without taking any formal lessons. We thought it would be fun for them to be with other kids and learn new tricks and more advanced techniques with an instructor while my husband could give me some downhill lessons and spend time as a couple on the slopes.
On the first day, we arrived at the ski resort just in time for their lessons. We dropped the kids off at the hill and snuck in some cross country skiing nearby without the kids. The next day we all enjoyed skiing together as a family before and after their lessons. Though my husband is a great skier and teacher; he encouraged me to take a private lesson. It really helped me break a few habits made by a lifetime of cross-country skiing.
The trails at Hidden Valley are for great for beginners with a nice bunny run but also good for the intermediate and the more advanced.
This ski camp is great for families looking for a getaway from the GTA. It is great for beginners as the hills are not that steep and long, but intermediate and advanced skiers can also have fun here as one of the hills can be quite challenging. (at least for me)
The value of the camp is great and joining the kids for skiing on the two days made a great way to continue bonding outdoors as a family. The only concern I had was would my kids would go back to cross-country skiing with us again?
Kids ski camp or Snowboard 4 day – camp(6-12 years old).
4 hr Lesson only- For children with valid pass $240
Lift Ticket add-on $ 150
Rental package add-on $150
