Let’s Start Sliding!

Getting started with winter sports has never been easier! With our handy guide and detailed map of locations, you’ll find everything you need to dive into skiing and cross-country adventures across Ontario.

Featured

The SNOWSTART KIDZ PASS is here!

With a one-time fee of $39.99 kids can ski & snowboard for free across Canada! The SnowStart Kidz Pass benefits include: Access to multiple ski

January 9, 2026

Featured

Attention Teachers the 2025 Guideline is here!

Find out all you need to know about planning an out-of-school ski/snowboard trip this winter. Planning a class trip? Click below to check the OSBIE

August 22, 2025

View OSRA Newsletters

Posted bi-monthly, this contains useful information from our associates, partners and area members June/July 2026

December 22, 2024

Learn about the types of activities

Downhill Sports

Downhill winter sports encompass a variety of activities beyond traditional skiing, including snowboarding, tubing, and other exhilarating ways to descend slopes. Here are some popular downhill sports.

Skiing

The traditional downhill skiing experience involves skiers gliding down groomed or off-piste trails, with different disciplines based on skill, speed, and terrain (like slalom, giant slalom, and backcountry skiing).

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Snowboarding

Snowboarding is similar to downhill skiing but involves descending the slopes on a single board. Snowboarders use one foot forward in a sideways stance, carving turns and performing tricks. Snowboarding includes various styles: Freestyle Snowboarding: Focuses on tricks and jumps, often performed in terrain parks with jumps, rails, and half-pipes. Freeride Snowboarding: Involves riding natural, ungroomed terrain with a focus on powder, cliffs, and untouched snow. Alpine Snowboarding: Similar to alpine skiing, this style focuses on fast, precise carving turns and often uses stiff, directional boards and boots.

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Snow Tubing

Snow tubing offers a thrilling, accessible way to enjoy downhill slopes without skis or boards. Riders sit in inflatable tubes and slide down specially designed tubing lanes or natural hills. Tubing is popular among all ages, requiring no skill or equipment beyond the tube itself. Most tubing parks feature groomed lanes and often have lift systems to bring riders back to the top.

Nordic Sports

Nordic winter activities encompass a variety of outdoor pursuits that are popular in Nordic regions (such as Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Iceland) where long, snowy winters create the perfect environment for winter sports and traditional outdoor activities. Here are some of the most popular Nordic winter activities:

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Cross-Country Skiing

As the most classic Nordic winter sport, cross-country skiing is widely practiced across the region, both recreationally and competitively. Many people ski on groomed trails or explore open landscapes like forests and mountains, benefiting from the full-body workout and tranquil scenery.

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Snowshoeing

For those who prefer a slower pace, snowshoeing is an accessible way to explore snow-covered landscapes. Snowshoes distribute a person’s weight across a larger surface, allowing them to walk on top of the snow.

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Ice Skating

Nordic countries are home to natural ice-covered lakes and rivers, providing the perfect setting for ice skating in winter. Many people skate on frozen lakes, ponds, or specially maintained rinks in towns and cities.

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