Blue Mountain (ski resort) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blue Mountain |
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 Blue Mountain
Location in Southern Ontario
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| Location | Blue Mountain |
| Nearest city | The Blue Mountains, Ontario and Collingwood, Ontario, Canada |
| Coordinates | 44°30′00″N 80°19′00″W / 44.50000°N 80.31667°W |
| Vertical | 220 m (720 ft) |
| Top elevation | 450 m (1,480 ft) |
| Base elevation | 230 m (750 ft) |
| Skiable area | 147.3 ha (364 acres) |
| Runs | 42 11 – Easiest 16 – More Difficult 7 – Most Difficult 8 – Expert |
| Longest run | 1.6 km (1 mi) |
| Lift system | 13 (5 high speed six person chairlifts, 2 Fixed grip chairlifts, 4 Magic Carpets) |
| Lift capacity | 26,750 per hour |
| Terrain parks | 3 |
| Snowfall | 304 cm (120 in) |
| Snowmaking | 94% |
| Night skiing | Yes |
Blue Mountain is a super fun ski resort in Ontario, Canada. It's located near the towns of The Blue Mountains and Collingwood. This resort is built on a part of the Niagara Escarpment, which is a long slope of land. It's only about 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) from Nottawasaga Bay.
Blue Mountain is a very popular spot for skiers from all over southern Ontario. It sells over 750,000 lift tickets each year! This makes it the third busiest ski resort in Canada. Only Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia and Mont Tremblant in Quebec are busier.
It's one of the biggest resorts in Ontario, with 42 ski runs, 13 chairlifts, and 3 areas for freestyle tricks. Blue Mountain first opened in 1941 as a ski resort. Later, in 1977, it became a place you could visit all year round. In 2017, a company called Alterra Mountain Company bought the resort.
Contents
History of Blue Mountain
How it All Started
Blue Mountain was founded by a man named Jozo Weider. He was born in 1908 in a place called Žilina, which is now in Slovakia. When he was in his twenties, he built a ski chalet in the Carpathian Mountains. He worked there as an innkeeper, a mountain guide, and a photographer.
In 1939, when World War II began, Jozo was traveling in England. He told his wife, Helena, to leave their home country. They met in England with their son and moved to Canada that same year. They first settled in Peace River, Alberta.
Later, Jozo moved east and worked as a ski instructor at the Château Frontenac. The next year, he moved his family to Quebec. While working there, he met Peter Campbell. Peter was helping to build ski areas in Collingwood. Jozo and Peter decided to work together to create Blue Mountain.
Building the Resort
Development of Blue Mountain started in 1941. The Weider family moved into a farm at the bottom of the big hill. In the summers, they farmed the land around the hill. Jozo built a small lodge called the "Blue Mountain Lodge." He started clearing ski trails by hand.
The first ski lift was very simple. It used two sleds pulled up the hill by a cable, powered by a truck engine! This lift served three runs: "Schuss," "Granny," and "Kandahar." Back then, Collingwood was known for shipbuilding and apples. Skiers would arrive by train at a nearby station.
In 1948, Jozo made a deal with the Toronto Ski Club and the Blue Mountain Ski Club. He gave them a long-term lease for chalet areas. Later that year, he bought more land to the south and opened it as the Apple Bowl. The next year, a barn on this new land became "The Ski Barn." This became the main day lodge for the hill.
In 1955, a new poma lift replaced the old sleds. In 1959, the "Old South Chair" opened. This was only the second chair lift in Ontario! The ski area now covered a wide space, much like it does today. Jozo also noticed the soil was mostly clay. He started making pottery as a hobby, which grew into a famous business called Blue Mountain Pottery.
Growing Bigger
In the 1960s, skiing became much more popular. To serve more people, a new twenty-room Inn was built near the Ski Barn. In 1966, Jozo sold his pottery business. He used the money to make Blue Mountain even bigger. He added three new chairlifts and replaced the old Ski Barn with the "Central Base Lodge."
Jozo Weider passed away in 1971. His son, George, took over the resort. Later, George's brother-in-law, Gordon Canning, managed the daily operations.
The 1970s were a time of big growth for Blue Mountain. In 1973, a large snowmaking system was put in place. This meant the resort could make its own snow! A new South Base Lodge was also built to offer more facilities. By the end of the 1970s, there were 17 lifts on the hill.
In 1977, Blue Mountain added the "Blue Mountain Slide Ride" for summer fun. This was a long track where people rode down in mini-bobsleds. It helped the resort earn money in the summer too. The Alpine Slide Ride was removed after the 1998-99 winter season.
In 1979, lights were added for night skiing on some runs. Now, many parts of the hill can be skied at night! In the 1980s, more water slides were added, like the Slipper Dipper Water Slide and a tube ride.
In 1981, a big new building called the Blue Mountain Inn was completed at the north end of the hill. The main lodges were also updated in the late 1980s. A fast four-person chairlift called the "Coors Silver Bullet" was added to help with long lines.
Recent Changes and Fun
Modern Upgrades
In 1999, a company called Intrawest Corporation bought half of Blue Mountain. This led to huge changes and improvements! Four new, super-fast six-person chairlifts were installed. These new lifts made it much quicker to get up the mountain. This greatly reduced waiting times in lift lines.
A major new area called the Blue Mountain Village was built at the base of the hill. This village is like a small town just for visitors! It has many condos, hotels, a conference center, restaurants, and shops. It's designed to look like a European ski village.
Year-Round Adventures
Blue Mountain isn't just for winter sports! In the summer, you can go mountain biking downhill. Bikes and riders go up the hill on chairlifts. Then, riders can choose from 15 different trails to ride back down.
The resort also has a climbing wall, hiking trails, a private beach, a small water park, and a mini golf course.
In 2009, Blue Mountain started building the Ridge Runner Mountain Coaster. This was Ontario's first Alpine Coaster! It's a fun ride that you can enjoy all year round. The coaster officially opened in 2011.
The Ridge Runner Mountain Coaster can go up to 42 kilometers per hour (about 26 miles per hour)! The track is 1,085 meters (3,560 feet) long. It has bumps, twists, and zigzags through the trees. Each cart can hold two people, and riders can control their speed with a brake. Since then, the resort has added a mini-Putt course, a high ropes course, and a zipline.
In 2013, Blue Mountain announced a big expansion to the "Orchard" section of the mountain. They added six new runs and a new six-person high-speed chairlift. This project cost $10 million and opened in December 2013.
Activities at Blue Mountain
Blue Mountain Resort offers many exciting activities throughout the year!
Winter Fun
- Skiing/Snowboarding
- Hike N'Tube (tubing down a hill)
- Sleigh Rides
- Snowshoeing
- Ice Skating
- Millpond Skating
Summer Fun
- Monterra Golf (golf course)
- Mountain biking
- Millpond Activity Center (boat rentals, etc.)
- Low and High Ropes Courses (climbing challenges)
- Rock Climbing
- Ziplining
Year-Round Fun
- Monterra Tennis
- Plunge! (indoor/outdoor water park)
- Ridge Runner (mountain coaster)
- Caving (exploring caves)
Where to Stay
Blue Mountain Resort and Village have lots of places to stay, like hotels and apartments. These are located all along the base of the mountain or right inside the Blue Mountain Village. The resort has a shuttle bus service. This means guests can easily get around the entire mountain, reaching different lodges and chairlifts. Some popular places to stay include Blue Mountain Resort, Embarc Blue Mountain, and the Westin Trillium House.
Blue Mountain Village
The Blue Mountain Village is a special area right at the base of the Silver Bullet chairlift. It's a pedestrian village, meaning you can walk everywhere! You can ski right to your hotel or to places to eat and shop.
The Village is the main center of Blue Mountain. It also has a main stage where events and concerts are held. It's a lively place with lots to see and do!
Ski Trails
Blue Mountain has 42 trails that cover a huge area of over 364 acres for skiing. Here's a look at the different types of trails:
| Easier | More Difficult | Most Difficult | Experts Only | Terrain Parks | Beginner Lifts | Chairlifts |
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| Gord's Groove (n) | Founder (n) | Crooked Oak | Calamity Lane (n) | Badlands Terrain Park (n) | Enchanted Forest Magic Carpet | Orchard Express High-Speed Six-Person |
| Southern Cross (n) | Finally (n) | Rinus Run (m) (n) | Willy's (n) | Grove Terrain Park (n) | Voyageur Quad | Southern Comfort High-Speed Six-Person |
| Enchanted Forest | Juicer (n) | Memory Lane (n) | Elevator Shaft | Badlands Super Pipe (n) | Explorer Magic Carpet | Silver Bullet High-Speed Six-Person |
| Big Baby (n) | Fall Line (n) | Hog's Back | Avalanche | Lower Orchard Glades (g) | Little Ripper Magic Carpet | Century Express High-Speed Six-Person |
| Neptune (n) | Butternut (n) | Senator/Larway | Spectacular | Upper Orchard Glades (g) | Easy Rider Magic Carpet | Weider Express High-Speed Six-Person |
| Explorer | Waterfall (n) | Rabbit's Run | Little Devil | Bear Trail (g) | Undergrad Magic Carpet | |
| Little Ripper | Sunrise (n) | Kandahar | Lone Rider | Old South Glades (g) | Graduate Triple | |
| Easy Rider (n) | Cruiser (n) | Starting Gate | Show Case Glades (g) | |||
| Happy Valley (n) | Dr. Doug (n) | Village Glades (g) | ||||
| Undergrad (n) | L-Hill (n) | Going South Glades (g) | ||||
| Graduate (n) | Tranquility (n) | North Glades (g) | ||||
| Smart Alec (n) | ||||||
| Village Way (n) | ||||||
| Legacy (n) | ||||||
| Apple Bowl (n) | ||||||
| Schuss |
- (g) – Gladed trail with trees (skiing through trees!)
- (m) – Trail with moguls (bumps) regularly when conditions are right
- (n) - Trail with night skiing (you can ski after dark!)
Major Events Held Here
Blue Mountain has hosted many exciting international competitions!
- FIS Freestyle Skiing World Cup - Ski Cross in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2017, and 2019.
- FIS Snowboard World Cup - Snowboard Cross in 2012 and 2013.
- FIS Snowboard World Cup - Parallel Giant Slalom in 2020.
Images for kids
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Weider Lodge is named after Jozo Weider, the founder of Blue Mountain.
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View of Blue Mountain Village, a pedestrian village within the resort.
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