Archive for the ‘Winter’ Category

What’s Happening in Collingwood Feb. 22-24

Wednesday, February 20th, 2013

The Canadian Shield Ski and Snowboard Tour

Canada’s premier slopestyle tour.

Date: Feb. 21-23

Location: Blue Mountain

Click the following for more info: http://www.thecanadianshield.ca/gallery/

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Pippa Middleton to Race in Cross Country Ski Race

Wednesday, February 29th, 2012

Competitors in the longest and most popular cross country ski competition in the world,  Vasaloppet, taking place on March 4, can expect to ski alongside Pippa and James Middleton, the sister and brother of the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate.

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Safety on the Slopes

Wednesday, February 15th, 2012

Every so often you hear of someone getting hurt while skiing or snowboarding. Sometimes it is from carelessness and sometimes a freak accident, that has no explanation. We know most know the basics but sometimes a little reminder goes a long way.

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Safer Driving in a Winter Wonderland

Friday, January 27th, 2012

When the weather outside is frightful, it’s important that drivers make sure their vehicles are prepared for wintery weather conditions. Snow and ice can turn a normally safe road into a slippery hazard. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, 70 percent of the fatalities related to ice and snow occur in automobiles. Firestone Complete Auto Care recommends these vehicle maintenance and safe driving tips to help families stay safer on the road this winter season:

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Snowboard 101

Wednesday, December 7th, 2011

By John Rodgers

So what are the basic “need to knows” of the snowboard ?

There are three types of snowboards to consider: Freestyle, Free ride (all mountain) and Alpine (carving boards).

Freestyle

They are often twin tipped and multi-directional making them good for tricks and half pipes.  These are wide, stable snowboards that are very responsive (flexible) which makes them good for novices. These characteristics make them good for pulling tricks but less responsive in high speed carving due to flexibility and edge grip.
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Ski Gear: Goggles 101

Monday, November 28th, 2011

This is for those new to the sport of skiing or snowboarding…a few things to keep in mind as you get your gear ready for some winter outdoor fun!

1. If you wear prescription eyeglasses, you will have to find goggles that fit over them if you have to use them to ski. There are two designs, the regular size which is smaller and the over size that accommodates for eyeglasses.

2. Try goggles on with a helmet: Test to make sure they fit comfortably on your helmet, as well as when pulled down so they are not too loose or tight on your face. Make sure the strap has enough “give” to make adjustments.

3.Tinted: As with sunglasses, goggles have tints that vary. Yellow/brown tints usually work well at varying degrees of sunlight. However, you may want to try on the various tints to find what works the best for you.

4. Test outside store in natural sunlight so you know what tint works for you.

5. Make sure they feel comfortable.

Things to Do With a Non-Skier At Blue Mountain

Monday, February 14th, 2011

For many people, a winter vacation at Blue Mountain means skiing or snowboarding. However, if you have a guest who doesn’t ski or snowboard, there’s no need to stress yourself out just yet. There are tons of ways you can keep your guest entertained without hitting the slopes.

Outdoor Activities

If your non-skier is the outdoors type, there are various alternatives to consider. You can always try snowshoeing or go skating at the Collingwood Central Park Outdoor Rink (705-444-2500). If that isn’t adventurous enough, you could take snowmobile lessons together at Ride On Rentals. For the ultimate voyage, they may like to try winter caving with Free Spirit Tours in Collingwood.

snow shoeing

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Top 10 Winter Vacation Money-Saving Tips

Thursday, January 13th, 2011

Canadian winters are long and cold. Getting away to do some skiing or other winter activities can make that long stretch between New Year’s and Easter go much faster. And if your credit card is still aching from its Christmas workout, you can still enjoy a Blue Mountain winter get-away without breaking your budget.

Here are 10 tips to saving money on your winter vacation at Blue Mountain.

  1. Avoid busy dates such as Christmas, Family Day and March breaks. Those are prime travel times and prices often reflect that.
  2. Travel mid-week. At Blue Mountain, weekends may be busy but mid-week is often less crowded. Therefore rates for hotel, skiing and events are often cheaper. An added bonus: the slopes and other venues will be less packed.
  3. Avoid peak times. Many ski resorts offer a reduced rate for evening only lift tickets. Take advantage of them.
  4. Practice cross-training. Mix-up your day-to-day vacation plans with different activities offered. With no lift-tickets to buy, your non-skiing days will cost a fraction of what your skiing days cost.
  5. winter adventuresdownhill skiingcross countrysnowmobiling

  6. If you don’t already own ski equipment, rent rather than buy. If you decide you really love skiing and plan to do it often, wait until the end-of-season sales or look for some good used equipment.
  7. Book a chalet or room with a kitchen. Cooking yourself will save you huge amounts of money.
  8. Look for multi-day lift tickets or family rates. If you plan to ski or snowboard often during the season, get your seasons pass during early bird for a substantially cheaper price.
  9. Check your favourite locations for sales and special deals. They may have cheaper rates on certain dates, for special events or as part of a special promotion.  The biggest deals come out near the end of the season.
  10. Many resorts offer group rates. Gather a group of friends and plan a mass get-away. What you save on the lift-tickets could pay for the après ski drinks.
  11. Ask about special discounts for seniors, kids, CAA members, and on-line only deals. It doesn’t hurt to ask and you may find a way to save some money.