Going Downhill
It’s time to hit the slopes! Well, at least start thinking about who’s going to teach your kids to get down them in one piece. If you’re a skiing family (or considering it), now is the time to sign up for lessons in the New Year.
Downhill skiing with kids starts at about age three for the super-keen but four is really the best age if you are determined to start young. Lessons will be fun for them, but the real news you can use is that while they are in lessons, you get a few hours of downhill time on your own.
The hills around Ottawa are perfect for young learners—the kids can manage them and the price is easier on you.
Lessons are widely available: at Mount Pakenham and Calabogie Peaks west of Ottawa and at Edelweiss Valley, Camp Fortune, Mont Cascades, Ski Vorlage and others on the Quebec side.
Camp Fortune gets points for being closest to the city—just a 15–20 minute drive in good conditions—and for offering access to full- or half-day daycare onsite. Most of the others are closer to 45 minutes away and lack daycare facilities, which is great for families with younger sibs.
