Page 40 - Dockside Magazine Muskoka, Summer/Fall 2018

Generations of families have grown up skiing together.
Ski
BONDS
Membership creates lifelong relationships
While riding the ski lift, you take in the breathtaking views: a frozen Peninsula Lake and the snow-covered forest glistening in the morning
sun. Getting off the lift, you are provided with a variety of uncluttered slopes to play on.
It may seem like heaven – and to many it is – but it’s just another day at Hidden Valley Highlands Ski Area for a Muskoka Ski Club member.
General Manager Andrew Rusynyk, who is going into his third season at Hidden Valley, says the ski hill makes Muskoka a four-season destination. Hidden Valley
– the only hill in Muskoka – features 360 vertical feet of skiing, which takes advantage of the natural flow of the land.
Having come to Muskoka from Alberta, Andrew found
the hill to ski bigger than it looks. Direction, slope and pitch changes give the hill a ton of character.
“The natural environment of Muskoka makes the runs more interesting than man-made slopes that have been altered
by large machinery,” says Andrew, who has 32 years of
ski resort experience. “Also, we consistently get some of the best snow conditions in Ontario.”
Using state-of-the-art snowmaking and grooming equipment, Hidden Valley’s team keeps 14 trails in great shape from mid-December until the end of March. From the Handle Tow to the Member’s Dip, there is terrain for everyone.
Run by a membership Board of Directors, the club has operated since 1971. Members’ benefits include
private lounges, special events, multi-week training programs, and access to 400 feet of beach on Peninsula Lake.
Membership has its benefits, but the public can come and play any time the ski hill
is open.
There is night skiing, a first-class terrain park, racing programs and lessons. Family-friendly events such as their annual Christmas Eve Torch Light Parade are quite popular.
“It’s a win-win for everybody,” says Andrew. “Often we’ll have public skiers who fall in love with the hill and choose to become members.”
Courtney Payne, Hidden Valley’s Communications and Events Manager, grew up as a member of the club. She
mentions families with three generations of skiers now active in the club.
“I grew up skiing with so many friends, and now watching their kids ski is an amazing feeling,” she says. “We’re part of an extended family.”
The day-to-day camaraderie and lifelong friendships built at Muskoka Ski Club are what drew Andrew to the hill. The family character made the
Club stand out above all the others. This family feel is part of the attraction for cottagers to join the Club.
“Everybody watches out for each other here,” he says. “It’s not just numbers going through a turnstile. There’s an organic connection from a love of skiing, a love of being outdoors and a love of Muskoka.” DS
BY CHRIS OCCHIUZZI
1655 Hidden Valley Road, Huntsville 705-789-1773 • 800-398-9555 info@skihiddenvalley.ca www.SkiHiddenValley.ca