| January 29, 2006
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| | Ontario's more than 120 cross-country ski
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| Exploring Ontario in the Winter - Hello
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| | areas are rivalled only by Quebec for
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| from Barrie: Lots of Winter Fun without
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| | sheer number and variety. Ski areas are
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| the Need for High Mountains
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| | operated by various organizations ranging
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| Our winter getaway over the last two days
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| | from parks to clubs and resorts. The Ski
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| was supposed to include a couple of
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| | Ontario website provides an extensive
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| different activities: snow-tubing and
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| | listing of cross-country opportunities
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| outdoor skating. Well, our outdoor
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| | across Ontario.
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| skating fell through, due to the
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| | Special offers for snowshoeing and
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| extraordinarily warm conditions, however,
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| | cross-country getaways are featured on
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| we had a beautiful day yesterday on
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| | the Ontario Outdoor website.
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| Kempenfelt Bay in Barrie, where we
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| | Snowmobiling:
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| enjoyed some great outdoor time on frozen
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| | Ontario offers more than 43,000 km
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| Lake Simcoe.
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| | (26,000 mi.) of maintained,
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| Today, after our delicious filling
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| | interconnected, uncongested trails. It is
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| breakfast at Nicholyn Farms Bed and
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| | the longest network of recreational
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| Breakfast, we headed off for another
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| | trails in the world. The 248 member clubs
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| adventure: snowtubing at Horseshoe
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| | of the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile
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| Valley. Unfortunately the weather today
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| | Clubs build and maintain this extensive
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| was even less cooperative: as the day
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| | trail network. Find more information
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| progressed it went from freezing rain to
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| | about snowmobiling in Ontario in the
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| rain to a veritable downpour as we drove
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| | Ontario Snowmobiler Magazine.
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| back to Toronto.
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| | Iceclimbing:
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| Nevertheless the morning was cold enough
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| | The north of Ontario is the heart of
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| for our snowtubing adventure. My 8-year
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| | Ontario's iceclimbing country and
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| old nephew had never been snowtubing
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| | features ice-clad routes with heights of
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| before, and knowing his penchant for
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| | more than 90 m. Special ice-climbing
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| high-speed adrenaline-filled activities,
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| | getaways are featured on the Ontario
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| we knew that he would fall in love with
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| | Outdoor Website.
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| this sport.
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| | Dogsledding:
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| Horseshoe Valley is one of several
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| | Dog sledding has evolved from a
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| Ontario winter resorts and in addition to
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| | utilitarian form of transport in northern
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| downhill skiing, cross-country skiing and
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| | countries to a unique travel experience.
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| skating, it also features a snow-tubing
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| | Some dogsledding operators have a guide
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| hill. It's a thrill to get pulled up on
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| | drive the team, where at other places you
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| the hill, sitting on a refunctioned inner
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| | may drive the sled yourself. The Ontario
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| tube, and then getting linked up in a
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| | Outdoor Website features a variety of dog
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| group of 2, 3 or 4 snow-tubers, who hold
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| | sledding adventures and getaways.
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| on to their neighbouring tuber's handle
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| | Urban Winter Getaways:
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| and then get pushed down the hill by one
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| | For those who want to enjoy the best that
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| of the staff members - with a spin and a
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| | Ontario's cities have to offer over the
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| momentum that feels almost like a roller
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| | winter time, there are a variety of
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| coaster!
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| | special events going on. Many cities and
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| Snowtubing is just one of the many fun
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| | towns throughout Ontario feature special
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| winter activities that Ontario has to
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| | winter festivals, starting with many
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| offer.
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| | festivals of light, tree lighting
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| Snow Valley Resort just on the other side
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| | ceremonies and New Year's celebrations in
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| of Highway 400 also offers snowtubing.
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| | November and December, and continuing
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| Blue Mountain Resort in Collingwood is
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| | with a variety of special events, trade
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| another place for Ontario snowtubing
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| | fairs and restaurant promotions
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| enthusiasts.
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| | throughout January and February. The
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| Skating:
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| | Success with Ontario website features a
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| Obviously hockey is Canada's national
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| | listing of Ontario's Festivals and
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| sport and skating runs in the veins of
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| | events.
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| many residents of this northern country.
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| | Major festivals include:
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| Virtually all Ontario cities, towns and
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| | Toronto's WinterCity Festival and
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| villages have outdoor skating rinks and
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| | Winterlicious
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| indoor arenas. Outdoor skating is free in
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| | Ottawa's Winterlude Winter Festival
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| many cases, and indoor pleasure skating
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| | Niagara's Icewine Festival
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| is generally a very inexpensive sport.
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| | Ontario Accommodation Choices:
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| One of the best known skating Ontario
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| | Ontario offers a wide variety of choices
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| opportunities exists in Ottawa, on the
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| | for getaways. From all-inclusive
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| 7.8 km long Rideau Canal, the world's
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| | feature-packed resorts, to down-to-earth
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| longest skating rink according to the
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| | farm vacations, to cozy bed and
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| Guiness Book of Records. The City of
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| | breafasts, secluded cottages and chalets
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| Ottawa lists its public skating
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| | and inviting country inns, Ontario has a
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| information on the Internet.
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| | wide selection of accommodation
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| Toronto's well-known outdoor skating
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| | providers. Unique boutique hotels, and
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| venues include City Hall, Harbourfront
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| | centrally located urban hotels round out
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| and Grenadier Pond in HIgh Park and the
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| | the accommodation offers. Ontario
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| City of Toronto provides a list of
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| | Travel's website offers a great overview
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| leisure skating opportunities in Toronto.
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| | of the accommodation choices available in
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| Skiing & snowboarding:
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| | Ontario.
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| Although Ontario certainly doesn't have
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| | There is plenty to do in the winter in
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| the greatest vertical drop compared to
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| | Ontario, indoors and out. Nature lovers,
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| international ski resorts, but it does
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| | urban explorers, adrenaline junkies, and
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| offer 41 resorts for downhill skiers and
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| | romantic lovebirds will all find
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| snowboarders at the Ski Ontario website.
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| | something to choose from to brighten up
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| Cross-country skiing & snowshoeing:
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| | those cold winter days.
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