Conditions Report
It’s been 18 years since I last put on a pair of skis at Glen Eden, a local ski area just west of Toronto, Canada, that is run by the non-profit Conservation Halton. Back then I was only 5 years old and barely knew how to ski. Since then, I’ve passed the ski area countless times on drives along the 401, always wondering what it would be like to return to the area a place where I learned so much. So when I finally got to return to Glen Eden, things felt oddly familiar yet a whole lot different. I have to say that at the age of five, I remember this place feeling a whole lot bigger.
Quick Facts & History
- Date Opened: 1962
- Multi-Destination Pass: n/a
- Number of Trails: 16
- Skiable Acres: 45
- Vertical Drop: 240′ (70m)
- Base Elevation: 640′
- Summit Elevation: 879′
- Terrain Breakdown:
- Beginner: 43%
- Intermediate: 44%
- Advanced: 13%
- Number of Lifts: 6
- Night Skiing: yes, 100% of terrain 7 days/week
- Ownership: Conservation Halton
- Other Activities:
- Hiking
- Biking (summer)
- Disc golf (summer)
When it comes to skiing in southern Ontario, there are two tiers of resorts residents have access to. You have your local ski hills, places like Earl Bales (the only ski area still operating in the city of Toronto), Mount Chinguacousy, Caledon, Dagmar, Brimacombe, and Glen Eden, which are all within an hour’s drive of downtown Toronto. A step up from those ski areas in a two-hour radius of Toronto lie the bigger ski areas of Snow Valley, Mount St. Louis Moonstone, Horseshoe Valley, Blue Mountain, etc.
What makes Glen Eden unique is that for being so close to Toronto, and even closer to the western suburbs of Milton, Oakville, Brampton, and Mississauga, is that it is larger than any of the other ski areas in this local vicinity. This interesting position of the ski area has made it incredibly popular for beginners looking for a good place to learn how to ski before they tackle the bigger slopes north of Toronto and beyond. At the same time, their uphill capacity is unmatched by local ski areas, with three quads serving the top of the ski area and two magic carpets in completely separate learning areas as well.
Highway 401, one of the busiest highways in Canada, allows visitors quick access to and from the resort, increasing the radius in which the ski area can serve people while acting as a large marketing tool.
All that being said, Glen Eden as a ski area is by no means an impressive ski resort, even by Ontario standards. However, it serves a critical role in the ski industry by being a breeding ground for future skiers. Everyone I rode the chair with and talked to was someone learning to ski or snowboard. Some were adults popping over after work to get a couple of turns in. Others were little kids in lessons dropped off by their parents who I was helping give a ride to. But most were teenagers, getting out after school and having some fun on their own, with future aspirations of making it up to Blue Mountain or even Whistler one day to ski.
Because of this safe, laid-back environment, I have never been to a hill with more beginners in my life. I was one of the only people actually carving turns down the hill, which I think speaks to what Glen Eden is all about, in the best way.
Conditions
Weather Outlook
Photos
As an expert skier, there is little reason for me to return back to Glen Eden anytime soon, but I have no regrets about visiting after an 18-year hiatus. While this ski area isn’t for everyone, its popularity, and liveliness, even on a random Thursday night, serve as a testament to the importance of Glen Eden as a stepping stone in the development of countless skiers across the Greater Toronto Area, including myself back when I was four.
For more information, check out Glen Eden’s website.
