A Day in the Life at Alpine: One Perfect Saturday  

A Day in the Life at Alpine: One Perfect Saturday  
mini-mountaineers
December 1, 2024

What is it really like to spend a winter weekend at Alpine Ski Club? Spoiler: it’s nothing but typical. 

This member-written story gives you a peek into the rhythm of a young family’s Saturday, from first chair to last run, chicken fingers to après. If you’re looking for an Ontario ski resort experience with more heart, fewer crowds, and memories that stick long after the snow melts, read on. 

Starting the Day: First Tracks & Little Laps 

It’s Saturday morning, and we’re already buzzing as we pull into Alpine Ski Club. The Club is full of familiar faces, and there’s that comforting energy in the air that only happens here. We drop our youngest off at Little Kids’ Club and head to our locker. My kids begin suiting up for the slopes, eager to meet up with their instructors and friends in Mini Mountaineers and Multisport. They’ve been counting down the days all week.  

Once the kids are off with their instructors (and we’ve finally remembered where we left their mitts), my partner and I sneak in a few early laps on the freshly groomed trails. We usually start with a warm-up on Look Ma, with a quick cruise down Oopma before heading to meet up with a small group of other parents for our weekly adult lesson. These groups have become a mix of learning and laughs that we now look forward to as much as the skiing itself.

Some of us are trying to improve technique, others just want to keep up with their kids, but what truly sets it apart is the camaraderie. It’s a little progress, a lot of fun, and a quiet reminder that even the grownups get to learn something new out here. 

Midday Meetups & Fueling Up 

By late morning, we all meet back in the clubhouse. The kids are red-cheeked and full of stories from the morning. One of them mastered their turns down ABC and went all the way to the top on the Arrowhead Chair, and the other “almost landed a jump”.  

We usually grab our lunch from the cafeteria, with chicken fingers and fries being the usual favourite. We head to our typical seat in Ascot Hall, by the windows to watch the action inside and outside the clubhouse. You can’t even walk ten steps in without bumping into another family you know. Someone always pulls up a chair, and suddenly lunch turns into a social hour. It’s casual and chaotic in the best way. Those spontaneous connections are part of what makes Alpine feel so special. 

Afternoon Lift Chats & Little Freedoms 

After lunch, the kids head back to their programs and we usually get a rare window of time just for us. It’s one of the things we’ve come to love most, grabbing a few quiet laps as a couple, reconnecting with friends on the lift, or just enjoying the hills at our own pace. 

Sometimes we ski with other parents, and other times we wander off on our own little adventure with no agenda, no one tugging our poles or asking for snacks. It feels like a tiny reset in the middle of the day.  

Après the Alpine Way 

By 3:30pm, the kids come inside with a new energy, somehow no longer tired from the day on the hill, and ready for kids’ crafts or some other exciting après.  

Upstairs, the band is starting and people are gathering. There’s the familiar hum of conversations, the occasional burst of laughter, and that satisfying clink of après beginning in full swing. There’s always something happening, and it always feels like the exact right thing for that moment, whether it is a full-on Stampede or just relaxing by the fire with friends and family.  

To end the day, we grab our dinner from Men with Knives to go and hop in the car. Everyone’s tired, but happy. We swap stories, recap the day, and talk about what runs we want to hit tomorrow. 

Why do Families Choose Alpine?

For us, Alpine is more than a ski club, it’s a place where our family grows together. We’ve celebrated first turns, fearless runs, and friendships that stretch across seasons and far beyond the hill. Unlike a typical Ontario ski resort, Alpine gives us the space to relax, the programs our kids love, and a welcoming atmosphere that truly feels like home. 

Honestly? It’s the best part of our winter and some of the best memories we’ve made as a family. We wouldn’t want our weekends any other way. 

Alpine Member since 2018