We have been put off skiing because it seems so expensive, we've only done it twice, end of season in Montana, lessons and equipment hire and whatever else and it was still $100 ish for three for the day and that was 40% off.

The local ski hill season pass early bird is around $500 per person.

Iced skates are cheap from Walmart as are snowshoes and locally we can hire snowshoes and x country skies, to see if we like it before spending the big bucks.

Most Canadians I know hole up and wait for it all to be over.

or curl.

You are kidding, if you believe that is expensive, aren't you? From the sound of it, you have no equipment, obtained a lesson and were able to use the facility all day at a cost of $100 for 3

No that was cheap, it was 40% off but it was also in Montana. So a 7 hour drive, hotel stay, ski hire and stuff, not a cheap weekend. We have found the costs to be ridiculously expensive in Canada, by the time equipment has been rented and the ski hill paid for and the travel and the hotel, we could have a week away somewhere warm Now I know the costs would be brought down if we bought our own equipment, but why would we do that if we weren't sure if it was for us? A season of winter activities can easily run you into the thousands for a family if you were to regularly ski/snowboard imo.

Same as snowmobiling, something like $300 per snowmobile for a couple of hours, or you buy your own, then you need a truck and stuff to take it anywhere so you can attempt to kill yourself.

We learned to ski at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary. IIRC the cost of an initial lesson (introduction to skiing/snowboarding) was $45. That included rental of all equipment, lesson and lift pass for the day. I tried to find a link but it is all about the summer activities at the moment.

No need to leave the country and, from Red Deer to Calgary, easily doable in a day.

Nakiska had a similar program.

Except that depending upon where you live & how much snow you can be assured of during the winter, it might be like a dirtbike that you can only ride for 1 month out of 12.

I visited mont tremblant in summer last year. People in Ottawa and Quebec are lucky as you've got good ski areas nearby. I'd like to visit Ottawa when they have their winterlude, and skate on the river. Need some lessons first though.

It really depends on where you are. In NB we get quite a lot of snow, and me and my son joined the cross country ski club and paid for the whole seasons membership and lessons for $110. We also bought secondhand equipment because we didn't know if we'd like it, my son loves it and is good, I don't much like it (or the winter) and suck! Downhill is a about an hour away, and can be pricey, we don't have a lot of places for down hill compared to say Calgary or Whistler. Next winter I'm going to try snow shoeing. There are many Canadians who have absolutely no intention of embracing the winter.

Lessons are $40 an hour fpr private $20 for a group plus rental in red deer, we only skiied in Montana because we happened to be there. We havn't tried red deer as we have heard it gets iced up making it difficult for beginners, still not a cheap day out whatever way you look at it.

COP is icy as hell too. If you can ski there, you can cope with conditions in most locations.

I appreciate that not everyone has access to the facilities that those near Calgary do.

The link I gave earlier shows this program, it's available over most of Canada - it's a great idea to find out if you like it

Red Deer in a surprisingly OK hill. Sure it can get prone to ice, but it will have decent days too and its very good value. Keep an eye on the forecast and give it a go!

I find the snow at COP is completely different to the stuff you get in the mountains, I think because its mainly artificial.

Skiing for my family costs about $1000 for all of us for a season pass at the small local hill in Ontario, and then we spend another couple of hundred for a week or twos lessons for the kids, or they join the race team that adds another couple of hundred bucks to the cost.

THere is lots of used equipment out there that keeps the costs down, as well as the organised ski swaps that sell last years new equipment at reasonable prices.

My whole family has learned to ski here in Ontario and derived whole seasons of pleasure and amusement (and occasional pain!) for the cost of pretty much one weeks trip to the places you mention.

A weekend away in Quebec comes in at around $500 for the family. Much less than a trip to the big mountains.

Don't get me started .............

I have never had the desire to ski / board- be it downhill / uphill / off a big curly jump etc.

However as Caretaker and DBD have said there are other winter sports. Ice fishing is wicked awesome. You don't 'have' to have a shack but it helps- even a tent set up on the ice will keep the sun out of your hole, you will need to buy and ice auger, and a 2ft long fishing rod though. Oh an maybe something with 4wd just in case you get stuck on the snow on the lake.

Curling is great fun and a good way to make friends, a really popular sport (well here in AB it is) and very - ahem - sociable too if you know what I mean