Ski hill goes back almost 80 years

Here is a brief history of North Bay's ski hill, prepared by the Save Our Ski Hill committee:

A Brief History of North Bay’s Ski Hill


The Laurentian Ski Club was officially formed in 1925, the same year that North Bay incorporated as a city. Both the founding members of the Club and most early recruits came out of friendships formed amongst T&NO railway employees. In 1929, Laurentian Ski Club began to rent property on Ski Club Road from a resident farmer. They built a small log shack just west of the bottom of the modern chair lift. 28 years later, Laurentian Ski Club purchased the property to operate as a downhill ski facility.

Over time, the one- room shack became a more elaborate three-room chalet. As the club grew, another room was built to accommodate the senior members, and a little shed was also added where members could wax their skis. A separate building at the back served as an outhouse. The chalet and its commissary were the hub of the skiers’ activities. They would all gather for social events, meal times, and directorate meetings, or just to relax for awhile before going out to ski again.

The 1960s were a period of intensive building for the Club. In 1961 a more spacious chalet was built to replace the old one. In 1962, a T-bar lift was built. During the season of 1969-1970, a second full-length T-bar was added to replace the rope tow. Enthusiastic Club members were so dedicated to building the new lift that they came out on Christmas day to finish the wiring.

The 1960s and 70s were a boom period for skiing all over North America. The sport experienced an explosion of enthusiasm in North Bay in large part due to the Ski Club and their successful efforts to interest new generations in skiing. In 1966, the club had about 1,350 members; by 1975, this number had skyrocketed to over 4,000. The Ski Club was holding interscholastic meets on the hill every weekend.

As the momentum faded, financial difficulties forced the closure of Laurentian Ski Club in 1996. The hill remained closed for three seasons until 1998, when the North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority (NBMCA) purchased the property, and reopened it to skiers. A new chair lift, modern snowmaking equipment as well as a new groomer rejuvenated the aging facility. In addition, a fully equipped ski and snowboard rental shop was made available.

Two years after opening Jack Pine Hill, Vincent Massey Public School opened in a new shared use facility at the top of the hill on Janey Avenue. The facility also functioned as a day lodge, ticket sales office and rental shop during the ski season.

When the Laurentian Ski Club formed in 1925, its stated purpose was “to try to interest more people in the sport, to improve skiing conditions and to promote occasional social gatherings.” The Club fulfilled this mandate, and its legacy lives on in the generations of skiers who come to the hill today.

Ski Hill Facilities and Equipment


Winter attractions include a 320 foot vertical featuring a beginner hill, a snow tube part, and terrain part on 70 acres of skiable land. In 1998, a new quad chair lift and snowmaking system were installed on site. The snow making system was expanded in 2003. A range of winter events, programs and rental equipment offers skiing and snowboarding to school groups and the general public.

Upper Lodge – Joint-use facility with Vincent Massey Public School (Near North District School Board), forced air, air conditioning, washroom facilities, overlooks North Bay, business potential, plumbing for restaurant, upper level wheelchair accessible, 6,000SF;

Lower Lodge and Restaurant – 1973 lodge, full restaurant facility upstairs, washrooms, change area downstairs, forced air, security system;

Partial use of 80X40X15 Garage with secured yard – 3 large bay doors, oil water separator, propane hear, phone service, washroom facilities, security system;

20X40 Steel Quonset Hut – storage, power;

Parking Lot – Lower parking lot on Ski Club Road has a 40 vehicle capacity. Upper parking lot on Janey Avenue, shared use with a 100-vehicle capacity. Both lots are services by municipal transit;

1998 Leitner-BM Quad Chair Lift – 4800 people per hour, ABB drive, 8 towers, 73 carriers, maximum speed 2.3 meters/second, bottom drive;

1971 Skyway T-Bar – retrofitted to a J-Bar and moved in 1998 by Leitner – BM, 6 towers, 32 carriers, Siemens drive, soft-start;

1971 Hull T-Bar – retrofitted and re-engineered in 1998 by Leitner-BM to a tube tow for secondary carriers, 6 towers, 40 carriers, soft-start

1998 Snowmaking Equipment – system designed by Ratnik Industries includes 150 horse centrifugal turbine pump, 560 gallons/minute maximum water, 125 horse Comairco air compressor, after cooler for air, 10 McKinnely light tower guns, new pipeline installed in 2003 to cover tube park and beginner hill, 5000 feet of 1 1/2 inch diameter hose, pump house for housing water pump and air compressor.

Night Skiing – new lights installed in 1998 to cover 90% of hill including beginner hill and tube park

1996 Plus MP Groomer – Quick attach blade for 15 foot half pipe grinder, flex tiller

Two Tundra II Snowmobiles and three Honda 350 Four-Wheelers.