Marg Strong, a regular skier at Chicopee, is enjoying the “best winter ever.”
This feeling is shared by snow sport lovers across the Waterloo region. The record-setting snowfall has brought more people out to the slopes and trails while keeping them close to home.
Mike Isenberg, president of Kitchener-based social media account and ecommerce platform dedicated to snowmobiling called Sledaddicz, mentions that the snow has enabled him to explore local trails much earlier than normal.
“So my first ride was actually in mid-December, I think it was Dec. 13, which is unheard of. I’ve never ridden around home that close to home in years. And that’s what the early snowfall awards us,” he said.
He noted that many trails in southern Ontario usually don’t open until January.
“Maybe if we’re lucky, it’ll be, you know, first, second week of January,” he said.
Isenberg isn’t alone in usually starting his snow sport activities after New Year’s Day.
Courtney and Bret Brinston, who founded a local canicross group called Canix KW, enjoy doing winter sports with their three dogs.
Canicross allows people to connect themselves with their dogs and run along trails.
The couple got introduced to dog sledding and skijoring last winter through members of their canicross group but couldn’t try those snow sports until mid-January 2025.
“This year, since the end of November, we’ve been able to get out and practice and train on the trails, which is awesome,” said Courtney.
WATCH | Large amounts of snow boost local dog sledding and skijoring:
Dog sledding in Kitchener? It’s possible with all this snow
A local group in Kitchener, Canix K-W, has been dog sledding on local trails. This winter’s plentiful snowfall has made sliding easier. Some members including founders Courtney and Bret Brinston are taking advantage by dog sledding and skijoring. CBC K-W’s Lauren Kuivenhoven joined in on the fun.
Courtney mentioned she does dog sledding because she has “zero balance.”
“I thought that sledding would be a little easier. In some aspects it is, but it definitely still takes a lot of work with the two dog team.”
Bret skijors-a sport like canicross but done on skis.
He gets pulled on skate skis by one dog using a harness and bungee cord. Bret says this year’s snowfall helps him look a bit more professional.
“Honestly, it was very hard to get any good at skiing last year without getting too much practice in. But since we’ve been able to start so early, I’ve gotten a lot better this year,” he said.
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Bret Brinston skijors behind his dog. This year’s snow has allowed him to get a lot more practice in. (Lauren Kuivenhoven/CBC)
The early winter season has encouraged more people to give skiing and snowboarding a try.
Mark Perkins teaches at Chicopee Hills Public School and helps introduce kids to skiing.
“We’re here with the school group. It’s exposing kids to something they might not otherwise be exposed to particularly. There’s also some new Canadians that have come with us over the last years who have been able to enjoy what is a quintessential Canadian sort of activity,” he said.
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Andre Sousa (left) Mark Perkins (right) chaperone a school trip to Chicopee. (Lauren Kuivenhoven/CBC)
The past two years have seen many more people visiting Chicopee for skiing or snowboarding according to CEO Bill Creighton.
“In the last two years where we’ve had more snow on the ground we see more new people coming out. They’re experiencing winter and they’re saying we got to do something at this time of year and they’re really coming out in big numbers trying out skiing and snowboarding.”![]()
Chicopee CEO Bill Creighton takes a lift up the ski hill.(Lauren Kuivenhoven/CBC)
This marks the first time in five years that Chicopee could open before Christmas break as they’ve had trouble doing so for previous two winters.
The extra month of winter means an extended opportunity for Isenberg who describes it as quite brief for going snowmobiling.
This also let Ontario’s trail network open earlier than usual allowing snowmobilers access across over 30 thousand trails throughout Ontario.
“The more snowfall that accumulates around Ontario; less travel is needed for specific areas just for snowmobiling purposes. So widespread snowfall is truly positive news,” he stated.
A Boost for Local Businesses
This year’s significant snowfall gives local businesses an extra push as many folks stay nearby enjoying their winter sports activities.
This season especially shows lots of visitors making their way out toward Chicopee.
“What’s great for us when we get an early season is Christmas break really brings numbers up – seeing people come out means everything for our non-profit organization within this community,” stated Creighton.![]()
Local Snowmobilers Enjoying Trails Near Erin And Mount Forest On Jan 30 2026 (Mike Isenberg/Sledaddicz/Facebook)
Mild Weather Ahead But More Cold Expected
If you’re into winter fun – relax; it’s not over yet!
Eager anticipation remains despite warmer temps currently reported as Geoff Coulson-warning preparedness meteorologist from Environment Canada-told there may be another round of arctic air towards February’s end.
“We’ve consistently had that jet stream from northwest bringing down those colder air masses. And what we’re noticing now involves gradual shifts occurring within patterns – jet stream likely veering westward sometimes even southwest,” Coulson remarked.
“Looking ahead via long-range weather models suggests colder than normal conditions expected during late February. A lot may change between now till then; that’s what we’ll monitor closely.”
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