Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your…toque? Far from Boston but close to Toronto, Horseshoe Resort balances its big-city amenities with the inevitable small-town vibe…

… that comes along with being situated in the clefts of a rural Horseshoe Valley. And there’s a good chance the friendly, attentive lifties will remember you.

Whether you need advice on navigating Bronco’s idiosyncrasies or a cup o’ sugar, they’ll sort you out. Status quo for the 2017/’18 season is a very good thing.

This gem sits in the heart of Ontario’s snow-belt region and has been known to open as early as late November if that sweet vixen Mother Nature cooperates. Horseshoe gets piled on while other Ontario resorts patiently wait it out with ritual snow-dancing. Options are open to experience the fluffy white stuff from either a steep descent like the aptly named Bullpen or a more flatland perspective on the 65 km of Nordic trails.

Summer pursuits are equally as varied, including ascents for a tree-top trek or zipline, or pedaling Horseshoe’s network of lift-serviced mountain bike trails. One thing the seasons never discriminate about: swapping stories and resting tired muscles with elbows on the bar at the aptly named Crazy Horse.