Cape Smokey Holding Ltd. (Ski & Gondola)

Cape Breton's only ski hill, with a reborn lift system and a year-round gondola for big Atlantic views. Smokey is a small mountain by Western standards but the vertical is real, and skiing with the ocean in your face is an experience you don't get many places.

What to expect

• One main lift and a small but legitimate vertical drop
• A handful of marked runs, mostly intermediate, with some steeper terrain
• Day-lodge food and a small rental shop
• Wind from the Atlantic; conditions vary

Don't miss

• A run down with the ocean filling the windshield ahead of you
• Sunset gondola rides outside ski season
• Off-season mountain biking on the lift-served trails

Good to know

• Ski season is short and weather-dependent
• Lessons and rentals available
• Pack warmer than you think — the wind is the wind
• Free parking

Pair it with

• A stay at Castle Rock Country Inn or Keltic Lodge
• Dinner at the Coastal Restaurant & Pub
• A morning paddle with Eagle North in summer