146 National Dr., Town of the Blue Mountains, Ont.
Asking Price: $2,385,000
Taxes: $8,439.00 (2024)
Lot Size: 80.1 by 114.8 feet
Agent: Paul Peterson, Chestnut Park Real Estate Ltd.
In 2011, avid skiers Catherine and David Staples were looking for a chalet to rent for the winter when a friend arranged an introduction to the owner of a two-storey house at the base of Ontario’s Blue Mountains.
When Ms. Staples stopped by to see the home, the owner informed her she had decided to list the property for sale instead.
The Staples had recently sold their island cottage in Muskoka and planned to spend more time around the Blue Mountains area, where their three kids could participate in downhill racing in the winter and road cycling in the summer.
The name “Blue Mountains” refers to the portion of the Niagara Escarpment that runs south from Georgian Bay. The area just outside the larger town of Collingwood has plenty of topography for skiing, snowboarding, hiking and exploring caves.
Ms. Staples had a tour of the home with a timber frame great room, four bedrooms and views of the ski hills.
The private Craigleith Ski Club was steps away, while the larger Blue Mountain Resort was just down the road.
She called her husband to say the chalet would soon hit the market, and the couple rushed to submit an offer before another buyer could step up.
The homeowners accepted, and the Staples purchased the house – furniture and all.
The freehold property is part of a community known as the Orchard at Craigleith. Residents pay a “parcel of tied land” fee of $198 a month for the maintenance of shared areas.
The couple’s daughter and two sons ranged in age from 14 to 11 when the family purchased the weekend home.
The Staples were living just outside Barrie, Ont., where Dr. Staples had his dental practice and Ms. Staples founded a design firm.
“We needed to be in Collingwood a lot,” Dr. Staples says of the kids’ packed schedule of training days and races.
Ms. Staples says the home didn’t need many changes when the family took over, but she had the dark green walls repainted in white to lighten the interior.
After long days on the slopes, the family would lounge in front of the fireplace in the double-height great room with Douglas fir posts and a beamed ceiling.
The open plan includes a dining area and a large kitchen with an island and breakfast bar.
The main floor also has a den with a fireplace.
Upstairs, the home has a large primary bedroom with a balcony facing the ski runs and an ensuite bathroom with a soaker tub and walk-in shower.
There are three additional bedrooms and two bathrooms on that level.
As the kids headed to university and other pursuits, the Staples sold their Barrie house and moved to the chalet full-time in 2020.
They updated the kitchen by changing the gas range to an induction cooktop and installing new countertops.
They also renovated the lower level to create a recreation room, a fifth bedroom and a ski tuning room.
Dr. Staples spends warm-weather days cycling the backroads through the area’s farmland. In winter, he often opts for Nordic skiing on trails through the property of Scenic Caves Nature Adventures.
He adds that many people head to the area for their own pursuits, including golf, wildlife photography and sailing on Georgian Bay.
Ms. Staples, a designer, points out that Collingwood also has a thriving arts community.
“I love working with the local artists.”
The property provides plenty of opportunities for rejuvenation after a demanding day of physical exertion.
Recent additions include a cold plunge Dr. Staples describes as “exhilarating,” and a new bathroom with a steam shower.
Outside, the sauna in a modern hut has a private setting amidst the backyard’s trees and shrubs.
“It has a wall of glass, so sitting there watching the snow fall is really pretty,” Ms. Staples says.
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