Ski Cape Smokey — Attraction in South Ingonish Harbour

The skiing was fantastic and the views were incredible but unfortunately, this hill was very poorly run.

You are unable to buy tickets ahead of time if you would like to make use of the nomad pass discount. You must show your pass from another hill to someone at a desk, who then emails you a code for you to complete your online purchase. There is no way to upload proof of pass ahead of time, which seems extremely inefficient. This led to losing a lot of time that could have been spent skiing.

We lost even more ski time by waiting over an hour and a half for our food to be ready when ordering lunch in the lodge. There was no indication at the time of ordering that the wait would be so long, and staff were downright rude when asked when we could expect our food (after a full hour of waiting, which seems like a reasonable question). If we'd known how long we'd have to wait we would have either gone and skied more while we waited, or just gone offsite for lunch.

The worst part however, was the number of slippery surfaces on site. I would not recommend this resort to anyone with any kind of mobility issues, or someone just learning to walk in ski boots. The gondola loading/unloading decks, lodge staircase and decking, as well as the flooring in the lodge it's self were all wood, which is extremely slippery for ski boots, even when dry. This was downright hazardous. My friend actually fell in the lodge and the staff member I spoke to when seeking ice for her wrist seemed offended when I suggested they take measures to prevent such accidents. It would be so easy to put down matting or grip paint like any other ski resort ever.

The skiing its self was absolutely fantastic and the gondola was great, but based on the experience we had, we'll save the extra driving and go to...

Buyer beware! As others have mentioned, they advertise when you drive up that it’s cheaper to buy your tickets online, but they don’t explain that that is the biggest pain in your ass and will take forever, you have to outline each passenger’s date of birth and then they add on a bunch of fees at the end, so it still works out to $60 a person for a 10 minute experience. I know a lot of 70+ people would just give up, it’s not an accessible purchasing process for many and the site tries to sell you add-ons while you go. Then you get a QR code and have to go BACK to the booth and wait in line to get signed in, when the gondola guy should be able to just see your pass and let you on.

They also don’t explain at the booth at all that this is a day “ Adventure” pass…for those who know this in advance, you can actually carve out 4 to 5 hours to spend at the top, hiking and kayaking, but this is not made clear until you log on and have to purchase the thing. There’s no option just to buy a pass just to go up on the gondola and come back down (I value this at $15 as you stare at a massive decal on the window the whole time) so if you choose to do the entire thing, try and get your money’s worth by wearing proper hiking shoes and being prepared to kayak at the top.

The staff was friendly but the restaurant was closed and the booth at the parking lot needs way more information with different ticket options for those who don’t plan to spend the day there. It’s a cliché tourist trap by a Czech company trying to take over the entire area. If you’ve been on a gondola anywhere else in the world before, you can definitely...

Great view but the facility is poor in every other area! Parking lot is poor…large rocks all over which make walking difficult. I rolled my ankle in the parking lot. I was travelling with three seniors. This place is NOT senior friendly. Everything is up and down a hill, and you must walk on difficult to navigate rocky terrain. There was a accessible section but it was blocked off and a sign said to ask staff for assistance. None were seen. I later observed that the staff do not wear anything to distinguish themselves at a distance from a paying customer. Furthermore, the accessible area was still rocky terrain. After scaling the rocky road to the lodge, you get the privilege of ascending many stairs. All for the promise of a kitchen and gift shop. Well, the gift shop was a joke (poorly stocked and lousy selection) and the kitchen was closed, even though the road sign said it was open! The icing on the cake was the $50+ per person charge to take the gondola to the top of the mountain. Three quarters of the gondolas were empty even though there were plenty of people on the ground. Likely due to the exorbitant prices?? Up top, walking wasn’t any easier. The gondola staff on top was supposed the stop the car to allow safe egress. He didn’t even come out of his container. Very unprofessional.

Bottom line: this place is a ski lodge. It may be ok during the winter with able bodied clients. But, it is poor facility in the non winter months. It is way too expensive and makes for dangerous walking. It was truly disappointing. THIS PLASE IS NOT SENIOR FRIENDLY! The view was not worth the risk! I do...