An Ontario woman who first put on skis more than 80 years ago is still making her way down the slopes, and inspiring generations of skiers along the way.
Doris Pierson, 95, has been a familiar sight at Sir Sam’s Ski hill on Eagle Lake in Ontario’s Haliburton Highlands for decades. And despite her age, she says the hill is where she still feels at her quickest.
“I am slowing down now,” she joked. “Except on the hill.”
Pierson first learned to ski as a teenager. She says her brother bought her a pair of skis when she was 13, partly to keep her busy and out of trouble. Skiing quickly became a family tradition. Her daughter, Leslie Currie, told Global News that her parents worked as ski patrollers when she was young, which gave their four children a chance to ski every weekend.
Today, that family legacy spans four generations. Pierson says her children, grandchildren and great‑grandchildren all ski, and some of them continue to join her on the slopes.
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“I have two great‑great‑granddaughters skiing here with me today,” she said at the ski kill.
Around Eagle Lake, many regulars know Pierson by name. Fellow skiers describe her not just as a skilled athlete, but as someone who brings energy and warmth to the hill.
“Doris is so inspirational. Not just because of the way she skis, but for so many other reasons,” said friend and skier Barb Bolin.
“She’s an all‑around great person,” said another friend, Chris Bishop. “She brings a lot to the hill.”
Pierson’s love of skiing has taken her far beyond Ontario. She has skied across Europe, the United States and Chile, and even taught at Whistler. She says she still considers Sir Sam’s her second home.
“The people, the families I love, the friends I’ve made here — it means everything,” she said.
Even after having both knees replaced several years ago, Pierson says the surgery allowed her to keep doing what she loves, and she says she has no plans to stop.
“It gives you a reason to get up in the morning,” she said. “It’s what I do every day that the sun shines.”
Because of her eyesight, Pierson skips cloudy days. But regulars say one thing is certain: if the sun is out, so is Doris.
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