THE BLUE MOUNTAINS, ONT. -- Outdoor activities have never been more popular, from sledding, skating, nordic skiing, snowshoeing, even surfing as the lockdown continues.

Craig Lubaszka took to the hills hiking west of Collingwood Wednesday. "Been spending a lot of time indoors, and that's not very healthy for you, so this is a good place to come and clear your mind and get some exercise."

With alpine resorts shut down, many have turned to nordic skiing as an alternative, but finding equipment is proving to be a challenge for beginners.

As Play It Again Sports owner Kathie Ondercin said, cross-country skis have been a hot commodity for some time. "By the end of November, we were pretty much sold out of this shipment. And industry-wide, there is no inventory left out there for us to bring in."

Snowmobiles are also in short supply. The lot at J and R Cycle has been cleaned out. "Everything here new and used is sold, has been for a while," said co-owner John Broderick. "Most of the machines have sold before they come in."

Capacity limits for businesses to cater to nordic skiers and snowshoers have also motivated people to find alternative trails and walkways to maintain a safe distance from others.

The province-wide lockdown is in place until at least Jan. 23, when alpine resorts hope to reopen to the public fully.