April is famous for its spring skiing, and for me, there is no better place to go than Sommet Saint-Sauveur. They really know how to put on a great show, from the legendary ambiance on the outdoor terrace, to the entertainment and friendly competitions of all sorts, to offering the longest ski season in the province and being last to close. This year they are aiming to stay open until May 14th, that gives another month and a half of skiing to go. Arriving at the mountain slightly before 8:30am, the parking was already approximately 1/3 full. There was a competition to take place on 70 Ouest so it was understandable. That said, there was still much fewer people present on the trails than I was expecting. Lift lines were a minute or less all day, including the Atomic Express.  Snow conditions in the early morning were firm and well groomed,...

The Epic Pass will offer unlimited, unrestricted access to Stowe, plus the best of North America, subject to the closing of the acquisitionEpic Local Pass will offer the best value at $639, which includes 10 days at Stowe, subject to the closing of the acquisitionPurchasing the Epic Pass now through Sunday, April 9, guarantees the lowest price combined with the most benefits Vail Resorts announced today that the Epic Pass plans to offer unlimited, unrestricted access to Stowe Mountain Resort for the 2017-2018 winter season, subject to the closing of the acquisition. Purchasing the 2017-2018 Epic Pass now through Sunday, April 9 ensures that skiers and snowboarders will lock in the lowest price, combined with the most benefits, such as six discounted lift tickets ("Buddy Tickets") for family and friends. Stowe will be the newest resort among 45 of the world's most iconic mountain destinations to be offered with the Epic Pass (subject to the closing of the acquisition) – which includes t...

Spring is officially here! Its arrival promises beautiful spring skiing days and sunny après-skis on Bar Le Tucker's terrace. Mont SUTTON is shifting into spring with several activities planned over the next few weeks that will allow skiers and snowboarders to take full advantage of the sunny spring days. On Saturday, March 25th, Yooners, a kind of ski bob/sled hybrid, will be back! Spaces are limited and will have to be reserved the morning of the activity, which is free to all season pass holders or anyone with a valid ski ticket for that day. The ever-popular Snow on the Beach will make its return on Saturday, April 1st! The event is celebrating its tenth edition this year and is sure to be remembered with its beach party après-ski that will have skiers dancing under the palm trees. From April 14th to 17th, Mont SUTTON will be celebrating Easter on the slopes. For the occasion, arts and crafts, an Easter egg hunt, and sugar on snow (free on Sunday) are sure to entertain families all...

Heading outside at 8:55am, I made my way to the Lakeview quad to start my day. Upon first glance, the trails were all nicely groomed and the snow is impeccable. I line up and make it to be on the first chair up the mountain. Mission accomplished! While heading up the mountain, I look in the direction of Black Donald, my first destination, and the big reason for coming today. For those not familiar with Calabogie, this trail has the best views of the Calabogie Lake in the distance. For almost half of the descent, you get stunning views, especially during the section leading in at the summit. Conditions overall were firm base, that was slightly softening up as the day progressed. All the trails had been well groomed, and not really any ice to worry about, except for Face of Tiger, which is always a tricky spot for snow conditions. Having...

Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN) today announced that on Feb. 17, 2017, it entered an agreement to acquire Stowe Mountain Resort from Mt. Mansfield Company, Inc. (MMC), a wholly owned subsidiary of American International Group, Inc. (AIG), for a purchase price of $50 million, subject to certain adjustments. Stowe Mountain Resort will be Vail Resorts' first mountain resort on the East Coast and complements the Company's network of 10 world-class mountain resorts and three urban ski areas. This acquisition brings together Vail Resorts, the world's leading mountain resort operator, with AIG Global Real Estate (AIGGRE), a best-in-class real estate developer, who share a common vision for the long-term success of Stowe Mountain Resort as the premier, high-end resort for skiers and snowboarders on the East Coast. Vail Resorts is acquiring all of the assets related to the mountain operations of the resort, including base area skier services (food and beverage, retail and rental, lift ticket off...

What an incredible day at Ski Vorlage. I have been trying my best this season to be at the mountains in time for opening but this is the first time this year I had first chair (after the ski patrol that is). Let me tell you right from the start, the conditions were perfect. A light snow was falling during the morning and the previous night had left some fresh snow as well. For nearly the first hour, I was treated to perfectly groomed corduroy slopes all over. I started my visit by riding up the blue chair, and taking Snow Dance and then Chute and finishing off on North Slope. The drop on Chute is really something, gives you a big burst of speed and makes you work on your turns as it is quite narrow. Chute isn’t long but it’s a lot of fun. The next trail for me...

What a day. What a season. There really hasn't been a low point all winter. Today the ski conditions were once again amazing. Being a Sunday, I would have expected a lot more people to be present, but since it's the SuperBowl tonight... well that's still no excuse. In any case, I won't complain. Short line ups at the lifts and first tracks on several trails well past lunch. The weather was also perfect, not too cold, and a steady snowfall lasting into the afternoon, kept the slopes in top shape. All the trails are open, except for Shotgun. From the steeps of Strief (or as I call it, Strief Mountain), to the glades of Chemin des Bois, to the classics Zoomer and Easy Street, Sommet Edelweiss does not disappoint. I started my visit on Strief, noticing plenty of untouched snow for first tracks. The main pitch of this slope is steepest...

My first night out skiing of the season. The past few years, it always seems to take place at Mont Cascades. Why not, the mountain is fun, the ambiance is great, and the trails really come alive for me at night. The past week again saw some more mild weather and rain, and this time it did have some effect on the mountains, although nothing major. The skiing is still great, although the snow is now softer and more forgiving. It definitely feels closer to spring skiing than it was two weeks prior. I started on the World Cup side of the mountain. Here the terrain is the steepest and most challenging at Mont Cascades. This side also has a different orientation with the sun, so it is normal to expect that the conditions will vary from the rest of the mountain here, as was the case this evening. The snow...

Trying my best to get to the mountain early, I arrived at 8:20am. The morning temperatures were quite cold, -20'c with a windchill of -25'c. Dressing appropriately was key. The frigid air did not stop people from coming out in numbers, although it was clear that people were taking frequent breaks to stay warm. Despite the warm weather of the past week and a few days of rain, the mountain is in great shape. It appears that nothing can upset this perfect season. For this visit at Camp Fortune, all trails except for Alexander and MacDonald (on the T-Bar side) were open and perfectly groomed.  North American, an intermediate trail located on the Meech side of the mountain, was open. This trail is mostly a natural snow trail, so it is often not open for skiing, especially when I have visited in the past. Similar to Paradis next to it, it is a long cruiser...

A fun snowshoeing adventure through Mount Royal Park in Montreal that almost ended at the hospital.  Here's our adventure... Ana and I both arrived at the Mount Royal Park around 3:30pm. The park features cross-country ski trails and snowshoeing trails. We started our hike near the main pavilion, in which you can change, lock your personal belongings or even rent skates, snowshoes or equipment. Mount Royal seen from the top of Place Ville-Marie. From here the starting points of the various trails are all marked. For our hike, it was the purple snowshoe signals that we needed to follow. This trail is a loop of around 3km in length so regardless of where you begin, you will eventually end back at your starting point. Just a few minutes after we began the signals used to guide yourself along the trail started becoming hard to follow as they were spaced much too far apart...

If I were to describe the ski conditions I experienced this day at Calabogie Peaks I would use one word... pristine (adjective)  in its original condition; unspoiled. clean and fresh as if new; spotless. From this, you can gather that the snow was in impeccable condition. Calabogie Peaks has done everything to maximize on this fact, from the perfect snow grooming to just the quality of the snow everywhere on the mountain.  My standout trail was O'Brien's Fancy, a nice intermediate speed trail, with plenty of drops and dips. Needless to say, I lapped it quite a bit. Other choice trails were the combination of Causeway-Baileys and Finnegan of the Lakeview quad. Bottom of O'Briens (on the left) I'm getting ahead of myself, let's start from the beginning... I arrived at the mountain shortly before 9am, where I was greeted by the enthusiastic parking attendants guiding incoming cars to their spots. It was...

Here we are the second day of the New Year 2017. Getting up early on a day off can only mean one thing, it's a ski day. Destination... Mont Ste Marie, for its two mountains, long trails, high speed lifts and highest vertical in the region. Ski conditions were great, firm base with a small layer of powder on top. On the Vanier mountain, all trails except Caroll-Ann and Tornade were open. The best conditions in my opinion were on Bellevue, although Sérénade was a close second. Those trails had nice grooming, and quick lines to carve.  Chanson, the main beginner trail that runs from the top of the mountain to near the bottom was open, however it was clearly marked with a sign indicating Marginal Conditions as it did not have a full snow base to be fully groomed. This resulted in some bumps and moguls, but I'm sure this will change in...

I live in Gatineau, but love Montreal so as a result, I've found myself traveling down the 417 and Highway 40 many times. Minutes after you cross into Quebec, you spot a ski mountain in the distance. Then the road turns away and you continue to Montreal. Little did I know what I had been missing. I have been reading Jake's reports on the forums of Mont Rigaud for too long, something had to be done to rectify this situation, gone on long enough. So Wednesday morning I packed up and set-out towards Montreal... I meant Rigaud. Arriving at the base at around 9:30am, the mountain is already open and there aren't too many cars present. I enter into the chalet and find that it is very well laid out. A wood burning fireplace helps create a warm feeling and that classic mountain smell. Strapping on my boots and heading outside,...

After a week of snow storms, the mountain is in phenomenal condition. It was hard not to be excited on the way up to the mountain this morning. All along the drive and upon arriving, it was snowing. Camp Fortune currently has 3 trails and 2 lifts open. On the Valley side, they have Allen's Alley and Pineault. The Meech side is also now open with Paradis, the longest trail at Camp Fortune with over a mile in length. Conditions everywhere were excellent, the base was firm and the surface had an inch of fresh snow as a cover.  Lift lines were fairly short, with waits of less than 3 minutes on the Valley and mostly direct to the lift on Meech. Pineault. Allen's Alley. We are definitely experiencing the best pre-Christmas conditions in a long while, especially in contrast to last season where we did not have a White Christmas. There...

My passion for skiing started many many years ago, on the slopes of Camp Fortune, so it was only right that the new ski season for me would start here too. The Quebec ski season finally began this past Tuesday at Sommet Saint-Sauveur, with Mont Tremblant following on Thursday. Camp Fortune launched their new season yesterday and is the third to open in the province and first to open in the Ottawa-Gatineau region. With only two nights of snowmaking, Pineault, one of the mountain's main beginner trails is now open. Ski conditions were great for the early season. Complete coverage over the main part of the trail, with soft and forgiving snow, perfect to help get you back on the slopes and have fun. Lift lines were less than a minute and most often zero. The weather was hovering around 0'c, and had some light snow flurries. Park jibbers were happy to find several boxes, rails...

​Ski season is here! Camp Fortune opens this Saturday. Grab your skis and boards and join us for our opening day: Saturday November 26. Pineault will be open with machine made snow. We are committed to offering you the longest season possible and will be the first ski hill in the Outaouais to open. Hours of operation: Saturday November 26 from 10 am to 4 pm Sunday November 27 from 10 am to 4 pm. We will continue making snow and open more runs as soon as we can. We are working 24 / 7 when the weather allows. Source : Erin Boucher, Marketing - Camp Fortune.

​​This Thursday November 24, with mountain ambassadors Erik Guay and Jasey-Jay Anderson in attendance,Tremblant is kicking off its 2016-17 slide season, with over 180 hours of snowmaking since the start of operations, and 15 cm of fresh snow since last Sunday. At 8:30 am, 4 trails resulting in one upper-mountain run on each the North and the South sides will be open to skiers and riders, served by the Express Gondola, TGV, Lowell Thomas and Cabriolet lifts. Skiers and snowboaders will have to use the gondola to get to the summit and back at the South base. The mountain operations team remains focused on freeing up more terrain as soon as possible so that by late weekend, 7 trails should be open. View Snow Report for latest updates. ​Source : Annick Marseille, Public Relations Advisor, Tremblant

With 12+ inches of natural snow and a good snowmaking run that began yesterday, Holiday Valley's President and General Manager, Dennis Eshbaugh announced plans to open for their 60th season of skiing and snowboarding on Saturday, November 26th. According to Eshbaugh, "This is an exciting time of year and we're pleased to get an early start on the season". Weather permitting, the resort plans to have three lifts operating from 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.: the Yodeler Quad Chairlift, Mardi Gras Xpress Quad Chairlift and School Haus Quad Chairlift. Four slopes will be open that range from easier to most difficult: School Haus, the Candy Cane loop, Mardi Gras and Yodeler. Ticket prices for the weekend are: $50 adult / $40 junior for 8 hours, $45 adult / $35 junior for 4 hours (available Saturday and Sunday) and $25 adult / $18 junior for night tickets that start at 3:30 p.m. Services include food and beverage and retail shop at The Yodeler Lodge and the coffee shop, rental equipment and lessons i...

After the return of some more wintery weather last night, and resuming snowmaking operations this morning, Sugarloaf officials announced that Maine's tallest winter resort will kick off its 66th season on Thursday, November 24 at 8:30am. Skiing and riding on opening day will be available on Tote Road and Candyside, serviced by the SuperQuad, and is recommended for advanced skiers and riders only. Despite above-normal temperatures for much of November, Sugarloaf's snowmakers were able to run as many as 120 snowguns earlier in the month, stock piling snow at higher elevations. The resort is currently running more than 125 guns on the Tote Road trail. "At this time of the year, we are always at the mercy of Mother Nature," said Rich Wilkinson, Sugarloaf's Vice President of Mountain Operations. "Thankfully, the weather is forecast to remain in our favor for the next 48 hours, and we plan to operate as many guns, as much as possible, to get this place ready to go." As a continuation of the ...

Already, 25 cm have fallen in the last 48 hours at the base of Mont SUTTON and 35 cm have been measured at the summit. Mont SUTTON is aiming for an official opening on December 10 thanks to the current conditions and the forecast for the upcoming days. The arrival of a sustained cold snap foreseen this Sunday should be ideal for starting the snow guns. Nothing has been confirmed yet, but this weather looks promising for the near future, presaging an opening for mid-December for the greatest pleasure of skiers and snowboarders. If Mother Nature is still on our side, Mont SUTTON fans could be even happier with an early opening. One thing is certain, the precipitations of the last days are looking good for the start of the season! Source : ​Nadya Baron, Marketing Director - Mont SUTTON

Thanks to a mix of natural and manmade snow, Sunday River Resort will open for skiing and snowboarding tomorrow, Wednesday, November 23, 2016. New this year, the resort will offer top-to-bottom skiing and snowboarding on its Aurora Peak with trails including Northern Lights, Paradigm, Borealis, Aludra, and Lights Out. All opening day terrain is for advanced skiers and snowboards only; snowguns are scheduled to run with active snowmaking as long as temperatures allow. Visibility will be limited, and manmade and natural obstacles do exist. To access Sunday River's opening day terrain, guests will board the Chondola chairlift out of the South Ridge base area starting at 9 a.m. Once at the top of the chairlift, skiers and snowboarders can either schuss into the Aurora Basin for top-to-bottom laps; take advantage of the early season terrain park located near the top of the Chondola; or grab a quick bite and beverage at the adjacent mid-mountain Peak Lodge. To return to South Ridge before th...

Photo from Sunshine Village Facebook page

​Sunshine Village Ski and Snowboard Resort will be the first resort in Canada to open its doors to ski and snowboard enthusiasts on Thursday, November 3, 2016. This is Sunshine's earliest opening in over 30 years. The resort will open with four Chairlifts including Wawa, Strawberry, Jackrabbit and Wolverine, one magic carpet and one 8-passenger gondola. With a current base of over 69 cm (27 in) of all-natural snow, Sunshine Village is poised for a solid start to the 2016-2017 season. "A large amount of precipitation starting in early October means the champagne powder snow has piled up fast," says Dave Riley, Chief Operating Officer at Sunshine Village, "the Sunshine Village team has been working incredibly hard and we are thrilled to be the first resort in Canada to open its doors to our guests." The resort will offer full ski school programs as well as Tiny Tiger and Kids Kampus programs starting Thursday, in addition to opening select on-mountain dining and retail venues. Banff's on...

With 6 ski mountains in the Gatineau region (Camp Fortune, Edelweiss, Mont Cascades, Mont Sainte Marie, Ski Vorlage and Mont Chilly) and 2 in the Ottawa Valley (Calabogie Peaks and Mount Pakenham), there is plenty of choices to choose from when planning a ski outing, learning a new sport, or choosing where to get your season pass. Each mountain is unique, and they all offer something different, that set them apart. Any of them will surely become a great second home to you, in your pursuit of snow and skiing, so you are guaranteed a great experience no matter where you choose to ski. This blog post will mostly focus on what each offers, the differences that may be an advantage for you, as well as a few things to keep in mind. You can see the full profile for each ski resort by clicking it's name below. All have a video available. Camp Fortune Camp Fortune is by far the closest to the city centre, located only 15 minutes away from the Parliament. Offering 3 very unique sides, there is pl...

Available for Apple iOS and Android, Ski Tracks is a great app to have, to get the lowdown on all the stats of your latest ski outing, or adventure. Utilizing GPS tracking built in to your smart device, it will record your position, altitude, speed and much much more. Using it is simple, after you install the app, just open it up, and click START. The app will then record your GPS information as you go through your ski day. In the end, you will have access to a multitude of stats, not limited to: -How many runs you did. -How many vertical metres or feet you descended as well as ascended. -Your altitude, as well as maximum and minimum altitudes achieved. -The total distance travelled. -Maximum speed and average speed. -Average angle of the trails you skied. -Total time elapsed. What really sets it apart is reviewing all this information afterwards. Using a satellite image map, the app projects your path down the mountain onto the map, visually showing you where you went, as well as your...

A unique POV camera pole, that gives you total control of the camera angle, with the movement of your thumb, anywhere and anytime. Watch this video interview with co-founder Tim Jodoin and discover the next must have accessory for POV film makers and GoPro enthusiasts everywhere. Most action camera POV videos have only one angle, either from the helmet or on a pole. The angle and shot is set before the action starts and stays that way until it ends. With the Orbit Pole, a simple move of the thumb enables you to rotate the camera, allowing for a new angle and shot at any time, without having to stop and reset the camera. With the Orbit Pole, you have total control, anywhere and anytime. It is poised to become the next must-have accessory for GoPro and Action Camera enthusiasts everywhere!