Summer Experiences
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A trip out of town to view some fall colours was in order today so Mont Gleason was the destination. It was also a great reason to go take a peek at the progress of the new Quad. It was partly cloudy when we got there, I was with my son Lukas, and my long-time ski buddy Christian so it was day out for the guys. We got there around 11:00 and there was a good crowd of people already there. At Gleason today the festivities included their ski sale in the shop, the local fire department was there with a couple of trucks for the kids to explore, bouncy castles, and chairlift rides. What I really came here for was the new Quad and the progess. Both top and bottom ter…
Last reply by Paul, -
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While taking the weekend away from the Eastern Townships, visiting family in the Quebec City area, I decided to visit Mont Sainte Anne with the family and ride the gondola. It was a very humid day with the temps in the low 30's. Partly cloudy skies with a breeze. We arrived mid afternoon around 2:30, and picked up the tickets for the ride up. The parking lot was not busy at all, and the ones who were there were biking. I noticed that at the bottom of the mountain there were a few giraffe guns spraying water to cool things down for the bike riders. There was no wait at the Gondola so we got right on and went to the top. When we got to the top, there was a steady…
Last reply by Shane, -
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After a late night Friday, we took it easy Saturday morning and I didn't get to the Nikita Girls Who Ride jam, which was from 1-5pm, a shift from last year's evening session, one that offered perfect daytime conditions. We got to Saint-Sauveur around 3:30, just in time for the deluge of rain falling from the sky. Due to the severity of the weather, they stopped the lift for a brief time until the risk of lightning and wind had passed. We hung out in the car during the rain and got ready to ride! After checking in, I headed to the lift, people were trickling back in after the rain, and soon every chair on the lift was filled with a steady stream of skiers and riders.…
Last reply by Ocean, -
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It barely feels like a month has passed since Sommet Saint-Sauveur's skison ended....because really it's only been 21 days! And yet the AKAMP hype is real! AKAMP, now in its 12th year, is a mirage of a snow park in the heat of the summer. This year for the first time, the snow park is located next to the Babalou chairlift on Mont Avila right in front of the main lodge. The new terrain offers some advantages, the first being a more gentle profile, making the park a bit more accessible to novice freestyle skiers and riders, and the second being a lift serviced snow park! AKAMP runs 9AM to 9PM daily with options for a daytime pass (9AM-5PM) or an evening pass from 5PM-9PM. …
Last reply by Ocean, -
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At the end of the day on June 8th it seemed certain conditions would still be great on the 9th especially with the anticipated high of 30C! I spent much of the day relaxing before heading up to the mountain for late afternoon. This time, I figured I'd just stay on the top section and practice slide turns on what was left of the 70 Ouest top. It was a perfectly beautiful day to take a leisurely hike up the top of La Plagne while enjoying the bright sun and surrounding forest. I spent up until the sun began to sink practicing turns, and took some snaps, and headed home for dinner in the city. Looking down the top pitch of the 70 Ouest - still unbroken with thin …
Last reply by Ocean, -
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After skiing down the 70 Ouest the night of the 6th, I was pretty sure all our hopes and dreams for a June 8th opening alongside the waterpark opening were dashed: The top pitch of the 70 Ouest had a narrow path remaining between the only break in the trail, and half the bottom pitch was missing entirely, having sadly melted away. To my absolute delight, one of the first posts I saw on my phone that morning was a video posted by the Sommet Saint-Sauveur of their fearless groomer polishing up the trail - as it turns out they had a secret stash of snow, just enough to anticipate opening from 10AM to 1PM on Saturday June 8th! I was determined to make first tracks! Howe…
Last reply by Ocean, -
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Following the June 2 "last chair in Quebec" party, I did a couple of hikes to take advantage of the still unbroken trail. On June 6th, I arrived a bit on the later side so instead of hiking up and skiing down, my strategy was to park at the top of the road running along side of La Plagne and hike in to the top of the 70 Ouest, and then take a taxi back to the car from the bottom (typically less than $10). I hiked into the L'Etoile chair to the tune of frogs and crickets (see clip below) and enjoyed a frosty beverage while watching the sunset and moonrise, and then got ready to ski down. Of course in the evening the snow ices up a little and it was a bit crustier than…
Last reply by Ocean, -
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Hiking season has begun! As Saint-Sauveur's lift serviced operations came to a close on Sunday afternoon, I had grand confidence that the hush-hush whisperings of a surprise June 8th opening would materialize. Never before in recent years had the 70 Ouest and Nordique (top) been open together for the final day of the season. Surely the base would hold another week and maybe even several! To my surprise, I arrived late this afternoon to the mountain to see that most of the bottom of 70 Ouest was just gone! There had been a few patchy spots on Sunday, sure, but it seemed to me the base was much thicker than to melt so quickly away. I guess they got a lot more rain than I th…
Last reply by Ocean, -
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While I have been off the radar this summer more than usual, this will hopefully make up for it......a little. I just returned home from a week in PEI and I could not leave the Island without a visit to the Mark Arendz Provincial Ski Park At Brookvale. Recently renamed from Brookvale Provincial Ski Park, to commemorate Mark Arendz's achievements as a paralympian for Team Canada. The hill is located in Brookvale, PEI about a half hour's drive from Charlottetown. It is pretty much in the central region of the island and fairly easy to get to. The mountain has one fixed grip Quad, and a learners magic carpet along with 9 trails and a vertical of 250 feet. Of the …
Last reply by Ocean, -
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It had been 3 years since we last explored these trails. With another hot and summery day upon us, it was time to stay cool by hitting the trails during the heat wave. It's truly amazing how nature and the trees can help regulate the heat. You really do not feel as hot when under the tree canopy. Arriving shortly after 11am (as the Gatineau Parkway roads are closed till 11 for the Sunday Bikedays), we parked at the lot by the Waterfall Trail. A short little slope down and to the left we find the tunnel, which passes under the parkway. After emerging on the other side, a fairly short hike brings us right to the Bridal Veil Falls. Heading back up and now to to the Laur…
Last reply by Shane, -
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It was a beautiful Sunday morning. Wanting to change things up a bit from our usual weekend routine of kayaking or hiking, we decided to go cycling. As we live in the Plateau sector of Gatineau, it is unbelievably easy to bike in minutes to Gatineau Park. Entering Gatineau Park from the pathway entrance just across from Tim Horton's on St. Raymond, we headed towards the Pioneers trail and the Gatineau Park Welcome Centre, located at P3. From here, heading East we continued on Sentier du Parc de la Gatineau, which runs near the road and has some short hills and plenty of turns and curves through the trees. A quick right turn at an intersection and we are brought down …
Last reply by Shane, -
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A perfect day out on the lake. Lac La Peche, located about 20 minutes West of Wakefield, is the largest lake in Gatineau Park. It is also possibly the most peaceful and relaxing to kayak. The beach is expansive, with plenty of room, making it easy to launch your kayak, canoe or small boat. Today, the wind was fairly strong, which had the effect of creating strong enough waves to push you around in the water. Luckily shortly after lunch the winds died down and it was much more enjoyable. This visit we decided to head to the left after setting off from the beach. We reached a small shore, perfect to get out at and stretch. There are several points across the …
Last reply by Shane, -
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About an hour north of Ottawa is a virtually unknown hiking trail near the town on Denholm. Parc des Chutes de Denholm is located on the Paugan road which connects Denholm with Low, Quebec. I drove in from the Denholm side as I was staying at a cottage near by. From the Low side you would have to cross the Paugan dam. The hike consists of a 4km loop plus several smaller side trails. The hike starts at a small falls and climbs quickly and steeply before leveling out. One interesting aspect to the trail is commissioned public art that pops up along the walk. The hike is well marked with a single picnic table near the falls at the bottom and at the first lookout. There is…
Last reply by Gordo, -
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The Pink Lake trail is definitely an emerald jewel in the Gatineau Park. From its sparkling green water to the many lookout and observation points, this trail has it all. Easily accessible from the Gatineau Parkway, you are able to park at either the Pink Lake lookout or the Pink Lake trail parking lots. From here, the fun starts, and as the trail is a loop that circles the entire lake along its border, you have the choice to go clockwise or counter-clockwise. We chose the former for this visit. Exploring in this direction takes you to the best lookout points right from the start. Pink Lake is very unique. Due to its sheltered location, provided by the surround…
Last reply by Shane, -
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Finally the heat wave is over, and we can once again enjoy nature and the outdoors without working up a terrible sweat. Heading out around 10am, we forgot that it was Sunday Bike Day, meaning the parkways in Gatineau Park are closed to vehicle traffic. Our original destination would have been the Pink Lake trail, but not currently being accessible by car, we decided to go to the Discovery Trail instead, located along Meech Lake. This trail can be accessed from the O'Brien's Beach parking lot (just minutes past Camp Fortune). This trail starts off with some long hilly, but smooth terrain, before arriving at a small bridge crossing a stream off of Meech Lake. Yo…
Last reply by Shane, -
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After having experienced the Mount Royal Park two winters ago with a snowshoeing adventure, it was high time to re-discover it again in the summer. Gone are the many cross-country skiers, the snow-covered toboggan sliding hills, and the snowshoe packed trails... now we are treated to a pristine park, located in the middle of Canada's second largest city. The area is very picturesque, with the Beaver Lake located in the middle, now frequented by leisure rowboats, and hundreds of people enjoying the fresh air and nature. The park is easily accessible with public transit by metro and bus, or by parking lots nearby. The trails and paths circle around the summi…
Last reply by Ocean, -
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With the surprise arrival of warm summer like weather (finally...), the choice was simple, it was a perfect day to break out the kayaks. Living only minutes from Gatineau Park, after a quick loading of the car, we were off to Meech Lake. Last year we parked at the P11 - O'Brien Beach lot. While it may be good for swimming, it was not the most ideal location to launch kayaks from as the beach is a bit small, and the fairly lengthy, narrow and hilly path to get from the parking to the water made transporting the kayaks very difficult, even with wheels underneath. This time, we made the decision to park at the P12 lot, located approximately in the middle of t…
Last reply by Shane, -
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Having visited this trail network in the late winter to snowshoe, we were curious to experience it in the summer without snow. Located in the Stony Swamp area of the Ottawa Greenbelt, the Beaver trail goes into a swampy marsh area, with a short walkway built over top. I love trails with features like this This area is only a 15 minute drive from Bayshore Shopping Centre and is a relatively easy trail to discover, with nothing difficult or presenting much challenge to overcome. While it is not long, there are several ways to go, so you can make the trip longer if you zig and zag your way through the forest. There is a trail connection that according …
Last reply by Shane, -
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This year’s Victoria Day weekend canoe trip was at the northern end of Algonquin Park. The access point was Kioshkokwi (Kiosk) lake about a 3.5 hour drive from Ottawa along highway 17. Take the 17 up to Mattawa then west along the Trans Canada until to see the turn off for 630 south into the park. Please watch out for speed traps along the 17 especially near Petawawa. There is an outfitter on the corner of 17 and 630 that you can rent canoes from (Algonquin North Wilderness Outfitters). There is also a ski hill 8km north of Mattawa called Antoine Mountain but I didn’t have time to check it out. This year’s trip would be 4 days, 3 nights in the park doing a loop from Ki…
Last reply by Shane, -
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This visit was to Lac La Peche, known as the largest lake in all of Gatineau Park. If you find Lac Philippe or Meech large, this lake is almost double the size. Upon arriving, the sandy beech is expansive and stretches across a large portion of the water. There is a fee that must be paid along the access road, however at this time of the year, and due to the beach being officially closed, access is free. For those arriving without their own kayak or canoe, rentals are available, in the same way as they are at Lac Philippe. The late summer's sun creates a vast landscape, just waiting to be discovered and enjoyed. The entry point into the wa…
Last reply by Gordo,
