Mont Cascades - January 21, 2017

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 was more sticky, choppy and bumpier in general. As the night progressed, I later returned as the temperature was dropping and getting colder and the conditions had improved. Personally, I prefer smoother groomed trails so I quickly made my way to the rest of the mountain.

Visiting the East Quad section, trails such as Alouette and Touraine were in great shape. Nice intermediate cruisers with some decent pitch to them. Fast and fun, the skiing here presented less challenge for me than the World Cup side due to the better conditions. This side is also not very busy at night and there are several trails to choose from. One of which returns to the main chalet by a narrow windy trail that is great fun to take at speed and zig-zag your way though. I will admit, I did it several times during my visit, it is just too fun to pass up.

Moving on to the main side, served by the Promenade Quad, trails here were in the best condition overall, and the snow grooming here definitely held up the best into the evening. My standouts were Promenade, Facade and the top part of Cascades that drops into lower Promenade.

The weather all night was great. A little damp but it was very easy to stay warm due to the mild temperatures, a bonus if you prefer spending the night out on the slopes rather than inside the chalet.

Overall a great visit and my first night out of the season. The trails of the East Quad are definitely the hidden gems of the mountain.

Come on out and experience Mont Cascades yourself. Don't forget that on Friday nights they are open until Midnight. With a great ambiance, music, DJ and fun, you better be there.

Have a great week and happy skiing.