Mont Ste Marie - January 4, 2024

Cold temperatures, a promise of sun and bluebird skies... all the ingredients were in place for the perfect day on the slopes. I woke up to a light dusting of snow that arrived overnight, which left a much-needed coat of white on the rooftops and the grass. I gathered my bags, tossed them in the back of the car and headed up to Mont Ste Marie. This mountain has something special about it. The highest vertical drop in the region at nearly double most others, high-speed lifts, rarely any lift lines, and great trails offering superb views of nearby Lac-Sainte-Marie.

Arriving shortly after 9:30 am, I headed to the chalet which is always nice and spacious. The view of the slopes courtesy of the large windows, really gets you in the mood, even before you start gearing up.

As would be the case for nearly my entire visit, the chairlift welcomed me with no lineup each time. The value of all this is tremendous. Nowhere else do you get this much time on the slopes!

Today, Mont Ste Marie has 8 trails open, which in reality translates to two distinct ways down Vanier mountain. I can honestly say these two trails have that big mountain sensation about them. They are long and have plenty of curves and turns, some drops and rolls. The view from the top of Serenade (or more precisely Tornade, which is presently closed), with the blue skies and the lake... WOW! Moving over to Bellevue, another inspiring view, this time of the second peak, Cheval Blanc, capped with a nice band of white frozen trees near the summit. It's hard to explain or describe, but a visit to Mont Ste Marie is always accompanied by such satisfaction of the day. It really has it all.

The Mont Ste Marie race team was out in force training in the middle of Bellevue, showcasing skill and agility on the slopes!

A quick lunch break in the chalet with my traditional order of hotdogs and fries, and I was back out for more action. The day started with cloudy skies but cleared up with a nice deep blue and sun in the afternoon.

With the weather finally where it needs to be for snowmaking to resume, the snowguns were active on the bottom of Exhibition and work continues to permit an opening of Outaouais and Dustin Cook on Cheval Blanc (planned for the coming weekend).

FRIDAY UPDATE : Cheval Blanc has opened as of Friday with Frank Pouliotte (return trail to Vanier mountain). Promenade and the Poma are also open.

Overall, a great visit to Mont Ste Marie. Time after time, this mountain always delivers, with great terrain, fast lifts with no lines, and great views from the trails. If the recent weather has put you off, know that the mountain is ready to welcome you on the slopes. The coming weekend promises to be a great one, so make the call... get off your couches and go do some skiing!

Serenade

Bellevue

Here are some more pictures from today's visit to Mont Ste Marie.

Serenade