Eastern Canada Is Mont Tremblant worth visiting?

[Josh Matta]

2 springs ago we had a trip planned to Le Massif but there was Nor Easter coming that was was almost certainly going to be dumping snow on tremblant and almost certainly going to be rain at Le Massif. This was during the worst year ever in northern Vermont where Stowe only had received 130 inches of snow in the year.

Long story short as someplace I had never planned to go Tremblant was freaking sweat. Probably the biggest by area cruising mountain in the east. Very expansive blue groomers with some short black pitches in place. Some bumps and actually quite a bit of marked and unmarked tree skiing for when the nor easter came and dumped 10 inch of snow.

We rented an an air Bnb right in the front side village and besides kinda of crushing my bank account being able to walk to poutine and beer from our little house was great.

If you go I highly recommend at least on pair of skis you bring is a master GS ski. It was the most fun thing to ski for when there was no new snow, they like thier groomers really firm there.

 

[SkiBam]

Tremblant has some great ski history involving Lowell Thomas and "Jackrabbit” Johannsen. At the very least do a web search, both were fantastic characters.

I haven't skied there in modern times but you should note that lifeline etiquette is very French. Elbows high, watch out for the Grandmothers, they can be surly.

Excuse me, I am a grandmother and not the least bit surly! (Well, not most of the time...) I don't ski that often when there are lift lines, but on the whole I think we're pretty polite.

 

[SkiBam]

They have some in cars. And the officieds speak prefect English..I know this from experience. Cars are white with green and yellow stripes, but the flashing lights are red and blue.

And right hand turns on red lights on the Island of Montreal.

I think you mean NO right hand turns on the island of Montreal. Elsewhere in Quebec they are permitted unless signs indicate otherwise (and there are many of those).

 

[scott43]

I like Quebec and in general find it much more friendly and hospitable than the GTA. Love to my French speaking countrymen.

 

[cantunamunch]

Ugh. I've experienced that at Chamonix/Grands Montets on a powder day, and it bothers me even though I am originally from France!

Then you'll really enjoy l'Estrie - on most of the advanced lifts you will be able to ski right up, especially on weekdays.

I like Quebec and in general find it much more friendly and hospitable than the GTA. Love to my French speaking countrymen.

...except for the lack of peameal bacon it's great

 

[cantunamunch]

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[scott43]

...except for the lack of peameal bacon it's great

But they got the poutine..so it's a bit of give and take..

 

[cantunamunch]

But they got the poutine..so it's a bit of give and take..

The cheeses and icewine martinis aren't half bad either

 

[Crank]

I have tried to like poutine and have given up.

 

[scott43]

I have tried to like poutine and have given up.

Heathen..

 

[Jeff DLB]

Then you'll really enjoy l'Estrie - on most of the advanced lifts you will be able to ski right up, especially on weekdays.

That's good, because we'll be skiing Monday-Friday and on advanced lifts primarily! Though if it's really cold I expect many laps on the gondolas...

 

[jzmtl]

There's no advanced lift per se (except edge), all lifts can access green and black. If you ski weekdays then snow should be pretty good, it's the busy weekends you have hoards of people going down black trails sideways and scrape everything down to bare ice before 11 AM.

Driving from Montreal to Tremblant there's only one fixed speed camera on the way back (you'll see warning signs) and no mobile radar that I know of. Once pass Mont Saint Sauveur generally there's no cops, but don't drive more than 20 over and you'll be okay.

This is only my 2nd season there so I'll leave actual advices to the Tremblant residents.

 

[crgildart]

Is there a ski hill that's NOT worth visiting?? I mean assuming you have a day available and are not closer to something even more attractive? I've never had a terrible experience at any of the dozens and dozens of ski hills and mega resorts I've made it to. Ya, you might not have time to hit the smaller hill given choices, but even a little place where you have skied every run at least twice before 10 am I still find quite amusing as long as it isn't packed lapping the whole place end to end over and over. The employees are always super friendly too. Really cool when you practically have the little place to yourself and the masses are all lined up to ski the place 30 minutes away with double the vert.... but standing in line 30 minutes to ride up..


Pajarito, in NM
Appalachian in NC
Everyplace south of Lutsen in MN and WI..
Mt Bohemia and Indianhead in MI..

Mad River Glen sort of counts too.

Heck ya I'd ski Mt T if I had the opportunity!

 

[scott43]

Yeah..there are....

 

[crgildart]

Yeah..there are....

I'd say ALL of them are not worth the effort on December 26th-28th. Other than that with a little crowd avoidance strategy all are worth the effort.

 

[Jilly]

Day 3 of this week, and we are skiing great!! Yeah there is a little ice from the Tuesday rain, but snow making is all over the place right now!!


And it's snowing!!

 

[Poolskier Vinny]

I think if you are in the area then it'd be a missed opportunity if you didn't visit. I used to travel to Montreal for business and did pop over to Tremblant once with my wife to do some skiing for a few days and we had a great time. Coming from the West we weren't sure what to expect but we loved it. We've always enjoyed our travels to Montreal and Mont Tremblant fit the pattern too. Great food, shopping, friendly people. (I don't speak French...I try...but its kinda painful....but never found that to be a problem...)

We hit a rare few days when it was really dumping powder there ....and even rarer....somewhat dry flakes too... It was crazy... Funny but I remember some people complaining that there was too much snow and it was too hard to ski so they were waiting for the groomers!!

Temperature wise we didn't notice the cold. Besides I think you can get cold temps no matter where you are (last year our record in Decmber was hosting a weekend trip when temps were -32 C on the drive out to Lake Louise...eventually warming up to a "balmy" -27C during the day...) "Dry" cold here in Alberta...though so maybe it's easier to manage...

Besides skiing in colder weather means more eating and hot toddies to keep warm!

Hope you enjoy your trip!

 

[Jeff DLB]

I think if you are in the area then it'd be a missed opportunity if you didn't visit.

It's more a question of deciding whether to go there, or to spend 2-3x as much to fly both of us to the Rockies. Right now I'm leaning toward Tremblant -- found a nice place to rent near the gondolas.

Hope you enjoy your trip!

Thank you!

 

[Jilly]

Let SkiBam and I know when you are coming. We'll give you the locals tour!! We might female but we can keep up!!

 

[Jeff DLB]

Let SkiBam and I know when you are coming. We'll give you the locals tour!! We might female but we can keep up!!

Will do. And I am definitely not among those who assume a woman can't ski as fast as me, or indeed perform any task as well or better than me!