Patrick
Well-known member
So this was a no-brainer with the forecast for Sunday. It started out as a choice between Jay, Stowe and Sugarbush (see thread). I finally ended up at Ste. Anne.
What should I do on Sunday? Jay, Stowe or Bush?
http://www.firsttracksonline.com/boards ... php?t=2051
That Sunday morning, it was pouring rain in Montreal and Vermont, however the rain wasn't forecast until late afternoon in Quebec City (at least I was hoping).
So I decided to drive a bit further (200 miles east of Montreal), but it was definitely better to ski dry in 45-60F weather than 40F and chilling rain. I also got a PM on zoneski from extremeskiboy that read this thread saying we could share the drive/gas if I decided to go to Ste.Anne.
As mentioned in previous years, snow coverage this late in the year at Ste.Anne is rarely an issue. For what I read on FTO, the coverage was getting fairly thin on the bottom of Stowe. This wouldn't be an issue on the North side of Ste. Anne where coverage would be excellent, however the South side would probably look like the bottom of Whiteface (walking required)
Here the Beta on the mountain:
Summit Elevation: 2,625ft / 800meters
Vertical: 2,050ft / 625m
Trails: 64
Annual natural snowfall: 160 inches / 400cm
This year: 190 inches / 475cm
80% snowmaking
And Snow conditions:
The Snow report had 35, including ALL 16 runs from the North side open. Many on the South side needed to be confirmed before opening. Snow is melting fast on the steeper and lower South side. That were at least two runs that never opened, but we went to checked them out anyway. All runs on the south side required walking, sometimes at a few places. But you didn't have to ski them, many people were downloading via the gondola.
Three lifts were in operation, the gondola (south side), a detachable quad (north side) + a smaller and slower quad above the snowpark.
North side (vertical 1060ft / 323m):
As mentioned above, everything was open and skiable. Some people didn't bother to ski the south side much because of the walking required on the South side. The North side natural trails like L'Anore and Sidney-Dawes (glades & bumps) had very few bare patches. Even the t-bar line was in great shape (not a trail was perfect and groomed). I never understood why they groomed it if the t-bar isn't running? Thanks guys, it was GREAT!!!
Surfaces didn't freeze overnight so everything was between soft and real soft. This is where we did most of our runs (10 out of 15).
South side (vert. 2025' / 625m):
This is where we did all of our walking, most of our bumps and all of the damage to our skis. :? After Whiteface last week, this week it was Ste-Anne. We skied two runs that didn't open on Sunday. La Beaupré was a nicely blue square pitch bump slope. Some skipping and jumping was required in a few thigh spots while the bottom required walking. The other closed trail we did was the black diamond La Crête. It was open the previous days, but either you walk a few times between mogul field or took your chance with the shape rocks.
We didn't ski the neighbouring l'Espoir and the Super S (double black) were officially open. The Super S required some steep walking at one point. Bumps seemed great (why didn't do that one again?). Once the steep part of those runs skied including La Crête, the final ski out required a couple walks.
Other runs skied on the South side were Montmorency (black) and Gros Vallon (blue)(were I actually did some damage on my base, not on one of those closed runs). The middle part of this run had jagged rocks sticking out. :x Oh well, I have to see if I have any P-Tex. :roll:
The East side runs of the South side (Montmorency, Familiale) required walking only at the end, however a pickup truck provided a ride back to the gondola (we didn't use it as we only came by this way to get a lunch and on our final run).
Gros Vallon which ends near the gondola required a few short walks at the bottom, while the Western part (steeper end -La Crete, Super S, etc) as mentioned above required most of the walking at the bottom by removing your ski a few times.
The rain held up until 20 minutes after we left the mountain.
Ste.Anne will re-open next week for one last time. I've always said that this place could definitely be a candidate for the longest season if they wanted to, but as long as I remember they have had fixed opening-closing dates. :roll: As we say in French, Dommage (it's a shame).
I forgot to mention: Price $41 Canadian (something like $30 went you have a season pass from another area).
Here is a report WITH pictures from someone else from ZS.
http://forums.zoneski.com/index.php?showtopic=5669
What should I do on Sunday? Jay, Stowe or Bush?
http://www.firsttracksonline.com/boards ... php?t=2051
That Sunday morning, it was pouring rain in Montreal and Vermont, however the rain wasn't forecast until late afternoon in Quebec City (at least I was hoping).
So I decided to drive a bit further (200 miles east of Montreal), but it was definitely better to ski dry in 45-60F weather than 40F and chilling rain. I also got a PM on zoneski from extremeskiboy that read this thread saying we could share the drive/gas if I decided to go to Ste.Anne.
As mentioned in previous years, snow coverage this late in the year at Ste.Anne is rarely an issue. For what I read on FTO, the coverage was getting fairly thin on the bottom of Stowe. This wouldn't be an issue on the North side of Ste. Anne where coverage would be excellent, however the South side would probably look like the bottom of Whiteface (walking required)
Here the Beta on the mountain:
Summit Elevation: 2,625ft / 800meters
Vertical: 2,050ft / 625m
Trails: 64
Annual natural snowfall: 160 inches / 400cm
This year: 190 inches / 475cm
80% snowmaking
And Snow conditions:
The Snow report had 35, including ALL 16 runs from the North side open. Many on the South side needed to be confirmed before opening. Snow is melting fast on the steeper and lower South side. That were at least two runs that never opened, but we went to checked them out anyway. All runs on the south side required walking, sometimes at a few places. But you didn't have to ski them, many people were downloading via the gondola.
Three lifts were in operation, the gondola (south side), a detachable quad (north side) + a smaller and slower quad above the snowpark.
North side (vertical 1060ft / 323m):
As mentioned above, everything was open and skiable. Some people didn't bother to ski the south side much because of the walking required on the South side. The North side natural trails like L'Anore and Sidney-Dawes (glades & bumps) had very few bare patches. Even the t-bar line was in great shape (not a trail was perfect and groomed). I never understood why they groomed it if the t-bar isn't running? Thanks guys, it was GREAT!!!
Surfaces didn't freeze overnight so everything was between soft and real soft. This is where we did most of our runs (10 out of 15).
South side (vert. 2025' / 625m):
This is where we did all of our walking, most of our bumps and all of the damage to our skis. :? After Whiteface last week, this week it was Ste-Anne. We skied two runs that didn't open on Sunday. La Beaupré was a nicely blue square pitch bump slope. Some skipping and jumping was required in a few thigh spots while the bottom required walking. The other closed trail we did was the black diamond La Crête. It was open the previous days, but either you walk a few times between mogul field or took your chance with the shape rocks.
We didn't ski the neighbouring l'Espoir and the Super S (double black) were officially open. The Super S required some steep walking at one point. Bumps seemed great (why didn't do that one again?). Once the steep part of those runs skied including La Crête, the final ski out required a couple walks.
Other runs skied on the South side were Montmorency (black) and Gros Vallon (blue)(were I actually did some damage on my base, not on one of those closed runs). The middle part of this run had jagged rocks sticking out. :x Oh well, I have to see if I have any P-Tex. :roll:
The East side runs of the South side (Montmorency, Familiale) required walking only at the end, however a pickup truck provided a ride back to the gondola (we didn't use it as we only came by this way to get a lunch and on our final run).
Gros Vallon which ends near the gondola required a few short walks at the bottom, while the Western part (steeper end -La Crete, Super S, etc) as mentioned above required most of the walking at the bottom by removing your ski a few times.
The rain held up until 20 minutes after we left the mountain.
Ste.Anne will re-open next week for one last time. I've always said that this place could definitely be a candidate for the longest season if they wanted to, but as long as I remember they have had fixed opening-closing dates. :roll: As we say in French, Dommage (it's a shame).
I forgot to mention: Price $41 Canadian (something like $30 went you have a season pass from another area).
Here is a report WITH pictures from someone else from ZS.
http://forums.zoneski.com/index.php?showtopic=5669
