Frankontour
New member
Today was my super crazy day of the ski season. Now that there is only St-Sauveur open at less than 3h of road from here and that it's even not open during mid-week, I decided to make my big hiking / ski annual trip. I made a big tour, beginning at Val Saint-Come, La Reserve, Le Chantecler and finally to Mont Gabriel north. Total of the day 3800' high... and probably the same number of aches tomorrow 
. <BR> <BR>Forecast for this morning and today, in the north : SUN all the way. Reality : sun began to appear at 3pm.... So, that wasn't exactly the conditions I expected at Val Saint-Come and la Reserve. I arrived at VSC near 9h30 and it was in the high 30s with little winds and big clouds. So it was obvious it would be some ice snow and not spring snow as I expected ! I just made 2 runs on the upper Avalanche, cause it was still too hard. The cover was still incredibly good and the ski area still have enough snow to open many trails... but $$$...= not open <BR> <BR>The center trails : <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2238.jpg" ALT="VSC power"> <BR> <BR>The Avalanche still continue to melt at bottom of pitch, but it's just few feet long and it was still easy to avoid the grass. the bumps are still in excellent shape and the middle and lower pitches are also still well covered. I also took the middle pitch of "Point de Mire" and the lower one of "Grand Prix" and both had still excellent snowdepth, although the snow was also real hard in those trails. <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2239.jpg" ALT="Avalanche for the last time of the season, I think..."> <BR> <BR>After that, I went to la Reserve, praying for SUN.... but : I got SNOW. Yes, la Reserve is just 20 miles from VSC, (after driving north on one of the best rollercoaster road I know, after the "Smuggler's Notch" (road 108)), but it's a totally different climate. As la Reserve is north east exposed, they got 2-4 inches of snow in the last 2 days and the temp was below the freezing point, with cold wind and light snow falling all the time I was there. the lower mountain still have enough cover to be open on many trails, like la "Croque-Mitaine" which is, believe it or not, the very first trail to open in Canada, for the 2002-03 season, on october 26, just with natural snow. (before Whistler... not so bad when you think that...) <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2240.jpg" ALT="Croque-Mitaine"> <BR> <BR>The snow was really good, on the lower mountain. Just 2 inches, but they sticked on the hard texture under it, so it was just like little january powder. I took the lower part of "la Chute Libre" and the Slalom, on the lower mountain. <BR> <BR>Lower Chute Libre still have snow for a while... <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2241.jpg" ALT="lower chute libre"> <BR> <BR>Slalom too <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2242.jpg" ALT="Slalom"> <BR> <BR>For the upper part of the mountain, I hiked (and later skied) the Loup Garou, which had been windblown for a large part of it canyon part. So, I skied on the side where all the snow had been blown and there was a good 8-12 inches of powder... a little bit weird on april 25, but it wasn't easy to ski, cause the snow was sometimes a little bit more heavy than powder... I still hope to ski it until late may. <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2243.jpg" ALT="Middle Loup Garou"> <BR> <BR>"Panorama", from the top, to reach Middle Loup Garou, was also really good, with complete cover and great little powder. <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2244.jpg" ALT="Panorama"> <BR> <BR>Even the big "Ouareau lake" is still covered of ice on 90% of it surface. <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2245.jpg" ALT="Lac Ouareau"> <BR> <BR>On my way up, I decided to make few turns into the supersteep pitch 1 of the Chute Libre. It was still in great shape. Obviously, the snow was really frozen in it, but with the 4 inches of snow, it was enough to make it great... so I made it 3 times ! <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2246.jpg" ALT="Chute Libre"> <BR> <BR>Finally, after re-climbing the lower part of mountain to ski on "Slalom", I decided to hope for sun, going into the Laurentians, which are at west, from Lanaudiere. I made a short stop at Alta, to see the remaining snow. It was pretty incredible to think that "La Principale" and "Slalom Geant" could still have so much natural snow, as they're enough popular during the season, particularly la Principale which is the most popular trail of this resort with only natural snow. <BR> <BR>I was supposed to ski at Vallee-Bleue ski area. They closed on april 20, so there was still a huge cover of snow in many trails. I wish to ski it, but there was so many fences and advice to not ski after the end of season that I decided to let fall, for a 370' high ski area anyway... particularly as the ski area is directly in the village and for the discretion, it was impossible ! <BR> <BR>After that, I had "Belle neige ski area" in my mind, but arrived there, there was just not enough snow remaining for a great run... so I let it fell and continued my road trip. (Belle Neige traduction = Nice snow lol) <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2247.jpg" ALT="Nice Grass... euh Nice Snow ski area"> <BR> <BR>After Belle Neige, I stayed on the road 117, to try Mt Chantecler. Looking the mountain at far, I saw there was quite more snow than at Belle Neige, but it was also enough reduced in several places. There was also a big fence, but I didn't care, as it was in a "lost hole". More, there was finally SUN !! so I was now expecting some real summer ski conditions ! <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2248.jpg" ALT="Chantecler huge trails"> <BR> <BR>I decided myself for the FIS, which is one of the widest trails in Quebec. I was extremely exhausted to hike, especially as the lower part is really steep, in the grass part, but at least, I found a 2$ under the chairlift, so I got more motivation to hike up to the summit ! lolol. At least, it was possible to ski top to bottom, passing on the right side of the trail at bottom, so that was pretty fun. The snow was really excellent, almost perfect. <BR> <BR>FIS from the bottom of mountain <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2249.jpg" ALT="FIS"> <BR> <BR>And FIS from summit... still good coverage on the upper part ! <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2250.jpg" ALT="FIS from summit"> <BR> <BR>After the Chantecler, I was completely dead, but I decided to make another one, just for fun. When I arrived at the north side of Mont Gabriel and saw the trail I wished to ski, I seriously wonder if it was not wasting my time, but as it was the last short & steep ski area before coming back home, I decided to hike it, but I was so tired that I just took the left one on pic. There was snow on about 1000' long and enough wide to have fun, cause it's a real steep one, with the last pitch of over 40 degrees. <BR> <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2251.jpg" ALT="Coupe du Monde and Tamarack"> <BR> <BR>As you see, the left one wasn't so thin passing... and the snow was excellent too. <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2252.jpg" ALT="Coupe du Monde"> <BR> <BR>After that, I was just hoping to be able to drive the 35 miles from there to home and it looks like I succeeded <BR> <BR>oufffffff, what a day !!!! Next to come is sunday, possibly with FTO, at Saint-Sauveur (for a chairlift day this time)
. <BR> <BR>Forecast for this morning and today, in the north : SUN all the way. Reality : sun began to appear at 3pm.... So, that wasn't exactly the conditions I expected at Val Saint-Come and la Reserve. I arrived at VSC near 9h30 and it was in the high 30s with little winds and big clouds. So it was obvious it would be some ice snow and not spring snow as I expected ! I just made 2 runs on the upper Avalanche, cause it was still too hard. The cover was still incredibly good and the ski area still have enough snow to open many trails... but $$$...= not open <BR> <BR>The center trails : <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2238.jpg" ALT="VSC power"> <BR> <BR>The Avalanche still continue to melt at bottom of pitch, but it's just few feet long and it was still easy to avoid the grass. the bumps are still in excellent shape and the middle and lower pitches are also still well covered. I also took the middle pitch of "Point de Mire" and the lower one of "Grand Prix" and both had still excellent snowdepth, although the snow was also real hard in those trails. <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2239.jpg" ALT="Avalanche for the last time of the season, I think..."> <BR> <BR>After that, I went to la Reserve, praying for SUN.... but : I got SNOW. Yes, la Reserve is just 20 miles from VSC, (after driving north on one of the best rollercoaster road I know, after the "Smuggler's Notch" (road 108)), but it's a totally different climate. As la Reserve is north east exposed, they got 2-4 inches of snow in the last 2 days and the temp was below the freezing point, with cold wind and light snow falling all the time I was there. the lower mountain still have enough cover to be open on many trails, like la "Croque-Mitaine" which is, believe it or not, the very first trail to open in Canada, for the 2002-03 season, on october 26, just with natural snow. (before Whistler... not so bad when you think that...) <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2240.jpg" ALT="Croque-Mitaine"> <BR> <BR>The snow was really good, on the lower mountain. Just 2 inches, but they sticked on the hard texture under it, so it was just like little january powder. I took the lower part of "la Chute Libre" and the Slalom, on the lower mountain. <BR> <BR>Lower Chute Libre still have snow for a while... <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2241.jpg" ALT="lower chute libre"> <BR> <BR>Slalom too <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2242.jpg" ALT="Slalom"> <BR> <BR>For the upper part of the mountain, I hiked (and later skied) the Loup Garou, which had been windblown for a large part of it canyon part. So, I skied on the side where all the snow had been blown and there was a good 8-12 inches of powder... a little bit weird on april 25, but it wasn't easy to ski, cause the snow was sometimes a little bit more heavy than powder... I still hope to ski it until late may. <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2243.jpg" ALT="Middle Loup Garou"> <BR> <BR>"Panorama", from the top, to reach Middle Loup Garou, was also really good, with complete cover and great little powder. <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2244.jpg" ALT="Panorama"> <BR> <BR>Even the big "Ouareau lake" is still covered of ice on 90% of it surface. <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2245.jpg" ALT="Lac Ouareau"> <BR> <BR>On my way up, I decided to make few turns into the supersteep pitch 1 of the Chute Libre. It was still in great shape. Obviously, the snow was really frozen in it, but with the 4 inches of snow, it was enough to make it great... so I made it 3 times ! <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2246.jpg" ALT="Chute Libre"> <BR> <BR>Finally, after re-climbing the lower part of mountain to ski on "Slalom", I decided to hope for sun, going into the Laurentians, which are at west, from Lanaudiere. I made a short stop at Alta, to see the remaining snow. It was pretty incredible to think that "La Principale" and "Slalom Geant" could still have so much natural snow, as they're enough popular during the season, particularly la Principale which is the most popular trail of this resort with only natural snow. <BR> <BR>I was supposed to ski at Vallee-Bleue ski area. They closed on april 20, so there was still a huge cover of snow in many trails. I wish to ski it, but there was so many fences and advice to not ski after the end of season that I decided to let fall, for a 370' high ski area anyway... particularly as the ski area is directly in the village and for the discretion, it was impossible ! <BR> <BR>After that, I had "Belle neige ski area" in my mind, but arrived there, there was just not enough snow remaining for a great run... so I let it fell and continued my road trip. (Belle Neige traduction = Nice snow lol) <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2247.jpg" ALT="Nice Grass... euh Nice Snow ski area"> <BR> <BR>After Belle Neige, I stayed on the road 117, to try Mt Chantecler. Looking the mountain at far, I saw there was quite more snow than at Belle Neige, but it was also enough reduced in several places. There was also a big fence, but I didn't care, as it was in a "lost hole". More, there was finally SUN !! so I was now expecting some real summer ski conditions ! <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2248.jpg" ALT="Chantecler huge trails"> <BR> <BR>I decided myself for the FIS, which is one of the widest trails in Quebec. I was extremely exhausted to hike, especially as the lower part is really steep, in the grass part, but at least, I found a 2$ under the chairlift, so I got more motivation to hike up to the summit ! lolol. At least, it was possible to ski top to bottom, passing on the right side of the trail at bottom, so that was pretty fun. The snow was really excellent, almost perfect. <BR> <BR>FIS from the bottom of mountain <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2249.jpg" ALT="FIS"> <BR> <BR>And FIS from summit... still good coverage on the upper part ! <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2250.jpg" ALT="FIS from summit"> <BR> <BR>After the Chantecler, I was completely dead, but I decided to make another one, just for fun. When I arrived at the north side of Mont Gabriel and saw the trail I wished to ski, I seriously wonder if it was not wasting my time, but as it was the last short & steep ski area before coming back home, I decided to hike it, but I was so tired that I just took the left one on pic. There was snow on about 1000' long and enough wide to have fun, cause it's a real steep one, with the last pitch of over 40 degrees. <BR> <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2251.jpg" ALT="Coupe du Monde and Tamarack"> <BR> <BR>As you see, the left one wasn't so thin passing... and the snow was excellent too. <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/messages/8/2252.jpg" ALT="Coupe du Monde"> <BR> <BR>After that, I was just hoping to be able to drive the 35 miles from there to home and it looks like I succeeded <BR> <BR>oufffffff, what a day !!!! Next to come is sunday, possibly with FTO, at Saint-Sauveur (for a chairlift day this time)
