Mont Tremblant - Jan 14 to Jan 18, 2015

 Blake,  Noah and myself journeyed to Mont Tremblant Quebec logging 3 days on the Mountain.  Should have blogged it whilst it was fresh on a daily basis but there wasn't allot of time besides after a full day on the Mountain I was beat!


Day 1 ... Wed Jan 14
Travel day!  Left home at 09:30 am after a good long Hot Tub.   Road were bare and the weather was good.   410 in Brampton had three accidents holding us up for about 20 minutes...frustrating being early in the trip.  Ottawa was choked around 4pm ... another 20 minute delay.    Arrived in Tremblant around 6pm .... first stop was Tims and the boys and I had supper.   Arrived at the condo a little before 7pm ...dinner was being served ,  surprise.    The Condo was above expectations and we quickly found out when it comes to meals and snacks the theme of the week was excess!    Noah and Blake hit the Hot Tub before bed and I prepared for the first day on the slopes.

Noahs arrival ...Tremblant Bliss

Day 2 Thurs Jan 15
First Tracks BABY!    Included in the condo was "First Tracks" ... basically they open the hill an hour early and you have first crack at the Runs ...very worthwhile!    After my first Gondola ride since Sunshine in 1998 it was a couple of easy runs on some of the best corduroy trails I have ever been on.   We pretty much stuck to "Toboggan" until we broke for lunch at 11:00 am. .

Toboggan ...

Lunch routine was perfect ....meet at the Summit
Lodge,  it was like we had a reserved table.   Patrick and Mark brought Sandwiches ,  Snacks and most important Gator Aide... a true feast!
















After lunch we Skiied until meeting at the Refuge at 2pm

The Refuge was a little cabin half way down the Mountain off the beaten path.  The boys indulged in Hot Chocolate and Cookies and I enjoyed a much deserved Labbatts 50.  

Closed down the day around 3:30 pm when the shut down the lifts.   Caught a Bus for the 2K journey back to the Condo and had a feast of food preparing us for day 2.

Day 3 Fri Jan 16  ...POW POW POW day.

First track never meant so much after a fresh dumping of snow overnight!    It was -20C ,  blowing and Snowing but we were pumped for what lie ahead and we were not dissapointed.

Summit arrival 08:00 am...

Found fresh deep pow on the North Side and followed the untouched Snow making fresh tracks all the way to the bottom!

POW POW POW .... better picture to follow!

Did the usual 11am lunch and 2pm Refuge then ended the day after the lifts shut down at 3:30 pm.

All day great snow....

Day 4 Sat Jan 17 ...last day on the Mountain

First Tracks again ,,,, just Patrick and I.   Legs were a little beat up and holly cold start...-31C at the bottom and there was an inversion so it was -20C at the top.   Half way down the Mountain we hit the cold air and it was very very very cold!     Conditions were not nearly as good as the first two days and with the legs being beat up and the cold there was a few extra breaks thrown into the day!  

Patrick contemplating last runs on a break near the end of the day ...

On our third and final day we shut er down again ...

Day 5 Sun Jan 18

Condo clean up then was on the road a 10:30 am arriving home at 7:00 pm.  Good roads all the way yo Orangeville then slush snow the rest of the way home.  

December 12 Blue Video

Day 2---Perfect

 Headed out with Noah and Blake Friday Dec 12 making first run at 11ish then shutting down the Hill at 4:30.    The snow reports said that there was 25cm of new snow and we were not dissapointed.  Mother Nature cooperated too with little breeze,  temps around freezing and glorious Sun..lots of Sun.   After a couple of Runs with Bake and Noah I headed off on my own.   The Southern Chair and my favorite Run "Cruiser" were open for the first time this season.    Took a break around 1 and had a pint in the Sun at Rustys.   Didn't even need a coat sitting out in the Sun.    The day was allot like an early April outing ... great snow ,  great temp glorious Sun.   It felt like we were getting it all in before the season ended.  After Rustys I met up with Mark and Trevor.   Hung out with them for a couple of hours.    Ended the day where I started in Happy Valley...caught the last chair up!  Took a bunch of video and will put something together in the mean time here are some stills ...

Day 1...simply awesome!

I didn't plan on Skiing today but when I looked at the Collingwood Weather and it said heavy snow fall I just couldn't help myself!   The normal 40 minute drive took and hour.  Tried to park at the top but the lot was drifted in so I tobogganed the car to the bottom of the hill parking at the Hotel Parking Lot.  Got stuck parking but I knew it would be hard to get a push later so off I went....


Ravena

After picking up my pass I did 2 runs in Happy Valley ...  had a bit of a tough go of it adjusting to nearly a foot of snow!!!!     After I got my legs under me I headed down Legacy heading down The Village way making a dive for the Silver Bullet.   Legacy had allot of icy brown snow from some very aggressive base building efforts.   I have never seen so much snow on Smart Alex it was skied enough that giant moguls of powder were forming and there were some pretty good lines to follow.   Found some untouched powder on the South side of Tranquility and finally found my powered legs.  After an uneventful trip down Memory Lane I had my best Pow Run of the day down Rinus Run finding a large swath of untouched powder.
L Hill was sooooo tempting but I didn't as it was taped off....

When I was all done I found a couple of young fellow to push me out .... no problem as expected.   Returned the favor helping them out ... just about everyone was stuck.  Followed a plow all the way from the Village back to Ravena.  Didn't mind cause it sure made the drive allot easier!



See the plow

It may be September but ....

Its never to early to practice....




Or Wax.....

Playing Hookie

Took my son Noah and his buddy Blake to Blue today.  It was a school day but perfect weather ,  perfect conditions and the fact that I had the day off was a "Must Do Blue Day" .

We started when they turned the lifts on a 09:00.   It was corduroy  trail time,  machine groomed powder at its best.  Headed to North and spent the first couple of hours there before eating a little Tranquility before lunch.   Sun came out and the temps were near freezing ,  very comfortable.  Snow hung in there until about 1pm then it got a little slow and clumpy ...no more carefree bombing.     Called it a day a 3pm ,   exhausted after 5.5 hours on the Hill.

Chasing Groomers - Last Night

This Eve marked the end of the 2013/2014 night Skiing at Blue.  Arrived good and early making first Run at 4:30 pm.    Chased the Groomers in search of the "Corduroy Trail".  First Cruiser then teh Village way and finished with  Tranquility!     Met up with Patrick and gang.  Didn't hang in there too long as I was starting to freeze,  It was a balmy -17C with little wind.  When the Sun was up it was manageable but when the shadows took over so did Mr Frost.  After spending just shy of 3 hours on the slopes I pulled the plug and headed home.