Skiing
Mont-Tremblant. With a 2,116-foot vertical drop, 654 acres of skiable terrain, 95 trails, 18 acres of ramps and jumps for snowboarders, and enough state-of-the-art snowmaking equipment to blanket a small city, Mont-Tremblant is truly one of the great ski resorts of North America, arguably the best east of the Rockies. Its 14 lifts—including two heated gondolas and five high-speed, four-passenger chairlifts—can handle 27,230 skiers an hour. It has some of the toughest expert runs on the continent, but it also has long, gentle runs like the 6-km (3.7-mile) Nansen and dozens of exciting trails for intermediate skiers. Its altitude and location, as well as all that snowmaking equipment, gives it some of eastern Canada's most reliable ski conditions, especially now that winters are getting warmer. All this doesn't come cheap, mind you. A day lift ticket costs about C$85, but for serious skiers there is no better mountain in Québec. 1000 chemin des Voyageurs, Mont-Tremblant, Québec, J8E 1T1. 866/356–2233; 819/681–3000; www.tremblant.ca. One-day lift ticket C$85 (C$99 during Christmas holidays).
The Eastern Townships
Owl's Head Ski Area. On the Knowlton Landing side of Lake Memphrémagog, Owl's Head is great for skiers seeking sparser crowds—and the views from its peak are truly exceptional. It has eight lifts, a 1,772-foot vertical drop, and 50 trails, including a 4-km (2½-mile) intermediate run, the longest such run in the Eastern Townships. It's also one of the least expensive hills in the Townships. 40 chemin du Mont-Owl's Head, Magog, Québec, J0E 1X0. 450/292–3342; 800/363–3342; www.owlshead.com. C$55 day ski pass.
Station de Ski Bromont. Not many metropolises in eastern North America can boast a 1,300-foot ski mountain within an hour's drive of downtown. That height and proximity has made Bromont very popular with Montréal day-trippers and weekenders. But Bromont's 156 trails (102 of them lighted at night) and nine lifts can handle the crowds quite comfortably. Like many other ski hills, Bromont operates as a year-round resort. In summer and early fall, you can take a mountain bike to the summit aboard a chairlift and test your nerves on one of 19 downhill trails, two of which are labeled "easy"—the rest are "hard" to "extreme." Part of the ski hill is converted into the Bromont Aquatic Park in summer, with a 24,000-square-foot wave pool and 25 rides and slides. 150 rue Champlain, Bromont, Québec, J2L 1A2. 450/534–2200; 866/276–6668; www.skibromont.com. Skiing C$42–C$62; aquatic park C$43; mountain biking C$45 per day.
The Laurentians
Centre de Ski Vallée-Bleue. Family-run and family-focused, this ski hill suits everyone, from beginners to advanced level skiers and snowboarders, with 19 trails, 3 lifts, and a vertical drop of 365 feet. 1418 chemin Vallée-Bleue, Val-David, Québec, J0T 2N0. 819/322–3427; 866/322--3427; www.vallee-bleue.com. C$38 ski pass .
Sommet St-Sauveur . The hills surrounding St-Sauveur might be relatively low, but this vibrant ski resort is long-established and perennially popular for good reason. It has an extensive skiable area, good snow-making and lift capacity, and many trails that are lit at night, making it possible for energetic Montrealers to drive up after work for a couple hours of skiing. There are several other hills in the area, but Mont-St-Sauveur is the largest, with a 700-foot vertical drop and 142 acres of skiable terrain. Seventeen of its 38 trails are for beginners and intermediates, 16 are for experts, and 5 are rated extreme. Mont-Avila has 13 trails (2 beginner, 3 intermediate, 5 difficult, 3 extremely difficult), a snow park, a fun tubing park, and the Viking, a tobaggan-style ride in a cart that twists and turns on a track through the forest. 350 av. St-Denis, St-Sauveur, Québec, J0R 1R3. 450/227–4671; www.sommets.com.
Ski Morin Heights. This small, family-oriented ski center with 32 trails (for all levels) offers a warm and friendly place to enjoy winter sports. Downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing are available and free daycare is offered to skiers. 231 rue Bennett, Morin-Heights, Québec, J0R 1H0. 450/227--2020; www.sommets.com/en/ski-mountains/sommet-morin-heights/. C$49 ski pass for the day.
Ski Mont-Gabriel. Part of Les Sommets chain of ski resorts, Mont Gabriel has five lifts, 18 superb downhill trails, which are primarily for intermediate and advanced skiers, and a vertical drop of 656 feet. It's about 19 km (12 miles) northeast of Ste-Adèle. 1501 chemin du Mont-Gabriel, Ste-Adèle, Québec, J8B 2J8. www.sommets.com/en/ski-mountains/sommet-gabriel/. C$39 day ski pass.
Station de Ski Mont-Habitant. More than 55 years in operation, Mont-Habitant is one of the last of the independent ski operations in St-Sauveur. This mountain has always been a favorite with families and with beginner and intermediate skiers because the vertical drop is just 600 feet and the 10 trails are relatively gentle. Mont-Habitant also has St-Sauveur's only beach, which makes it very popular in the summer. 12 chemin des Skieurs, St-Sauveur-des-Monts, Québec, J0R 1R2. 450/227–2637; 866/887--2637; www.monthabitant.com. C$41 day pass. Weekdays 9–5, weekends 8:30–5.
