Report from Saturday, January 11
I celebrated yet another turn around the sun this past weekend. One of the rare pleasures of an early January birthday is that it lines up nicely with the ski snowboard season. For years, whenever anyone has asked me how I want to celebrate, my answer is always the same: go snowboarding. Gratefully, the rain that battered the snowpack throughout the holidays is a distant memory, and the snow gods have been gifting resorts in the northeast with powder day after powder day for the past two weeks.
Most of my snowboarding adventures take place south of the border. When I stay au Canada, Mont Sutton is my go-to spot. Quebec’s Eastern Townships are home to many world-class ski resorts – Bromont, Orford, Owl’s Head – each with unique charms, but Sutton sings to my soul. Developed in 1960 by local visionary Réal Boulanger, Sutton maintains the independent vibe that the Boulanger family cultivated here for decades. Blessed with considerable snowfall due to its microclimate and proximity to Lake Champlain, Sutton boasts some of the best glade skiing in the region for all levels, skiers, and riders. Sutton is known and loved throughout the alpine community.
When my friend Veronique asked where we should go riding on the weekend, it was an easy decision. We planned to leave my place on Montreal’s south shore early Saturday and meet up with her uncle Robert, who rents a ski-in/ski-out chalet here through the winter and is at the lift for the first chair every morning through the week. At 77 years young Robert Lesperance is an absolute beast on the slopes. The same can be said about Veronique, who learned to ski under the tutelage of her uncle and was on a snowboard by the age of eight. I never miss an opportunity to spend a day with friends who grew up in these mountains. Quebecers are well-versed in ‘no fear’ and ‘pura vida.’ Not only am I guaranteed great craic, my snowboarding improves every single time.
It was about 10:00 a.m. when we’d sorted our lift tickets. On weekends, I rarely rush to make the first chair. We all know the score; there will be crowds, and runs will get tracked. This is the reality when you work in the city through the week, but every day spent in the mountains, no matter what day of the week, is worth its gold. Robert asked to ride with me on our first chair. I quickly surmised it was to assess my snowboarding skills. “Es-tu bonne, à la planche?” (“Are you good, on a snowboard?”) “Yes, I’m good.” I laughed. He joked with me that in English, his name is ‘Bob Hope.’ I responded, “Bob, I ‘Hope’ I don’t break my neck.”
With 60/60 runs open, we explored all Mont Sutton offers to advanced and expert skiers and riders. No gentle greens or leisurely blues are on the agenda when you spend a day in the mountains with Uncle Bob. “Boring.” We spent the next few hours making our way across the mountain, as you do here, sampling all the black and double black runs and enjoying some untracked powder ‘sous-bois’ (under the trees). While the holiday rain compromised the base, the surface snow was lovely. We hit some icy patches in the higher elevations, but for the most part, we were skiing and riding on packed powder, with snow continuing to fall throughout the day.
By around 2:00 p.m., we decided it was time for a snack and a breather. The best place to rest at Mont Sutton is Chalet Alt. 840 m. With a central fireplace and breathtaking panoramic views of Sutton’s Green Mountains nature reserve – the largest private protected area in eastern Canada – the unique wooden chalet at the summit, with its warm and friendly vibe, is a quintessential part of the Mont Sutton experience, and the best place to snap some photos to commemorate the day.
Bellies full and toes warm, we continued on our adventure, parting ways with Uncle Bob around 3:00 p.m. Veronique and I spent the last hour of the day doing a few more leisurely runs under the tree canopy before our snowy drive north back to Montreal. Overall, it was the perfect way to celebrate my 52nd year. Yes, you read that right; I can hardly believe it either. If Uncle Bob is any indication, age is but a number when it comes to the alpine.
Snow continues to fall as I write this, and Mont Sutton is the place to be this coming weekend and beyond. Conditions are groomed and packed powder, with three inches (eight centimeters) of snow falling in the past 24 hours and 29 inches (74 centimeters) in the past seven days. Four of nine lifts are spinning, accessing all of Sutton’s terrain, and there is a seventy percent chance of snow in the forecast for Saturday.
See you on the slopes!
Trail Map
Snow Numbers
Forecast
