As the ski season winds down to a halt and the weather gets warmer, I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to ski during cancer treatment – a luxury many in treatment don’t have. I hit the slopes ten times this season: twice at Mont St. Marie and eight times at Mont Tremblant. While I would have loved to double that number, this strange winter made it hard to justify! Let’s dive right in:
1. CBC/Taiga
Navigating between CBC and Taiga, dodging tree after tree, can be both a meditative and exhilarating experience. Each turn carries the risk of ice, so careful planning of your line is essential. The best way to access these runs is by taking the Duncan Express chairlift to the top of the north side.
After getting off the lift, head as far to the skier’s right as possible on the north side, but avoid venturing into the snowshoeing areas. I’ve had a few close calls with hikers here that were learning experiences. This area will be marked so keep your eye out. Here is a little snap shot of my favourite lines.
2. Expo
Expo is an adrenaline rush. Its location on the north side means it can get incredibly icier and colder than the glades, as there are no trees to block the wind. Why I still love it? It’s the view!
The run is a straight shot from top to bottom, sometimes, your only option is to go full throttle. Woohoo! Easy access from the chair lift, make a sharp left turn, and spin around to behind the landing area. Falling here can be embarrassing with the people on the lift watching your every move, so be careful!
3. Anything on the Edge side
Getting to the edge side for its opening time at 10 am is a very nice treat especially when the lineup is short. On a powder dump, it’s a blissful experience whether you’re messing around in the glades or catching high speeds on-piste.
To get here, take any skier’s left run on the north side, and when you pass the Lowell Thomas chairlift entrance, stick to your left. There will be a flat zone, and as the hill gets steeper you won’t be able to miss the large sign to Edge side on your left which will take you right there. A little hack – if you notice the line up is too long and you don’t want to wait, just take the green “Latendre” down and try again later. It took me a while to figure this one out.
There you have it folks, my three favourite runs at Tremblant!