Cross-country skiing | Exotic Cap-Saint-Jacques

The descent is not so steep, but the somewhat icy conditions make it more exciting. What does not help the skier’s concentration is the very pretty panorama that spreads out in front of him just when he has to make a slightly tight turn: the dark blue waters of the Rivière des Prairies create a solid contrasts with the white of the snow and the paler blue of the January sky.

Mary Tison
The Press

The skier managed his turn anyway and continued on his way along the river, towards Lac des Deux Montagnes.

To the delight of outdoor enthusiasts, there are more and more cross-country ski trails in Montreal’s large parks. The Cap-Saint-Jacques nature park is often one of the first to trace its trails, in particular because it is not very hilly. It is also one of the least accessible networks: by public transport, it takes more than an hour and a half from the central districts. A shuttle has already connected downtown Montreal to Cap-Saint-Jacques Park, but the pandemic has interrupted this valuable service.

This inaccessibility is perhaps one of the attractions of the park: you feel far away, far from the city.

The park offers walking, snowshoeing and winter biking trails, but it is especially the network of cross-country ski trails that is worth the trip. You have the choice between four loops of different lengths. The hare trail, 10.9 km long, allows you to follow the shores of the Rivière des Prairies and the Lac des Deux Montagnes and to visit a few beaches in particular. Signs remind that swimming is prohibited due to the strong current. Curiously, in this season, no one wants to override this ban.

The track crosses an ecological farm and its agricultural machinery park. The small white barn with teal accents could use a brush stroke, but it is still very picturesque. The light snowfall so far this season accentuates the deep plowing of a large field.

The trail makes a small turn in a maple grove before returning to the edge of Lac des Deux Montagnes and crossing other types of forests, with huge and tormented trees. Squirrels risk their lives crossing the track right in front of skiers, or even taking an inconsiderate break in the middle of the path.

In fact, the skier also benefits from taking a break from time to time: by ceasing all movement, he suddenly perceives the sounds of a forest crossed by a strong wind coming from the sea: the trees and the branches creak, creak , squeak, rattle. If it weren’t for the bright light of a sunny morning, it would be like being in a horror movie. The skier leaves to soon hear only the discreet sound of the sliding of his skis on the snow.

The other parks

It is not necessary to go to the extremities of the island of Montreal to practice cross-country skiing. There are thus interesting tracks in the parks of the central districts. This is how the City of Montreal now traces a pretty path that explores every corner of La Fontaine Park, from the statue of Félix Leclerc to that of Dollard des Ormeaux, bypassing the famous park basin, along a park dogs (some canids are still not used to seeing cross-country skiers) and a small refrigerated ice rink (the key word here is “small”). Casually, we accomplish 5.2 km without getting too tired.

There are also cross-country ski trails in the Bois-de-Liesse, Bois-de-l’Île-Bizard, Île-de-la-Visitation and Pointe-aux-Prairies nature parks. , in large parks such as Maisonneuve, Frédéric-Back, Angrignon and Jean-Drapeau parks, and in a surprising number of small neighborhood parks.

One of the most beautiful networks is found in Mount Royal Park. There are two trails for skating and very interesting trails for lovers of classic stride who like a higher drop than what is found in the other parks. Tracks 2 and 4, in particular, are one-way to avoid unfortunate encounters in the middle of a descent. The skiers work hard on the climbs, they want to reward themselves with a good descent with sometimes tricky turns.

Please don’t walk in the tracks.

Sometimes walkers (and their dogs) damage the layout of the trails. Large holes in the snow can be dangerous when swallowing a spatula or skidding a ski. Friendly reminder: hiking will be much more enjoyable on proper trails.