New arrivals in spades in Quebec ski centers

Determined to continue to attract winter sports enthusiasts, downhill ski centers in Quebec are again offering several new features this year, both in terms of services offered and skiable area. Overview.

In the Laurentians, Belle Neige is celebrating its 60^e anniversary with the construction of a new ski lift, in addition to improving its snowmaking system. The same goes for the Les Sommets group, which is also improving its artificial snow system in Saint-Sauveur, Avila, Morin-Heights and Gabriel. The latter center will also benefit from a new ski lift, while a renewed learning area will welcome novices to Olympia. For après-ski, note the opening of Le Muskeg bar in Vallée-Bleue as well as the renovations to the Pionniers du Mont-Blanc bar, which will also see its main lift enhanced with a boarding carpet.

In Montérégie, the magic carpet of Mont-Rigaud will now be covered with a dome, a change that adds to the improvement of the snowmaking system. For its part, Ski Saint-Bruno is improving its welcome with the construction of a new terrace and a ski café.

Coping with climate change

Further east, we continue to invest in the hope of ensuring long seasons despite the already felt consequences of climate change. Thus, Mont-Orford, Owl’s Head, Sutton and Bromont have all improved their snowmaking system. In Bromont, we are also continuing to develop the ski area accessible in the evening, mainly on the Versant des Épinettes side. A new belvedere was also built at the top, allowing a remarkable view to the south.

In Charlevoix, Mont Grand-Fonds is also celebrating its 50 years of activity, an anniversary marked with the addition of a magic carpet and improvements to the snowmaking system. In Outaouais, the main Camp Fortune chalet will be renovated and expanded, as will the restaurant-pub in Valinouët, in Saguenay.

For Gaspésie skiers, it is worth mentioning that Val d’Irène, already tailor-made for experts, will host two new double-diamond trails intended for thrill seekers.

In the Bas-Saint-Laurent, many new features await snow sports enthusiasts at Mont-Saint-Mathieu park, with an expansion of the snow park and an improvement to the snowmaking system that will allow extended access to a new sector with multiple glades.

Finally, Côte-Nord enthusiasts can count on the reopening of the Gallix station, which was partially closed last season due to major damage to the ski lift.

Sustainable practices

In an effort to improve the ecological footprint of ski resorts, the industry is also mobilizing to adopt sustainable practices; this is why several centers that offer night skiing have announced this year to switch to LED lighting. The Gleason and Rigaud mountains are thus the latest centers to make the transition.

Favored during the pandemic when several indoor activities remained inaccessible due to health restrictions, sliding sports continued to benefit from a marked attendance during the 2021-2022 season, which rose to the second rank of the busiest seasons. of the last 10 years. In total, the Association des stations de ski du Québec estimates that downhill skiing and snowboarding are practiced by approximately 1.4 million Quebecers.