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Road trip to the rockies

It's important to know thant U.S rockies are closer than the Canadian rockies for few reason. 1 of them is road. The interstate 80 is the entrance door for the rockies area, for Colorado is 36h from Mauricie, Utah is 40h, Wyoming (Jackson Hole) 44h. The last 4 hours of the road to go Jackson Hole is on a secondary road (Rock Spring and Jackson) with no snow plows betewen 9:00 pm to 6:00 am and a lot of avalanche area crossing that road. So take a break in Bestwestern of Rockspring for the night, it's a good place 100$us for 1 nigth with interior pool.


I think is a one life time trip if you like to make road, if you like a change of scenery. Generally during the trip you gonna pass trough 3 different season, spring, fall and winter. For example of weather during our 2007-2008 trip in Nebraska 60 degres and wonderful sunshine and 10h laters in Wyoming a snowstorm.

If it's possible drive the Nebraska during the day, you gonna reduce the chance to make a snooze when you are in the driver seat ( 535mi to pass trought the state). Because betewen Omaha and Cheyenne or Denver, you gonna see nothing except beef and truck stop. If you are going to Utah plan a break in Cheyenne for the night, at that point it's 1 day to arrive in Salt Lakes City. Plus during your day in the state i'm sure that you gonna take a lot of photo.

Last year in Honda Element 4wd they cost me 330$can in gas to go to Salt Lakes City. Don't forget your winter tire ou your chain.

Their is the link to watch a video about the road trip, in Nebraska, Colorado,Wyoming and the Utah.

Road trip direction les rocheuses

Alta Utah the best snow on earth!

Alta is situated in heart of little cottonwood canyon, a place where the snow never stop falling. With a avarage of 500in of wasath powder each year. Alta rancked 1 in north america for the snow by Ski Magazine.

Mountain info: Summit elevation 10 550ft, vertical drop 2 200ft, 11 old and slow lift, annual snowfall 500in, 116 trails and bowl ( 25% easiest, 40% more difficult and 35% most difficult). For the best experience and to appreciate the mountain ski Alta during the week. The price of the ticket is 59$us and 79$us to ski both mountain Alta and Snowbird, the price ticket in Utah have nothing in commun with the Colorado ski resort.



In Alta it's very difficult appreciate the 2 200ft of vertical drop in one ride because the mountain is separate in small area, so if you want to transfer from a area to a other you gonna practice your cross country skiing (if you know what i mean).

There is the trail map:

And few photos:

As you can see, Alta have a lot of powder at certain place of the mountain. During our day to Alta we have skiing all the spot under the Wildcat chair a very step place with a lot of threes, also Ballroom near the trail 62 and 63 and the West Rustler. Alta was my first experience deep powder and i how be back in winter 2009 for sure. What a feeling!

Solitude Utah, what else i can say.

Solitude is situeted 40min drive to Salt Lake in big cottonwood canyon. We found this mountain by luck, because they dont have a lot of publicity around the name of the mountain.

This quiet place in appearance, have a lot of powder smile to put on the face of evrey one riding. Solitude. Here at Solitude you can find wasatch powder 500in each year in average, bowls, chutes, glades and all that without tourist and long lift lines. Mountain info: the top are at 10 035ft, vertical drop is 2 047ft, 8 lifts, 64 trails on 1 200 acres (20% beginner; 50% intermediate; 30%expert)

I recommend few spot on the mountain like Black Forest, Headwall Forest, Middle Slope, Parachute and Honeycomb Canyon. For skiing Honeycomb Canyon take the summit chair direction the top of the mountain the access is at your right. Just before the entrance of the Honeycomb (king of powder) Canyon say good-bye to your skis they will return at base of the base of the mountain. In that part of the mountain a rider will find every kind of ski with one common rule, powder, deep powder. Solitude has is own ski village with every thing you want to pass great time during your vavation.

This video has been take in the Black Forest.

Summer skiing!

June 15, mark the beginning summer ski season in Mauricie Québec. It was at ski Mont-Carmel 20 minutes south of Shawinigan. I have special to say about this mountain. We have around 100m of vertical drop, it's god for 4 to 6 turns powder turn on a diamond trail.

And now the principal program!

Sand Skiing via Zapiks

Owl's Head in the shadow of Jay Peak

The mountain is situated in the small town of Mansonville in Estrie, 30 min north of Jay Peak Vermont. From Montréal is 1h30 at east by highway 10.

Mountain info:

The top of the Owl's head is at 747m, the vertical drop is 540m, 8 lifts and 44 wonderful trails with lake view when you are on the slopes. The mountain olso glades skiing in a area name ponsoon. The next video was take in decembre 8 during a snowstrom. As you can see it was the best condition to used our Rossignol Bandit in the powder.

It was a perfect ski day, no crowds, a big mountain and powder. Habitually from my house to the mountain i have 3h to drive but on december 8 it take 5h for the same road. That's part of the game for a powder day. Each week of winter we watch the weather forcast in search of snow, spot a mountain and jump in my car( as i said skiing is a way of life ).

Winter 2007-2008 in vidéo

Voici comment on ski de l'autre côté de l'atlantique via Zapiks

We start ours 2007-2008 powder season at Sunday River in Maine november 10. Then after we go to the Saguenay at the Valinouet, Mont Sainte-Anne in the Québec region, Massif du Sud in Beauce, in Vermont at Mad River Glen, in the state of New-York at Whiteface, at Owl's Head in Estrie, at Belle Neige in the Laurentide and finally we ski the greatest snow in the earth in Utah. Ours season stop May 17 at Mont Sainte-Anne with 54 days of ski for my wife and 88 for me plus 16 000km of road for skiing.

And now we are in sand skiing season!

Salt Lake City

The distance from la Mauricie (name of my region) in Québec too Salt Lake City Utah is 2 322mi. It take 40h to make the distance with 1 stop in Cheyenne Wyoming for sleep. From this point Salt Lake City is at 1 day of drive but don't forget your winter if it's possible or chain. We make a stop at Cheyenne for 1 reason, the landscape. You gonna tke a lot of photo during the road all along the highway 80.

During our trip at the beginning of february 2008 the Homestead Studios and Suites was our host. The room was equipped with a little kitchen and a table for 3 not more it's a clean place not more with a outside spa. If you are in Salt Lake for skiing not to receive a massage the Homestead Studios it's for you (515$us for 3 adults during 6 nights).

At 4 237ft above the sea level is a place for every one, i mean by that is you gonna have no health problem in link of altitude like Breckenridge Colorado for example. There was someting very characterful about Salt Lake is religion, you can find the spirit of them at Temple Square. It's very easy to move in bus at in the town even to go skiing, to Snowbird, Alta, Brighton and Solitude. For the night life Salt Lake have nothing in commun with Jackson Wy and is cowboy attitude.

Don't forget your winter tire or chains, we it's snowing all the mountain and canyon be came restricted. It's common thing to close the road for plowing the snow before reopen them 1 even 2 hours later (has you can see in this photo). This is the link for public bus and transportation in Salt Lake area, clic here

This is a video of our ski trip in Snowbird, Alta, Solitude and Powder Mountain Utah in february 2008 what a powder week.

Vidéo de notre voyage en utah février 2008 via Zapiks

Mont Sainte-Anne king of the spring!

We are visiting Mont Sainte-Anne saturday april 19 2008. It was amazing day for spring skiing, 65 trails open, sunny day, beautifuls softs bumps and barbecue in the parkin like our friend south of the border.



For my opinion, the best time for visiting Mont Sainte-Anne is in spring whe the folie du printemps start. During the winter period lift ticket is (57$can) too expensive for the thing than the mountain have to offer but the New-England ski area are much more expensive (icy slopes, northeast wind, cold, humidity and lift-line).

Mountain info: Vertical drop is 625m the 3 highest in Québec, 13 lifts, 400cm of snow each year and 65 trail. It's a hour drive east from Québec city by road 138. I have some secret for you, at the end of the trail call Les Ilots find the entrance on the wood and you gonna ride fantastic powder spot.

Mont Sainte-Anne have a little bite of every thing on is mountain than a rider dream about but specialist in nothing. For all this reasons if i have a tips for you ride Mont Sainte-Anne at the opening or at the end of the season.

Mont Sainte-Anne

May 17 saturday, it's the last day of skiing in the wonderful winter 2007-2008. Naturally the Mont Saint-Anne was close since april 27. So we decided to climb by our self, 2h45min of walk in the Gondoleuse.

I can tell you that the Gondoleuse are more difficult to climb than skiing, because of the weight of the back pack( skis, lunch, boots and clothes).

The pedestrian trail was wet in certain part of the mountain, but mostly dry. We saw few peoples during our trip to the north side of Mont Saint-Anne with a strange look for us, that's part of the game when you search snow at this time of the year.

What a beautiful day, 20 degres celsius sunshine at the base of mountain, patch of snow on the ground at the top and skiing in the north side.

With this photos you are able to compare the south side and the north side of Mont Saint-Anne. The photos and videos of skiing was take on the Mélanie Turgeon ski trail.