9 Places in Quebec to Start Alpine Touring
Touring with Descents on Resort Trails
1. Mont Avalanche — Laurentians
The Mont Avalanche ski resort is in the heart of the village of Saint-Adolphe-d’Howard in the Laurentians. This family-friendly ski mountain offers two different climbs through the woods, including one that leads to a viewpoint above St. Joseph Lake. Both ascents take about thirty minutes and are suitable for all levels.
Mont Avalanche is a great place to get started since you ski down the resort’s slopes. Plus, there’s an enjoyable atmosphere, and you’ll always have a memorable experience. It’s a great place to test your gear and gain experience.
2. Ski La Réserve — Lanaudière
The Ski La Réserve resort is in the lovely village of Saint-Donat. With its nearly 45-minute ascent, which includes a few steep pitches, it’s an excellent choice if you want a bit more of a challenge or to improve your uphill technique. That said, it’s still quite manageable, and there are several nice spots to take a break in the sun. Once you reach the top, you have two options: ski down one of the resort’s thirty-three runs or one of the four trails in the Versant Nature area. The latter has a steeper slope angle and natural, ungroomed snow. The Ski La Réserve mountain definitely has something for all tastes and levels.
3. Sutton — Eastern Townships
Sutton’s enchanting scenery will make your first strides in AT gear magical. Mont Sutton offers two trails leading to the summit, the East Trail and the West Trail. The former is 2.7 kilometres, and the latter, 3.8 kilometres. The climbs take between 1 hour 15 minutes and 2 hours 15 minutes, respectively. In addition to those skin trails, the mountain has demarcated five ascent zones on the downhill trails.
Once on the mountaintop, you’ll have a wide array of slopes in front of you. The uphill trails feature several points where you can access the resort’s various runs. Sutton is a thoroughly enjoyable place to test your gear and develop a taste for alpine touring!
4. Mont-Sainte-Anne — Capitale-Nationale
Mont-Sainte-Anne is an ideal alpine touring destination for beginners with a high level of cardiovascular fitness. Uphill trail A is a gradual, 6.3 km climb that winds its way up the mountain through a majestic forest without any steep, technical terrain. A highlight along the skin track is a snow-blasted ridgeline, where broad, gnarled birches evoke the woods of Hokkaido. After the 600 m climb, take in the sublime view over the Saint Lawrence River, then warm up and refuel in the chalet at the summit. Many green runs are available for the descent.
Alpine Touring with Backcountry Descents
1. Saint-Alex-Ski — Mauricie
Here you’ll have a true backcountry experience! The St-Alex-Ski area was developed by passionate skiers who saw all the potential in the mountains of the Saint-Alexis-des-Monts region. In collaboration with the Fédération québécoise de la montagne et de l’escalade (FQME), the site was created at the start of the winter in 2021.
The area features five trails—intermediate and advanced glades and couloirs—with about 160 metres of vertical drop. It takes about 30 minutes to reach the top, which gives you time to soak it all in while gliding through a little piece of paradise. The St-Alex-Ski area is the perfect place to enjoy superb snow quality and a few descents before après-ski at the Nouvelle France microbrewery! Note that the site doesn’t have drinking water, a hut or a chalet.
2. Parc du Massif du Sud — Chaudière-Appalaches
If you’re looking for a place for intermediate skiers that beginners can still handle, the parc du Massif du Sud is an outstanding choice. Offering two ski zones—the Enclave and the Érablière—the park is vast and offers many enticing downhill lines. The glades are open, and the snow is abundant!
The vertical drop in the two zones varies between 120 and 200 metres, and the summits are accessible by a designated skin trail. Keep in mind that there’s a 3-kilometre approach to reach the base of the Enclave zone and 2.3-kilometre approach to get to the Érablière zone. The Parc du Massif du Sud offers many accommodation options, from winter camping to yurts. It’s a wonderful experience for those looking to treat themselves to a weekend of outdoor sports!
Photo Credit: Parc du Massif du Sud
3. Sentiers du Moulin — Capitale-Nationale
Known for mountain biking in the summer, the Sentiers du Moulin also offers winter activities, including alpine touring! Thanks to the development of a backcountry zone, the forest features accessible tree skiing and riding. Plus, the skin trail takes you to the summit in just twenty minutes. What do people most appreciate about the place? The friendly Buvette du Moulin, which offers microbrews, cocktails and a delicious food menu. In addition, several accommodation options are available, including Le Malström, which is right on the mountain.
Photo Credit: Nick Dignard
4. Mont Edouard — Saguenay
Mont Edouard boasts the largest developed and patrolled backcountry area in Quebec. This resort in L’Anse-Saint-Jean offers 200 acres of terrain with seven downhill zones and four huts. In addition, the region receives abundant snowfall every year, making it a perfect place for alpine touring.
Anyone getting started in the sport will enjoy the Sacré-Coeur zone. You can reach it in thirty minutes, and the descent is quite open. The Gardien and Hibou zones are also very appealing for those looking to hone their skills. Although a bit farther away, both feature spacious glades, and the slope angle is moderate. The mountain also offers guided outings for an experience of Mont Edouard’s backcountry that’s adapted to your skill and experience level.
5. Mont Brilliant — Capitale-Nationale
Just a short drive from Quebec City on the Valcartier military base, Mont Brilliant is a great place for a first backcountry outing. A 260 m, 30-minute climb leads to the top of the mountain and a view over the base and the area’s rugged mountains. Since the mountain is a former ski area (resurrected by the FQME in 2019), the two runs are wide, spacious glades. This makes them ideal for getting the hang of tree skiing in an out-of-bounds setting.
