How to Find Your Next Backcountry Skiing Expedition in Quebec?
What better way to escape than a backcountry ski expedition with close friends? You spend long days gliding over snow and quiet evenings chatting by the woodstove in a mountain hut. Looking for your next trip? This guide shows you where to find alpine touring base camps and hut-to-hut Nordic routes in Quebec. It also highlights a few under-the-radar destinations and staff favourites.
The cold weather has long since settled in and the snow is getting deeper by the day. It’s a time when those early-season butterflies start to flutter, and dreams of peaks, powder, and peaceful woods fill our heads. And it’s a time to get in touch with your best ski buddies to plan a multiday hut trip. Here’s how to turn those dreams into reality.
Alpine Touring
Quebec doesn’t have any hut-to-hut alpine touring routes, but it abounds in backcountry base camps. Though the province only has a handful of mountain huts specifically designed for skiing, it’s easy to cobble together a week or weekend of touring with ski-in, ski-out access or a short drive to the slopes. Many ski zones are in parks with yurts, huts, or cabins near skiing terrain. Elsewhere, skiers can simply stay in nearby villages, often within walking or skiing distance from the mountains.
An epic powder run on Mount Taillis at Öbois.
How to find alpine touring destinations?
Finding Ski Zones
The best resource is the carte des sites on the Fédération Québécoise de la montagne et de l’escalade’s website (in French). It has a map that shows ski zones across the province. To see backcountry ski destinations, scroll down under “type d’activité,” and select the filter “site ski.” Under “type de pratique,” select “ski de montagne” (note: as of this writing, this filter wasn’t working, and ski areas with uphill trails for touring were also listed). Click the icons on each site to see a map, a brief profile, and each run’s distance, difficulty, and vertical drop. The site has icons for sites unaffiliated with the FQME, but you’ll need to do further research for comprehensive information about them.
Finding Accommodations
If you’re looking for direct ski access or a short drive, choose a destination in a regional or provincial park with accommodations. There are also some private operators who offer ski huts, which you can find on the FQME site. Otherwise, find a ski zone beside a village, and check home-sharing sites for your rental options.
Which hidden gems should be on your list this winter?
Here are a few new or lesser-known must-visit destinations for your next touring expedition.
Quebec City Area
Vallée Bras-du-Nord
This year, the VBN will open the Hauteur and Sommets sectors on the west side of the valley. They feature about 12 hectares of skiable terrain in a glade of sugar maples and yellow birches (200 m vertical drop). The top affords open views of the wild valley’s rugged contours. Visitors can also explore the much larger Gravité sector (expanded for 2026), which is just a short drive away on the eastern side of the valley (350+ m vertical drop).
Many of the coop’s accommodations on the west side of the Bras-du-Nord River—including cottages, huts, and yurts—are about a four-kilometre skin from the Hauteur et Sommets areas. La Clairière, a cozy off-grid log cabin, has a prime location for skiers. Weather permitting, the new terrain should open in January of 2026, but be sure to check its status before you book your trip.
Viewpoint from a new sector of the Vallée Bras-du-Nord.
Charlevoix
Öbois
A new ski zone will open in Charlevoix in 2025 on the Montagne du Taillis. It features four runs of up to 250 metres of vertical drop ranging from green to double black diamond. Skiers will enjoy sublime views of the Saint Lawrence River as they float through an open mixed forest of evergreens and hardwoods.
Access to the zone is reserved for guests staying with Öbois, which offers log cabins and Öboxes (sleek, minimalist accommodations in containers). To give skiers a chance to lay down fresh tracks, the site is limited to ten skiers per day. Öbois provides motorized transportation to the base of the mountain, which can also be reached on skis via a 30-minute approach.
A skier launching off a natural feature on Mont Taillis.
Gaspésie
La coopérative RAC
No need to take a plane to Hokkaido if you’re dreaming of Japow. The RAC outdoor cooperative takes its clients deep into the oneiric backcountry of the Rivière-à-Claude Valley, which receives epic snowfalls because the mountains capture moisture from the Saint Lawrence River (especially when it hasn’t frozen over). Skiers float over deep pow as they rip through old-growth birch forests and bomb down avalanche slides. The peaks top out at 800 metres, and the longest run is about 350 metres.
You can stay in the coop’s accommodations (yurt, treehouse, or chalet) built from recycled materials and wood harvested from their land. For self-guided outings, ascend directly from your lodging to a ski zone in an ancient maple grove (longest run 290 m). After a long day of skinning, a sauna awaits. For those who want a livelier après-ski, the coop hosts concerts once or twice a month.
Aerial view of the Taconique Valley, playground for Coop RAC’s guided backcountry outings
For coverage of other alpine touring destinations in Quebec, see our article “7 Epic Alpine Touring Destinations in Quebec.”
Backcountry Nordic Skiing
Where to find backcountry cross-country skiing expeditions in Quebec?
Quebec is brimming with routes for backcountry Nordic skiers, including hut-to-hut trips. Here are some ideas for your next expedition:
Sépaq Parks
Sépaq parks offer many routes. The organization has two blog articles with suggestions for hut-to-hut trips, one for beginners and the other for more experienced skiers. They propose trips in the Laurentides, Gaspésie, and the Quebec City area. Be sure to read carefully, because the articles also include snowshoeing routes.
Les Routes Blanches
Just an hour north of Montreal in the Laurentians, Les Routes Blanches consist of three multiday backcountry cross-country ski itineraries. The trail network is the oldest in North America, dating back to the early twentieth century—before chairlifts and the separation of cross-country and alpine skiing into different disciplines. The routes require two or three days and cover up to 46 kilometres. They run through a landscape of deep woods, rolling hills, rugged mountains, and frozen lakes. And the whimsical design of those old-time trail blazers features plenty of rollicking descents. Skiers who enjoy making turns should choose the North Route (1,435 m vertical drop).
Backcountry nordic skiers on Les Routes Blanches.
Traversée de Charlevoix
The Traversée de Charlevoix takes Nordic skiers deep into an otherworldly boreal forest with broad granite cliffs and rounded mountains. The full traverse (105 kilometres over six or seven days) starts at the Zec des Martres and finishes at the Mont Grand-Fonds ski resort. Along the way, skiers stay in backcountry huts. A half traverse, which starts at the Zec des Martres and finishes at the Parc national des Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie, is available for those looking for a shorter outing (three to four days and 54 km). The Traversée de l’Orignac is another beautiful Charlevoix route, which starts at Mont Grand-Fonds and ends at the village of Saint-Siméon.
Two skiers breaking trail on the Traversée de Charlevoix.
Photo credit: Yani Goulet
SHOP BACKCOUNTRY CROSS-COUNTRY SKIS
The Oberson Staff’s Favourite Destinations
Samuel Proulx
Samuel has a special place in his heart for Touski in Val-des-Lacs (Laurentians region). The private outdoor centre offers a mountain covered in a beautiful mixed hardwood-evergreen forest with six different ski zones (maximum vertical drop 170 m). The glades range from green to double black diamond. Freestyle and freeride skiers can unleash their creativity on a variety of natural rock formations and built snow park features. Those looking for an immersive multiday experience can stay at the centre’s mini cottages.
When looking for bigger adventures, he heads to Gaspésie’s Mont Lyall. He appreciates the grandiose mountain’s couloirs, which are challenging enough that he has to stop and think for a moment before dropping in.
Sophie Lachance and Béatrice Vanier
Sophie and Béatrice’s go-to touring spot is the mountainous backcountry to the west of Lac Archambault in Saint-Donat. It’s close to home and features splendid views and many downhill runs for touring, including some excellent runs on Montagne Noire. The area has a number of huts for multiday explorations.
Gilles Heynemand
Gilles enthusiastically recommends the Sentier Inter-Centre in the same area for a linear backcountry Nordic trip with an overnight hut stay. The trail stretches over 26.8 kilometres of roadless woods and mountains. It runs beside five lakes, climbs several mountainsides, and summits la Montagne Noire, where a viewing platform provides a 360-degree view over the surrounding wilderness.
Nathan Guss
The Sommets du Fjord in Petit-Saguenay is one of my top FQME touring spots for a multiday trip. From the charming little village, you can walk to a skin track leading to the backcountry ski zone with a dozen runs ranging from vertiginous steeps to intermediate descents with open glades where you can really rip. Rocky summits give sweeping views of the area’s rugged, densely forested terrain.
The Parc national de la Gaspésie is a classic I keep coming back to. The many lodging options (huts, hotel, chalets) at the foot of Mont Albert give easy access to classic ski zones in the Chic-Chocs, including those on the nearby mountain. The Champs de Mars, Blanche Lamontagne, Mont Ernest-Laforce, and Mont Macoun all have sublime skiing and panoramic views above the treeline. The abundance of wildlife adds magic to the skiing experience. But speaking of animals, be sure to check what ski zones are closed due to the presence of caribou to avoid unnecessary disappointment.
Alexandra Oberson
The Haute-Route, behind the Mont Edouard ski area, is one of Alexandra’s favourites. The gigantic mountain playground features 200 acres of terrain and seven ski zones (she highly recommends Grand Pic and La Grive) in the Saguenay region. Stay overnight (or for several nights) to get both first and last tracks. After a long day of skiing, the mountain huts feel luxurious under dark skies, and every dinner tastes like the best meal you’ve ever had. She enjoys combining Mont Edouard with a trip to the aforementioned Öbois, which features rustic comfort and exclusive skiing terrain.
Murdochville, on the Gaspé Peninsula, is also high on her list. It’s a next-level destination for ski expeditions (both Nordic and touring) with above-treeline skiing in renowned areas, such as Mont Lyall, Mont Hog’s Back, and the Mines Madeleine.
Ski touring in the Haute-Route backcountry area at Mont Édouard.
FAQ — Finding Your Next Alpine Touring or Backcountry Nordic Ski Expedition
What are the best skis for an alpine touring hut trip?
The answer depends on the conditions. If you’re unsure, the best bet is a ski with a versatile 95 mm to 105 mm waist that will float in powder and easily set an edge on hardpack. If you know you’re heading out into the backcountry after a big snowstorm (lucky you!), skis with a wider waist (105+) will stay near the surface so you can pivot, turn, and just shred all that fresh snow. For corn snow or hard conditions, a narrow-waisted ski enhances power, control, and edge-to-edge quickness. If you’ll be skiing tight trees, look for a ski with a short turn radius (under 18 m). For more details about selecting backcountry skis, check out our article “How to Choose Alpine Touring Skis?”
What kind of skis do I need for a backcountry cross-country expedition?
For a trip where you’ll be breaking trail, choose backcountry cross-country skis with a tip width of at least 70 mm for more stability and better float in soft snow. Widths closer to 98 mm or above make travel in deep powder much easier. Climbing skins are essential for most multiday routes, especially when you’re carrying a pack. For more details, see our article “How to Choose Backcountry Cross-Country Skis?”
How do I check avalanche conditions for backcountry skiing in Quebec?
Avalanche and alpine weather forecasts for the Chic-Chocs are available on Avalanche Québec’s website.
Skiers arriving at La Hutte in the Vallée Bras-du-Nord .
