Mont St-Sauveur QC : May 5, 2013 – Skiing in May, Encore!!!

MadPatSki · May 12, 2013

Mont St-Sauveur QC : May 5, 12 & 19, 2013 – Skiing in May, Encore!!!

I usually don't post links to my TR on Alpine Zone, but as MSS is again spinning in May and there seems to be some curiosity about the place. Here is a link to my TR.

St-Sauveur is about 35 miles north from Montreal - in the first cluster of ski areas in the Laurentians.
I don't remember off hand the skier-visits numbers, but its one of the most important in Quebec, if not the most.
Ah yes, they had the longest season in Eastern Canada for years. No another ski areas in EC are even close.

May 5 - Mt St-Sauveur - 2 hours away from Ottawa (and 40 from Montreal). Hot Summer skiing.

Mont St-Sauveur QC : May 5, 2013 – Skiing in May, Encore!!!
http://madpatski.wordpress.com/2013/05/12/mont-st-sauveur-qc-may-5-2013-skiing-in-may-encore/

twinplanx · May 12, 2013

Now I'd buy that for a dollar !!

TheBEast · May 12, 2013

Killer!!

Conrad · May 13, 2013

You're sure you didn't take that thermometer picture in July ha ha!

MadPatSki · May 13, 2013

Conrad said:
You're sure you didn't take that thermometer picture in July ha ha!

I suspect that it is a little off by maybe 2-3 degrees celsius. I'll have to look, but I took the same picture yesterday at the thermometer was at around 15c. I don't think the temps went above 11c yesterday.

Skiers in shorts and short sleeves were rare yesterday. Still above 8-12 feet base on most of West 70. Only patches left yesterday on Nordique. They are in good shape for next weekend....not sure if they want to try to go further?

Frost warming tonight in Ottawa (-1c), -5c for the next two nights at MSS.

deadheadskier · May 13, 2013

If there's still snow on West 70, they should offer snowtubing when the water park opens in June. I'm sure some years there's still a fair amount of snow on the ground when the water park opens for the summer. That must be pretty cool to see.

I'll have to keep MSS in mind for May turns some year. Not that I'd expect it to be better than Killington, but I do love Montreal, so it would make for a good combo trip.

MadPatSki · May 13, 2013

deadheadskier said:
If there's still snow on West 70, they should offer snowtubing when the water park opens in June. I'm sure some years there's still a fair amount of snow on the ground when the water park opens for the summer. That must be pretty cool to see.

It's funny, but some people on their FB page are somewhat annoyed by the 'still skiing' aspect. WTF?

deadheadskier said:
I'll have to keep MSS in mind for May turns some year. Not that I'd expect it to be better than Killington, but I do love Montreal, so it would make for a good combo trip.

Well, if you looked at my TR, you'll see that I've choosen MSS for only 6% of my May ski days in my last 32 ski seasons. Killington accounts for 35% of that total.

MSS is 40 miles from MTL vs 185 miles for Killington.
From Ottawa the mileage would be something like 105 miles versus 210 miles.

It's like if you're in Montreal...sure, do it. This Sunday was pretty boring vibe wise..it was deserted.

snowmonster · May 13, 2013

Love the tank tops!

Will MSS be open on Memorial Day weekend?

MadPatSki · May 13, 2013

snowmonster said:
Love the tank tops!

Will MSS be open on Memorial Day weekend?

They are open next weekend (May 17-18 ). Don't know after that? I personally think that they could go an extra two weekends. They got some snow this morning.

PS. They were no bikini or tank tops this past weekend.

JimG. · May 13, 2013

Do they re-seed the bumps after they reset them? Open weekends only?

MadPatSki · May 13, 2013

JimG. said:
Do they re-seed the bumps after they reset them? Open weekends only?

Don't know...this was only my 4th time at MSS in May in 30 years (including 2005, 2011 & 2013). The 5th time was this past Sunday and they were no bumps. Mind you, it had been cold all week plus the place was quiet due to gray skies and rain in the forecast.

I know the lift was spinning Thursday, Friday and early morning this weekend for a race camp only. Public was late morning and afternoon on the weekend only. They just confirmed (unless the weather is crap) that they will open this coming weekend. I need to write the latest TR. I took a few pictures from the snow depth.

MadPatSki · May 15, 2013

MadPatSki said:
Don't know...this was only my 4th time at MSS in May in 30 years (including 2005, 2011 & 2013). The 5th time was this past Sunday and they were no bumps. Mind you, it had been cold all week plus the place was quiet due to gray skies and rain in the forecast.

I know the lift was spinning Thursday, Friday and early morning this weekend for a race camp only. Public was late morning and afternoon on the weekend only. They just confirmed (unless the weather is crap) that they will open this coming weekend. I need to write the latest TR. I took a few pictures from the snow depth.

Full TR of Mothers' Day:

Mont St-Sauveur QC : May 12, 2013 – May, Mothers’ Day and Montréal

http://madpatski.wordpress.com/2013...-qc-may-12-2013-may-mothers-day-and-montreal/

JimG. · May 15, 2013

Thanks for the update and new TR Pat.

So they don't seed those bumps. Guess they mowed them due to the colder weather.

That is an impressive amount of snow for 5/12!

MadPatSki · May 15, 2013

JimG. said:
Thanks for the update and new TR Pat.

So they don't seed those bumps. Guess they mowed them due to the colder weather.

That is an impressive amount of snow for 5/12!

If you look at the pictures from the May 5 (also inside there is a link to the day's gallery), you can see the groomer mowing everything down. MSS had a race camp from Thursday to Sunday (when it wasn't open to the public). The bottom of Hill 70 is the steepest stuff with snow. Nordique is steepest, but it wasn't an option after the big meltdown weather from around May 5th.

I figured there was about 8-12 feet of snow on 85% of the run.

If you compare with the last weekend last season (May 6 - link below). There was still a good amount of snow, but not that much. If I recall, they wanted to open an extra weekend last season, but didn't due to weather/forecast, etc. No one shows up if the weather isn't full Spring skiing weather. I'm curious if they are going to try to make it to May 25-26 weekend? They have closed on June 2(?) in 1997, the year that Tremblant closed on the 1st and Kmart on June 22.

In 2011 MSS closed on May 22, one week later than Jay.

http://madpatski.wordpress.com/2012/05/13/m-s-s-qc-sunday-may-6-2012-may-skiing-saviour/

JimG. · May 15, 2013

MadPatSki said:
If you look at the pictures from the May 5 (also inside there is a link to the day's gallery), you can see the groomer mowing everything down. MSS had a race camp from Thursday to Sunday (when it wasn't open to the public). The bottom of Hill 70 is the steepest stuff with snow. Nordique is steepest, but it wasn't an option after the big meltdown weather from around May 5th.

I figured there was about 8-12 feet of snow on 85% of the run.

If you compare with the last weekend last season (May 6 - link below). There was still a good amount of snow, but not that much. If I recall, they wanted to open an extra weekend last season, but didn't due to weather/forecast, etc. No one shows up if the weather isn't full Spring skiing weather. I'm curious if they are going to try to make it to May 25-26 weekend? They have closed on June 2(?) in 1997, the year that Tremblant closed on the 1st and Kmart on June 22.

In 2011 MSS closed on May 22, one week later than Jay.

http://madpatski.wordpress.com/2012/05/13/m-s-s-qc-sunday-may-6-2012-may-skiing-saviour/

I did see that pic and it was the reason I asked if they seed that area for bumps. The fact that the trail was used for racing explains why they mowed it.

I'd like to get one more ski day in before hanging it up for the season. It would have to be Memorial Day weekend. If K is not open I might consider driving up to MSS for some last turns if they make it. Or, I might decide that Mt. Washington is the way to go.

Decisions, decisions.

MadPatSki · May 15, 2013

JimG. said:
I'd like to get one more ski day in before hanging it up for the season. It would have to be Memorial Day weekend. If K is not open I might consider driving up to MSS for some last turns if they make it. Or, I might decide that Mt. Washington is the way to go.

Decisions, decisions.

In my May 5th post I mentioned that I've skied K 23 times in May vs only 4 times for MSS since 1982. During all those years MSS made it to May, but I always prefered driving elsewhere for May turns. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy that MSS exists, but it isn't the same quality of terrain as K. Living in Ottawa and it being the only day drive ski area makes sense to me (110 miles); I can no longer do a return trip to K as when I lived in Montreal. Plus MSS is free with my Edelweiss seasonpass (owned by MSSI).

Driving to MSS to ski from you location is similar to someone driving from Canada through Vermont to ski in Mass. Mind you, Admin from FTO had driven from Albany to MSS for opening day back in 2003. Ski MSS only if you want to combine it with a trip to Montreal and you really want to explore new places.

JimG. · May 15, 2013

I can see from the pics that it would be a "just to make some turns" type of situation.

I'll probably wind up at Mt. Washington. A buddy and I are plotting a trip.

Warp Daddy · May 16, 2013

Awesome report MPS ! have passed by this place every year on the way to Tremblant , hmmmm mebbe its time to schedule a late season doubleheader next yr.

MadPatSki · May 16, 2013

JimG. said:
I can see from the pics that it would be a "just to make some turns" type of situation.

I'll probably wind up at Mt. Washington. A buddy and I are plotting a trip.

It makes more sense to me. The problem with me is that right now, I can't find the time to leave more than a daytrip ski option.

MadPatSki · May 16, 2013

Warp Daddy said:
Awesome report MPS ! have passed by this place every year on the way to Tremblant , hmmmm mebbe its time to schedule a late season doubleheader next yr.

There are bunch of places potentially more fun in the Laurentians than MSS. MSS is like Cranmore in some ways (in the historical part). It is full of history and old, but is now McSkiing for the masses: grooming, HSQ everwhere. The town is the heart of the lower Laurentians surrounded by ski areas (would you know, if you've driven to Tremblant). If you go, go for the night skiing.

James Deluxe of Harvey Road has written a piece on the Laurentians...there is a small bit on St-Sauveur.
http://mag.nyskiblog.com/Quebec-s-Laurentians-The-Autoroute-15-Ski-Corridor-td4023580.html

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