Canadian school vacation weeks (Sutton)

medfordmike · Jan 28, 2020

Hello,
Although I have lived in New England for many years I have never picked up on when common break periods are for Canadian schools. I ask because I am interested in trying Sutton but want to avoid a crazy period. Even if you don't know the dates if you think Sutton for whatever the reason is not a good idea feel free to chime in. I am looking at the week after the week containing Presidents day.

Thanks,
Mike

bdfreetuna · Jan 28, 2020

Sutton is a great idea, although last time I went I'm pretty sure it was a school week. I had no idea, but it was a pretty icy conditions day and really packed. A ton of kids, way more than usual ratio.

High on my list to return to in better conditions. Prefer to spend my dollars in USA but it's really a unique ridge comprising of several "mountains", quite a variety of terrain and stuff you haven't seen anything quite like it anywhere else.

BenedictGomez · Jan 28, 2020

Sutton should be great IF they have the snow, but I wouldn't go there if they haven't the goods, as AFAIK they have little snowmaking. I presume you know this, but you need a passport, and yes, do not attempt if it's Canuck school vacation week.

fbrissette · Jan 28, 2020

Québec school break is the first week of March.

Edd · Jan 29, 2020

Tremblant and Le Massif are looking good in the trees on Instagram.

fbrissete, is that the only holiday to worry about in March? Thinking of heading up mid-March.

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Hawk · Jan 29, 2020

Sutton is a great little mountain. I loved skiing there but it snowed a lot when I went. I agree that most Canadian Schools are off in early March. I remember that from going to Jay over the years.

SkiBear · Jan 29, 2020

Quebec's school break this year is Feb. 22nd - March 8th.

Ontario's school break is March 14th- March 22nd

fbrissette · Jan 29, 2020

Edd said:
Tremblant and Le Massif are looking good in the trees on Instagram.

fbrissete, is that the only holiday to worry about in March? Thinking of heading up mid-March.

Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone

March 2nd to 6th is Quebec school break.

March 16th to 20th is Ontario school break. Definitely avoid Tremblant during that week. Le Massif will not be a problem outside of the Quebec holiday.

Go to the Massif before it's a Club Med. I assume this is not well known to Americans, but Club med is building its next winter willage opening in 2021. Not sure how it will affect the place, but be safe and go now.

https://www.clubmed.ca/l/quebec-charlevoix

Edd · Jan 29, 2020

fbrissette said:
March 2nd to 6th is Quebec school break.

March 16th to 20th is Ontario school break. Definitely avoid Tremblant during that week. Le Massif will not be a problem outside of the Quebec holiday.

Go to the Massif before it's a Club Med. I assume this is not well known to Americans, but Club med is building its next winter willage opening in 2021. Not sure how it will affect the place, but be safe and go now.

https://www.clubmed.ca/l/quebec-charlevoix

Great info, thank you!

bdfreetuna · Jan 29, 2020

fbrissette said:
Go to the Massif before it's a Club Med. I assume this is not well known to Americans, but Club med is building its next winter willage opening in 2021. Not sure how it will affect the place, but be safe and go now.

Interesting... let me speak with a ski tour operator I work with who seems to have some Club Med affiliation. I've never been to Le Massif but it's been on my short list for a while. If you can't still go there and ski it normally that would be some total bullshit

If they tell me anything of interest about the Club Med situation I'll post it here.

fbrissette · Jan 29, 2020

bdfreetuna said:
Interesting... let me speak with a ski tour operator I work with who seems to have some Club Med affiliation. I've never been to Le Massif but it's been on my short list for a while. If you can't still go there and ski it normally that would be some total bullshit

If they tell me anything of interest about the Club Med situation I'll post it here.

The Massif will definitley still be open to the public, no worry about that.

However, Club med will add 350 rooms (as I recall, too lazy to find out exactly), and create something like 700 hundred permanent jobs. Just the rooms will likely add up to 1000 skiers per day. A lot of the job holders will also ski.

It means more traffic day in day out. Currently, part of the appeal is relatively little traffic and therefore great ski conditions longer after any storm. Nothing about this is good from a skier's perspective.

On the other hand, this will bring money to the region, international clientele, that will translate to restaurants and bars, which is good. Ski season will undoubtebly be longer, as the Massif typically closes shop with all runs still open.

bdfreetuna · Jan 29, 2020

^ cool that answers all my questions, thanks. I like the longer season aspect of it since it can make a nice spring destination for Eastern skiers. As you stated they seem to close with 100% terrain or close to it.

Having never been, I assume the crowds we're talking about would still be along the lines of "no crowd to small crowd" rather than the overcrowding situations we're seeing at some Vermont/NH/NY resorts.

JimG. · Jan 29, 2020

Le Massif is a true ski experience. Superior expert skiing and knockout views as well.

medfordmike · Jan 30, 2020

Thanks folks for all the advice. I greatly appreciate it. Mike

hudsonhacker · Jan 30, 2020

Mike

If you do head up to Sutton, there are some very good stay & ski deals. I live about 2 hours north of Sutton and ski there a few times per winter. The best deal going is at Le Montagnard. (I am not affiliated with these guys, I just know all the cheap deals!). They are about 1/2 mile to the base lodge.
1 night in a Regular room, 1 breakfast and 1 & 1/2 day skiing for $118 Can (which is about $88 US)
2 Nights in a Regular Room, 2 breakfasts and 2 & 1/2 day skiing for 236 Can (About $176 US)
[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Tahoma,Calibri,Geneva,sans-serif]https://montsutton.com/en/hebergement/le-montagnard-hotel-condos-chalets/[/FONT]

It is a fun hill especially after a storm. They have all of their terrain open and have gotten a foot of snow over the past week. Not huge at 1500 foot vertical, but a lot of variety in runs. If you like glades, this is a great hill when they have enough snow (But I guess you can say that about any hill this winter).

crank · Jan 30, 2020

We have been to Le Masiff and Ste Anne many times. Both get about as crowded as a northern VT hill.

Was last there Jan. 3. Not terrible but some 10 minute lines. Some less. Never been to Sutton... I like hills with max vert.

Smellytele · Jan 30, 2020

crank said:
We have been to Le Masiff and Ste Anne many times. Both get about as crowded as a northern VT hill.

Was last there Jan. 3. Not terrible but some 10 minute lines. Some less. Never been to Sutton... I like hills with max vert.

Max vert can be deceiving as it could be broken up like Killington or it could be top to bottom skiing like Wildcat. 1500' all in one shot isn't bad. Also runouts can effect the enjoyability of vert as well.

hudsonhacker · Jan 30, 2020

Smellytele said:
Max vert can be deceiving as it could be broken up like Killington or it could be top to bottom skiing like Wildcat. 1500' all in one shot isn't bad. Also runouts can effect the enjoyability of vert as well.

Good point. Sutton has two pods, one has 1100 foot vertical , the other about 950. You can ski from the top of one to the bottom of the other to get 1500 feet, but generally you do not ski the hill that way. The 1100 foot area is the gladed/advanced area and the 950 foot area is a more mellow intermediate.

Expectations should be comparable to a 1100 foot hill.

BenedictGomez · Jan 30, 2020

Smellytele said:
Max vert can be deceiving

It can be almost useless depending on the mountain.

Take Platty, it's real vert is only ~1,100 I believe, and I'd rather ski there than some places 1,500 - 1,800.

crank · Jan 30, 2020

Both Ste Anne and Le Massiff have a lot good top to bottom skiing. Ste Anne has some pods with less. Massiff has at least 1 chair
where you don't have to ski all the way to the bottom. At Massiff you start out at the top and ski down to the lifts. Gondola line is usually the longest.

Canadian school vacation weeks (Sutton)

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