Massif du Sud

[tomcat]

Has anyone skied here? It sounds interesting from what I've read but haven't heard any first hand accounts. It seems like it would be hard core French area (the website doesn't have English page but google translates.) Any info would be helpful.

 

[Huck_It_Baby]

Never heard of the place but here is an English link.

http://massifdusud.net/?lang=en

 

[Breakout12]

Go here:

http://nyskiblog.com/magazine/

and look for Ski Safari Along The St. Lawrence, Québec. Massif du Sud is day 1 of the trip report.

Cheers

 

[skiberg]

Always wanted to ski this place. Never heard of anyone who has skied it.

 

[Puck it]

They have heli-sking to the Chic Chocs.

 

[steamboat1]

Never even heard of it till last year. I've skied everything on the north side of the Sainte Lawrence near Quebec City several times, never knew there was anything just south. I'd like to try it sometime since it's away from the seaway unlike Sainte Anne & Le Massif which can be affected by humidity off the water (and that's salt water humidity). Often you'll find better snow conditions at the areas north of Quebec City (Stoneham, Le Rollie) because they are away from the seaway. I'd expect the same applies for Massif du Sud.

 

[MadPatSki]

They have heli-sking to the Chic Chocs.

No, not really. Chic Chocs are at least a few hundreds miles away. They have , will have or are hoping to have, heliskiing off the ski area. They also have catskiing. There was a huge discussion on this heliski project on the Quebec ski forum, zoneski.

Don't expect heliskiing terrain, it is not. Although in all fairness, I've never heliskied and never been to MDS, but I know a few people that have been.

Often you'll find better snow conditions at the areas north of Quebec City (Stoneham, Le Rollie) because they are away from the seaway. I'd expect the same applies for Massif du Sud.

Geography is totally different, MDS is part of the Appalachian Mountain range. I believe it is one of the Quebec ski area which receives the most snow. Le Massif (Charlevoix) is also on that list, but they measure snow next the maximum altitude where the main parking and lodge are.

 

[steamboat1]

Geography is totally different, MDS is part of the Appalachian Mountain range. I believe it is one of the Quebec ski area which receives the most snow. Le Massif (Charlevoix) is also on that list, but they measure snow next the maximum altitude where the main parking and lodge are.

I was referring to the hard crust sometimes found at St. Anne & more so at Le Massif at lower elevations caused by moisture from the St Lawrence. Not to the amount of snow received. I will say though that Stoneham & Le Rollie do receive more natural snow. That snow often stays better because it's not affected by humid breezes coming off the seaway. As I'm sure you are aware Le Massif's base is practically on the seaway & St Anne is pretty close too.

As for Le Massif yes the parking lot/lodge is at the top now as it was originally before they put in lifts. There were no lifts when I first skied there. You'd park at the top & ski down to the road alongside the seaway. From there a school bus would pick you up & take you back to the top. When lifts were first installed the main lodge/parking was at the bottom. It wasn't till several years later they built the new lodge/parking at the top to cut a 1/2 hour off the trip from QC as it was originally. This kid from Brooklyn got around.

 

[MadPatSki]

I was referring to the hard crust sometimes found at St. Anne & more so at Le Massif at lower elevations caused by moisture from the St Lawrence. Not to the amount of snow received. I will say though that Stoneham & Le Rollie do receive more natural snow. That snow often stays better because it's not affected by humid breezes coming off the seaway. As I'm sure you are aware Le Massif's base is practically on the seaway & St Anne is pretty close too.

I know you were referring to the crust and moisture at MSA and LM, not the amount received. I was confirming that Massif du Sud didn't have that issue (as your assumption). I might be mistaken, but I'm pretty sure that Stoneham and Le Relais doesn't receive as much snow as MSA, Le Massif and...MDS.

As for Le Massif yes the parking lot/lodge is at the top now as it was originally before they put in lifts. There were no lifts when I first skied there. You'd park at the top & ski down to the road alongside the seaway. From there a school bus would pick you up & take you back to the top. When lifts were first installed the main lodge/parking was at the bottom. It wasn't till several years later they built the new lodge/parking at the top to cut a 1/2 hour off the trip from QC as it was originally. This kid from Brooklyn got around.

No kidding, you definitely got around. I don't think that they many New Yorkers that made it up there in the 1980s or early 1990s. I just checked my blog; I thought I had posted an old Le Massif brochure from 1985. I believe I scanned it, but never go to post it.

 

[steamboat1]

I know you were referring to the crust and moisture at MSA and LM, not the amount received. I was confirming that Massif du Sud didn't have that issue (as your assumption). I might be mistaken, but I'm pretty sure that Stoneham and Le Relais doesn't receive as much snow as MSA, Le Massif and...MDS.

No kidding, you definitely got around. I don't think that they many New Yorkers that made it up there in the 1980s or early 1990s. I just checked my blog; I thought I had posted an old Le Massif brochure from 1985. I believe I scanned it, but never go to post it.

I'm pretty sure Stoneham & Le Relais (thanks for the spelling correction) receive more snow than MSA & LM. At least that's what my eyeballs tell me the times I've been up that way. I don't have any official numbers.

If I remember correctly there were only three trails coming down LM before they installed the first lifts.

 

[MadPatSki]

I'm pretty sure Stoneham & Le Relais (thanks for the spelling correction) receive more snow than MSA & LM. At least that's what my eyeballs tell me the times I've been up that way. I don't have any official numbers.

If I remember correctly there were only three trails coming down LM before they installed the first lifts.

I can assure you that Le Massif is always tops or close to the top of snow accumulation of the Quebec ski areas. Le Massif du Sud isn't far behind. Le Relais and Stoneham aren't that close, but its just the quality of the snow is better.

Le Massif pre-lifts had a few more trails (somewhere between 5-12), I don't recall how much.