Sutton and Le Massif!

[JD]

Anyone been? Is sutton as good as it looks on paper? Not too far past J, less then an hour I think.
Massif must get some massive dumps being right on the St. Lawrence...and I love the Idea of an ocean view while skiing a good looking Mtn on the East coast....who's got the 411?

 

[ozzy]

Well Massif if FAR. like 6 hrs from Rutland.
Yeah it's cool to be skiing and having a maritime view and the place is modern in that it has high speed lifts. Kinda cool that you park at the top and ski down. I do remember the place having awesome gourmet style grub in it's base lodge ( actually I guess that would be its peak lodge) That is something that i thought I would never notice, but it was like far and away better than anything i've seen in VT
I spend a night in Quebec City and travel the hour to massif. The town itself where le masif is isn't very aspres exciting. We went during April when the snowpack was deep and thought the ski area was great!

As far a Sutton. I was there once. We were on an two day one night trip to Jay when a storm had turned to rain during the evening after our first day. We saw that it was snowing about an hour north at Sutton so we headed up. Getting across the boarder sucked and killed time, but once we were there the place was quite nice. Wasn't crowded. Small though

These places are key in beating President week crowds too

 

[deadheadskier]

One of these winters I'd love spend four days in Quebec City and ski a couple each at Mount St. Anne and Le Massif.

I'd also love to do Sutton and also Orford and Owl's Head in that region.

 

[crank]

We made it to Ste Anne a couple of seasons ago. Just for 2 days so never hit Le Massif. The February school break my son and I are going for 5 or 6 days. We will stay slopeside at Ste Anne for a much lower rate than we would pay anywhere in VT and ski there and Le Massif which looks to be a 20-30 minute drive.

It is a long drive so we will probably ski a day at Jay or Burke on the way home and sleep in a motel somewhere nearby.

Ste Anne has about 2K vertical and some nice steep bumpers right down the middle of the mountain. There are some glades, but not to the extent of Jay. If there are unmarked tree or side/slack country runs I did not find them. Ste. Anne also has a nice gondola and a high speed quad bubble chair.

A far as the Eastern Townships areas go, everytime I go to Jay I think I'm going to drive up and try Sutton or Bromont or Owl's Head.. but I never leave Jay.

 

[TheBEast]

I went to Sutton in college (10+ years ago) and it reminded me a lot of an Okemo but don't remember much more than that.

I went to Mount St. Anne on a bus trip some 4-5 years ago and it rocked! With good snow that mountain would be outstanding.....well worth the trip.

 

[Vince]

I've been to Sutton twice. Sutton is very wide with a long ridge across the top. Not a huge vertical............Steepness on the trail map is from left to right. The trees "sous bois" as they call them are different than Jay. Its like a normal cut trail with a few trees uncut in the middle. Has that old world feel to it. Not very difficult. But interesting trails with character. Very French I'm guessing 90%. Worth a day trip. I have not been in 4 or 5 years so not sure on the border crossing deal.

Not like Northern Vermont. I'd compare it to Ragged Mountain with 2 extra pods.

Never been to La Massif

 

[Warp Daddy]

Everyone who i know who has ever been to MASSIF says it is PHENOMINAL !!! Great snow depth views -- as is similar to Mt St Anne

There are many fine skiers in our town that ski BOTH St Anne and Massif annually . They actually prefer Massif and its vibe

I have personally not yet gone there preferring Tremblant which is ony 3.5 hrs away, whereas Massif is like 5.5-- 6 hrs form where i live on the ST Lawrence River

 

[JD]

I'd like to hit Massif for an early ot late storm, before it gets too freaking cold up there.

 

[BigJay]

I'd like to hit Massif for an early ot late storm, before it gets too freaking cold up there.

Hey Dave!

Sutton is 15min from my house... My parents met in Sutton skiing... and my girlfriend was borned and raised in Sutton. That being said, it's a great mountain... But it gets really crowded on weekends... It's pretty expensive... they have no major infrastructures... not many groomers, no good snowmaking... but the terrain is fun and varied. The "true" vertical isn't that great... Kind of like spruce peak maybe... There is good backcountry options around the area... but then, when you have Jay half-hour away, it's hard to stay in Sutton.

La Massif i never liked... It's a pretty intermediate mountain... with very open (and boring) trees. Yeah, it's beautiful... but the skiing is average and you won't find much thrill... It's pretty much snowmaking from side to side... perfect grooming... but of course, if it dumps, it's mostly smow all winter... they never get any of the rain we see here...

If you search on youtube, i've posted videos from La Massif and Sutton in early season prior to the opening of the season.

Hope this helps!

 

[JD]

Thanks Eric. I see Massif as a place to for an early or late season trip when it rains down here...Sutton just seems like a cool opld school joint that I would like to experience. If it materializes you're my tour guide!

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I always wanted to ski Mont Sutton is college but never made it there..Le Massif looks awesome when they have lots of snow..Quebec City is a great city..treat yourself to a night at Chateau Frontanac..I stayed there back in college for Valentines day with an ex and it was wonderful..

 

[Rick Kane]

I spent 3 days at Le Massif a few Marches ago. Good sustained vertical not much of a run out to the lifts. Snowed about 6 inches a night to keep things fresh and the hill was absolutely empty, just skied right onto the lifts. It thought the trees were very nicely spaced (used to tight trees in the adk) and found a number of fun natural bump runs. Great food both on mountain and in the town of Baie St Paul. Only complaint it was about 13 hours from philly, that said I would most definitely go back. and add a day to two at mt sainte anne

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