Winter sports enthusiasts in Quebec were in heaven this weekend after two snowstorms hit the province in recent days. Several ski resorts and outdoor centers were also crowded everywhere.
• Also read – Weather: Remnants of the storm before it cools down
• Also read – Winter storm: Quebec buried under snow
“Within a week, we managed to double the number of cross-country ski trails,” notes the manager of Sentiers du Moulin de Lac-Beauport in the Quebec region, Philippe Blais. “We now have more than twenty kilometers open.”
And these new kilometers will certainly delight the numerous visitors who were at the outdoor center a few kilometers from the Le Relais ski area on Sunday.
“We live here, so we definitely come to support our local club,” said Julie Noël from Lac-Beauport. “And the conditions are really beautiful!”
“We were disappointed when everything melted before Christmas,” explains Véronique Pouliot, who was on her second cross-country skiing trip of the season. “It's my second day of the week, I couldn't wait!” adds Samuel Dorval, who accompanies him.
Véronique Pouliot and Samuel Dorval were on their second cross-country skiing tour of the season. DIDIER DEBUSSCHERE / LE JOURNAL DE QUÉBEC
According to Environment Canada, more than 50 cm of snow has fallen in the Quebec region since the beginning of January. Just over a meter of snow fell in Charlevoix due to the last two storms.
“It's certainly a good broadside, but these are not storms that we see every week,” remembers meteorologist Félix Biron.
Happy skiers and sliders
Skiers were also on site at Mont-Sainte-Anne at the weekend.
“[Samedi]The problem was the winds, notes the station's marketing and communications director, Hugues Leclerc. It was pretty terrible, but today we see that customers are very happy with this snow.”
The same goes for the Massif du Sud, where strong winds and a power outage on Saturday didn't deter adventurous skiers. Tourists from the USA and Ontario were there on Sunday, confirms Luc St-Jacques, director of the station.
Fat biking is also booming due to the favorable weather conditions. DIDIER DEBUSSCHERE / LE JOURNAL DE QUÉBEC
In the greater Montreal area, on the Domaine des Pays d'en Haut slides in Piedmont, in the Laurentians, 61 slopes were open on Sunday, to the delight of snow sports enthusiasts young and old.
“Our sliding conditions are exceptional. […] When it snows conditions are definitely a little slower. But today [dimanche] They range from normal to fast, it’s interesting for people,” said Julie Deschênes, head of workplace happiness at the Domaine.
“[Samedi], we had a lot more people than we thought, despite the storm. And today the people are there,” she said.
Environment Canada is now eyeing another storm heading toward the Maritimes, but its path could change and affect part of Quebec.
“So far there is a lot of uncertainty,” notes Félix Biron. It could only touch Quebec.”
In collaboration with Camille Payant
Precipitation since the beginning of January 2024:
- Quebec: 53 cm
- Charlevoix: 109cm
- Montreal: 47cm
- Rimouski: 22 cm
- Gaspe: 69 cm
Source: Environment Canada
Can you share information about this story?
Write to us or call us directly at 1 800-63SCOOP.