Our primary work area on this shift is one of our all-time favorite sectors of the Mountain, the Summit off of the Expo Quad Chair to the North-East including Sissy Schuss and La Griffe, but first, we have to get there from the main Mountain Service Garage, located just North and below the top of the Flying Mile Quad Chair.

Proceeding to Beauvalon, then up to the Summit, down the right side of Beauchemin, up Gagnon half way to turn left into the side door of Sissy Schuss, we start making laps there, including La Griffe.

The first thing you realize is that driving up any of Tremblant’s diverse range of trails is such a completely different perspective than the feeling you have from years of skiing down them.

The steepness seems quite a bit more dramatic for example, as we are sometimes pushing what seems like a wall of snow before us while looking skyward on the most inclined portion of Le Griffe. It’s an impressive sight indeed to watch how much weight our machine is moving upward to be spread back over the run from the days traffic.

It does not take long to realize though, that the real magic of the process lies in the skilled hands of people like our units operator Claude, who has been doing this job for literally decades. His experienced hands move on the controls of of the BR350 Groomer/Packer instinctively. He’s not looking anywhere but where he wants the machine to go and with subtle but firm motions of the control levers, it almost magically travels to the points he’s focused on, all the while miantaining the most level ribbon of finished corduroy you can imagine behind.

This is the point that triggered the connection to Sculpting. Claude is not just driving this machine, he is using it as an extension of his hands and eyes to guide its tracks, blades, powerful tiller and corduroy sweeps to create a rendering of smooth Alpine descents that is nothing less than artistic.

The flow of corduroy from side to side of each run that he works on, is in perfect harmony with the contours of the land. Spots that need attention for whatever reason are given extra snow and carefully blended into a seamless field of immaculate white lines that when finished, go on as far as the eye can see.

An additional facet of our drivers skill is his ability to work with the machine in a rhythm that suits its abilities very well. Even with a heavy uphill load, he is not pushing the machine to the point it seems stressed. Working hard, for sure, but never beyond the point that it is doing anything more than using its muscle in exactly the way it was designed and intended to do.

An efficient combination of man and machine can cover just around 4 acres per hour, so obviously to cover anywhere from below 100 acres at seasons start, to what we estimate would be well over 500 acres at the seasons maturity, it takes an inventory of of equipment and support staff that can be deployed to cover the needed surfaces overnight.

The Mountain Operations Management Staff has that down to a science, so much so that it might be easy for the average Tremblant Skier or Snowboarder to come to expect the fine groomed surfaces we see each and every morning, just because they are so consistently there. Behind the scenes however, the logistical efforts required to generate the smooth morning conditions mean the co-ordinated action of a team that must operate with military precision to not only cover the ground foot by foot, acre by acre, but support the equipment with maintenance and service that keeps everything in top shape.

Like all Ski Resorts, Tremblant does not groom everything on the Mountain because there are many Mountain users that prefer natural conditions on certain trails or runs, so the scope of this article does not involve the strategic decision making regarding grooming on specific runs/trails, other than to say that we understand that many factors including Customers, Ski Patrol, Mountain Operations and Resort Management may all factor in to the final decisions.

A significant purpose for this article is to convey to prospective Tremblant visitors/guests the exceptionally fine quality that Mountain crews here routinely deliver. It is a consistent high quality grooming level that you can not find at many large ski resorts, simply because the groomed acreage is so extensive.

This is a standard feature of the Tremblant Alpine experience from the first day of the season to the last, and every day between.

This point is brought into clear focus with the Ski Magazine 2012 annual resort guide issue where Tremblant ranks ahead of all but one of its big mountain peers in the Grooming survey category. Coming in ahead of names like Stowe, Lake Placid, Killington, and Jay Peak,  none of which even made the top 10 of this category as Tremblant did, means that when you make the decision to come to Tremblant, within the scope of Mother Natures weather variables that all Ski Resorts have to contend with, your benefit is that you can rely on having the best possible surface conditions.

We think the Grooming Staff are the un-sung heroes of the very fine conditions we see virtually every day.

They start after we’ve had a great day carving up the Mountain, and they work with the sometimes overwhelming odds of Mother Nature until just before we get back for another fresh start the next morning.

We rarely get a chance to thank them, so here’s our 3 Cheers for the Mountain Operations Grooming Staff!!! 

You do great work!!!

You can read about Tremblant conditions/grooming, both current and archived, in our daily Mountain Reports.

—————————————————————————————————————————————-

(Get Real Clauses:

Sometimes we get slammed for being too positive, however, some people would complain about the bruising if they fell into a ditch full of gold nuggets.The people that have the most fun in any outdoor sport effected by weather, are the ones that can adapt the most and the quickest, so within that reference, we will always remain positive.

As fine as things are for the vast majority of groomed areas, that does not mean there are no glitches. Dealing with Mother Nature means that not everything can be perfect, only close.

Mountain users need to use common sense with regard to speed, braking and steering control where natural hazards can exist at any time of season for reasons, including, but not limited to: unpredictable weather variables, daily traffic use, steeper pitches, around trail intersections, run-out zones, or areas that are intentionally left un-groomed for experts who prefer those conditions.

Many complaints can be linked to dull edges, terrain selections too difficult for the users skill set, too much speed for the conditions, or all of the above.

If you have sharp edges, select terrain that is within your skills and control your speed, you will have a great day on the slopes of Tremblant. Period.

If you have not had a ski or board tune-up within 10 days, or if you have been running metal rails/features that instantly dull edges, get your edges and bases done if you want to ski or board open Alpine terrain and maximize safety, control and fun!)

“Tremblant Skis Off With Top Honors Again…”

Taking first place over Eastern North Americas biggest and best such as Stowe, Whiteface/Lake Placid, Stratton and Killigton is no easy feat at the best of times, but Tremblant’s ability to remain solidly on top in the number 1 position for 15 years in a row is nothing short of both remarkable and a testament to the quality of the overall Resort experience.

Year after year, Tremblant continues to deliver a balance of fine accommodations, food  and  Mountain conditions that consumers find an irresistible combination.

Ski Magazine’s Reader Resort Survey covers 20 different categories and in arguably the most important one, “Overall Satisfaction”, Tremblant comes out ahead of all the other “Major” resorts. We say “Major” because there are 3 smaller ski areas ahead on that list, but they are nowhere near the size and scope of Tremblant or the other big resorts listed, which is an important distinction for those seeking the kind of amenities that can only come with the bigger developments.

Similarly, and in a category we really like because we’re “Front Side Carvers” and we just love to rip off thousands of turns every day, there are only 2 of the major’s listed in the top 10 under “Grooming” and you guessed it, Tremblant is right up there. Anyone that’s skied the big areas will know exactly why… the highly skilled members of the Tremblant Mountain Operations crews are just about the peak of perfection when it comes to covering hundreds of acres every night with some of the finest corduroy you’ll ever carve an edge on.

Be sure to check out this Special Edition “Ski” Resort Survey issue, available right now, where ever magazines are sold. We found our copy in Canada at a local “Chapters” book store and we were thrilled to find this great feature that confirms what we’ve known all along… Tremblant Rules!

Hello England!       Hello Toronto!

Hello Boston, New York and Pittsburgh!

Hey Maritimes, Hong Kong, California, and you too Florida!

You Can All Buy The Tremblant T66 Ski/Board Bargain Of The Decade!

Unless you buy a full-out seasons pass, Tremblant’s brilliant T66 discount pass is the only way to go if there’s any way you can be at Tremblant for either multi one day visits, or, more than one, multi-day visits. So, if you can get the days, don’t even think about it, just move as quickly as you can on this.

Essentially, If you’re on a budget, You can’t afford to Ski or board anywhere else but Tremblant with this wonderful program.

Honest to Goodness, this “no brainer”, “too easy” bundle of 66 days for one low price is the absolute Ski/Board bargain of the decade. Period.

Are we repeating ourselves? You Bet! This point needs to be well made, and just like school, you may need to hear it more than once to get it into your conscious to a level that at the very least, compels you to thoroughly examine the economies of scale that can literally and very positively effect the days you can ski or board in a season.

There’s only one way to asses this opportunity, and that means performing the homework necessary to analyze the numbers, and consequently, the benefits…

We do the math…

For purposes of this exercise, we’re going to use the price for the 2011/12 winter season, but of course, you can apply the arithmetic to any future numbers in this exact way to build a precise costing model.

Firstly, for a mere $269.00 Advance Purchase valid up to the end of October(*), you are buying a “Bundle” of 66 days for the season that you now “Own”, and you can Ski or Board from 1 to all 66 days for that same price. Tremblant.ca chooses the dates well in advance and publishes them in a calendar format(sample attached below).

We called Tremblant.ca’s Customer Service 1-800 number to get the total including all applicable fees and taxes which takes us up to $312.58. So, if you could use all 66 days, your cost per day would be $312.58, divided  by 66 = $4.74!

So then, tell us where you can Ski or Board the quality and scope of Tremblant for as low as $4.74 per day?

Of course, it’s not likely that there will be many that can organize their time well enough to get all 66 days, but if you live within the region locally, with a little effort put into planning there’s no reason you probably couldn’t get 10, 15, 20 or more days. Typically there are about 16 weekend days and the T66 Calendar is published around the end of September, or beginning of October, each season.

With up to 7 months of advanced notice, from October to April, if you’re a Ski or Board freak on a budget, you should have plenty of time to organize your days at Tremblant.

So then, back to the math… Using our total, all-in cost, including fees and taxes @$312.58, lets divide that by an easy 10 to come out at a very affordable cost per day of $31.26, and you’ve got 7 months to figure out which 10 days you can get yourself to Tremblant for.

If you extend this mathematical model out to 15 days, the cost per day comes down to $20.84, extended further to 20 days, $312.58 divide by 20 = $15.63 per day!

In addition, the T66 entitles you to 40% off on non T66 Mondays through Thursdays, 25% off on non T66 Fridays and Sundays, and 5% off non T66 Saturdays. In this way, it is possible to plan a very inexpensive week at Tremblant by connecting T66 days with highly discounted fill-ins.

Another super convenient feature of the T66 is the “Direct To Lift” option. By purchasing with a credit card and attaching the card to your T66 pass, on the days you decide to Ski/Board that are non T66, all you have to do is go directly to the lift and get on… No ticket booth… no line-up… and no waiting, proceed straight to Skiing or Boarding. The discounted price for your lift ticket is automatically charged the attached card when your pass is scanned as you board any lift to ride up.

Psychologically speaking, by paying up front for this bundle, you will be far more motivated to get out because you already “own” all/any T66 day(s), so you don’t have to take money out of your pocket to take advantage of them. Another way to “think” of it, is that if you divided the cost of a regular lift ticket into the T66 total,  you “break even” at aprox. 3, 1/2 days, so everything after that is “free”.

As a family of 4, we bought the T66 passes right from the first season they were available all those many seasons ago, and with meticulous, careful planning to co-ordinate weekends, vacation days (we even pulled the kids out of school occasionally to make up a family vacation week or long weekend) in our best season, we managed to get just over 30 days with a cost per day of about $8.00 bucks!

Bottom line on this is that the T66 made it possible for our family to have a real ski season with several multi-day visits and a family Ski-week , when otherwise, we could not have afforded it.

Not everyone that loves to Ski or Board is rich, it’s that simple, and the T66 can make all the difference because now you can afford to re-allocate funds to pay for Ski-Swap equipment for rapidly growing kids, transportation, accommodations, food and all the other things you can think of that you need to get yourself or your family on the Mountain.

This is why we say the Tremblant.ca T66 is a “Gift” for skiers and boarders on a budget.

Thanks Tremblant For Keeping This Valuable Program Running!

Sample T66 Calendar attached below, Courtesy of Tremblant.ca

(*Please note: At the the first of November the Advance Discount ends and the price goes up to $349.00, plus fees and taxes)

 Tremblant.ca T66

Tremblant.ca T66 En Francais

.

Once the change begins, the speed that Nature takes to paint our Mountain can be quite remarkable. Each new morning in this glorious transformation seems to bring a new level of vivid splashes that seem to pop out in another dimension against the green forest backdrop that we’ve been so used to since spring.

Observant Naturalists will see that the types of trees and consequently the change of colour, differ, depending on elevation, so while at base level there is a very high density of Deciduous trees, such as the Maples, the farther up the Mountain you look, the more predominant Coniferous or Evergreen trees become.

While base level observations are more than enough to create endless scenes worthy of “post cards”, there can be no doubt that a trip to Tremblant’s summit is the ultimate way to experience the majestic views that can only come from being 2116 vertical feet, or 645 meters higher up.

If you click on any of the pictures in this post, you’ll be able to see a more detailed view of your Tremblant summit destination.

If you are looking for some great exercise, hiking up to Tremblant’s summit will certainly qualify as an excellent cardiovascular workout. Surprisingly, hiking down is also vigorous exercise too, but we’ll talk about that in another post dedicated to the hiking experience, so for now, we’re going to look at riding Tremblant’s aerial Gondola/Telecabine.

Just for the sake of those that may not be familiar with the Gondola, it is an 8 passenger cable operated lift that sees its heaviest use in the Ski season, but is an ideal way to visit the summit anytime. The ride up is about 8 minutes and the completely enclosed space ensures comfort no matter what the weather is outside.

Once on board, you are immediately able to scan the panoramic vistas that never fail to impress all who go this way to the top.

Right over the first crest, you can really relate to our title concept of “The Painted Mountain”, the passing kaleidoscope of bright colours passing around and below as you as you’re silently floated to the summit.

After you’ve off-loaded at the top, we recommend you turn left and proceed to the summit 360 observation platform. It’s about a 5 minute walk and there’s a zig-zag path that takes you up to it, if you’re fit for about a 2 minute uphill climb. It’s definitely worth it, the view to the South, spanning all of Lac Tremblant is superb and something you’ll never forget.

Once you’ve scoped out the summit “Big Picture”, don’t forget to wander over for a view of the still scarcely populated Versant Nord, or North side. The panorama includes Lac Superieur and as you can tell by the pictures, another brilliant display of Mother Natures finest fall colours.

We’d like to point out that Tremblant’s lift operations staff are on the ready to handle those with a wide range of physical disabilities, so if you have challenges, don’t hesitate to contact Tremblant’s customer service through www.tremblant.ca to verify assistance for your situation. Lift attendants are also finely tuned to the needs of elders, and they can slow or even stop the lift to facilitate both loading and unloading to accommodate one and all.

A visit to Tremblant’s summit can be done in as little as an hour, but if you can do a bit of trekking, and if you’ve got an eye for photography, we think you’ll be able to spend two or three hours while there with no trouble at all. There is a wealth of natural interest and the whole summit sector is very well labelled with dozens of points of information.

In keeping with this posts theme of using the Gondola, your trip down will be filled with just as much thrill and beauty as the ride up, so with that in mind, here are two of our favourite Tremblant fall views from the descent that remind us that while much of the visit has been focused on the amazing long distance views, the close range tree-top “birds eye” view is just as appealing.

While we’re at it, a few quick words on being prepared for maximum comfort. Tremblant’s summit is typically 4 to 5 degrees Celsius cooler that the base level due to its elevation. Depending on base level temp then, you may want to carry a layer or two, particularly if there’s a breeze.

A good pair of walking shoes is necessary and if you want to do some summit trekking, a sturdy pair of lug-soled hiking shoes or boots are recommended. Summit trails range from fine pea-gravel to larger course and mixed size loose rock and experienced Mountain hikers can be seen with a full range of gear including backpacks, walking sticks and of course… don’t forget your camera and a spare set of batteries!

Everything from a short day trip from Montreal, Ottawa, to a weekend getaway from up-state New York, Vermont, Eastern Ontario, or a week long summer holiday from anywhere in the world, you can maximize your fun factor with a thorough look at the summer 2011 activity guides.

Your Tremblant summer vacation doesn’t need to break the bank either, with several affordable options… bring your bikes and explore many of the wonderful trails, hike up to Tremblant’s summit for free, or take a comfortable gondola ride up and enjoy the view from the summit!

If you’re looking for a unique golfing experience, Tremblant’s “Things To Do” brochure also has you covered and is a great place to start planning for a vacation on the links.

From the spectacular views, to dozens of exciting activities and lots of fantastic events, Tremblant offers a wonderful way for you and your family to escape the ordinary this summer!

The 10th annual 24h Tremblant raised a record breaking $1,857,268  for children’s charities! Close to 1800 participants along with event sponsors Volkswagen, Telus and others, as well as the generosity of Mont Tremblant made it all possible. Check out our HD video of the 2010 event below! We’ve also got some free downloadable desktop wallpaper for you below too, taken during the night of the event.

24h Tremblant 2010! (video below plays in HD, click here for a lower-res version):

24h Tremblant Desktop Wallpaper (1600 x 1067)

To preview an image, click on the image below. To download an image, right click (Windows)/ option click (Mac) on the image’s download link further below, and then choose “save link as…” to save it to your computer.

Preview gallery:

Download links:

Close-up shot: download link

Wide angle shot: download link

Cheers and happy holidays from Tremblant360.com!

Come play in the snow! (video below plays in HD, click here for a lower-res version):

Opening day video coverage! (video below plays in HD, click here for a lower-res version):

Opening day video coverage (video below plays in HD, click here for a lower-res version):

Announcing free online classifieds for the Mont Tremblant community!

We’re excited to announce the launch of our free online classifieds section! We’ve been working on it for over a year now, integrating it into the site and it’s finally ready. It only takes a few seconds to register a free account and then you’ll be on your way to posting classifieds that are very quick & easy to use! You can get to our new classifieds section by clicking on “Classifieds” in the main menu above, and then click on the “Register” link in the top right of the classifieds section to get started.

Here’s a link to an example of a classified ad that we set up in 2 minutes: http://tremblantclassifieds.tremblant360.com/ads/old-rossi-skis-for-sale/

Daily Mountain Reports:

Find useful mountain reports about conditions at Tremblant, along with photos and more by clicking here. You can get to the daily reports quickly anytime by clicking on the ad in the upper right section of our site.

Opening day photos:

Tremblant Time-lapse (video below plays in HD, click here to view a lower-res version).

Event coverage:

• Check out our video covering the event and press conference with Lance Armstrong & Phil Liggett in HD below.
• You’ll find event photos in our gallery below.
• You’re welcome to read our forum or share your own experiences by clicking here.
• You can find more information about the events or how to get involved by visiting www.24hTremblant.com and www.TourdeLance.ca

Video coverage (video below plays in HD, click here for a lower-res version):

Photo Gallery: