Sommet Olympia: Powder Olympics

There was no podium at Sommet Olympia, the crowds were light, and it seemed the only camera there to document a perfect day was mine. The mountain boasts an Olympic spirit in its name and on the trail map, but the only race was for fresh tracks and it was game on.

Like the recent olympics, this storm had simply appeared in the background of most people’s minds. After a demoralizing rain and thaw, the temperature plummeted and we were left with a foot of right side up pow, a grippy wet base hugging the firm surface underneath and the light and dry where it’s supposed to be, on top. If that didn’t solidify a gold medal day, the sun started to come out at 9am.

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Owl’s Head with a Wingman

The last couple of seasons have been anything but predictable. With that in mind, I decided to mix things up and go for a new pass. Last Spring, Owl’s Head offered a midweek pass for a limited time. If you signed up with three of your friends, It worked out to about 450/4 ways.

Cheap, and it entitled the bearer to ski the rest of the season and then daily until next Christmas when it would convert to midweek and non-holiday. I figured that the closest I might get to Jay was seeing it from the couple of south-west facing slopes of Kaboul. With a group of us committing, it meant that we’d always have someone to carpool with too.

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Sommet Saint Sauveur Drops the Puck

White Ribbon season has never done it for me. Skiing is supposed to be an expression of freedom, and I never felt that while bouncing down an icy highway with so many others. But, with the forecast predicting 5 millimeters of frozen rain before a huge warmup, the power of schuss compelled me to get over preconceived notions and enjoy a day — or night — outside. You don’t know till you go, they say.

drone photo of Sommet Saint Sauveur at night

Well ‘they’ don’t always know what they’re talking about, but this time it was great advice. I hadn’t been to Sommet Saint Sauveur in quite some time. For me, it’s almost a victim of being too close and obvious to consider, but that just shows what I know.

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