I got in a quick morning ski at Mont Cascades which is about 20mins from downtown Ottawa on the east side of the Gatineau River.  The weather was perfect with a high around zero and the sun coming out around 10am.  All the main trails were perfectly groomed with soft snow under your skis.  Fun Run, Crazy Creek, Detour and the Facade were left natural with loose snow and moguls.  Cascades was busy, its a top to bottom park trail with jumps, rails and a twisty ski cross like section.  Exhibition had race training on it but there was still space to blast down the middle under the old triple chair. Exhibition, Promenade, Gratton, Fun Run, Facade and the Cascades were my picks of the day. Today was the day to be out skiing with the perfect combo of conditions and weather.  The top of Hogan with Camp Fortune in the background.  The Gatineau river  Facade Exhibition

Mont Cascades is located in the Gatineau mountains, about 25 minutes from downtown Ottawa. While its main vocation is a ski resort in the winter, in the summer the mountain transforms into the region's Mountain Waterpark, featuring some of the exciting lineup of Ottawa based Proslide. The mountain offers trails and terrain ranging from beginner slopes in a dedicated ski area with it's own lifts, to advanced and race level slopes. The Mountain and the Ski Trails Mont Cascades is made up of 2 mountain faces, each having a different orientation to the sun. The beginner trails and intermediates are found on the main side, served by 4 lifts (Quad, 2 doubles and a magic carpet). The more expert terrain is on the other side of the mountain, served by a triple chair. All the trails have a constant slope to them, meaning you won't find yourself on a trail that has a flat section. Several of the intermediate trails, most notably Promenade and Facade have rolls and knolls in the slope, making it ...

Another perfect day for spring skiing, today at Mont Cascades. The weather was once again cool but without the strong winds from yesterday. I arrived ready to hit the slopes at 11am and already the snow had begun to soften. Nearly all trails were open with a few exceptions (Gratton and two of the cross-over trails between the East Quad and the main side). It honestly felt more like skiing in the winter than the spring. Standout trails this visit were Hogan (which I chose to enjoy over and over), as well as Alouette and Interlude. With no lines at the lifts, it was refreshing to run lap after lap, enjoying the fantastic snow. After lunch, there was actually a few snow flurries that were falling, a little sign that one last snow storm may still be on the way, let's hope it won't be too late.  Mont Cascades has seen several improvements over...

With another beautiful weekend filled with bluebird skies upon us, we decided to answer the call of the mountain and return to Mont Cascades for some more snowshoeing adventure. On this visit, we started our trek through the mountain from the World Cup side, versus the main chalet side. The trails from both ends link up once you reach the summit. The trails on this side start by passing in front of the World Cup chalet. Here you will find a large trail map flanked with snowshoes (reminiscent of those we used to use in elementary school). We choose trail #8, which is classified as double black diamond for difficulty. For the most part, the trail is fairly easy to hike, however as you approach the summit, there are two sections where the climb really increases in difficulty. Nothing impossible but the snow on this particular visit had a tendency to slip away...

Well I think the last time I was at Mont Cascades was like in grade 9! So with a few hours to spare on Saturday morning I decided to check it out. Having totally forgotten the lay out I parked at the first lot. I arrived around 9:30 and overnight we had gotten a light dusting of wet snow, maybe 2cms.  Anyway I went into the chalet to get my lift ticket.  The girl at the small concession stand informed me that they don’t sell tickets here and I would have to drive over to the main lot.  No thanks my ski boots were already on so I just got on the lift.  I took the old triple to the top and skied over to the other side to buy a three hour ticket.  The conditions were decent considering the terrible weather we have had for almost three weeks.  All the groomed runs...

It was a beautiful Sunday morning at Mont Cascades. After several days that brought some fresh snow, the trails were all covered nicely with fresh powder and a soft but firm base. The trails at Mont Cascades are suitable for all skill levels and difficulties and are free to access. There is a parking lot located right at the trail entrance. Almost all trails lead you to the summit via the backside of the mountain. The #5 trail is the most direct route but is the steepest to travel. For today's visit, we took a combination of the #2-3 trails, and then the #4 trail to the summit area. This route is on average easy to intermediate but provides a nice scenic trek through the forest. As you near the summit, you are treated to views of the Gatineau River and the surrounding region. The trip up to near the summit...

My first night out skiing of the season. The past few years, it always seems to take place at Mont Cascades. Why not, the mountain is fun, the ambiance is great, and the trails really come alive for me at night. The past week again saw some more mild weather and rain, and this time it did have some effect on the mountains, although nothing major. The skiing is still great, although the snow is now softer and more forgiving. It definitely feels closer to spring skiing than it was two weeks prior. I started on the World Cup side of the mountain. Here the terrain is the steepest and most challenging at Mont Cascades. This side also has a different orientation with the sun, so it is normal to expect that the conditions will vary from the rest of the mountain here, as was the case this evening. The snow...

After a week of serious snowfall, 51cm in Ottawa, you can be sure that ski conditions were going to be among the best you will ever find. So this Friday night, I set out after work to meet up with René and Sam to ski the snowy slopes of Mont Cascades. All the trails of the mountain were open, minus Hogan and Gratton (which are not lit for night skiing). The weather was not as cold as it has been the past few weeks making it easy to enjoy the snow without freezing. However, ice pellets were falling on and off throughout the evening. This in no way reduced the enjoyment of the evening, for the conditions were worth every moment. No ice but soft snow everywhere. Being Friday night, the mountain is open till 11:55pm, making it the perfect place to start the weekend. The new Doppelmayr quad chairlift adds...