Mont Bellevue - December 26, 2023
With another forecast of rain in the next day or two, Lukas and I headed off to our community ski hill Mont Bellevue for a couple of hours to scratch the itch. We've had two (not so) decent rain events over the last few weeks that haven't been helpful whatsoever. Booked our tickets this morning just before leaving home, and booking online is pretty simple to do. Once you get your email confirming the purchase, you can print your lift ticket right at the outdoor kiosk. At Bellevue, you still get your paper ticket and wicket, (yes they are called wickets), to put on your jacket. It's still the old-school way here. No RFID cards yet.
We arrived early at 8:30 to get ready for our 9:00 - 11:00 slot. It was pretty mild as the temperatures did not get below freezing last night. It was cloudy with a few sun breaks, but that didn't last very long. It got cloudy as the time progressed. There were only two trails available plus a snow park on one of the loop trails. The Quad and the Magic Carpet were in operation. The Pomalift that was closed for the season last year is unfortunately closed this year as well. The cable is off the lift as are the platters.
As it was pretty mild this morning, you guessed it! Spring skiing in December. We skied groomed wet granular over a soft base. It wasn't slushy, more like mashed potatoes. Coverage was good. No bare patches on the two trails that are skiable. Trail 1 which is an Easy trail, and Trail 4, an Intermediate, were the two choices. There was no line up to get on the Quad during the time Lukas and I were there. Ski down and pretty much ski onto the lift.
The Bottom of the Quad at the Start of the Day - Trail 1 & Trail 4:
As you have noticed, there isn't a lot of snow in the woods at the moment thanks to Mother Nature, but at least during the cold spells they have made enough snow to get the mountain open albeit 2 trails at the moment. The snowmaking crew has done a great job with what they've been handed this season. Don't want to forget the grooming crew, as they have done a great job in getting the trails covered.
We made about a dozen runs during our 2 hour block. Lift tickets for Sherbrooke residents are very affordable. Lukas' ticket was $7, and mine was $12 for two hours. It got busier by the time we were done at 11am. We still had a great time with the limited number of trails available. Usually we are skiing the majority of the mountain by now especially the trail that runs under the Quad Chair. It's bare at the moment. Guns were set up on the trail so I imagine it's next to be covered with an upcoming cold spell after the rain. There will be more visits to Bellevue to come. It is a great place for my kids, or and other kids, and beginners to start here.A Few Other Scenes of the Day:
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