February 2000 trip to Parc du Mont-Tremblant

Pictures from a long trip to the Parc du Mont-Tremblant north of Montreal. This is a big annual affair of the Murray Hill Canoe Club and is organized by John Wilson. I've been going on this trip for about five years now, and have always had a great time. We left on Saturday, skied on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, and returned on Wednesday. Click on one of the thumbnails to see a larger image.

Day 1: I went with Bob Holt and John Linderman (JPL) to Refuge du Liteau, a relatively leisurely ski of about 22 km (round trip).

• Bob and JPL near the top of the long climb towards the hut.
• JPL outside the hut.
• Bob and I outside the hut. None of us apparently have the sense to go inside... (photo by JPL)

Day 2: Bob Melville, Bill Donahue and I decided that a visit to the cabin at Lac Ernie was called for. This is a beautiful ski, normally of about 25 km but over some fairly difficult terrain which makes it a full day. On an insane whim, we convinced ourselves that we should do it ``the hard way,'' which involves reaching Lac Ernie via a longer loop. This boosts the distance to about 34 km.

• Part of the ski on the outbound loop is along a road. Bob is not particularly worried that we might get a speeding ticket.
• Bob: ``I think these potato sticks may have been in my pack a little too long.'' Bill: ``I knew we should have taken a left turn at Albuquerque.''
• Bob at the easternmost tip of the loop, where the trail turns back southwest towards the lake.
• We all take a well-deserved break at the cabin
• Nerds triumphant -- back in time to catch the bus after six hours of frantic skiing (photo by Teun Ott).

Day 3: The ritual trip to Mont Johannsen. We go to the Mont Tremblant downhill ski area, take the lift up to the top, ski over and up to the summit of Mont Johannsen, and then down the back side and back around to the base of the downhill area. We had an unusually large group, around fifteen people (out of thirty-something on the trip). As best I can remember: Bob Melville, Bob Holt, JPL, Brian Coan, John and Carol Wilson, Carlos and Victoria Perez, Teun Ott, Peggy Quinn, Fred Hesselgrave, Ariela and Schlomo Halfin, Rozi Kovesdi, and me.

• Getting ready at the start of the trail to the summit
• Bob "Jackrabbit" Melville waiting for the rest of the group to catch up
• Looking out from near Pangman's Peak (photo by Bob)
• Bob chowing down at the summit of Johannsen
• A flock of Canada jays near the summit played jackalope and dropped snow on our heads until we agreed to feed them. You can still see some of the snow on my hat
• On the trail down from the summit shortly after the Drop o' Death. Any snow on me by this time comes from falling, not birds...