Since the arrival of a certain pandemic in March 2020, Quebec skiers and snowboarders have been greatly missed at Vermont resorts. This is what La Presse found by going down the slopes of two favorited mountains of amateurs, Jay Peak and Stowe, to highlight the reopening of the borders.
Located just under two hours by car from Montreal, Jay Peak station needs no introduction. With its wide variety of trails (81 in total) and its vertical drop of 656 m, the resort delights many Quebecers every year. The feeling is mutual. The proof? To address fluctuations in the lone (which is worth about 78 cents US at the time of this writing), Jay Peak accepts Canadian money at par with US money. To take advantage of the discount, customers must show proof of valid citizenship (passport, driver’s license) and pay cash. Unfortunately, we were unaware of this policy when purchasing our lift ticket. Having withdrawn nothing at the counter before crossing the border, we had to pay for our half-day access by means of a credit card, and thus absorb the exchange rate, which increased the price of the ticket by $22 (from US$76 to C$98).
Another proof of Jay Peak’s affection for Quebecers: the signs are often bilingual. In addition, a track is called Montrealer (La Montréalaise, in French). To get there, take the Jet Triple Chair lift.
In an interview, Jay Peak’s communications director, JJ Toland, welcomed the return of Quebecers. The closing of the borders has affected us a lot. Half of the people who ski at Jay Peak are from Canada. Without them, 2021 has been a tough year, to say the least. JJ Toland, Communications Director of Jay Peak.
For this reason, Quebecers who will find Jay Peak this season will not detect any novelty. “We did not make any significant investments because when we made our budget, we anticipated the worst for the second year in a row, explains JJ Toland. We had prepared for another year of minimal, if not zero, traffic from Canada.
In terms of infrastructure, nothing has changed much in Stowe either, apart from these “Adventure Zones” mentioned by Jeff Wise, director of communications of Vail Resorts, during our visit. These are areas accessible from the beginner and intermediate slopes.
Located two and a half hours from Montreal, Stowe Mountain, which celebrates its 85th anniversary this year, contains two distinct peaks: Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak. The resort offers a vertical drop of 719 m and, above all, 129 runs. Those reserved for experienced skiers being closed during our visit, we exclusively explored the intermediate ones. Too bad, because seeing the look of the double diamonds through the windows of the imposing gondola that took us to an altitude of 1105 m, we were salivating at the idea of attacking some of them. The GOAT, named after the acronym “Greatest of All Time”, which in French means “best of all time”, was certainly part of the lot.
We are very happy to welcome Canadians back. You have always been part of our winter sports community. Jeff Wise, Vail Resorts Director of Communications
After-ski Both resorts offer two different types of après-ski. Jay Peak offers a choice: the “relaxation” option, made up of restaurants, a cinema, a spa, and an outdoor fire surrounded by benches to slouch on, and the “exhaust our last reserves of energy”, with its climbing wall and (fasten your toque) its indoor water park. In just a few minutes, you can therefore switch from merino wool jersey to swimsuit.
As for the pandemic health measures, very present last year, such as wearing a mask outside, physical distancing and the obligation to book well in advance, they have disappeared. “Our visitors can do whatever they want,” JJ Toland assured us.
On the Stowe side, après-ski is slightly more traditional. In the heart of the “village”, at the foot of Spruce Peak (which you access by taking a gondola from Mount Mansfield), there are a few shops, restaurants, a whiskey bar, a microbrewery, as well as a theatre of 420 squares, where a variety of “cultural” events are presented.
For those who wish to fully experience the theme of sliding sports, an outdoor skating rink is in the centre of the esplanade. You can rent skates there, which you leave after use in bins located near the ice area, without having to return to the counter. “It’s a code of honour,” an attendant told us.
Yes, Quebecers like to ski in Vermont, but they are not the only ones. Americans also like to slalom in the north-eastern United States and can travel hundreds of miles to satisfy this need. A single glance at the parking spaces at the foot of the slopes is enough to realize this. Nevada, Florida, New Mexico, Washington, Massachusetts, New York, Rode Island, Connecticut, Pennsylvania… We identified license plates from all over Uncle Sam’s country during our stay.