Mont-Sainte-Anne Mountain Resort in Quebec, Canada, is a popular destination for skiers and snowboarders. As part of a series on ski resorts, Huffington Post Travel offers our guide to Mont-Sainte-Anne Mountain Resort, featuring all the key information snow lovers need to know before they hit the slopes.
The Basics
is 25 miles northeast of Quebec, Canada, in the town of Beaupre beside the St. Lawrence River. It is about three hours from Montreal and six hours from Montpelier, Vermont, or Bangor, Maine. The nearest major airport is
, which offers direct flights from the United States. Quebec CIty can also be reached by
train service or by
bus service (note: the Intercar website is in French).
The Mountain
rises to a summit of 2,625 feet, with a vertical drop of 2,050 feet. The resort has a skiable area of 465 acres. The season spans from November to the end of April or early May, courtesy of an average of 184 inches of natural snow each season, supplemented by snowmaking on 80 percent of the skiing terrain. The resort also boasts the largest Cross-Country Ski Center in Canada. Given the cold weather that prevails, the conditions are frequently icy.
Trails And Lifts
Mont-Sainte-Anne Mountain Resort offers 66
spread out on three sides of the mountain; 23 percent of the trails are easy, 45 percent are intermediate, 18 percent are advanced and 14 percent are expert. Especially challenging are the double-black-diamond trails, the Beast, the S and the Super S. The three runs in the Black Forest area of the resort include the double-black-diamond Triumph and two black-diamond trails -- Munster and Schnell. The resort's three snow parks include one for beginners, an intermediate level park and the challenging XL park.
touts the resort's two half-pipes. One pipe is built to World Cup standards. Night skiing is available until 9 p.m. four nights a week, with the resort offering the highest vertical for night skiing in Canada. Mont-Sainte-Anne has 11
-- three quad chairs, one triple chair, one double chair, one high-speed gondola and five surface lifts.
In The News
Since its official opening, Mont-Sainte-Anne Mountain Resort has
"seven World cup Alpine events, eight World Cup or FIS snowboard events and two major international cross-country championships." The resort also hosts a series of Powerade Academy races for both kids and adults. An annual fundraising event, the
, brings together Alpine and cross-country skiers with snowboard and snowshoe enthusiasts to benefit a variety of charities.
Cost
The
for lift tickets (in Canadian dollars) are $66 for a one-day adult pass, $52 for youth ages 13 to 17, $35 for youth ages 7 to 12 and $56 for seniors 65 and older. Night skiing ranges from $19 to $31. Prices are slightly higher during the peak season, from roughly the last week of February to the third week of March. Discounts are available for multiday tickets.
cost $1,329 for adults.
offer snow enthusiasts lodging, equipment rental, shuttle service and lift tickets for both Mont-Sainte-Anne and Stoneham Mountain Resort, which is also about half an hour from Quebec City. The Mont-Saint-Anne Mountain Resort
sell equipment, such as Head or Rossignol skis and clothing. Rental equipment is also available. Prices for a one-day ski rental range from $29 to $37 and, for boots, from $10 to $14; prices are slightly higher during the peak season. Lessons are available from one of 150 professional instructors.
Apres-Ski
The lodges at Mont-Sainte-Anne offer good food, and there's a variety of
choices, from three- and four-star hotels to condos. Snow sports can be combined with a relaxing visit to the
, about four miles away. However, for a real variety of hotels, restaurants, bars and other attractions, visitors make the half-hour drive to Quebec City to take advantage of the French flavor of the city and all the gourmet dining, shopping, museums and nightlife one would expect from Quebec's second-largest city.
WATCH: Mont-Sainte-Anne Mountain Resort
Advertisement
A skier takes on the slopes at Mont-Sainte-Anne, providing a first-hand glimpse of what this resort has to offer.