So today Chick and Carole took me here:
That'd be Mont-Tremblant, the local equivalent to Koli. However, this little bump was some 875m instead of Koli's 400m or so, making it apparently the highest point in the province of Quebec. Or maybe just the ski resort with the biggest vertical drop, I dunno, confused and tired.
Anyhoo, this is what it looked like to drive there. It was a 125km (ish) drive and most of it was like this.
Those things in the background are called Laurentian mountains methinks. Problem: clouds were so low you couldn't see much of the mountains.
We arrived at Mont-Tremblant. Yeah, you really couldn't see anything. Visibility at the top was zero.
But this is how it looked like down there at the bottom.
Think they were going for an Alpine theme?
Not a town without a Marriott hotel I guess.
With swimming pools.
And minigolf.
Anvils, being really heavy and stuff, aren't generally believed to make for accepteble weathercocks, but this dude seemed to disagree.
Despite the fog and the clouds it was rather colourful there. This was the main street, pretty sure it was named Kandahar for whatever weird reason. Can't think of much Afghanistan and a skiresort in Quebec would have in common, but hey don't let that stop you.
Nice houses, eh?
Weirdo waterfall rapids thingy. Notice clear(-r +n) water.
Yeah still couldn't see anything. There was a lake at the bottom.
Went to grab a bite. This restaurant rocked.
Their menu didn't. Find at least two typos/mistakes and I'll give you a cookie.
Ooh weather's changing, awesomeness! Let's drive back.
Took the James Bond elevator up to the top.
Passed some folks trying to climb up. I guess they couldn't afford the lift.
Whoever photoshopped that charismatic stallion in there did a really poor job.
I don't remember why I chose to upload this particular photo. Think of something, I'm sure you can do it, just use your imagination.
Oh looky, it's teh town below.
View from the top. Notice the shadows the clouds are creating. Or don't.
That dude climbed all the way up to the summit. According to tourist information, it takes 2 hours to hike up there. This guy said he did it in 50 minutes. Liar liar pants on fire, but still thumbs up for making it up to the top without a Monty Python style heart attack.
View to the north I think.
They had like nine lifts at Mont-Tremblant. Also, seems like every single little hill you see in any of the pictures posted here has a ski resort. I stopped counting them after the 7th or so.
Oh yeah apparently there was a really beautiful lake there called Lac Superior, obviously named after how I always feel. Didn't see the lake though as I was too busy sleeping. You know how it is with me and cars and trains, sleepy time for little Juha.
from http://www.frommers.com/destinations/laurentianmountains/1037010001.html
VastaaPoistaIntroduction to Laurentian Mountains
55-129km (34-80 miles) north of Montréal
Don't expect spiked peaks or high, ragged ridges. The Laurentian Shield's rolling hills and rounded mountains are among the world's oldest, worn down by wind and water over eons. They average between 300m and 520m (984 ft. and 1,706 ft.) in height, with the highest being Mont-Tremblant, at 968m (3,176 ft.). .... but these are still not the Alps or the Rockies. They're welcoming and embracing as opposed to awe inspiring.
Half a century ago, the first ski schools, rope tows, and trails began to appear. Today, there are 14 ski centers within a 64km (40-mile) radius, and cross-country skiing has as enthusiastic a following as downhill. Sprawling resorts and modest lodges and inns are packed in winter with skiers, some of them through April. Trails for those with advanced skills typically have short pitches and challenging moguls, with broad, hard-packed avenues for beginners and the less experienced. Skiers can usually expect reliable snow from early December to mid-April ....