This story was Published in the Montreal Gazette and The Hamilton Spectator

Published: February 2000

By Heather Burke

The kids anxiously await a reprieve from their arduous schoolwork, and you deserve that overly coined “quality time” together. With so many options, how do you choose the best activities, and avoid the worst?

The worst part of spring break lies within its very name. Long referred to with the misnomer “Spring Break”, we are faced with the ironic reality that it still is winter in Quebec. Perhaps a better name would be “snow break”.

The best part of spring break lies in the plentiful opportunities for fun in the nearby mountains. Quebec alone offers an impressive 85 ski areas from which to choose. Leave the hubbub of the city, drive to the mountains, and breathe some fresh air. Here are some of the best offerings on snow this year:

In the Eastern Townships, Bromont gives the best guarantee for skiers and riders. If you are not completely satisfied during your first 30 minutes, you get a ticket to return another time. Bromont puts their proverbial money where their mouth is. The snowmaking capacity doubled with 80 new snow guns online this season, and they continue to lay out the corduroy by grooming two or three times a day.

Owl’s Head has the best motto, “Discover real life without waiting in line”. No doubt we work too hard to spend our leisure time waiting for anything, even a chairlift. To back up their slogan, Owl’s Head has a new detachable quad to improve their uphill capacity.

The best new kids trail can be enjoyed by those 7 and under at Mont Orford. “Magic Forest” is an animated glade adventure for youngsters. Older kids, and kids at heart, have not been neglected; three additional tree skiing trails offer expert and intermediate thrills on Orford. A new ice-climbing site at Mont Alfred-Desrochers offers thrill seekers the best opportunity to scale the ice wall using the latest in equipment.

Mont Saint-Sauveur garners the best of night skiing. The evening spectacle of lights, thanks to 500,000 watts of energy, provides skiers and riders the ultimate variety for night turns in the Laurentians.

Best expansion for the season is at ever-capitalizing Tremblant. The opening of Versant Soliel adds 20% to Tremblant’s already extensive terrain. This new wilderness-like section features 15 new trails, the majority of which have been designed to enhance the mountain’s characteristic glades and winding contours, accessed with the modern convenience of a quad, of course.

Tremblant continues to offer the best slopeside village for après ski, shopping, pub hopping, swimming and even catching a movie without taking off your ski boots. Tremblant has a last minute booking offer of $99 per person,per day for 2 days of skiing and 2 nights of lodging (double occupancy) in a studio room at Les Suites.

Mont Blanc debuted the best of new indoor kids’ facilities. The new children’s complex, “la Jungle Magique” is a veritable playground where 3-12 years olds will delight in the giant maze, a popular ball pit, and even a Tarzan swing. For the younger set, Mont Blanc has a new daycare for 2-5 year olds. Out on the slopes, the new Pathfinder Express quad improves the uphill ride by replacing two t-bars and making way for a new ski trail.

Mont Sainte Anne will host the best juniors from over 50 countries Feb 19-23 for the 2000 Championship Super G and Downhill. As tradition goes, Mont Sainte-Anne will again celebrate the best continuous “Family Festival” with character visits and puppet shows to paragliding from mid February to mid-March, and children 13 and under stay for free with special lodging packages.

The best snowboard park improvements are at Stoneham this winter. Their snow park now boasts two half pipes, a pyramid for hits and launches, plus an extreme double cross area, which are all buffed daily with a high-tech pipe dragon. Stoneham will make merry during “Family Challenge Day” Sunday March 5 with snow sculptures, face painting and equipment demos. A five-day family ski and stay package at Stoneham is $999 for 2 adults and 2 children in a studio.

Le Massif will host their first Great Owl Festival on Feb. 26. “La Fête du Grand Duc” legend goes that when the nocturnal owl feels a snowstorm coming he can be seen flying by day. Le Massif will pay homage to the bird and implore it for more snow before spring. On-mountain regional tasting, performances by a Charlevoix legend teller and cultural dances are among the plans. “Le Massif a tout prix” is the best skiing and lodging deal starting at $54 per person, per night, double occupancy, including a day skiing and breakfast.

In the states, the most romantic setting for families is Vermont’s Wildflower Inn, within 3 hours of Montreal, just 2 miles from Burke Mountain. This beautiful historic inn treats guests to fine lodging, delicious country inn meals, and best of all - kids are more than welcome in this charming environment. Young inn guests can feel free to explore the awesome sledding hill, the ice-skating pond, and the petting zoo. Snowshoe and cross country tours are led by naturalists and in the evening by the innkeeper himself. The news gets better; the Wildflower Inn will accept Canadian at Par on their lodging during the month of March. Nearby Burke Ski Area offers an expansive beginner area, a top-notch ski school for all abilities, and an upper mountain with plenty of challenge and incredible glades to satisfy all skiers and riders.

For the best history lesson, the 1902 Hotel Mount Washington in New Hampshire has been meticulously restored to welcome her first winter guests this 2000 season. This grand hotel has been hosting summer guests, celebrities, and dignitaries for a century. Now families can stay at the gracious Hotel at the foot of majestic snow covered Mount Washington, and choose from alpine or cross country skiing at New Hampshire’s largest ski resort - Bretton Woods, snow shoeing, ice skating, sledding, or swimming. Concluding each thrilling day is gourmet dining and dancing to an orchestra in the elegant formal dining room. The children are treated to their own “King of the Mountain” supervised evenings. All this grandeur will cost you, but you will be part of history as one of the first winter guests ever in this renaissance hotel.

World famous outdoor clothier L.L. Bean has created the best Outdoor Discovery Course for winter sports adventurers in northern New Hampshire, just 132 miles from Montreal. Participants will take part in expert led sessions in cross-country skiing, snow shoeing, learn map and compass reading skills during the day and return to the gracious four star Balsams Wilderness Resort for accommodations, the finest cuisine and entertainment each evening at the historic resort. The all-inclusive four-day, three-night course March 5-8 is $559-$709 US per person.

The best opportunity to “Ski from Yurt to Yurt” through the Great North Woods with a wilderness guide is on Moosehead Lake in northern Maine. The Birches Resort's two-day odyssey package includes the guided cross-country tour, gourmet lunch, lobster dinner, and accommodations in heated yurts for $139 US per person. The 11,000 acre private preserve Birches Resort combines outdoor winter activities of Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling and ice fishing with the cozy comforts of a country lodge, your own hand-hewn log cabin, or a yurt. There is also downhill skiing for an affordable $15 US at nearby Big Squaw Mountain.

As for the worst school vacation option, stay home without any change of scenery. It is a fact, boredom brings out the worst in a child’s behavior – including but not limited to “whining”. Perhaps they call it “spring break,” because without exciting outdoor diversions, vacationing school kids will break every spring to your home furnishings. Without planned getaways, you will be faced with another cruel revelation. “Break” may be synonymous with “nervous break down” if you do not get out and enjoy some of the best that spring has to offer.

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Where to go:
For up to the moment worldwide snow conditions:
www.snocountry.com
Laurentians
www.laurentides.com
www.montsaintsauveur.com 1-514-227-4671
www.ski-mont-blanc.com 1-800-567-6715
www.tremblant.ca 1-800-461-8711

Eastern Townships
www.glen.qc.ca 1-877-243-6142
www.mt-orford.com 1-800-567-2772
www.montsutton.com 1-800-663-0214
www.owlshead.com 1-450-292-3342
www.skibromont.com 1-888-866-4270

Quebec
www.lemassif.com 1-418-632-5876
www.mont-sainte-anne.com 1-800-463-1568
www.ski-stoneham.com 1-800-463-6888

US Info:
www.wildflowerinn.com 1-800-627-8310
www.burkemountain.com 1-877-754-2875
www.mtwashington.com 1-800-258-0330
www.brettonwoods.com 1-603-278-1000
www.birches.com 1-800-825-9453
www.thebalsams.com l-800-255-0600
www.llbean.com/odp 1-888-552-3261

Reproduction of this work, in whole or in part, including images, without written consent from the author, Heather Burke, and photographer, Greg Burke is prohibited.

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