Do you ski?

[dcbjms]

Used to do quite a bit of skiing as a kid (for Dr. Frankenstein's benefit, the furthest north I went skiing as a kid was back during the '90s at The Balsams, which IIRC is currently under renovation) as well as snow tubing - at one point I used to be in the local Special Olympics.  I really liked it a lot, but even though I wanted to continue with it it became too much so I stopped.  On the other hand, I wouldn't mind doing it again.

[Dr Frankenstein]

What's your recommendation for southern QC mountains?  I am a high blue/low black snowboarder, for what that's worth.

Depends what you prefer.
Groomed trails: Bromont, Owl's Head.
Mix of groomed and natural trails, plus some easy gladed trails: Sutton.
A bit more challenging: Orford.

Just short of Quebec, you have Jay Peak in Vermont, which is one of my favourites.

If you include areas north of Montreal and Quebec City up in the Laurentian mountains, you can add pretty much everything in the Saint-Sauveur Valley although I find them kind of boring (but if you do like quick, short runs, do go there). Tremblant is a nice, bigger mountain for your level, but it's very touristy (and thus, overrated and overpriced); find deals and go mid-week, that's what I do. Around Quebec City, Le Massif is kinda touristy too, Mt. Ste. Anne is more interesting in my opinion (but YMMV), Stoneham is great and underrated.

There's ±80 ski areas in Quebec, so I could go on and on.

Here's a map (in French) that I made with one of my colleagues. Click a mountain's icon and then "GUIDE" for stats, pics, trail map (under "pistes" in the cover pic), etc.

[J N Winkler]

I have never gone skiing.  No member of my family has done it and while I have a few close friends that do, none of them have lived near enough to me to show me the ropes.  From where I live, it is a minimum 600 miles' drive in any direction to the nearest ski area.

Wichita does have one ski shop and since it is on the east side of town (traditionally the millionaires' quarter) and is frequented by the obviously affluent, it conforms to the stereotype of skiing as a rich person's sport.  However, in mountain resorts I suspect it is quite accessible to the working poor, in much the same way that golfing is accessible at low cost to golf pros at country clubs or riding to hounds is to tenant farmers with a sideline in dog-breeding.

In winter the most difficult days from the standpoint of exercise are the ones when it is just cold but there is no snow to shovel.  In the major snowstorms of 2011 and 2012 I got a considerable amount of exercise just shoveling snow.  I continue to go to the gym in the winter, so I am never in the position of having to skip all exercise, though snow, slush, or ice on the sidewalks or in the gutters prevent me from getting the benefit of two miles' walk outdoors every day.

[Pete from Boston]

What's your recommendation for southern QC mountains?  I am a high blue/low black snowboarder, for what that's worth.

Depends what you prefer.
Groomed trails: Bromont, Owl's Head.
Mix of groomed and natural trails, plus some easy gladed trails: Sutton.
A bit more challenging: Orford.

Just short of Quebec, you have Jay Peak in Vermont, which is one of my favourites.

If you include areas north of Montreal and Quebec City up in the Laurentian mountains, you can add pretty much everything in the Saint-Sauveur Valley although I find them kind of boring (but if you do like quick, short runs, do go there). Tremblant is a nice, bigger mountain for your level, but it's very touristy (and thus, overrated and overpriced); find deals and go mid-week, that's what I do. Around Quebec City, Le Massif is kinda touristy too, Mt. Ste. Anne is more interesting in my opinion (but YMMV), Stoneham is great and underrated.

There's ±80 ski areas in Quebec, so I could go on and on.

Here's a map (in French) that I made with one of my colleagues. Click a mountain's icon and then "GUIDE" for stats, pics, trail map (under "pistes" in the cover pic), etc.

Wow, an excellent site, and great tips.  Thanks.