Mont Sutton is known for its glades wide enough to groom and trails that wind all over the mountain as they follow the terrain's natural contours. The resort gets loads of powder, and that adds to the fun.

A trip to Sutton is a step back in time. The resort made its debut in 1960 and still has some of its original chair lifts, which you board after working your way through a lift line of wooden fences and passing ticket-checker booths that look like little red-trimmed log cabins. All around you, skiers and riders decked out in the latest gear and apparel chatter away in French. Which reminds us to tell you that Sutton and the nearby town may just be one of the friendliest places we’ve ever visited. Everyone seems to know everyone, and if they don’t know you, they act like they do. By the way, just say bonjour or merci and everyone happily switches to English (yes, your accent will give you away!).

At first glance, Sutton appears to be a small area, but it skis like a large resort. Trails and glades take you all over the mountain before reaching the bottom. Ability levels are generally separated from each other: Beginner terrain is on the far right; intermediate terrain is in the middle; expert terrain is to the far left. Two lifts in the middle of the mountain also serve beginner terrain.

Glades, or sous-bois, clearly set this mountain apart from others. They are thinned enough to groom—not often, because they’re most fun in the powder. The glades were cut in 1960, long before other resorts even thought of such a thing. Trails follow the true fall line. You’re constantly winding your way down the mountain. Trails are also usually left au naturel—only 13 are groomed nightly, and fewer than that on a powder day. Are you getting the message yet? This charming retro resort gets a lot of powder, and that’s what the skiers here like, so the owners don’t mess with it. Speaking of the owners, the same family that opened the resort still runs it, with great affection and respect for the mountain and its guests.

The resort is one of four in a region known as the Eastern Townships.

Sutton Ski Resort Facts:

Summit elevation: 3,175 feet
Vertical drop: 1,500 feet
Base elevation: 1,675 feet

Expert: ++++
Advanced: ++++
Intermediate: ++++
Beginner: ++++
First-timer: +++

Address: 671, chemin Maple, Sutton, PQ Canada J0E 2K0
Area code: 450
Ski area phone: 538-2545
Snow report:
(866) 538-2545
Reservations:
(866) 538-2545
Fax: 538-0080
E-mail: sutton@montsutton.com
Internet: www.montsutton.com (resort); www.sutton.ca (town & township)

Number of lifts: 9—1 high-speed quad, 2 quads, 6 doubles
Skiable acreage: 174 acres
Snowmaking: 60 percent
Uphill capacity: 11,800 per hour
Parks & pipes: 1 park
Bed base: About 650 in Sutton (275 rooms)
Nearest lodging: Slopeside
Resort child care: Yes, 2 years to 5 years
Adult ticket, per day: C$48 (06/07, with taxes)

Eastern Townships Region Facts:

Eastern Townships Tourism Association
Address: 20, rue Don-Bosco Sud, Sherbrooke (Québec) J1L 1W4
Email: info@atrce.com
Internet:
www.easterntownships.org
Phones: (819) 820-2020; (800) 355-5755
Fax: (819) 566-4445

Quebec Tourism
Address: P.O. Box 979, Montréal, (Québec) H3C 2W3
Email: info@tourisme.gouv.qc.ca
Internet: www.bonjourquebec.com
Phones: Canada and US,
(877) 266-5687;
France, 0-800-90-77-77;
Belgium, 0-800-78-532
Fax: (514) 864-3838

For Region
Bed base: About 10,000 (4,189 rooms in ski region)
Dining: ++++
Après-ski/nightlife: +++
Other activities: +++