Backcountry Cross-Country Ski Trip in Mont Tremblant National Park

In mid-February 2023 I went on a solo ski trip at Mont Tremblant National Park in Quebec. As a last minute (as in, already on route) idea, I decided to take video of my trip on my cell phone.

I created this video because I like telling stories from my life, which are the only stories I know to tell. But also because I'd like to get better at video-making which means doing it.

That's my way of saying I recognize that I have huge room for improvement in my story telling, video and audio recording.

I look forward to getting better with practice and better equipment. (If I decide video making is worth the effort!)

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timestamps
0:18 Chapter One: Skiing In
2:12 Is someone already at the cabin?
2:36 Chapter Two: Arriving, Camp Chores & Evening
3:22 Making water
6:19 Introducing the fleas
8:15 Camp supplies, gear, and cabin tour
11:13 How's the snow melting going?
13:20 Filtering water for drinking
14:20 Making kindling while they're still light
15:55 Supper making: Potatoes
17:00 Chapter three: A day of skiing!
17:50 Cabin update - sharing shelter with the rodents and the leaking roof
20:04 Coffee time
21:06 The fire's banked, let's go Skiing
21:58 My day pack
25:04 Falling
25:33 On the climb to La Hutte
25:56 Getting a hot spot, preventing blisters
27:46 One of the things I like about winter adventuring, boring routes become interesting
29:36 Arriving at La Hutte
31:15 Layering while resting
31:53 Always bring a sit pad
32:48 Departing after lunch
34:44 A couple years ago I fell, hard, while skiing
35:00 Here comes the snowmobile
37:46 3 in the afternoon, home or more skiing?
39:26 More fleas and the fleas explained
43:55 Chapter Four: Last night at Camp
43:17 The leaking roof
45:14 Supper making: Pasta
46:19 Drying out my boots
48:28 Chapter Five: Day Three: Ski Out
49:00 I did not sleep well!
52:13 Onto to my second coffee
52:35 Boots update
53:59 Breakfast
55:15 Backpack ready to go
56:02 Filling the wood crate
57:46 Skiing out
58:48 Why I sometimes ski in the track and sometimes out of the track
1:04:00 Coming out of the woods
1:06:00 At the car

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Trip details:

My favorite days for these kinds of trips are non-weekend days. It's easier to find accommodations and there are less people out in the woods.

This trip was from Sunday to Tuesday.

Here's the kind of food I take on outdoor trips:    • GROCERY STORE BACKPACKING FOOD | Chea...  

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Fauna lesson: What's up with the fleas?

I learned about snow fleas after this trip. (You'll see in the video).

Here's a little snow flea lesson for you:

source: https://m.espacepourlavie.ca/blogue/e...

Snow fleas are not fleas, they're springtails, "little arthropods that are close cousins of insects."

"The springtail is dark blue and measures 1 to 2 millimeters in length...Springtails live in soils that are rich in organic matter as well as along bodies of water. In the spring, when the temperature is around 0°C, they climb up through the layers of snow, often at the foot of trees or close to big rocks. Several hundred individuals can be found in the same spot and make up little clusters, similar to black dust, deposited on the snow. When the temperature drops, they go back to where they came from...Their density can reach 100,000 individuals per square meter."

When snow is on the ground sringtails come up to the surface "to feed on the algae, microorganisms and fungus spores that they find on the snow. Since the start of winter their metabolisms have been at rest: they breathe less, no longer eat, don’t grow, and have stopped breeding. They survive in cold temperatures notably thanks to 'antifreeze' proteins present in their blood."

Source: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-s...

"While snow fleas can be found all across North America in all seasons, they tend to be most noticeable in the late winter when they climb up from the dirt in the direction of the sun."

see also:
https://www.maine.gov/dacf/php/gotpes...

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What do people do with damp ski boots?

Help me out here folks! How do you dry your damp ski boots overnight? Do they ever get fully dry while you're out on a trip?

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Music (in order of first appearance):
Top of the Morning by TrackTribe
A Narrow Path by Least Carpet
Meeka by Steve Adams
Morning Joe by Patino
Haystacks by Least Carpet
On the Rocks by TrackTribe
Winter Ride by Twin Musicom

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Links:
Follow-up Video:    • Taking care of my own needs in the woods  
Our family's AT Thru-hike video series:    • A Family Thru-Hikes the Appalachian T...  
October Camping & Hiking (Solo):    • October Camping & Hiking at Parc Eco ...