Ottawa Ski Club - the Gatineau Valley Historical Society

YEAR BOOK 1951-52 35
I.
LAURENTIAN WEEK-END
by J.S.P.
For years I had anticipated a visit by the time we got away the mercury
to the far-famed Laurentians to find had risen to 16° below. In order to
out for myself what mystic charm
this ·region holds for skiers. In retrospect,
there s·eems ·tQ be no single
factor .that lures them back again year
after year, but rather a combina-tion
of many ·features that are unique:
the matchless S·cenery, the quaint
French-Canadian atmosphere, the high
·avoid Montreal we went by way of
Hawkesbury, Lachute and St. Jerome,
where we cut into highway No. 11.
At Ste . . Agathe we turned off onto
No. 3~, a velvety snow-packed road
with perfect traction. The beauty oi
the 18 miles to Jasper was positively
bewitching. We were driving .into
the setting sun ,and the pink glow
Lake Archambault, as Seen From Jasper in Quebec
hills covered with a fluffy powder
snow that puts new vitality in the
oltl skis, >the carefree goodfellowship
prevailing everywhere- all ·this combined
with luxurious living ajjds· up
to something irresistible. And al·
though my wife and I spent only a
weekend at Ja-sper in Quebec, we
packed mQre v·ariety and pure enjoyment
into it ·than we ever .had thought
reflecting on the virgin snow spread
polychromatic and ever-changing
tones over the entire landscape. The
road wove its way through the snow·
laden evergreens, and every curve re·
vealed a new beauty spot: high hills
sl!!intillating amid the glorious colours
of the last rays ·Of fading sunlight
and casting ·purple shadows in the
deep valleys-cabins nestling in
possible. But let us get on with friendly niches or perched on prethe
story. carious headwails----then at times for
On the morning of Friday the 9th
of February, the prospect looked
pretty grim- the .temperature' at 8 a.m.
registered 26° below zero! However,
miles the deep silences of an un·
known and uninhabited wildernes.s ...
When Jas·per came in sight we were
struck by the beautiful modernistic