October 23-24 2024 Mont Tremblant

 

A.T. Lane and Birdie Munger headed north to Mont Tremblant on October 23 & 24. A.T. knew the track well. It was new territory for Birdie. 

A.T. and Birdie met at the MoWest train station for the 7:07am Exo train to St-Jerome

The essence of the trip was revealed in St-Jerome; Mile '0' of Le P'tit Train du Nord multi-use path. The historic train station was a harbinger of the route, former stations and historical displays that lay ahead. These reflect the glory years of passenger rail service in the region, spanning almost a century before the last train trip on November 15, 1981.

 

 

 

Birdie's reflections on passenger rail travel were quickly quashed by a 20-km closure of the path. We'd known about the closure but we didn't expect the barren and risk-ridden alternate route - Hwys 117 and 370 from Prévost to Ste-Marguerite via Ste-Adèle. We negotiated the rubbled road shoulder, speeding vehicles and Laurentian hills and were happy to arrive at Km 33 on le P'tit Train du Nord. 

 

 

 

What followed was a gradual climb to Ste-Agathe (with lunch in Val David) and then a coast down to lac Mercier and the historic Vieux Tremblant village. We enjoyed unseasonably-warm weather that was interrupted by perhaps only 30 minutes of rain. 

 

 

Hotel Mont Tremblant is a wonderful historic yet modest hotel in the village, with a good menu for dinner. For breakfast, we walked next door to Ocafé; a bike shop and barista café with healthy meals. 

Then, we turned our minds to the ride back, but this time at a temperature of only 3C

 

And we cycled the almost 100 km back to St-Jerome. It was noteworthy because of the golden path created by the fallen larch tree needles.

We gritted our teeth, took the 20-km detour again onto the deadly roads and made it safely back to the path. A.T. and Birdie remarked at the irony that we were directed off le P'tit Train du Nord for reasons of safety, only to be abandoned to find our own way on a dangerous route. 

Le P'tit Train du Nord is a wonderful path. The Laurentian setting, its history, the destination and the challenge of an almost 100km ride each day offset the humdrum nature of a rail-to-trail path. The sights and the concept of the path bring it to life!

Birdie Munger. 

 

Videos by A.T. Lane