Mont Orford
Encyclopedia
Mount Orford is a mountain, ski resort and provincial park in the Eastern Townships
region of the Canadian
province of Quebec
, Canada
. It is a few minutes away from the town of Magog
and one hour from Montreal
.
The ski resort consists of three summits: Mont Giroux, Mont Orford and Mont Alfred Desrochers, and four sides. It is the home mountain of Olympic medalist Nicolas Fontaine
, and there is a glade named in his honour. The main summit, Orford, is served by a $6.5 million "Hybrid Chairlift" or Telemix. This means that on one single cable, instead of only gondolas or only chairs, there are both 8-person gondolas and 6-person chairs. This system is rather common in Europe, but it was the first of its kind in North America
.
In 2006, the provincial government and then-Environment Minister
Claude Béchard
announced the increase of the size of Orford as a provincial park. In addition, they would have sold the ski resort and golf course to private interests despite opposition from environmental groups. Inside the 80 hectares sold, developers planned to built condominiums, restaurants, boutiques and a hotel which were opposed by several groups. The planned development was to be similar to Mont-Tremblant
but on a lesser scale and several other projects had been planned previously. http://www.radio-canada.ca/regions/estrie/2006/09/06/001-react_Mont_orford.shtml. However, on May 7, 2007, new Environment Minister Line Beauchamp
announced that the province will not sell Orford http://www.cyberpresse.ca/article/20070507/CPACTUALITES/70507071/-1/CPACTUALITES
Eastern Townships
The Eastern Townships is a tourist region and a former administrative region in south-eastern Quebec, lying between the former seigneuries south of the Saint Lawrence River and the United States border. Its northern boundary roughly followed Logan's Line, the geologic boundary between the flat,...
region of the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is a few minutes away from the town of Magog
Magog, Quebec
Magog is a city in southeastern Quebec, Canada, about east of Montreal at the confluence of Lake Memphremagog--after which the city was named—with the Rivière aux Cerises and the Magog River...
and one hour from Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
.
The ski resort consists of three summits: Mont Giroux, Mont Orford and Mont Alfred Desrochers, and four sides. It is the home mountain of Olympic medalist Nicolas Fontaine
Nicolas Fontaine
Nicolas Fontaine is a Canadian freestyle skier. He was born in Magog, Quebec. He competed at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, where he placed sixth in aerials. He also competed at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano and at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.-References:...
, and there is a glade named in his honour. The main summit, Orford, is served by a $6.5 million "Hybrid Chairlift" or Telemix. This means that on one single cable, instead of only gondolas or only chairs, there are both 8-person gondolas and 6-person chairs. This system is rather common in Europe, but it was the first of its kind in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
.
In 2006, the provincial government and then-Environment Minister
Minister (government)
A minister is a politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional government. Senior ministers are members of the cabinet....
Claude Béchard
Claude Béchard
Claude Béchard was a politician in Quebec, Canada. He served as Quebec Liberal Party Member of the National Assembly for the riding of Kamouraska-Témiscouata in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region; as Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food as well as the Minister for Canadian Intergovermental...
announced the increase of the size of Orford as a provincial park. In addition, they would have sold the ski resort and golf course to private interests despite opposition from environmental groups. Inside the 80 hectares sold, developers planned to built condominiums, restaurants, boutiques and a hotel which were opposed by several groups. The planned development was to be similar to Mont-Tremblant
Mont-Tremblant
Circuit Mont-Tremblant is a race circuit about north of the village of Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, Canada. Formerly the village of Saint-Jovite was often included in the name but was amalgamated in 2000.-History:...
but on a lesser scale and several other projects had been planned previously. http://www.radio-canada.ca/regions/estrie/2006/09/06/001-react_Mont_orford.shtml. However, on May 7, 2007, new Environment Minister Line Beauchamp
Line Beauchamp
Line Beauchamp is a Quebec politician. She is the current Quebec Member of the National Assembly of Quebec for the Montreal riding of Bourassa-Sauvé as a member of the Quebec Liberal Party...
announced that the province will not sell Orford http://www.cyberpresse.ca/article/20070507/CPACTUALITES/70507071/-1/CPACTUALITES
Facilities
- Triple yurtYurtA yurt is a portable, bent wood-framed dwelling structure traditionally used by Turkic nomads in the steppes of Central Asia. The structure comprises a crown or compression wheel usually steam bent, supported by roof ribs which are bent down at the end where they meet the lattice wall...
summit lodge, unique in the province - Base lodge with bar, cafeteria and rooftop terraces
- Summit Snack-Bar
- Telemix
- Mix of groomed cruising trails and challenging moguls/glades
- Ski shop, repair shop, and rental center
See also
- Eastern TownshipsEastern TownshipsThe Eastern Townships is a tourist region and a former administrative region in south-eastern Quebec, lying between the former seigneuries south of the Saint Lawrence River and the United States border. Its northern boundary roughly followed Logan's Line, the geologic boundary between the flat,...
- Sherbrooke
- Mont Tremblant ResortMont Tremblant ResortMont Tremblant Ski Resort is a year-round resort in the Laurentian Mountains of Quebec, Canada, about 130 km northwest of Montreal. It is best known as a ski destination, but also features a lake suitable for swimming and two golf courses in the summer months...
- List of ski areas and resorts in Canada