Head over heels for Mont-Tremblant
Thrill-seekers can enjoy breathtaking views of the famed Laurentians at 60 km/h
MONT-TREMBLANT, QUE.— I’m about to hurl down a mountain at top speed. Yes, out of my own will. “Three, two, one, let go!” Within seconds, I’m flying over the treetops of one of the most popular moun- tains in the Laurentians.
As the sky whizzes by underneath me, the skin on my cheeks and hands ripple from the pummelling wind.
We’re going about 60 kilometres per hour, after all.
By the time I belt out a giant “Woohoo!” I’ve completed the first of five zip lines. Good thing I get to do it again.
Zip lines — where a person harnessed to a cable slides down it for fun — are popping up all over, with Mont-Tremblant being the latest destination to jump on the trend.
With an elevation of 875 metres (2,871 feet) and a national park as its backdrop, it’s an obvious fit.
Adventurers have long flocked to the region to enjoy its vast nature, wildlife and challenging peaks.
But you really don’t need to be in top shape to zip line. Anyone can do this — though being a bit of a thrill-seeker will help.
“We had a 92-year-old woman join us and she had a great time,” an enthusiastic guide tells me.
There is a little hiking from one zip line platform to the next, but it’s a welcome downhill trek through the lush forest.
The zip-line experience starts by suiting up at the mountain’s base.
Harness and helmets on. No bags, no cameras, no dangly bits. Then, a gondola ride to the summit.
On our way up, I learn the resort town of Mont-Tremblant was built by a millionaire eccentric named Joe Ryan.
He was an American who, as it turns out, was so taken by the region’s beauty he decided to build a ski resort on his favourite peak, the one with the best view.
At the summit, there’s nothing but 360 degrees of stunning forest, rolling hills and moody skies. He sure knows how to pick them.
Before we whoosh down the next line, which is over one kilometre long, by the way, our guides talk us through three educational plaques located on the platform.
The company that operates the ziplining tours, Ziptrek Ecotours, includes a sustainability education component in all their excursions. For example, in any one outing, a guide may discuss how you and the local wildlife are part of the same ecosystem, or they’ll examine ways people can waste less in their everyday lives.
Admittedly, this aspect was a little too preachy for my liking, but I understand its worth.
As we clip in, I can’t help feeling a little childlike.
“This time you should fall backwards,” my guide tells me. “Just let the line take you.” And so I do. Again! Again! Kristin Kent’s visit was subsidized by Intrawest Mont Tremblant. Follow her on Twitter @kent_kristin