1975 Ski East / Ski dans l'Est Pictorial View of Quebec Ski Resorts

A scarce, charming large-format c. 1975 pictorial view of five alpine ski resorts in Quebec's Eastern Townships and northern Vermont, produced by the association Ski East / Ski dans l'Est.

A Closer Look

This view is oriented towards the east-southeast, with Montreal in the foreground, with several landmarks (the Olympic Stadium, Mount Royal Cross, and Saint Joseph's Oratory) prominently displayed. A series of mountains and ski resorts lie behind the city, including Bromont, Mont Sutton, Jay Peak (in Vermont), Owl's Head, and Mont Orford. In addition to the resorts themselves, a series of hotels, inns, lodges, auberges, and chateaux are advertised. Aside from skiers and ski lifts, roads, airports, towns, equestrian activities, and lakes are illustrated. A U.S.-Canada border crossing (perhaps that at Richford, VT - Abercorn, QC) can be seen at the base of Jay Peak.

Skiing in Quebec

Although skiing has deep roots in Quebec, the development of ski resorts in the areas southeast of Montreal has largely been a postwar phenomenon. The 1960s saw the creation of ski resorts as major attractions for residents of Montreal and visitors from further afield. The ski resort at Bromont opened in 1964 and has become a major attraction, including being the largest resort in North America for illuminated (nighttime) alpine skiing. The other resorts seen here opened around the same time, with Jay Peak being the earliest, in 1957. In recent decades, several of the resorts have developed non-winter activities, including mountain biking and golfing, to attract visitors year-round.

Publication History and Census

This view is undated and includes no publication information. Nevertheless, the title very likely refers to Ski East / Ski dans l'Est, a now-defunct marketing association amongst Eastern Townships (and Jay Peak) that offered interchangeable multi-day tickets between the resorts. The initiative appears to have begun around 1974 and petered out after a few years (the Quebec resorts have more recently revived a 'passport' that functions much in the same way). Perhaps due to the brevity of the association, this view is quite scarce. Three examples are noted in the OCLC, at the Library of Congress, University of Michigan, and National Library of Scotland.