At the end of the first semester, WJ juniors and seniors were buzzing with excitement for the annual ski trip to Quebec City, Canada. The trip consists of three days and two nights in the city with students staying at the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac Hotel.
The trip begins with a 14-hour bus ride to the beautiful city of Quebec. The buses usually arrive at around 12 p.m. to the beautiful Mont St. Anne, where students would typically get to ski for the rest of the day. However, this year there was a last-minute change to the plans due to extreme winds on the mountain. The students were taken straight to the hotel and given the opportunity to explore the city as they waited for their rooms to be ready.
“I was a little disappointed that we weren’t able to ski all three days but I’m glad I got the chance to see the city during the day. I went to a restaurant with my friends for lunch and got the poutine, which is a very common meal in Canada,” senior David Tsaava said.
After touring the town and trying various traditional Canadian foods, the students returned to their hotel rooms, exhausted after a long day. Excited for the next day’s adventure, which will take them to the mountains, they prepare for an early wake-up call at 7:00 a.m.
The students report to their assigned bus at 8:15 am and head to Mont St. Anne for their second day of skiing. Those who choose not to ski could spend their day hanging out in the lodge and visiting nearby shops.
“I had surgery on my shoulder a few months ago so I was not cleared to ski yet. Even though I wish I could’ve [skied], I still had so much fun hanging out in the lodge with my friends,” senior Rose MacDermott said.
Skiing in Canada is very different from skiing at the typical Virginia resorts due to the size of the mountains as well as the superior snow conditions. During our trip, 58 out of 71 trails were open, allowing students to explore slopes of varying difficulty levels.
“The snow was so powdery and perfect. I am not used to such good snow because I’ve only ever been to mountains that are close to us. It was so different but so much better,” senior Natalya Krouse said.
After a long day of skiing, students return back to their hotels and bundle up to go out into the town at night. Walking through the town, most students stopped at different restaurants and pubs to grab dinner and socialize for a few hours before returning to the hotel for 10 p.m. check-in.
Although students were advised to bring warm clothes and bundle up, many were still not prepared for the temperatures they encountered while in Quebec City.
“I thought I would be warm enough in sweatpants so that is all I brought. We ended up having to walk everywhere so I definitely will be bringing warmer clothes when I go back next year,” junior Zack Roach said.
Despite the last-minute change in plans and the unanticipated cold weather, the students made the most of their time in Quebec and would recommend this trip to anyone going into their junior or senior year.
“I would definitely recommend this trip. It was an amazing experience whether you’re a skier or not. The hotel and city are beautiful and it’s a pretty unique experience getting to go out of the country with so many people you know,” senior Isa Schaefer-Fortier said.
