• Pandemic consequence
  • Watching fall colors on Owl’s Head mountain
  • Take away messages

Pandemic consequence

October is a perfect time for watching fall colors. In 2020 the US – Canada border had been closed. So, we canceled our trip to Adirondack for Thanksgiving but booked a couple of nights in Quebec for the same long weekend. Then our area had transformed to the red zone, so we canceled this booking too. At the last minute, we’d made the decision to hike Owl’s Head mountain to catch fall colors. It was our third and successful attempt to enjoy autumn beauty.

Owl’s head mountain hike

Owl’s Head mountain is 130 km away from Montreal what is about 1,5 hr of driving. It is known mainly as a ski resort. But it turned out to be a beautiful mountain for hiking and watching fall colors. It is possible to get up on the top with a chairlift, but we prefer to walk.

A chairlift as a shortcut
A chairlift as a shortcut

To see autumn in all its glory.

Fall colors on the trail
Fall colors on the trail

The Abénakis-Maçonique trail is marked as a difficult one. So we recommend having trekking poles.

The Abénakis-Maçonique trail
The Abénakis-Maçonique trail

The trail is beautiful at the beginning!

At the beginning of the trail
At the beginning of the trail

After we passed a chairlift, we reached a small place we thought was a top, but it was not. Nevertheless, we took this opportunity to drink hot tea there (such days we always take our Thermos) 🤗

Drinking hot tea before the summit
Drinking hot tea before the summit

Then, we went a bit further, turned right, and after that, we climbed up the rocks. And there is a summit! And there is a beauty! Something like in the Adirondack. Beautiful views of Lake Memphremagog and the nearby mountains and hills.

View from the top
View from the top

To descent, we did a shortcut and took the ski slope right along with the chairlift. The name of the route is “Kamikaze”- double black diamond🙂 Do not do it! If the name “Kamikaze” doesn’t scare you, stop again and think why it’s got its name. We went down by this trail 🙃

Descent by the Kamikaze trail
Descent by the Kamikaze trail

It was intense: steep, slippery, always looking down, watching your step. Your leg muscles and joints are with constant tension. So, we would not recommend doing it. Just follow the “normal” trail 😉

Everything took us 4 hours: ascent, descent, time at the top. BTW, dogs are allowed on the trail 🐕 🐕 🐕

You can not wish for more: be with your loved ones on such a beautiful day filled with happiness and gratefulness❤️

Happy Thanksgiving Day!
Happy Thanksgiving Day!

Take away messages

  • You can hike the trail or take a chairlift
  • If you go for a hike, take your trekking poles
  • The chairlift is not the summit, continue.
  • To descent, follow a hiking trail, not a ski one
  • Dogs friendly trail
See you on the trail!
See you on the trail!

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