Spring Break Backcountry Skiing on the
Gaspe Peninsula
The Chic-Choc range on the Gaspe Peninsula in Eastern Quebec is a little known backcountry skiing paradise, just a long day’s drive from Middlebury.
Over spring break, six students, outdoor programs director Derek Doucet, and MOP senior instructor Art Mooney made the long trek along the St. Lawrence to find stellar skiing on a deep snowpack.
Avalanches are a serious concern in the Gaspe region, but we found excellent stability, giving us abundant terrain options to choose from.
The first two days featured sun-drenched spring corn and t-shirt weather.
A storm with significant rainfall was predicted overnight on day 3. Instead, it snowed. And snowed. And snowed some more! On the morning of day 4 we woke early to find nearly two feet of champagne powder dumped on a stable spring snowpack, minimal wind loading, and bluebird skies.
All this made for EPIC powder skiing, untracked lines, steep bowls and sunny glades. Backcountry skiing doesn’t get much better. Days five and six kept the streak alive with a mix of cut up powder and plenty of first tracks.
All and all, a perfect send-off to winter!
J-Term 07' Ice Climbing
Ice climbing is one of our most popular courses. After a dismal early season, cold returned in January, and conditions were fabulous! Below are some images from a recent J-Term Introduction to Ice Climbing course offered for PE credit. What an absolutely perfect day for ice climbing!
The approach to our Bristol, VT climbing site is steep, but well worth it for the quality climbing, sunny exposure.
We begin with sound skills instruction, in which we:
"Describe"...
"Demonstrate"...
And most importanly...
"Do!"
Everyone has ample opportunity to apply their new skills on the ice.
The ride down on the rope offers a well-deserved break after the hard work of the ascent.
Leaning back on the rope from the top of a 115' ice climb is exhilarating, and with some practice, fun!
These new climbers came home tired, but proud!
Fall Break 06' Rock Climbing in Acadia National Park
In mid-October, 6 student participants spent a perfect fall break learning the fundamentals of rock climbing under the tutelage of student leaders Lindsey Johnson and Nathan Vandal, and outdoor programs director Derek Doucet. 
Acadia offers some of the finest seaside rockclimbing in the country, and autum is the perfect time to visit!
In addition to the stunning sea cliffs, nearby Clifton, Maine has an astonishing selection of routes on gleaming white granite, reminescent of th
e knobby face climbing of Tuolumne Meadows in California. There are few places better suited for learning the craft of rockclimbing than Down East Maine!
Mt. Rainier Expedition- August 2006
In early August, 7 members of the Middlebury Mountain Club (MMC), MOP Director Derek Doucet, and Senior Instructor Art Mooney enjoyed a superb trip to Mt. Rainier National Park. At over 14,000' in elevation, the heavily glaciated peak is arguably the most sought after mountaineering objective in the lower 48 states. All of these qualities made it a perfect destination for this trip, taken in honor of the MMC's 75th anniversary!
The first 3 days of the trip were acclimatizing, learning ice axe and crampon techniques, glacier travel and crevasse rescue skills, and gradually ascending to Camp Schurman (elev. 9460') on the Emmons Glacier. Excellent snow conditions and weather made for some stunning days in the high mountains!
Leaving camp Schurman at 12:15am on August 11th, 8 expedition members ascended by headlamp to the summit in about 6 hours. With a storm visible and closing, our summit celebration was brief, as we quickly began our descent. We were comfortably back in our tents and napping by 10:00 am. Shortly thereafter, the storm we'd seen coming hit with bitterly cold winds, snow and rain. Timing is everything in the mountains! All and all, a superb trip. Look for future MOP alpine trips coming soon!
On the summit!