Revisiting the beaten paths

© DKCOOPERTREMBLANT

What if we reinvented our fall hikes? And perhaps restored our voyageur mindset to rediscover the paths we liked already? What we’ll suggest here are some original approaches to enrich your season of colours in the countryside in and around Mont-Tremblant.

Awaken your senses

Outdoor yoga has been popular since the social distancing requirements limited indoor activities. For active individuals seeking adventure, practising yoga on the top of a mountain is a real thrill. This experience is offered by Ève Brasseur of Excursion Yoga, a four-hour activity that takes place several times a week till mid-October.

By reservation, she guides mixed or private groups up the trails of the Montagne Verte in La Conception, or of Cap 360 in Labelle. At the summit, the package includes a healthy snack, warm tea, and a yoga session…with a view! According to Ève Brasseur, the hike through the forest provides the perfect preparation before the yoga session, because it allow participants to clear their minds and activate their breathing.

Once at the rocky top of the mountain, she encourages curious participants to walk barefoot to feel more fully their connection with the elements. On the return trip, participants discuss the Laurentian flora, their personal experiences or their preferred microbreweries. In sharing such an experience, they create links with each other in spite of the distancing, and meet their need to travel.

Rediscovering a feeling of wonder

Turning now to a nighttime hike accessible to all, let’s look at the immersive activity Tonga Lumina, which welcomes Tremblant visitors for the fourth consecutive year. The magical and environmental theme is sustained by a sophisticated mixture of sound and light effects designed by Moment Factory.

The easy, downward-sloping path allows visitors to take their time and rediscover their inner child. Young and old listen to the story of the giant of the mountain, full of wonder before multicoloured tableaux. All things permitting, Tonga Lumina will continue until October 8, 2020.

Pursuing treasures

For those who would like to sharpen their sense of direction, geocaching is the perfect way to do so. The worldwide movement is fueled by and for the players in fully 190 countries. All you have to do is register free with the geocaching.com association, download the application, and arm yourself with a GPS.

Geocachers, in addition to enjoying a walk, find the “treasure” left by another player, which is often well camouflaged but never far from the trail. In the box, they can then exchange a small object as a “souvenir” and sign their name and the date in the booklet before re-hiding everything for the next player.

Geocaching is fun when played with family or friends, and the levels of difficulty are well identified on the map. There are caches just about everywhere and closer than you might think. It seems there are even a number of them on the P’tit Train du Nord….

Reclaiming silence

As a final suggestion, how about giving yourself a long moment of silence on your next hike. Put away your earphones, politely end the discussion, and then drink in everything that surrounds you. Listen to the forest, its dwellers, the wind in the leaves, the crackling sound beneath your feet, the brook running by….

In contemplating the landscape, you’ll see – or perhaps you know already – that silence is the ideal companion as you let nature recharge you and you savour the beauties of fall.

Happy hiking!

 

More from this author by clicking on her picture below.

Geneviève Huchette

 

Geneviève Huchette97 Posts

Geneviève Huchette a étudié en agronomie et en marketing. Elle aime se servir de sa plume pour faire rayonner les entreprises locales et les initiatives environnementales. Établie à Mont-Tremblant depuis une quinzaine d'années, elle ne cesse d'en découvrir les beautés. Genevieve Huchette completed her bachelor degree in Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at McGill University. With her recent studies in Marketing, she wishes to use her writing skills to promote local initiatives, especially if they are environmentally friendly.

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