Chouinard Posted February 21, 2018 Report Share Posted February 21, 2018 Anyone carving on Searchmont? Rain has decimated local bumps and looking for something different than Boyne or Nubs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted February 22, 2018 Report Share Posted February 22, 2018 Never been there, but have often wondered. They get more snow there than just about anywhere. In the ancient mountain range, the Algoma hills. It's pretty rugged territory. I posted here asking the same a few years ago and got no reply. Please file a report if you go. I met a nice couple sailing on the big lake that own Bellevue Valley B&B near Searchmont. They also maintain some backcountry (teleski) terrain...and they have a wood fired sauna. https://bellevuevalleylodge.ca/ . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chouinard Posted February 22, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2018 (edited) Saw your post and lack of reply. I'm going to call them about grooming because their website is not clear. They have been hammered with Superior lake effect recently. If I go next week I will submit a site report. Edited February 22, 2018 by Chouinard Typo, missing word Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chouinard Posted March 5, 2018 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2018 Searchmont Ski Resort - Alpine Ski & Board As the only Midwest ski resort actually located on a mountain, Searchmont is proud to say that they have the most diverse terrain, the longest runs (18 in total) and the greatest vertical (750 feet!) in the area. Located just 30 minutes drive north of Sault Ste. Marie, Canada [and US] Over two days of riding, I spent 75% of my time on the “Main” which is on the far right. Total of 6-7 benches as you drop approximately 650’. The lift discharges about 30 short of the peak with a flat spot about 3’ x 4’ if you can find it to clip in. From there you drop down two benches before blending in with flow from two addition feeds in a large bottom bowl, football field or more in diameter. Drop off the bowl into a short pitch that feeds directly down slope over a snow outcrop or left around the end with a toeside feed [regular] into a football field wide pitch that drops down two more benches and finishes in a bottom wave washout. Of course, the only onsite lodging has patios viewing the final drop. If you have been to Buttermilk the terrain and drops remind me of the bottom third of the main run from “Bear”, “Lower Savio” & “Columbine” to the lift. Snow texture: Frozen granular Chalk. Groom: Good to excellent, some areas of ripped open surface but was not frozen solid washboard typical of freeze/thaw cycles. Everyone could set an edge and dust never grew more than inch thick. The surface was smooth underneath. Other Runs: Multiple runs with varying pitch Blue-Black to Black-Black with fewer benches [see shadows in photo] thru mix of evergreens and deciduous trees. Partial sun thru day. Runs on far left were only available part of the day due to a lift out of service. I stayed off the other runs because I had plenty to do on the Main. Qualifications: Unless you go early in the season or after a dump, you are not going to have “Hero” snow after mid January/Early February due to freeze/thaw cycles. Although the nighttime temperatures were in the teens, the days were pushing 40 so it was more packed kernels than packed snow. I was skidding [2”-3” wide tracks] turns until the surfaced softened. It was way too fast in the morning for me to do otherwise. Final thoughts: I do not know if it is necessarily worth the trip from the west end of the U.P. but it is certainly worth the trip from downstate Michigan to bypass the Boyne/Nubs Nob foothills and drive up into the Canadian Shield formations. I have driven seven hours to go to upstate NY for similar elevations but the terrain at Searchmont will pull me back and it is a shorter drive. In fact, I going again next weekend. Lift tickets $56 CAD. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chouinard Posted March 5, 2018 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2018 Few pictures. Sunset looking west at Straits of Mackinaw from Big Mac Bridge. Sunset afterglow on Blue Ice built up on shore. Yes, the get some snow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted March 5, 2018 Report Share Posted March 5, 2018 15 hours ago, Chouinard said: thoughts: I do not know if it is necessarily worth the trip from the west end of the U.P. but it is certainly worth the trip from downstate Michigan to bypass the Boyne/Nubs Nob foothills and drive up into the Canadian Shield formations. I have driven seven hours to go to upstate NY for similar elevations but the terrain at Searchmont will pull me back and it is a shorter drive. In fact, I going again next weekend. Lift tickets $56 CAD. Nice report, thanks. Might get up there one day. From looking at snowfall reports, it appears they have had less than normal this year. Were there many people there?─room to carve? Only open 4 days/week, Th-Fri. USD/CAD exchange helps make it attractive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chouinard Posted March 6, 2018 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2018 On 3/5/2018 at 12:35 PM, bigwavedave said: From looking at snowfall reports, it appears they have had less than normal this year. Were there many people there?─room to carve? Snow fall has been light this season after a decent start for most of the lower and east end of the upper. Searchmont is run by a government backed entity because they did not want to lose the tourism. Very laid back operations but a quality groom when there. The pitches are fairly wide. I make GS turns with plenty of room. I asked everyone if it was a typical crowd and everyone said it was a little light but I don't think they would get buried due to location. It's a very nice local ski resort. There were the usual straightliners but I honestly don't think they see many alpine riders. I went into the Sport shop and the cashier said he saw me on the hill. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Donnelly Posted November 3, 2018 Report Share Posted November 3, 2018 Searchmont sold to Pine Knob owner for $2 million https://www.sootoday.com/local-news/searchmont-sold-to-us-company-for-2-million-1108355?fbclid=IwAR0PnVa5RTpsBnmbjHeJhQQ7ee4Dm--ganRtlMUKdzlF8EohfYNnZEFZ_Iw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chouinard Posted March 11, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2020 Second day groom after 10" of lake effect. Something wrong with this picture!? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted March 11, 2020 Report Share Posted March 11, 2020 ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted March 11, 2020 Report Share Posted March 11, 2020 On 3/10/2020 at 7:47 PM, Chouinard said: Second day groom after 10" of lake effect. Something wrong with this picture!? I think they're closed on Tuesdays Pat I almost went over there last week after riding at Indianhead and the Porkies. Then I realized didn't have my passport. When were you there? I'm thinking of doing a road trip heading east next year to visit some of the other small areas in northern Ontario (Antoine) and Quebec (?), ending at Le Massif. How's the carving at Searchmont? Good grooming? Favorite run(s)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chouinard Posted March 13, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2020 Searchmont at 5.5 hrs is the closet spot over 700’ so that skews my feedback. The prominent feature is a geologic bench that spans the entire resort. A mixture of both concave and convex pitches with multiple crossovers. Feels bigger than it is. Typical Midwest groom/ice but enough lake effect to maintain a natural snow surface. It appears that they do not till the surface very deep because the heavily skied runs are not smooth enough to carve across at any reasonable speed. I spend a lot of time on the “Main”. It could use a little more pitch... If you are passing by thru the Soo it is only 26 miles out of town and definitely worth a stop. Data from last weekend. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chouinard Posted March 15, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2020 As of today: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haus Posted December 30, 2021 Report Share Posted December 30, 2021 Visiting family for the holidays in elliot lake, and the local bump still hasn't opened for the season. After hearing about this resort from this post, decided to make the 3hr drive to searchmont today for some early season riding. With only 2 runs open, I was still excited to get out (first time this season). Started out on the softboot carver and switched to hardboots near the end of the day when the hill was less crowded. Met two locals that hardboot, but they were in soft gear today. They were pumped to see another hardbooter. Home is niagara (9hrs away) so doubtful I'll get back this season when more runs open up. Thanks Chouinard for the reviews Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chouinard Posted February 25, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2023 Great day today…3” over groom. They’ve been getting steady snow for awhile so very little ice even this late in the season. Spent most of the day on the Superconductor. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chouinard Posted March 12, 2023 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2023 (edited) @bigwavedaveA bluebird day at Searchmont! This is a good run. Steep convex pitch with swell for a finish. Edited March 12, 2023 by Chouinard Glorified the details. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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