QUEBEC SNOWBOARDER Jasey Jay Anderson honed his skills in the Laurentians. -- CP Photo

The need for speed has been luring hardy skiers to Quebec's mountains for decades.

For more than 70 years since the installation of North America's first rope tow, the Laurentian Mountains north of Montreal have been a beacon for skiing enthusiasts.

A snow train once transported weekend ski warriors north, breathing economic life into small communities like Morin Heights. These days, cars and buses whizz along the autoroute to a series of family-style hills 45 minutes from Montreal. St-Sauveur, Avila, Gabriel and other hills line the highway, offering plentiful options for beginners to intermediate-level skiers.

Night skiing

The close proximity of the hills to Montreal makes night skiing a favourite pastime after work. Nearby villages offer dining and apres-ski options to satisfy all tastes.

Travelling a little farther north takes you to Habitant, Morin Heights, Mont Blanc, Gray Rocks and the daddy of the Laurentians -- Mont Tremblant. The 875-metre peak has been a favourite among skilled skiers since it opened to great acclaim in 1939.

Intrawest Resorts, which owns facilities in Collingwood and Western Canada, purchased Tremblant 11 years ago and has transformed it with the construction of a Swiss-style village, new high-speed lifts and additional trails. Ninety-four runs are carved on two sides of the 250 hectares of skiable terrain.

Travellers from the U.S. and Europe have increasingly been flying to the area, ranked among North America's premier resorts.

Varied skiing, friendly instructors and plentiful apres-ski activities have lured enthusiasts like Geoff Wilson of Brantford.

"I enjoyed skiing in Quebec," the 69-year-old retired municipal employee said of past trips. "We found the people very friendly."

Olympic snowboarding racer Jasey-Jay Anderson was weaned on the Laurentians, travelling from one hill to another on the Quebec snowboarding circuit.

"What's great about Quebec is there are a lot of resorts," said the 28-year-old world champion. "You could travel around, just hopping from one ski resort to the next. Any region has a ski area."

The variety of cross-country trails, also available in Quebec, accommodate more than one-third of Canada's cross-country skiers. The province also recorded the largest growth of alpine skiers and snowboarders in the country last year. More than 6.9 million ski visits were made last season, a 13% increase over the previous year.

Quebec's Eastern Townships has mountains such as Orford, Owl's Head, Bromont and Sutton which rise majestically from the plains east of Montreal. More than 180 runs are available for skiers of all abilities. Although not as built up as Tremblant, difficult slopes offer tremendous opportunities.

Conditions are good in the Eastern Townships, but the season tends to be shortened by spring rains and less plentiful snow. Mid-winter temperatures hover around -12 C, with average snowfall of 295 cm, compared with 371 cm in the Laurentians.

The region nears the Vermont border, where Smuggler's Notch, Jay Peak and Killington welcome countless Canadians. With an elevation of 1,293 metres, Killington's 200 trails offer skiing most years until early June.

Additional challenging skiing opportunities are available near Quebec City. Mont Ste-Anne, Le Massif and Stoneham offer some of the highest vertical drops east of the Canadian Rockies.

Desbiens said he's particularly attracted to the variety of runs and challenging slopes near the provincial capital.

"I like the mountains that are more difficult. I like going to Quebec because there are so many runs to choose from."

For more information on travelling to Quebec, visit www.bonjourquebec.com.