mont tremblant refuges : A Qc retreat for backpacking

If you are planning to start hiking or try multi-day hikes, Mont Tremblant is the perfect place to begin. It’s a place in the heart of the mountain with a rustic charm only found in this place. In this post, I will tell you everything you need to know about Mont Tremblant refuges and how this place has a trail for every level of backpackers. This blog post contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase, I may get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Find out more here.

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What should I rent ? 

There are multiple options out there. It is possible to go for a refuge, a ready-to-camp or even a yurt. But, to get closer to a more realistic camp experience, without going all in for the first time, I highly suggest starting with a refuge. In my experience, it’s a good starting point to get used to multi-day hikes or even start cross-country skiing in wintertime. With this option, I was able to bring my food and my clothes, while cutting back the weight of the tent and cookware.

I rented Le Campe and La Hutte in Le Diable sector. They are perfectly situated, and I had wonderful views of the lake at the second one. One thing that I liked is that, since a lot of the trails leading to them are near streams or lakes, I did not have to worry about bringing water. I could refill my bottles as I walked. Plus, the trails are quite accessible for beginners. Considering that I went with a friend and her child, we settled on 10 km a day. We had the best experience, and her daughter was thrilled for her next adventure.

What is available in the refuge ?

In every refuge, a wood stove is available for you to cook your meal. We went for fondue dinners and even prepared a hot chocolate. After a big day hiking, it was the best. Beware: no running water and no electricity are available. We could not rely on the electric kettle to boil our water; we had to use the fireplace, filtered bottles, or use water tabs. At La Hutte, there is a lake where it’s possible to walk right to the water’s edge to get water for your meal. It’s only a few minutes’ walk, you will find that it is very easy to manage your water provisions.

Furthermore, a separate toilet is located outside of every refuge, so then again, no need to worry about this point. Also, the resting areas inside are public areas. Thus, people may come and go throughout the day to rest, eat, or get warmer in the winter. But, your place is reserved for the night.

What should I bring 

You can forget your bath sheets and flat-screen TV for this weekend. I will tell you everything you need to have to make this activity memorable and stress-free. Therefore, to help you pack light but smart, here is my list of non-negotiables:

• headlamp
• first-aid kit
• filtered water bottle (use the code SAFETRAVEL15 for 15% off)
• purification tablets
• fresh fruit (like apples or oranges—they pack easily and can upgrade your breakfast. But, don’t bring too much; it weighs a lot)
• snacks, ideally protein bars
• food for the trip (My go-to are usually oatmeal for breakfast, burritos for dinner, and dehydrated vegetable and chicken rice for supper)
• sunscreen
• bug spray
• sleeping bag
• rain shell
• hiking shoes
• layering clothes
• utensils

We wanted to treat ourselves and the kid, so we brought a little bit of chocolate to make a chocolate fondue with the apples that we brought. This setup was perfect to end the day beautifully. We had great food, good company, and amazing sunset the view of the lake. One thing that can also add a little bit of fun is bringing playing cards and a book in the backpack. Nothing beats a game of card by the fireplace. Trust me!

What’s next ?

If your wondering how you can upgrade this adventure even more, I totally recommend that you check out the Tonga Lumina hiking trail. It’s a few minutes’ drive from the Discovery Center car park. It’s a nice experience to enjoy with your friends, family or the little ones. Also, I would check out Mont Tremblant Resort. You’re a few minutes’ stroll from a lot of Mont-Tremblant’s sports attractions, like fat biking, eurobungy, horseback riding, hiking with sled dogs and kayaking.

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