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CANADIAN INDUSTRY ONLINE - OCTOBER 2014
were added: in 1968 the resort had
eight runs. The snowmaking system
was doubled and the eastern wing
of Mount St. Louis base Lodge was
added on. Mount St. Louis had its
best season of the 60s in 1968. The next
year, the Mount St. Louis team in-
stalled the first triple chair in Canada.
Although people were skeptical
about the triple chair, it worked out
very well for Josl. Ultimately having
a triple chair enabled more people to
come through and experience the runs.
CHANGES AND IMPROVEMENTS
Over the years, there has been a
substantial commitment to growth and
making sure that visitors have the best
experience possible. Huter notes: “Al-
most every department at the resort
has gone through extensive changes
made to improve our overall opera-
tions.”
It was in fact 30 years ago that
the Huter family did one of the most
important things ever for the business:
they bought Moonstone, the competi-
tion. According to historical accounts,
“
in order to improve the two prop-
erties, the upper ridge was built on
Moonstone by, once again, moving ½
million cubic meters of dirt. This ridge
facilitated one of two trails that would
link the two bases in order for skiers to
cross back and forth. The new resort,
Mount St. Louis Moonstone, now of-
fered 34 runs serviced by 15 lifts.”
The resort became the place with
the greatest uphill capacity in Ontario
in 1985 when a second quad chair re-
placed a T-bar.
In the late 80s the Huters built up
the peaks again: “Another ½ million
cubic meters of dirt was moved to in-
crease Moonstone’s vertical from 420
to 500 feet”.
In 1989 construction continued:
Mount St. Louis undertook its single
largest project ever by building an-
other mountain. “Another 700,000
cubic meters of dirt was moved and
Ontario’s fastest high-speed quad
was installed: The Louis Express. The
reputation of the Huters and Mount St.
Louis Moonstone changed to moun-
tain building.”
MOUNT ST. LOUIS MOONSTONE
