Owls Head
71 hectares, 50 runs near Mansonville. Slopes above Lake Memphremagog, extensive snowmaking, scenic setting.
Season 2026 - 2027
Opens
4 Dec 2026
Closes
11 Apr 2027
Days open
128
Annual snow
3.5m
The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Owl's Head's summit reaches 753 metres, dropping 545 vertical metres to a base at 208 metres across 50 runs spread over roughly 71 hectares near Mansonville, Quebec. Terrain splits 34 per cent intermediate, 26 per cent beginner, 24 per cent expert and 16 per cent advanced, with average annual snowfall of roughly 3.5 metres. Six lifts, including one double chair and four quad chairs, serve the mountain alongside one surface lift.
Owl's Head holds a genuinely distinctive place among Eastern Townships resorts for its slopes rising directly above Lake Memphremagog, a 33-mile lake that also serves as the resort's snowmaking reservoir. Its considerable views and comparatively varied terrain have built the resort's reputation as one of the more scenic, if lesser-known, destinations in the Eastern Townships.
Mansonville electrician Fred Korman developed the ski area on Mont Owl's Head as something of a side project, opening it in 1965 with three lifts, two chairlifts and one t-bar, alongside six runs designed by Olympic skier Bob Richardson. Korman ran the hill's debut season together with his wife Lillian and daughter Caroll, and what began as a modest hobby business grew steadily into a four-season destination under the family's continued development.
The resort's snowmaking system, covering 90 per cent of skiable terrain, draws on Lake Memphremagog as its primary water reservoir, with slopes rising directly above the lake's shoreline. More recently, new owners operating as Destination Owl's Head have continued developing the site's potential. Adult daily tickets run from 75 to 85 Canadian dollars.
545m
Vertical
50
Runs
175 acres
Skiable
3.5m
Annual snow
The Terrain
50 runs across 175 acres skiable
Owl's Head overlooks Lake Memphremagog near the Vermont border, dropping 545 metres from 753 down to 208 metres. Its 50 runs cover about 71 hectares, and the split is 26% beginner, 34% intermediate, 16% advanced and 24% expert, which is a strikingly high expert share for a hill this size. One double chair, four quads and a surface lift serve the mountain, so queues rarely become a major issue. It is a compact area, but the vertical is among the best in the Eastern Townships, and the lake views keep the day interesting.
The expert figure comes from steep, narrow trails and a decent set of glades, including a double-black line called Ponsoon, and the narrow steeps firm up quickly after a freeze, so conditions can change noticeably from one day to the next. Intermediate trails are groomed well and offer flowing mid-mountain skiing, while beginners have a gentler zone near the base. Snowmaking covers most of the hill, which supports reliable coverage through the cold months. Owl's Head suits adventurous intermediates, advanced skiers and families who want a quieter, more scenic alternative to the busier Laurentian hills.
Terrain split
50
runs
50 runs across 4 grades
Beginner13 runs · 26%
Intermediate17 runs · 34%
Advanced8 runs · 16%
Expert12 runs · 24%
Time it right
When to visit Owls Head
The 2025-26 season at Owl's Head ran from 5 December 2025 to 5 April 2026, a roughly seventeen-week season supported by average annual snowfall of around 3.5 metres, backed by a comprehensive snowmaking system covering 90 per cent of skiable terrain. Season dates can shift depending on early and late-season weather in the Eastern Townships.
Midwinter, from December through February, typically brings the most consistent conditions to Owl's Head's intermediate-weighted terrain. Given the resort's considerable snowmaking capacity, drawn from the adjacent Lake Memphremagog, conditions remain reliable even during lighter natural snowfall periods.
Owl's Head's lake views and varied terrain continue to draw visitors seeking a scenic, comparatively uncrowded Eastern Townships destination throughout the season. School holiday periods bring family visitation given the resort's approachable terrain mix.
Specific event programming beyond standard operations is not confirmed in available resort information. Since Destination Owl's Head's more recent acquisition, the resort has continued building on six decades of history since Fred Korman's 1965 founding. The resort's Lake Memphremagog setting and considerable snowmaking capacity remain central to its enduring, scenic appeal.
Season 2026 - 2027
4 Dec 2026
Opens
11 Apr 2027
Closes
128
Days open
3.5 m
Annual snow
The record
Historical snowfall at Owls Head
Daily snow reports at Owls Head go back to 2025, 2 winters on the books. Open the record to compare winters, lifts and piste.
20 cm
Snowiest day
11 Dec 2025
0 cm
This winter · 2026-27
so far
420 cm
Typical winter
average of complete seasons
Winter totals
cm
Past wintersThis winter
Getting there
Getting to Owls Head, and where to stay
Owl's Head sits near Mansonville, Quebec, in the Eastern Townships, with a base elevation of 208 metres and a summit at 753 metres across a 545-metre vertical drop over roughly 71 hectares. This setting places the resort directly above the shores of Lake Memphremagog, close to the Vermont border.
Mansonville and the broader Eastern Townships region offer lodging and dining within a short drive of the resort, with accommodation also available near the lake's shoreline close to the mountain.
Quebec Route 243 and local roads provide access to the resort from the broader region. Winter driving conditions on these routes can include snow and ice, and the resort's comparatively rural location means travellers should allow additional time compared with more centrally located Eastern Townships destinations.
Montreal-Trudeau International Airport, roughly a two-hour drive away, is the primary gateway for visitors flying into the region, with Owl's Head's proximity to the Vermont border also drawing visitors from the northeastern United States.
Where to stay
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Hotels and lodges near Owls Head, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
Utah Snow Storm Builds Early-Season Base Ahead of November Openings
Rain down low, snow up high, and a snow report full of zeros that mostly means ‘not updated yet’. Utah’s first proper storm of 2026-27 is rolling through the Wasatch, Snowbird’s snow stake is closing in on 10 inches, and Brian Head is five days from opening day. Early November snow rarely looks like much, but it is the layer every November opening date is built on. Here is where it stands.
1 Nov 2026
Sierra Nevada Halloween Storm: Dodge Ridge Forecast to Lead With 19 Inches
Halloween weekend brings a wet, windy storm to the Sierra Nevada. Our five-day forecast has Dodge Ridge on top with 19 in, followed by Bear Valley at 15 in and Mammoth Mountain at 12 in, with most of it landing on Saturday. A winter weather advisory covers the Tahoe Basin and Mono County until 7 AM Sunday, gusts could reach 47 mph and the freezing level swings between 4,900 and 8,700 ft, so some bases will see rain. A dry spell follows from Monday.
31 Oct 2026
Lake Louise Opens Early on 1 November With Juniper Express and Easy Street
The Rockies get their first lift-served turns of the season early. Lake Louise opens Sunday 1 November, five days ahead of schedule, after a cold October and round-the-clock work from the snowmaking and mountain crews. Terrain is limited to Juniper Express Chair and Easy Street, with two small terrain parks and the beginner area for lessons. Opening-day tickets are over 60% off, with prices rising as more lifts open. First chair is at 9:30 am under the resort’s new lift hours.
31 Oct 2026
Kitzbüheler Horn Summit Cable Car to Be Replaced After 70 Years
A Tyrolean summit lift that has been carrying guests up the Kitzbüheler Horn since 1955 is on borrowed time. Its licence runs to 2045, but a new inspection rule has made refurbishment uneconomic, so Bergbahn AG Kitzbühel will spend around €15 million on a replacement on the same line. It should hold roughly 100 people and keep running in winds that would stop today’s lift. Building starts in autumn 2027, which makes this winter and next summer the last chances to ride the old one.
30 Oct 2026
What’s New in Japan Skiing This Winter: Niseko Gondola, a Private Resort and a Bigger Ikon Pass
Niseko Village is replacing a lift from the early 1980s with an eight-person gondola, Tsugaike gets a six-person chairlift, Madarao joins the Ikon Pass and Togari opens Asia’s first private ski resort. Here’s what is actually new in Japan skiing for 2026/27, plus what is still a year or two away.
30 Oct 2026
Wolf Creek Opens on Halloween Weekend as Colorado’s Early Season Gathers Pace
Colorado’s early-season dominoes keep falling. Arapahoe Basin opened on Wednesday, Keystone follows on Friday, and now Wolf Creek is joining in on Saturday 31 October, just in time for Halloween. A storm on 23 and 24 October left 20 inches of natural snow in the San Juans, and three lifts will turn from 9:00 am, covering about 30% of the mountain. Expect rocks, unmarked obstacles and open water, but also Local Appreciation lift tickets at $73 for adults.
30 Oct 2026
Keystone Resort Opens for 2026/27 With More Than Two Miles of Skiing
Keystone is next. After Arapahoe Basin claimed the first chairlift skiing of the season on Wednesday, Keystone opens on Friday 30 October at 9:00 am with more than two miles of snowmaking-built terrain on Schoolmarm and Silver Spoon, plus free donuts, coffee and a live DJ. Last year the order was reversed, when Keystone squeezed in a three-hour afternoon session to beat A-Basin by a day. Snowmaking has been running since 15 October.
29 Oct 2026
Beaver Creek Installs 16 Automated Snow Guns on Birds of Prey Ahead of Record World Cup
Beaver Creek is getting ready for the biggest Birds of Prey ever, and this time it is not leaving the snow to chance. Crews started making snow on 27 October with 16 newly installed automated guns on the lower third of the course, after last December’s warm spell forced a downhill off the schedule. Seven races across two weekends run from 3 to 13 December, the most the course has hosted since its 1997 debut, and the guns start themselves whenever the weather allows.
29 Oct 2026
Owls Head Trail Map
Downloadable Owls Head trail map
Terrain split
50
runs
Beginner26%
Intermediate34%
Advanced16%
Expert24%
175 acres skiable71 hectares
Resort Stats
Elevation
Base208m
Summit753m
Annual snowfall
3.5m
Season
2026 - 2027
4 Dec 2026 - 11 Apr 2027
Trail coverage
50 runs
175 acres (71 ha)
About Owls Head's trail map
Explore Owls Head's full trail map with 50 runs across the mountain, colour-coded by difficulty and shown alongside the terrain split. Use it to plan a day that matches your ability, find lift-served pockets of your favourite grade, and see how the resort links together. Download the piste map (PDF) ↗
More Owls Head intelligence: snow report, lift system, webcams, resort overview.