Holiday Border Crossing for Jay - Staying in Magog

[punkrocknj]

Does anyone know what the border crossing is like at Troy? I am with a big (20+ person) group of US citizens who are thinking of renting a large house on the Canadian side and driving the 20 mins to Jay to ski on the Sunday and Monday of Presidents Day Weekend.

The size of our group has prevented us from finding anything suitable on the US side in the Jay area. We normally go to Stowe but are looking for a something different. We require a house with a minimum of 8 bedrooms and 5 baths. We also love trees and a lil hiking.
Are we nuts for commuting from Canada? I have skied Orford twice and unless the conditions are unusually excellent the group would definitely be going to Jay.

 

[thetrailboss]

Are you going to ski Sutton? They have some great tree skiing.

As to border crossing, I know that Bill Stenger and Sen. Leahy were working on making that crossing faster for Jay skiers and riders.

 

[punkrocknj]

Hmmm, never checked out Mont Sutton before - it looks interesting! I will definitely have to keep that in mind for the future, but for this trip we are specifically looking for info on the border crossing experience. Is it usually an hour wait? five minutes? Half hour? Unpredictable? What about on a holiday weekend?

 

[Smasandian]

I go through that border crossing all the time.

Never had a problem and it's pretty quick. You basically get skiers/boarders from Montreal coming through there. Maybe 5 minutes at most. It's not a holiday in Quebec so I don't see any more wait than usual.

But I did have a problem the last time I went through. Coming from Newport, the US Border Guards pulled me into the little garage because the sniffing dogs thought they smelled something.

I don't see you making the trip from Magog to Jay in 20 minutes. It's more like 40-60 minutes.

 

[thetrailboss]

If you are committed to skiing Jay, here is some general advice from them. I have not used that border crossing, but if it is like any other border crossing it varies. They do searches at random and they can vary from, "where are you going? Who are you? Have a nice day." to "we're going to need you to park over there and step inside. Where are the rubber gloves?"

 

[Smasandian]

If you are committed to skiing Jay, here is some general advice from them. I have not used that border crossing, but if it is like any other border crossing it varies. They do searches at random and they can vary from, "where are you going? Who are you? Have a nice day." to "we're going to need you to park over there and step inside. Where are the rubber gloves?"

I do think that border crossing is one of the less crazy than I've been too.

I never, ever had longer than 5-10 minutes at the border crossing at Troy. (Aside from that one incident).

 

[Geoff]

I do think that border crossing is one of the less crazy than I've been too.

I never, ever had longer than 5-10 minutes at the border crossing at Troy. (Aside from that one incident).

I do a lot of business in Sherbrooke, QC a half hour from the border. I've hit 20-30 minute delays there coming back into the US a couple of times in the last two years. They often only have one customs guy dealing with passenger cars. There aren't usually many cars in the line but it can take them a minute or two per car. The Canadians are usually much quicker. They mostly care about alcohol and cigarettes.

But yeah, compared to the I-5 crossing south of Vancouver, it's a sleepy little backwater border crossing. There are usually only a couple of cars in front of me (midweek around 6pm).

 

[Smasandian]

I do a lot of business in Sherbrooke, QC a half hour from the border. I've hit 20-30 minute delays there coming back into the US a couple of times in the last two years. They often only have one customs guy dealing with passenger cars. There aren't usually many cars in the line but it can take them a minute or two per car. The Canadians are usually much quicker. They mostly care about alcohol and cigarettes.

But yeah, compared to the I-5 crossing south of Vancouver, it's a sleepy little backwater border crossing. There are usually only a couple of cars in front of me (midweek around 6pm).

Interesting. I guess the times I go I never see peeps. I guess that's around 9 o clock and 4-5 PM, roughly around times where people ski and come back.

Why do you use the North Troy border crossing to get to Sherbrooke? Wouldn't Interstate 91 be faster?

 

[twinplanx]

Don't make the mistake our party made by negletting Sutton!

 

[riverc0il]

A Sutton/Orford combo (or just Sutton) might give you less holiday crowds. That is where I plan to be President's week/weekend.

 

[punkrocknj]

Wow thanks - lots of great info from everyone. So it seems like we won't be stuck there tooo long unless we are unlucky with a search. I do kind of have my heart set on skiing Big Jay this season but all this talk of Sutton has me intrigued - if I do my own poking around do Sutton or Orford have any hiking to be found? We always try for places with some decent BC lines. I have been in some really nice trees at Orford where they had a few cliff drops but have not hiked there before.

 

[Geoff]

Why do you use the North Troy border crossing to get to Sherbrooke? Wouldn't Interstate 91 be faster?

I'm geographically challenged. I thought the thread was talking about the I-91 crossing. I'm a f'ing moron. Ignore me.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Are you going to ski Sutton? They have some great tree skiing.

Yeah, I mean, especially given the fact he's going PDW and already staying in Canada. I'm specifically skiing there this PDW just to avoid the hoards at Jay/Smuggs.

As for the border, everyone in your party will have to have a Passport, it's not like the good ol' days where all you needed is a driver's license.

 

[Talisman]

The border crossing at North Troy is quick and easy if you hve your papers in order. Do expect a few extra questions with the ever popular "why are you crossing the border here?". In additiona to Mt Sutton, Owl's Had is another fun placeto ski. I never seem to hit Orford in prime conditions.

 

[Smasandian]

A couple of years ago, the North Troy border crossing was very sad looking. It was basically a building with a border crossing.

Now, they have cameras, security gates and such and I think Duty free was open for the first time. In my opinion, it basically only serves people who go to Jay/Eastern Townships ski areas.

 

[nelsapbm]

As an above poster mentioned, everyone in your party will need either a passport, passport card, or enhanced drivers license (if your state offers one).

 

[Magog Fishy]

Magog is going to be a solid 40 minutes from Jay, but worth it -- you will have a really fun time.

I don’t think I have ever had a wait at North Troy, although have never crossed during peak hours. When you get up to the agent, North Troy can take 15-20 seconds or 10-20 minutes while they run you through the computers/search – have had both scenarios on both sides of the border. The US side has a large modern building with multiple gates, although all the times I have been through only one gate has been open. I think the US has been rotating agents from other parts of the US to the VT border, some of whom can be real nasty. I had a really bad experience with a burly older blonde woman US agent in the Spring – got the car searched even though they saw from the computer I have NO record. If you have a bus, you might be able to call to give them a heads up that you are coming through.

As others have mentioned you might also want to consider Sutton, which is about 25-30 minutes from Jay and is also a lot of fun. Knowlton might also be an option – seems a bit quiet in the winters. If you choose Sutton, keep in mind the East Richford crossing to the Quebec side is only open during the day (I think 8-4), and be careful traveling through North Jay Pass during a snowstorm (plus 105 can be in rough shape near the Richford/Jay line due to plows/runoff).

 

[Sick Bird Rider]

I haven't had a problem entering the US since I tried to smuggle in some pancake mix and US Customs thought it was heroin. Long and funny story I would be happy to tell you over a beer. Then there was the time we were long-haired telemarkers in a red VW microbus and the border guy at North Troy thought my friend's kazoo was a hash pipe. That was a small part of a two-hour episode.

You will be Americans entering your own country, which will require different advice from that of of Canadians entering the US.

Not to detract from the pleasures of Magog or Sutton but why don't you just get a block of condos at Jay? Or rent a couple of houses at Alpine Haven? Save the daily hassle, then go to Magog or Sutton on a field trip.

Edit: Sure, Quebec would like your business but Vermont could really use the business these days. Nothing like a little post-Irene spending to keep things rolling in the Green Mountain State.

 

[BenedictGomez]

I haven't had a problem entering the US since I tried to smuggle in some pancake mix and US Customs thought it was heroin.

I've had my truck searched a few times by the USA, never a hastle by the Canucks. I speculate it's because I used to go to Montreal so often that they maybe thought i must be smuggling something. Single white male, etc....

 

[punkrocknj]

Ha, those must have been some good pancakes. We have been running this trip for over ten years and always get a huge house with a hot tub which really limits us as to where we can stay, especially since we avoid southern VT. Condos don't really work since we cook big group meals and are quite loud all weekend. We spent the last few few years at Stowe (The Mt Mansfield Farm) which is a great place for a group but we like to change it up every few years this place in Canada seemed like a unique option. I have been feeding them your suggestions on Canadian mountains. We might end up at one yet.