Staying at the Mont Tremblant Treehouses in Winter with a Baby

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The last time I stayed at the Mont Tremblant Treehouses, it was summer, and I absolutely loved it! So this year when Les Refuges Perchés offered to host us during the winter, I was super excited to visit again.

This time, we decided to go for our daughter’s first birthday! We headed up to Tremblant in mid-November to celebrate. I guess technically it wasn’t winter, but there was still a ton of snow! It gave the Treehouses a very cozy, wintery feel.

There are a few organizations working together to make the Mont Tremblant Treehouses available: Les Refuges Perchés is the company that rents the treehouses, but the Treehouses are actually found inside the Parc Eco Touristique de la MRC des Laurentides. From here on I’m just going to call it the “Park” so that I don’t have to try and mix two languages together.

Dogs are allowed at the Treehouses, which I love, because there are so many places that you CAN’T take your pups. There are awesome hiking trails all over the Park. The trails are open for snowshoeing and dogs are allowed on them as well! We played outside in the snow, walked down to the lake to enjoy the peace and quiet, and hiked to a high point in the Park for an amazing view while we were there.

Winter camping (cabining?) can require some gear that not everyone has, but Les Refuges Perchés makes it easy for you to get out there- sleds for your gear are available, and they have snowshoes for rent. You can also purchase propane, wood, and a “cabin kit” from them, which has essentials like dishcloths, candles, etc. But, you can also bring your own stuff from home if you have it, to save a bit of money!

The Treehouses are all realy unique and beautifully built. One of the coolest things though, is that Les Refuges Perchés has committed to running their business in line with Leave No Trace ethics. So they’ve gone completely carbon neutral to help ensure that they’re not negatively impacting the environment!

We had a really fun visit to the Treehouses. We put our phones on airplane mode, stoked the fire, and disconnected from the busyness of everyday life. It was an amazing way to celebrate our daughter’s first birthday. And it was a lot easier getting her out there and spending time with her there than I thought it would be!

Checking In

Even before checking in at Les Refuges Perchés, they do a really good job of making sure that you’re prepared for your trip. When you book a Treehouse (which you can do online), they send you a detailed email letting you know exactly what is in the cabin, and what you’ll need to bring.

If you’re not exactly sure what time you’ll be arriving, it doesn’t matter! You’re able to check in by phone, and have the staff at Les Refuges Perchés simply leave what you need. The sleds are right beside the main pavilion, and are numbered so you know exactly which ones are designated for the cabin you’re staying in. Plus, everything you might need is available 24/7 at the pavilion. You can grab firewood just outside the pavilion, or an “emergency kit” from the basement of the pavilion. It has everything you would ever need, like matches, propane, kindling, a battery (for the cabin light), sleeping bags… You get it!

We checked in at the main pavilion in person, and then went to go grab our sled and load it up!

Because the Treehouses are built inside of the Parc Eco Touristique de la MRC des Laurentides, you have to pay the park access fee as well. In the summer, we stopped and paid Park staff the $10 fee (per day) directly. In the winter, Les Refuges Perchés staff collect a $5 fee on the Park’s behalf.

My Best Tips:

-Make sure your car has snow tires. The last 20 Km. to Les Refuges Perchés are on roads with lots of hills and curves!

-Print or screenshot the directions to get there- you might not get a cell signal.

Getting to the Rockhouse

We had done our best to pack light, although that isn’t always easy with a baby! We were staying in “The Rockhouse,” one of the furthest away, so we knew we’d be walking about 800 metres on a snowy trail to get there. Packing light could only make the walk easier, so we did our best! We brought along one of our big backpacks, as well as the baby’s big carrier which had storage space for gear. By using those packs, we were able to cram the rest of our stuff into only one sled. Which means I didn’t have to pull anything, huzzah!

We put our heavier stuff on the bottom, with the light stuff on top. Then, we strapped it all in with bungee cords that we brought from home. That way, we knew nothing would fall off!

We were packed and ready around 3:30 p.m. and we knew the sun was going to set around 4:30 p.m. So just to be on the safe side, we made sure our headlamps were accessible. Then, off we went!

The trail out to the treehouses had been packed down by a snowmobile, which was really nice. But, our snowshoes still came in handy because there were some small hills that would have been slippery without them.

Pulling the sled up some of those hills wasn’t easy! It turned out we had lucked out with how we packed the sled- we put the bag of firewood in the back. I had brought along my hiking poles, and I actually used them pushed against the firewood to help my husband up some of the hills.

It took us 25 minutes to get to the Rockhouse and it was a really nice walk. But my husband had definitely worked up a sweat!

My Best Tips:

-Bring Bungee cords to strap your stuff down.

-Make sure you have headlamps (and that they have new batteries or have been charged!).

-Use a small tote bin for anything you don’t want squished.

The Rockhouse was Just Right

The Treehouse that we stayed in is called “The Rockhouse,” because it’s perched between two massive boulders on the forest floor. One of the things I love about Les Refuges Perchés is how all the cabins are built in a way that really connects them with the landscape. This cabin was no exception. The suspended bridge leading into the cabin was a ton of fun for our daughter to cross. She loved it, but anyone with a fear of heights might not- the forest floor is pretty far beneath it!

The main floor of “The Rockhouse” was one big room. We really loved that, because it felt really cozy.  We were able to be close and together the whole time we were there, which is exactly what I wanted for her first birthday.

Two adults and one baby felt like just the right fit for this Treehouse in the winter. Any more and it might have felt a bit crowded. In the summer, there’s a huge patio on top of the Treehouse where you could cook and hangout, so it would definitely feel more comfortable with more people in the warmer months.

Everything We Needed, and Then Some

There was a small kitchen in the Treehouse with everything we needed. Just across from that was a set of bunk beds. Then, there were two long couches and a wood burning fireplace. The dining room table was a folding set that fit best beside the couches. Placing it there, you could put at least six people around it if you wanted to!

There was a set of stairs leading up to the rooftop patio, with a hanging curtain that acted as a doorway between the stairs and the main room. There was also room for storage in that section of the Treehouse.

Everything was clean and well organized when we arrived. The way Les Refuges Perchés works is that you’re supposed to clean the cabin back to the way you found it, for the next guests to enjoy. So the people before us did a lovely job!

Staying Warm

We were plenty warm when we arrived at the Treehouse, but it was not (yet). The very first thing we did was to start a fire to warm the place up. Staff had let us know that it can take two to two and a half hours for the cabins to warm up. We found that it was pretty comfortable after just an hour and a half, although our feet were very cold! The baby was happy to just play around in extra layers while things got warmer. We also bustled around getting unpacked and settling in, so (with the exception of our feet) we barely noticed the cold!

The wood stove was easy to work, and there were instructions hanging on the wall behind it. With the firewood, we were given kindling and newspaper, making it really easy to get the fire going.

While we were sleeping the first night, my husband had to get up once to stoke the fire and help warm us up. But after we had been there for a while, it took less effort to keep it warm. In fact, on the second night we were there we had to strip the baby down to her onesie while she played because it was so toasty!

My Best Tips:

-Bring slippers!

-Make sure you’re dressed warmly enough to be comfortable OUTSIDE. If you’re not comfortable there, you won’t be comfortable in the cabin until after it’s warmed up.

-Dress baby in layers so that you can take them off one by one as the cabin warms up.

Safety

One of the things that I always consider when we bring our baby somewhere is whether or not we’re going to be able to keep her safe. So I was really happy that the Treehouse had a smoke detector and a carbon monoxide detector. We set off the smoke detector once while cooking, so I can guarantee that it works!

Our babe is walking really well, so the stairs, bunk bed ladder, and wood burning stove were also something we had to think about.

There’s a big cooler provided in the Treehouse, and we used this to block off the entrance to the stairs. It didn’t get in the way at all, and with the big curtain behind it, she never even noticed it was an area that she could possibly get into. The way that the Treehouse is laid out, there was nowhere that she could get out of our sight UNLESS she got into the section with the stairs, so that was helpful too.

The ladder to the top of the bunk bed was beside the wall near the wood stove. That was handy, because it meant we could block off the other two things we were worried about all in one space. We just used the dining room table and chairs to block off that corner when we weren’t eating. The dining room set was light enough that we could move it easily, but sturdy enough that she couldn’t, which was perfect!

The cabinets in the kitchen housed a lot of stuff that she could have made a big mess with (like glasses, dishes, and the grey water system). Fortunately, she never bothered with them so we just left them alone.

My Best Tips:

-Don’t worry about bringing extra safety stuff! The cabins are well stocked and you can use things there to block off anything you’re worried about.

-Read the information provided by Les Refuges Perchés, that way you’ll know how to cook and use the wood burning stove safely.

Hanging Out

We spent a lot of time outdoors while we were at Les Refuges Perchés, but it got dark so early that we spent most of the evening inside. The couches in the cabin were so big that we had tons of room to spread out and lounge around. And with everything unsafe blocked off, the baby was able to run back and forth from the couches to the door, and spread her toys out all over the floor.

There was one light in the cabin, and to get it working you need to rent a battery pack. I highly recommend this! We also brought two extra lanterns and some candles. There’s absolutely no light pollution in the forest, so without the extra lights we brought it still would have been pretty dim in the cabin.

We knew there was no electricity in the cabin, so we brought along cards to play with and books to read after the baby went to sleep.

My Best Tip:

-Bring extra light! We brought lanterns, headlamps, and candles. We turned off the cabin light and used a lantern while baby was sleeping.

Sleeping

The Rockhouse is able to sleep six people- two on the top bunk, two on the bottom bunk, and two on the couches.

We brought along the baby’s travel crib, which would have fit nicely beside the couches. But, we decided to just sleep all together, and she was perfectly happy with that!

The bunk beds are supposed to be double beds, but they honestly felt a lot bigger than that. We were able to sleep two adults and one squirmy baby and still feel like we had enough room for everybody.

The mattresses were also quite comfy! Pillows are provided, so we just brought pillow cases and our sleeping bags. We brought two summer time sleeping bags, and one three season that we unzipped and used as a blanket over top of us (although we only needed it the first night).

The baby slept in a onesie with a fleece sleeper over top, and her winter sleep sack. I kind of giggled to myself the first night as a slid into my sleeping bag, because it was like we were ALL sleeping in sleep sacks.

The mattresses were tight to the wall, as was the bed frame, so I wasn’t worried at all about the baby slipping down the side of the bed.

Our baby hasn’t always been the best sleeper, but she slept twelve hours straight each night. Yay!

My Best Tip: 

-Bring different layers for yourself and baby so that you have lots of options (including clothing options and maybe an extra blanket).

Water

There’s no running water in the Treehouses. When we checked in, we grabbed an empty 15 litre water jug and filled it up with drinking water at the pavilion. This water lasted us the whole time and we even had some extra that we used for dishes on the day we were leaving.

In the cabin, there was another empty jug that we took down to the lake to get water for the dishes. It’s a good idea to get this water early on so that it can warm up before you actually have to do any dishes (although you could also boil some to make your dishwater warmer)!  There was dish soap in the cabin.

The sink drains to a bucket underneath it. Anything that goes into the bucket is called “grey water” and it needs to be disposed of in a way that doesn’t harm the environment. So Les Refuges Perchés has set up grey water stations that you can dump the bucket into, where the land will filter out the bad stuff before the water gets back to the lake.

Our grey water station was right beside the outhouse. It only took us a minute to walk there, and we only had to dump the bucket twice.

We brought paper towel to use as napkins, and then used those to scrape off the plates so they were easier to wash. We also brought a compost bag so that the paper towels could be composted.

My Best Tip:

-Dump the bucket before it gets too full! Spilling grey water on yourself or on the floor would be gross, and you know the baby would have gotten right into it.

-Look at what’s included in the cabin kit and bring it from home if you don’t want to rent one (like tea towels).

Cooking

The little propane stove in the cabin worked really well. We made sure to open the window every time we used it to vent the fumes.

We had planned ahead to make cooking really easy for ourselves. It can be tricky enough to cook at home with a baby underfoot so we knew we didn’t want to dedicate too much time to it while we were at the Treehouse.

We’re also very lucky that our baby is happy to eat what we eat, so we didn’t have to bring anything extra for her (except milk).

For breakfast, we had toasted bagels with cream cheese and bananas. We also brought along coffee and used the percolator there.

Since we stayed for two nights, we also had to make one lunch and two dinners. I pre-cooked everything that we were going to eat before we left. Some of it I had actually made a few weeks before and froze so that it could help keep the other foods in the cooler cold.

This was definitely a good plan, because then we just had to use the stove to heat it up! We had stew, chili, and spaghetti while we were there (I even pre-cooked the noodles), and it was all super warm and filling. Perfect for when you’ve been playing outside in the snow! The cooler did a great job of keeping everything the perfect temperature.

We also brought along extra snacks for the baby and for ourselves. Her favorites are Cheerios and pecans, while ours are Sour Patch Kids, chocolate covered almonds, and wine.

The Treehouse had everything we needed: dishes, bowls, cutlery, mugs, and glasses. There were knives, a cutting board, and a pasta strainer too.

We brought the baby’s plate, her bib, and her fork. While we were there we were really wishing we had brought some kind of high chair to help her hold still. We’re going to try and find a good portable one for our next trip!

My Best Tips:

-If you don’t know how to make coffee in a percolator, find out before you go!

-Precook any meals that you can so you can just heat them up once you’re there.

The Outhouse

Since there’s no running water in the Treehouses, there’s also no bathroom. The outhouse we used was really close- it only took a minute to walk there.

The outhouses at Les Refuges Perchés are really nice! And the staff keeps them really clean which is great.

We brought our own hand sanitizer to keep in the cabin. We also had to use our headlamps when we headed out there in the evening, so we were glad to have those.

Fortunately for us, our baby is still in diapers so she didn’t have to take any trips to the outhouse. If you have kids who are a little bit older and potty trained, I can see it being a bit of a hassle to get them all dressed for the cold weather any time they had to pee. I know I said to pack light, but I honestly think it might be worth bringing a little potty along, some pull ups, or teaching them how to use a “pee bottle” for when they have to pee at night.

My Best Tip:

-Does the pee bottle count as a good tip?

Fun!

There are a lot of great things about the Mont Tremblant Treehouses, but the best thing, in my opinion, is that you’re surrounded by nature.

There are so many hiking trails in the area that you could spend a ton of time exploring the Park. We did a bit of snowshoeing, but we also loved that we could just step right outside our door (okay, and across the bridge) and be surrounded by the forest and playing in the snow. There are more than a few baby sized splats in the snow near the Rockhouse now- walking in the snow is hard work when you’re only one! We also walked down to the lake because we knew the view from the dock would be stunning. We weren’t disappointed!

The last time I was there (in the summer!) we went kayaking too.

Packing Tips

Packing for a baby can be challenging! Whenever we’re going somewhere, I start to make a list of what needs to be packed a few weeks before- whenever I think of something, I put it on the list. I also split the list into two categories: What needs to be packed, and what needs to be packed last minute. For example, there’s no way I can get away with packing her white noise machine ahead of time because she uses it every night.

I also start packing anything that I can as early as I can. Then, when it’s in the packing pile (because it honestly is just a pile!), I take it off the list.

Not having a high chair along was definitely a hassle, and I really wished we had brought one. Next time, this will make it on the list!

Final Thoughts

We had a great time staying at Les Refuges Perchés as a family, and we would definitely do it again! Before setting out, I thought it might be kind of challenging for the baby to stay overnight at the Treehouses, but she had so much fun. And I didn’t find it too difficult to get her out there and have her be comfortable and happy. I think in some ways it might be even easier with a baby who’s younger and not walking yet, because you’d need to put even less effort into blocking off anything that could be unsafe.

Ultimately, travelling with a baby can be hard work, but we’ve always found it to be really rewarding (and we think it is for her too!). Les Refuges Perchés is no exception, and it was a lot less work than I had originally anticipated! If you’re looking for the perfect little outdoors vacation not too far from Ottawa, this could be the one.

We were so happy to relax, recharge, and reconnect together and we can’t wait to go back!

What to Bring

I’ve never been a light packer, and with a baby, I think I’ve probably gotten worse. But we did our best to only bring the essentials this time. Except the essentials happened to include birthday decorations, gifts, and cupcakes! All in all though, I think we did pretty well. Below, the gear we brought is organized by use.

Gear We Brought…

For Getting to the Treehouse

• North Face 55 Litre Backpack
• MEC Shuttlecraft Kid Carrier
• MEC Shuttlecraft Rain Cover
• 4 x Bungee Cords (to strap things onto the sled)
• Base Layers
• Wool Socks
• Winter Boots
• Buffs
• MSR Evo Snowshoes
• Headlamps (also required for night time visits to the outhouse)
• Plastic Storage Bin (for transporting things we didn’t want to crush, like decorations and cupcakes)
• Tarp (just in case it rained)
• Small Backpacks (holding clothes and supplies)
• Winter Clothing for Baby: Polyester Onesie, Fleece Sleeper, Columbia Fleece One Piece, MEC Newt Suit, and Hat

For Our Time at the Treehouse

• 2 x Chinook Superlite Mummy 45-Degree Synthetic Sleeping Bag
• Three Season Sleeping Bag (that unzips to a blanket)
• Pillowcases (pillows were already there)
• Mini Lantern (for reading at night)
• Coleman Rechargeable Lantern (able to charge cell phones as well)
• Cell Phones
• Solar Charger + charging cord (for charging white noise or cell phones)
• Books
• Cards
• Toiletries (deodorant, contacts, toothbrush, etc.)
• First Aid Kit (with Tick Removal Tool)
• Paper Towel
• Plastic Bag (for garbage)
• Compost Bag
• Sponge
• Tea Towels
• Fire Starting Kit (with Lighter)
• Small Hatchet
• Hand Sanitizer
• Propane
• Change of Clothing

For the Baby

• phil&teds Traveller Crib
• Old Sheet (to hang as a blackout curtain if needed-it wasn’t)
• 2 x Fleece Sleepers
• Short Sleeve Onesie
• 2 x Long Sleeve Onesies
• 1 x Fleece Track Suit
• 2 x Socks
• Pacifiers
• Books
• Washcloths (to wipe up after meals)
• Wipes
• Diapers
• White Noise Machine (powered by the Solar Powerbank mentioned above)
• Baby Plate
• Bib
• Sippy Cup
• Baby Fork and Spoon
• Bottles
• Bottle Brush
• Winter Sleep Sack
• Nursing Blanket (to put over our laps when we held her while she ate)
• Baby Tylenol + Baby Benadryl (in the First Aid kit)
• Vaseline (can be used to protect skin against risk of frostbite)
• Birthday Gifts
• Decorations

What I Wished We Had Brought

• A Portable High Chair

P.s. when I say that Les Refuges Perchés hosted us, I mean that they generously allowed us to stay with them for free. But rest assured, everything I’ve mentioned in this post is my honest opinion, alongside tips we figured out from staying there. As always, I hope this trip report has enough info to get you there too. Let me know in the comments, or share and tag a friend to start planning your next adventure!