The boundary between northern Vermont and southern Quebec is a beautifully blurred line. Longtime residents recount local legends of the 1970s – before border regulations tightened – of wilderness enthusiasts dropped off deep in the Vermont mountains, simply to see if they could navigate their way back to Montreal. They frequently did, with ease.
The geographic reality matches that rugged history. The culture bleeds through the trees, and just over 75 miles north sits the cultural capital of La Belle Province du Quebec. Most days, atmospheric haze makes the city invisible, rendering it a mirage hidden behind heavy layers of mountain air. But under the right light, the angular lines of a world-class metropolis come into view.
A striking image by Jeffersonville-based photographer and gallery-owner Chris Diegel recently captured this exact phenomenon. It generated significant buzz across the local ski and ride community in both places.
Solstice, Comets, and Accidental Focus
Diegel originally discovered this perspective in 2020. He was chasing an image of the Neowise comet, not looking for Canada. “I didn’t go looking for Montreal; I discovered it completely by accident,” Diegel explains. “In 2020, I was on the mountain photographing the Neowise comet. I zoomed in on the horizon to check my focus when I saw some strange rectangular shapes that didn’t look like anything made by nature.”
Fast forward to June. Facing a clear, cloudless afternoon, Diegel recognized that the seasonal variables were perfectly aligned for a second shot of the Montreal skyline. “Normally, those are some of my least favorite conditions for landscape photography,” Diegel notes. “Even though the light wasn’t great for a large, sweeping scene, it was perfect for zooming in on the horizon at dusk and capturing a clear view of the city.
Another seasonal variable that added even more spice to this image was the fact that we are close to the summer solstice. During the longest days of the year, the sun sets in the northwestern sky, not far from where the city sits on the horizon.” To demonstrate the perspective to online skeptics, Diegel posted a walk through from his exact vantage point at the top of the Sterling Lift. The reel shows precisely how the camera aligns with the distant horizon.
Diegel’s Montreal skyline image has sparked the imagination of his Instagram followers. Comments immediately began pouring in, requesting a view of Montreal from Jay Peak Resort as well. This sent Diegel digging through his archives, where he uncovered an astrophotography shot taken from Jay in 2014 that also caught the city skyline by accident. With modern gear that boasts double the focal length today, he plans to hunt for the northern horizon again soon.
The Soul of the Mountain Road
Prior to making northern Vermont home in 2005, Diegel lived in Mystic, Connecticut. “Mystic is a beautiful place,” Diegel says, “but I’m more of a mountain person than a water person, so when a friend told me they were moving to Vermont and looking for a roommate, I jumped at the chance.”
“In the spirit of honesty, I don’t have a personal connection to Montreal,” Diegel admits, having only spent a single afternoon in the city. I do have a very meaningful connection to Smuggs, however. When I moved to town in 2005, my first job was bartending at the resort. I’d never skied or snowboarded a day in my life, but the Smugglers’ Notch community took me under its wing and taught me how to snowboard when I was 30 years old.”
“Anytime I’m on the mountain, my thoughts quiet and my stress melts away in a kind of all-natural euphoria. That’s the very thing I’m trying to capture with my photography, and it’s what I hope my work can inspire in other people.”
When he isn’t shooting the Green Mountains, Diegel channels that creative energy back into his community. He owns and operates The Artisan Shop at Iris Lane Studios, located just a few miles downhill from Smugglers’ Notch Resort on the mountain road. The independent gallery displays his fine art photography, alongside the work of 30 other local artists and makers.
This mountain pass remains a testament to the rich culture of Lamoille County and New England skiing and riding. The East might not boast the massive vertical of western destinations, but it retains a creative identity and a unique horizon that simply cannot be replicated elsewhere. To purchase a print of the Montreal skyline, or to explore the work of local makers, stop by The Artisan Shop at Iris Lane Studios on Route 108.