ODog

Sunday 1/31 left hotel Marineau Mattawin (terrific place to stay, by the way, easy to get to; clean; GREAT service, reasonable price), 20 deg F 360-345 west through terrific conditions, plenty of snow and few sleds. Quick gas at Pourvoire Du Lac Repos and north to Kanawata for lunch. Conditions 7 out of 10. After full bellies and fuel top off continued north on 345 to 83W. Conditions have now become 9-10, soft 3-4in on top of groomed base. Almost no other sleds. but who's complaining? Right onto the Barrage Gouin access trail and things are only getting better. A bad day on this trail is like a bad day on the beach in Bora Bora. 45km no other sleds, sun, 4 inches fresh snow. Barrage Gouin, one of my favorite places to stay and had the place to ourselves. Why don't more people stay here? It's never busy. The trail in/out are sweeet, service is terrific and the rooms are more than adequate. Did I say we had Walleye and the bartender to ourselves? Day 2 -wake to 8 inches new snow, and wind; break trail all the way out the 45km access trail (like, this was wicked awesome dude) then 83 W to Parent for lunch. 83 was another lucky recipient of 6-8 in of snow overnight. Hotel Central for lunch. Where is everyone else??? Find out 13 South is CLOSED. Our destination and reservations are at Le Fer A Cheval but ya can't get there from here. Oh well, so goes winter on the Quebec trails. Quick phone call and cancellation. 83 back E for more awesomeness, Wemotaci for gas and Relais 22 destination for the night. Now, I thought I was getting a good deal: $102 for gas, room, dinner, breakfast. I find out not so much, and as my dad would say: you don't get anything for 'nuthin. Gas good. Food good. Room ...yikes! Who stays there that doesn't have to? That's the ugly and all I'm going to say about that. Day 3 back to the trucks at Mattawin -Mechanical issues by a minor off-trail excursion forced us to shorten our day. 73 south excellent conditions until about Club Odanak then disintegrated quickly through LaTuque. This area received rain the previous Sat/San and the trails took a beating. Approx 10 mi south of LaTuque, after the power lines, on 355 the trails got a bit better (4-5 out of 10). 360 W back to the hotel was rutted and lots of snirt. Fortunately this was a short ride. All-in-all a fantastic 3 days. North is good or excellent, so no complaining, just get out there! Barrage Gouin Access Trail Walleye! I had a sled here . . .somewhere Breaking trail ADN1 Barrage Access Trail

Sorry for the delayed response Mainebound, I tried to reply from my phone while en-route, but the technology on the mobile QR site has me baffled. We rode south from Relais 22 to Mattawin yesterday (Tues 2/2). 73/355/360. Very good conditions until about 5 mi north of LaTuque. From that point until about 5 mi south of LaTuque, bad to very bad. Conditions picked up and were about a 6 (1-10) until we reached 360, then very bad again for the last stretch to Riviere Mattawin. Forecast called for a bit of snow/wintery mix so hopefully things will get better. On the other hand, Sun/Mon further north, 83/ Parent/Wemotachi, Barraige Gouin were some of the best conditions we have ever ridden. 10+ Stay tuned for a brief RR on a new thread.

Todd, it may be last minute but we'll be leaving from https://www.chezmarineau.com/establishments/hotel-marineau-at-mattawin/introduction. on Sunday morning for a 3 day ride. Barrage Gouin, Cheval, then back to Mattawin Tuesday night. We lost our 4th last minute.

Looks like 12/26 is still available. More optimistic than most, but I'll take it!

Jim, is that your Apex with 12k mi you're referring to? and still kicking at -34 deg??!! Missed riding with you this winter. Keep in touch for next year. btw, those are good tips for starting in the cold. I do: 1) Good battery. 2) spare fuel relay in your pocket. Starts every time!

Stayed at Auberge de la rivière in Mattawin twice last week and would recommend it highly. Clean, lots of room for sled (and truck/trailer) parking. Good people, decent food and good selection of beer . . .I mean food. Gas across the street. I don't remember the exact cost, but it was reasonable. Right on trail 360.

Thank you!

I know this was discussed earlier in the season, but haven't heard much and want to make sure there's gas between Senneterre and Parent. Counting on BalBuzzard. We'll be coming through there (West to East)next Wed. Thanks for confirming if you can. Should be a bit chilly to say the least!

TY!

Mark, what hotel did you start from in La Tuque? We're starting from there next week and looking for a safe place to leave the truck for a week. Great pics!

Vince, it is the trip of a lifetime. We did it last year starting/ending in Pointe a la Croix. Mostly perimeter. I posted a trip report if it would help. http://www.quebecrider.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=3385&hl= I too, speak no French and didn't have a problem. Enjoy!

Stayed at Windigo as our start/stop location last year. I would say it's about a 30 min drive NW from ML. Beautiful individual homes in a community on the lake. Probably the nicest place I've stayed on any snowmobile adventure. We were able to leave our trucks/trailers and felt safe doing so. If you're looking for a nice place to stay with your wife, you can't go wrong.

Did he happen to mention anything about having gas? (fuel for our sleds that is :) It's certainly not a place I would rely on but it would come in handy.

Yea, thanks. I read that. I'm carrying extra gas just in case. Let's hope for all of us that Balbuzard will be open so we can get at least a couple of gallons. I remember in years past they limited how much you can purchase.

Now that the holidays are behind us and winter (or at least the cold!!) is upon us, many are focusing on confirming various trips. I'm resurrecting this post looking for a couple more that may want to join us on a trip to Chibougmau in February. Most of the planning is done. Our tentative schedule is to leave Hotel Safari on 2/14 -> Lac Bouchette ->Chibougmau ->Senneterre->Parent->St Zenon and back to Shawiningan. We're expecting to do about 220 mi p/day. Looking for 1-3 more riders. Our dates are flexible by a day or 2 either way. PM me if you interested in more info. Happy new year everyone. O

MA

Hello Chris and CT Rider- Our plans as they are now: 2/14 - Arrive Safari Motel 4500, 12th Avenue, Shawinigan, G9N 6T5, Canada 2/15 – Destination http://www.centrevacancesnature.com/ Montagne, Lac-Bouchette2/16 – Destination http://www.motelnordic.com/ Chibougamau, 2/17 – Destination http://www.motelsenabi.com/#!home/c1u96 Senneterre, Québec 2/18 – Destination http://www.hotelcentralparent.com/ 2/19 – Destination http://www.aubergesafarimotel.com/ 4500, 12th Avenue, Shawinigan, 2/20 - HOME OR 2/19 – Destination http://www.aubergelecabanon.com/ St-Zénon, Québec 2/20 - Destination http://www.aubergesafarimotel.com/ Shawinigan 2/20 or 2/21 drive home. As you see we're being somewhat flexible towards the end of the trip. Let me know of you need more info. Owen

Two experienced riders looking for 1-2 more on an epic trip to Chibougmau in February. Most of the planning is done, hotels, route and dates( 2/14 - 2/19 ish) although we are flexible in the dates, to the extent we could start a couple of days later if necessary. Our tentative schedule is to leave Hotel Safari on 2/14 -> Lac Bouchette ->Chibougmau ->Senneterre->Parent->St Zenon and back to Shawiningan. We're expecting to do about 220 mi p/day. We've found 3-4 riders on a long trip seems to be a good number for the safety aspect and ability to make good time. Very laid back, both of us. Happy to share more trip details just PM me. Just have a newer sled and a sense of humor. Owen p.s. if you want to hook up for one or 2 of the legs, that's fine too.

Now if someone would put a yardstick (or a meterstick :) sticking up in the ground in the view of each camera, we'd always know the current snow depths across Quebec!!! 'magine that! :) By the looks, there's not much on the ground anywhere yet.

Mid Feb, 2014. The Gaspe got hit very hard with a major storm 3 days before we arrived and just enough time for the groomers to do their thing. Couldn't have been better!

One way to do it would be to plan your route first, then depending on what towns you plan to end up in, decide whether or not you should reserve ahead of time. The larger towns, such as Gaspe and the more populated areas along the southern route will probably have options enough where you don't have to make reservations. The interior and/or some of the smaller villages along the north coast, you will want to have a reservation such as Murdochville and Mont St Pierre. If you end up near Carleton Sur Mer, the Baie Blue Hotel was terrific. The nicest place we stayed in 7 days. Just off the main trail (5) comfortable rooms, terrific restaurant, bar and reasonably priced. Baie Blue Riotel Matane Baie Blue Hotel Copper Murdochville LaCache Hotel Mont St. Pierre btw, yes, work is slow today :) Enjoy!

I knew I could twist someone's arm! Let's talk early next season! Enjoy the summer everyone! Owen

Have any of you considered riding to the U.P. from Quebec? And back? Many on here are avid saddlebaggers and the adventurous type, it must have crossed your mind. Doing some rough (very rough :) calculations, a drive from Montreal to Marquette, MI (central UP) is about 700 miles. Add 200 for riding trails =900 mi one way. This can easily be accomplished in one week. Have 2-2.5 weeks allotted and it could be a great adventure. Spend a day or 2 riding the UP and hopefully return a slightly different route. Of course breakdowns could throw a major wrench in your plans, but isn't that always the case? If someone would like to consider a trip like this, I'm open to the idea. It's going to be a very long summer. . .

If the FCMQ wants to increase snowmobile tourism from the states, they need to find a way to make short-term registrations more affordable and therefore make a week in Quebec more attractive. My guess is if you surveyed who's coming from the states and who is not (and why they're not), you would find the following: Who comes and why? Primarily upper-middle class and retired men as individuals (not their families). These men (don't get mad at me, it really is mostly men) have high amounts of disposable income. It's expensive, man. Who doesn't come and why? Families. I would say the reason is they are reluctant to spend $190 p/sled for a week reg. When they can go to NH or Maine spend the same or less for a season and not have to pay the extra gas cost. Things add up really fast when you're registering multiple sleds. Individual men in their 20s-30s who make up a significant portion of the NH, Maine, VT and MA snowmobile demographic. Most are working class that would LOVE to sled in QC, but they already paid for an expensive local reg, and to spend $190 for a week (plus 3x fuel cost in QC) just isn't in an already tight budget. So, if the intent is to increase business from the states, make it more competitive price-wise to sledding in the states for those that can't afford it now. This could happen many ways: by decreasing reg or advertizing attractive hotel/reg/meals packages. Advertise more in the NH Snow Traveler, and similar publications in VT, Maine, NY and Michigan. For those that can afford it, create a more targeted marketing campaign toward this demographic: Off the top of my head that could be (sled and spa packages (he sleds, she goes to the spa or takes tennis lessons -or vice verse)), Advertize in men's magazines that target this demographic such as Men's Health, GQ, etc. Geez, I hope this is what you were looking for :) O

This is a brief review of our trip last week to the Gaspe (I'm supposed to be working, but can't stop thinking about snowmobiling in Quebec, shhh don't tell anyone). Started Monday, 2/17 in Pte-a-la-Croix north to Matane on 5. We seemed to hit this trip perfect, one day or so after the major storm (reports of 80-90cm fell), which gave the groomers time to do their thing. Very cold but beautiful trail conditions. Riotel in Matane was a very nice place to stay. Day 2 temperature coming up a bit (~10F) and some of the most dramatic trails and views I've ever seen from the seat of my sled. The trials in and out of Cap Chat (gas) and St Anne Du Monts (lunch) were breathtaking against a clear blue sky. It was starting to become obvious the challenges the groomers had over the previous 2 nights attempting to knock down the drifting snow on these narrow, mountainous trails. At one point we saw what looked like a drag had gone partially over a cliff. Maybe he backed it out there to turn around, I don't know. Tuesday night was at the Hotel Mont St Pierre. Simple, clean and cheap room with excellent food. How do they do it with such a small kitchen and staff? Easily one of the best meals on the entire trip. Don't judge a book by it's cover. Day 3 Wed and although the temp was perfect 20F, things took a bit of a turn. We had great trails until refuel stop in Petite Valle, then the woopdidoos started . . .and never ended until Gaspe (30-40mi). A bit of a disappointment but I won't dwell on it. A bright spot was lunch at the Caribou in L'Anse-a-Valleau. Arrived at Hotel Adams in Gaspe at 7PM. Thursday plans were ambitious, make it to Murdochville for lunch/gas VIA 587/597 west (I think that's the trail #, I don't have the trail map at work). It took a bit to find the correct trail off of 5 south -like until 2PM! as it hadn't been groomed from the 2+feet of snow and many of the signs were covered with the amount of snow they have! Finally we after backtracking 3-4 times and getting local advice we stayed right at the fork about a mile in(you may know this) and embarked on a 6 hour, 24 mile challenging adventure, breaking trail through the mountains a dozen or more stuck situations and arriving at the intersection of 597 at 7:30PM. Why did we attempt this with trail sleds including 2 yammis and a 2 up? That's a question that can never be answered rationally. 90 minutes later and a beer at the Copper Hotel never tasted so good. Friday, 'picture trail' west (again, don't remember the number, sorry)to LaCasche was everything we hoped for. Breathtaking scenery, scenic vistas around every turn, fabulously groomed trails and blue sky ~25F. I understand this trail isn't always open. If this is the case, ride it while you can. Gas/food in Lacashe, someplace you need to go once :) then 595S for our last night in Carleton-sur-Mer at the Baie Bleue Hotel. Highly recommend this place. Right on the trail, cheap and the most comfortable bed the entire trip. Sat AM, Mother Nature's going away present to us: a quick 50 mi. ride back on 4 inch of new snow over groomed trails to the trucks in Pte-a-la-croix. Blue sky, 25F! This was my first trip to Gaspe and won't be my last. I'll attempt to attach some photos. Thanks for reading.