themainer

I think we rolled into Onatchiway around 3 something so very well could have been! Sounds like you guys had as good of trip as we did! Yes I remember that long powerline section on 93 back when we were up here in 2016. You.guys staying at the Delta in Alma? Been there where we had to park our sleds in the parking garage.

Late start this morning around 9:30 since the ol lady doesn't like -10F snowmobiling. Rode over to the cave, Begin, Nature Otis, up to 373 across to Onatchiway, then back down 373 to the Ski Mountain 170 miles. Heading south to the cave over to Begin that first 60 miles was nothing to write home about, the rest of the way was good to excellent, met 2 groomers on the way home. Tomorrow heading for the frozen waterfall, possibly Sacre Couer loop if they groom and she's motivated enough. Better than sitting home on the couch, but definitely not usual Quebec conditions as we knew it wouldn't be.

If things get too crazy we'll strike off up Bras Louis, been up there with Early rider in November before so we can stay up out of traffic if it gets too crazy, hoping early week riding is a bit quieter than a Valin weekend! Will do, arriving Sunday night then riding Monday Tuesday and Wednesday

Decided to cancel at the Delta and stay north of the river all trip and rented a Condo on AirBnB near where Passion Quebec was on the ski mountain. Looks like still a good amount of snow up there for a few 200 mile loops which is about the ol lady's limit for loops in Maine.

Now that we're less than a week from go time, conditions seem less than ideal around town especially after reading Jeff and Sandy's report. Would it be better to try and get a place in Saint Honorie or another place north of the river or do you guys think riding in and out of the Delta will be fine?

Good to know, I was looking at the trail by Onatchiway and I remember that it wasn't up there as I'd only been there on a Thanksgiving run 6 years ago. That was a big help as now I remember it was at Lac La Mothe. Basically go to the old trail intersection, then cross the road and go to the dam right? I have a pic of my sled in it back in 2016 on my computer somewhere when I was up there with my 10,000 mile 800 etec, whispering sweet nothings to her so that she'd make it back to St Raymond in once piece on our saddlebagger. -30 one morning and it snowed 18 inches the first day so we dug out 5 other sleds over the course of a few days. Good times.

Nice, should be a good time to be there. We'll be there the 18th through the 21st. Good time to get out of Maine with school vacation week. Is Bay Ha Ha where all the ice shacks are? The entire way or just certain sections? Gonna run it from Onatchiway to KM 31 area, but haven't been on it west from there.

The future wife got into snowmobiling last year and I picked her up a nice used 2017 900 ACE to ride, did about 1,000 miles with her around our home in Maine, so figured it's time to bring her up Nord. Been to the Delta before, nicer than the typical places I stay (Relais 22, my favorite dorm room), but figured it would be the best place to do 200+/- mile loops out of. Looking for anything we should know as I haven't been in the area since my Chibougamau loop in 2019. Planning day one to take her to the "Cave" near Onatchiway, over to the Chappelle for lunch, then back down 93 with a stop at a viewpoint. Day 2 loop the lake south to north (suggestions for lunch and destinations?) Day 3, quick 50-100 mile loop and then hopping in the truck home 5 hours. Open to suggestions for area restaurants (definitely doing La Cage one night) and any other ideas on loops or sights/destinations on the trail I might be missing. Never made it to the frozen waterfall off 93, but she's not super confident off trail yet so not sure I want to do that. Thank you in advance!

Thanks for the advice, how has it been finding lodging that time of year, everything usually still open? May adjust our plans some as I haven't been between New Richmond and Chandler but if there isn't anything to see Id rather let the 850 eat on the green trails.

We're planning a trip the last week of March, I've been in the northern Gaspe before during that time and besides running into towns it was great. Never ran the south side that time of year, want to try Point La Croix to Perce, then Perce to Matane, then Matane back to truck 3rd day. Is table Roland still open at the end of March? How does the south side hold on to snow that time of year? We're not afraid of running some dirt, just want to make sure we can have a bed to stay in and some gas for the sleds. Obviously it'll depend on how the rest of this winter goes snow wise, but we've been getting a lot of rain in Maine so hoping they've been getting snow. March 29th 2017 below

It was good meeting you guys the other day on the boat, not very often I get my picture taken by someone on Quebec rider, haha I got one of you guys too

Port cartier to Sacre Couer today 340 miles, decent day, but bumpy the rest of the way into the coronet wasn't the best way to finish the day, but can't complain!

Met GTRider and his wife on the boat. Made it to Sept Isle, rode all around the trails near town, played on the powerline, now back in Port Cartier for the night

Heading for Sept isles from Matane tomorrow on the Godbout ferry, couldn't talk anyone into going to Havre...

Looking at the map to finish planning our Beaucville- Sept Isle then back via Forestville trip and I see this... Wonder if I can convince the old man to head further east?

Haha, yeah 6 times I had to "refresh" myself before 11am, whatever horrible concoction of poutine, red wine, and grand mariner I had I won't ever have again on one night!

Good riding today, especially after I got rid of the KM 31 flu, haha

Happy Thanksgiving from KM 31!

So after the ol lady saw my pics from my first trip around the Gaspe, she wanted to go there instead of going to Mt. Valin like we had originally planned. After 8 hours in the pickup we arrived in St. Anne Des Monts Sunday night. She hadn't been to Quebec or really anywhere outside new England since 6th grade, so it was fun watching her see the differences in language, signs, etc.. Only ended up doing an overnighter to Murdochville and back totaling 275 miles as she was nervous to do any more than that, but after going she is already talking about next year's trip and wants to make it 3 days instead of two next time. Now if I could only convince her to ride her own sled! Trails were absolutely a 10/10 besides a couple areas with a few drifts. Met 7 sleds all day Monday. Definitely going to come this time of year next time as the conditions weren't nearly as good when we went the first time. Sunset in St. Anne: She thought feeding Gorbies out of our hands was like the best thing ever. Even in northern Maine growing up we were at the very southern end of their range so she never really saw many. That's gonna be expensive.... Hotel Copper again:

Yeah, he's not the biggest fan of snowmobiling anymore. He used to really pound the miles on when I was younger and couldn't handle the 300 mile days. Now he's winding down as I want to ride bigger and farther. Hoping to drag him out to Chibougamu and Matagami next year with a group of people as neither he or I have ever been, not sure I have him convinced yet though.

Yeah it was the first one I'd ever seen. Was cool to see. Pretty crazy the way they carved that training section out of the mountain too. 1 mile from valley floor to the top of that!

You'd be looking at a long day for sure. Around 275 miles if I remember right going out to Riviere Renard and around. That 597 trail is easy cruising the last 80 miles in to murrdochville though. If you're used to big mileage days definitely doable. Would be a lot shorter to cut through the 597 all the way through and come right back up it.

Day 3- Just a Dustin’ Left Hotel Copper at 7am bound for Pointe A La Croix. Little bummed about not seeing Perce Rock, but there is always next time. Cruised over the local trail toward La Cache breaking trail in a couple inches of snow, Hit the 595 and hammered down. Could only get the sled to hit 100 in 4 inches of snow. Started freezing raining closer to New Richmond and needed to scrape the shields every 30 seconds or so. Got to New Richmond and it changed back to snow. Ate at my first Dixie Lee chain restaurant which was pretty good, then headed for Pointe A La Croix as it turned to plain rain. Thank goodness for Gortex Klim geared. Stayed perfectly dry. Eneded the day about 208 miles. Couldn’t believe we finally had a trip that went mostly right after 3 years in a row of breaking trail in over 18 inches of snow, then losing my track in Riviere Du Loop last year, etc.. Must be the new sled got rid of the funk! Snowin’ a bit: Old Olympics and TNTs 595 Hammah Down! Covered Bridge: Nice Spot:

Day 2: Change of Plans (Red Line) Got up and on the trail bright and early at 6:30am for our trip over the North Shore bound for the town of Gaspe. Dad only had terrible memories of this stretch doing it in the rain and fog back in 2001. We had a beautiful mostly blue sky day. Absolutely beautiful scenery around Mont Sainte Pierre, pictures don’t really do it any justice. Near Mont Sainte Pierre met a mother moose and a calf on the trail who refused to leave. Kept shutting of the sleds and waiting, then going again. After 10 minutes they finally got off the trail. Was a little skieved out at the cliffs on some of the trails, pretty amazing where they put these trails. Got to Riviere Renard after about 180 miles at 1:00pm for lunch and decided we would push on the last 70 something miles to Perce. Sitting in the restaurant I called the hotel in Perce and they were booked. Found out there were no other hotels with rooms within 50 miles of there that showed up on the internet or the map. Dad told me the rock really wasn’t worth the trip as he’s seen it and there isn’t really anything else worth seeing near there. Finally we made the decision we’d head to Murrdochville to Hotel Copper if they had a room. Called and got the last one, but only one bed in the room… Said frig it, we’ll take and I’ll sleep on the floor if I need it. Left the lunch stop and 2:30 to push on the last 110 miles planning to get in at 7pm. Topped off fuel in Gaspe and got down to the local trail and started squeezing the throttle. Awesome cruising stretch of trail. Hit the 597 and hit the throttle again. Saw the tracks at a bad horseshoe corner where apparently someone had missed the corner and died at 10:00am that morning we heard later. Makes you think… Made it to Hotel Copper just before 6pm. Whole lobby smelled like cigarettes. Asked the guy at the front desk (the owner) if they had any extra blankets so I could sleep on the floor. Since he didn’t speak the best English (and I don’t speak much French) he said we don’t have cots. I said, no I’d just like some extra blankets (with some charades to get the point across). He talked in french to a worker, the worker looked depressed, headed for the basement and came upstairs with an extra Mattress and blankets! Thanked them both multiple times as all I wanted was some extra blankets. Worked out perfect really. Had a good dinner and went to bed. 292 miles total when we were only hoping for 200. Sunrise in Sainte Anne: Clearcut: The first avalanche I’ve ever seen. Definitely would have pushed a sled off that few hundred foot cliff had it hit one when it let go: Pictures don’t do the scenery or steepness justice. Needed the parking brake on. Looking down on Mont Sainte Pierre around 8am. Was fun watching the groups of snowmobiles leave the hotel looking like ants in the valley below: In the valley on top of a 30 foot mound: View on the opposite side of the valley. We were originally in that small bright white spot in the middle top of the mountain: Cant remember this town’s name: Snowblowing up at the windmills: Another sheer cliff spot: The lights of Murrdochville: Hotel Copper, parking on Main Street:

Finally took time to get the pictures off my phone. This was my first trip to the Gaspe, Dad’s 3rd time but first since 2001. We only ended up doing a 3 day trip out of the 4 originally planned due to the snow on Wednesday and lack of availability of rooms near Perce. All in all, a good trip though. 775 miles in 3 days, had perfect weather for the north shore, and saw everything worth seeing (from what I was told) besides Perce Rock, but that can always been seen on another trip. Trails overall were a 6/10. With the warmup and subsequent re-freezing you could tell the groomers were struggling as I think at least 90% of the corners had chop on the inside half the entire trip. Trails definitely weren’t what they usually are in Quebec, but still good enough to have a good trip. Weather was warm, didn’t have to break trail in over 18 inches of snow, and didn’t have any mechanical issues, so really the best luck we’ve had on a saddlebag trip the last three seasons. Here’s the route: Day 1: The Squall (Green Line) Left Pointe A La Croix at a comfortable 17 degrees with fresh groomed trail. From researching on this forum, decided to head east for 9 miles, then take a local trail back across to 5, the across to the 587 regional trail around the Matapedia Valley. Good decision as Trans Quebec 5 in this area was pretty beat. Had a great ride on 587, probably the best grooming of the whole trip. Let the 800 etec breathe pretty good in many places, so got terrible fuel mileage this stretch! Fueled up and headed toward Matane for lunch. Ate at the A & W Root Beer restaurant chain that I like to frequent while in Quebec. Checked a few work emails, took a couple calls, then back on the trail heading for our final destination of Sainte Anne Du Monts. While heading east towards our destination I saw pitch black Thunderstorm looking clouds off in the distance and knew we were going to get something, either rain or snow as it was over 32 degrees on the skidoo air temperature gauge. Ended up getting caught in a snow squall that was nuts. Being from Northern Maine I’ve seen it snow 3 feet in a storm and every type of snow you could think of, but I’d never seen it snow this hard in my entire life. Just pouring out of the sky. At times you couldn’t see 25 feet and Dad following 50 feet behind would loose sight of me frequently. Luckily we were in the woods the entire time during the squall cause Im not sure you could have found your way in a field. After about 20 minutes it cleared out and was almost back to sunny again. Stayed at the Hotel & Cie which was a nice place with a good restaurant. 275 Miles total. Looking at Pointe a La Croix, QC and Cambelton, NB 587 Matane suspension bridge Snow squall. Picture doesn't do it justice at all.