4ws XRS

Under a cloudy sky with a little snow/-2C we made this ride yesterday January 6, 2023 in St-Zenon area through the Mastigouche Wildlife Reserve starting from St-Gabriel de Brandon

As a drop point we chose the parking lot of the Multifunctional Center 111 Chemin du mont Lanaudière (it's the road just past the Highschool) which is an official parking lot for trailers and the trail pass just aside. We arrived a little late and parked on the roadside in front of it. 

Despite the last thaw there is still a lot of snow, the conditions are good here in the field in St-Damien.

Even the big hill in climbing on the mountain was nice with barely a couple browning snow spots , otherwise very good. Given the traffic there were a few bumps but it ride very well.

We passed the Renard Bleu outfitter

The road is plowed farther this year but has been widened and our trail is next to it. We just have to cross it a couple of times as the trail change of side otherwise it's fine.


the snow cover is very good


From the #23 we then took trail #350 east.

After this thaw I was expecting to ride on very hard trails but no there is a good layer of loose snow on top , thick enough that the skis were not even bite the trail hard base most of the time. Very good conditions


Passed the junction for the #23 towards the Cabanon we continued on the #350 towards Koubec with even better trail conditions

 

We stopped for lunch at the Relais Koubec (Outfitter Mastigouche)


It's been a while since we stopped eating there. It was very good and quick and their huge double-sided fireplace in the center of the dining room always impresses me!

After the lunch break we continued in the Mastigouche reserve. I did a round trip stretch on #23 eastbound. We passed the junction for the trail to Gaston (#350 towards Lac Blanc)

Before turning around and continuing on #23 westbound


The section of #23 which comes to reconnect on the #345 (towards the Taureau dam) is less used and as usual it did not disappoint us with its good condition and beautiful fast sections.



There had been more traffic on the #345 towards the Cabanon. The snow cover remains good even if there are a few spots of more brownish snow in the few km that leave the forest road and which had been reworked with a bulldozer just before the season.


We stopped to fuel up at Auberge Le Cabanon


And we went back down to our starting point via #23 trail

Real Masse outfitter, which had major problems with their plumbing and water distribution system during an extended power outage (christmas storm) is not open and the trail goes straight, trail not groomed yet

the #23 south of #350 was weared from traffic and was bumpy on the way back south, especially in the section maintained by St-Charles club

The last section groomed by St-Gabriel club was better but the traffic had still done its job. With the announced cold and grooming, it will come back good because the snow cover is good.

To summarize,  the storm of December 23 had left impressive amounts of snow, the following thaw packed it down to give us a solid base for the trails and the last snow put some cream on the cake which gives very good conditions. There are still a couples of not frozen small ditches and you can still see the remains of fallen /damaged trees but the ride we did was very nice overall. 
Trail opening and grooming is still underway, I know that from St-Zenon or Mattawin it is possible to go to Pourvoirie Repos. Kanawata wrote their trails was open (4January) and Alliance du nord club that groom norther on the #83 state that they finished opening trails and are at grooming them. Many places in Parent/clova were starting their operations this weekend. Latuque snowmobile club also state their trails opened.
With the cold announced I expect that the open trail network will continue to expand and connect rapidly in the coming days
Happy 2023 season!
Alain

as a bonus, here a video of my yesterday ride, in the AM from St-Gabriel to Koubec.  Quality is weaker because the lack of sun but it's good enough to see the conditions. enjoy!
 

Today between Cabanon and Mattawin.

Yes I will, in the forecast it's really this next thursday that is worrying... the rest is fine. 
here's a pic from today 14dec st-zenon from facebook that I see tonight

https://www.facebook.com/groups/trippeuxmotoneige/permalink/3254375768131729/

The habs are just using Covid as an excuse, there aren’t any fans because they suck ass this year 😂

Quebec bob do you ride in the Berkshires? I didn’t register in Quebec agin this year, but for the second year in a row registered in Mass., VT, NH, and Maine. Have nephews in Williamstown, so ride Savoy, Florida, etc. a couple times a year
 
 

I really feel terrible for you guys, and everyone here who has high hopes of returning to normalcy...just a few days ago all of us and the outfitters were nearly in celebration of a really great season....I need the time off and away and they need our revenue, early indications are this variant is much less a hospitalization problem than the first 2 waves, this may be premature.

Just won’t be the same riding only the country this year, but better than last year as I wasn’t able to ride at all.

Just won’t be the same riding only the country this year, but better than last year as I wasn’t able to ride at all.

Just won’t be the same riding only the country this year, but better than last year as I wasn’t able to ride at all.

Just won’t be the same riding only the country this year, but better than last year as I wasn’t able to ride at all.

Just won’t be the same riding only the country this year, but better than last year as I wasn’t able to ride at all.

Just won’t be the same riding only the country this year, but better than last year as I wasn’t able to ride at all.

Boss 351 had 25k miles and spring of 1972 inspection sticker on windshield when I bought it in the early 80’s. Bought it from the original owner, he had enlisted in the army, when I bought the car the interior was in his bedroom, and engine was in a 100 pieces in his garage.

Dave, wow are we old, I remember you driving that car when you where dating my neighbor, 1979 ish? I loved the look of my Boss 302, but it drove crappy, my 71 Boss 351 drove nice but not as good looking, sold that about 10 years ago to a restoration shop in Canada. 

Boss 351 had 25k miles and spring of 1972 inspection sticker on windshield when I bought it in the early 80’s. Bought it from the original owner, he had enlisted in the army, when I bought the car the interior was in his bedroom, and engine was in a 100 pieces in his garage.

Boss 351 had 25k miles and spring of 1972 inspection sticker on windshield when I bought it in the early 80’s. Bought it from the original owner, he had enlisted in the army, when I bought the car the interior was in his bedroom, and engine was in a 100 pieces in his garage.

............nice women in mtl ...
scenery too !!!😉
 
jean-guy

Sic of all the political, COVID and all lives matter 
Left work early and hit the black trail turning on the classic rock and banging the gears  all threw western ma ,southern Vt and NH   500 miles of stress free weekend  Back to the real world tomorrow!!! 

IMG_2814.MOV

That video was outstanding.  The girl is on the ball for sure.

They don’t care. These people protesting have contributed zero to the country and never will. 
When enough good people are insulted then maybe this will be put down. 
Watch this video Playhard sent me. 
pretty well put here