viper2

I guess no grooming there yet either have a Merry Christmas on your trip south Bill

Do what Jackstraw said we have done that or get another rider to even things up.

Renard

Hi Groomer! I just received my trail permit today in the mail now for a little snow dance

they forgot they weren't on their harley's anymore

Get the premium bag and the biggest windsheild offered

that's for sure iceman the first time I was at Manawan was on an '87 SRV it was all it would go on that road. Could not have made it back then without that gas station 1/2 way it got burned down a little later on. We used to ride from that gas station out to the lumber camp near Casey what memories.

Careful iceman that is the way rumors start. I remember going to Koubek's back in the late 80's when they were still using the small building that was torn down. The dog was on the porch having his lunch out of a stock pot and inside there was an identical stockpot on the stove with the soup of the day in it. Too bad it got sold, I did hear last year they were looking to sell. Just hope they don't turn it into another sacacomie I won't go in that place it is obvious they look down on snowmobilers.

what is the translation for tabernak? I have asked my guide on Anticosti but all he could really tell me was "its curse word" which I kinda got that part

Hi Dave, sounds like you had an excellent trip! Hopefully you can diagnose you engine problem it's always a little scary when you get better than expected fuel or oil mileage. I know years ago my first trip with my Viper had me dumping injector oil in the gas tank because I thought something was wrong. I saw you were not too impressed with 13 I never liked that trail either and we usually try to avoid it. By the sound of your post I think you may have already found your next sled.

X2 on Kanawata it is an excellent place, def. not trying to talk you out of it. I have stayed there many times including a week of walleye fishing. Mario and his crew are great and you and Sandi will love it. I would take the trail from Matawin and skip 73 north of La Tuque. The 73 north always sucked before and if it is worse now it could be unbearable. If you come in from La Tuque to 83 west then down 369 you will have a good 30 miles from 83 to Kanawata that you will have to backtrack on the next day. Don't get me wrong the 25 miles from Casey to Kanawata is one of the best streches in Quebec. You will definitely want to make a reservation for Kanawata even though they are in the sticks they get alot of groups coming through.

Hi Jack, not sure why you are going from LaTuque to Kanawata so I fiured I would post. Because you are heading to the Abitibi,I think you have some better options. If Kanawata is an actual goal I would either leave from LeCabanon- they have better conditions right now than st. Raymond and you can skip 73 altogether plus Kanawata is an easy 1/2 day ride or go up to Matawin and take 360 to 345 up to 369 to Kanawata. If Kanawata is not a must stop and you are dead set against leaving from LeCabanon you could go the way you are planning and either stay at Casey or go on to Parent which would not be bad.

If you are heading toward 369 and Parent I would consider dropping at LeCabanon in St. Zenon. They have a corral for the trucks and it is very easy to access 369 by the 345.

Nice report! I like the pic with the fox. Sorry to hear you had a hard time finding the 369.Up until last year they used to groom in the ditch if you left Repos and went east along the road. This trail was never very good but wasn't real long either (maybe 8 miles) then you got to a nice trail that took you to Chateuvert. They were right in sending you down 345 but it is alot more than 10 kms. Usually when they have the trail set up that way 345 meets 369 just before dam Gilardo.If I had to guess though I would say that is probably more like 15-20 miles from Repos. Sounds like you had a great trip otherwise though good to hear some reports.

I never parked there, but I have never heard anything bad about it. I have seen alot of trucks/trailers parked there over the years, I think alot of people park there to get into their cabins to the west of there. What is your itinerary and how many days do you have? Where are you coming from that would help to give you a good spot to leave from.

50 KM from relay 22 would be in the area of that bridge, but it would not be north it would be east. Maybe it's not the same one. :unsure:

I wonder if it's the single lane bridge they put in about 5 years or so ago with the lockable gates? I remember before that you had to pass on the river and it could get pretty hairy. That is the place where the groomer turns around. I sure miss the old trail from there into St. Hedgewich before they started plowing the road, that was some real whistle trail there.

Dave, I have this map that Trailblazer showed if you want PM me a fax # and I will send it. Or stop up one day and I will make a copy for you.

Unfortunately, that trail always seems to be hit or miss. Sometimes I think some clubs try to stay on too strict of a grooming schedule and don't take account traffic or fresh snow.

Sounds like a good plan, I have a feeling you may answer your question yourself after you make the ride up. If the trails are really nice I would would be reluctant to roll the dice although it is nice to make a "loop". Hopefully Midrange or someone who has ridden the Lepine rd. will chime in here.

Are you leaving from the St.Zenon village? Which trail do you plan on taking to Repos? I would try to stay away from SMDS as I have heard the trails and snowcover are pretty rough around town. I would either take the lake from the campground to Canadventure to 33 north to Repos (don't take 33 all the way from SMDS)or I would go to LeCabanon and take the 345 down across the barrage then either 345 to Repos or 360 to 33 north to Repos. 345 is the longest but many times the best trail. Repos has gas then take the 369 to Casey and gas at Petit Gare (they also have food and would be a good lunch stop) As far as the trail around the Gouin you will pick that up just a little past the outfitter Halteparche (which I think is closed again this year)There is a pretty big sign on the right where thr trail starts with a picture of the map around the Gouin. I think I may have that placemat map at home if I do I think it shows the gas/room stops. Last year we left LeCabanon and rode to Clova that day. Before you go if you want to find out better trail info I would call some of these places I think they are all trustworthy. LeCabanon 450-884-5762,Kanawata 819-666-2007,and Tamarac in Clova 819-662-3319. I have not been around the Gouin but last year Martin at the Tamarac told us it was marked well and they do groom it. Hope this helps

You know this area better than me viper2!!! I heard too about the airstrip. I really have to discover more of this area in winter and maybe in summer too. Cabanon/Kanawata by the regular trails would give a 130 miles+ ride... Is the road you take is plowed ??? maybe it's a bit dry for the slides at speed ?? My father has been exploring this area since the 1980's. I remember back in the late 80's and early 90's if you wanted to go to Manawan you had to go by the road from St. Michel. Halfway out there there used to be a gas stop (it has burned down) where you could make the right and go on the road that passes Repos. This is still the way from SMDS to Repos and Kanawata and Chateuvert and also in the summer to Casey. There used to be a huge lumber camp Casey just before you would get to the RR tracks. They used to ride to that camp for gas.That was a long ride back then on 440 fan Exciters and SRV's I think it was something like 125mi. from SMDS. The road we sometimes run is this road so sometimes it can't be done, if not enough snow or if it is sanded for log trucks. If you leave Repos driveway and make left on the road go to T make left and stay straight until the sign for Kanawata to the right this is their driveway. Sometimes I have seen the main road from the T up that it was not sanded but then 1/2 way up they started sanding it. Many people have cabins in that area so you could find more info for sure on a Quebec forum. Sometimes we only use the road out to the T because that trail in the ditch along the road is usually bad. The guy who has the Petit Gare used to work at Kanawata he is a very good guy and is always looking for old SRV's. If you ever pass by Casey to go to 83 just stay on the road if there is snow on it you wil go a few miles and the 83 cuts to the left there will be a sign for Parent or you can stay on the road and you will come to a T make a right on this road and it will take you straight into Wemotaci. (the trail jumps back and forth across this road) When I was at Casey last year they were building a new road from there to Parent, but I don't know when this will be done. There has been talk for a few years of grooming a trail from Casey toward 100 lacs but I think they have a small pool of money to work with. I will try to find some pics to send you from a summer fishing trip to Kanawata a few years ago, there really seems to be alot of VTT traffic up there.

Grumpy, there are rooms at the Petit Gare but it is a small place I would call ahead. Kanawata is a good option too but they book up too so call ahead.

Nice report Alain! I love the area above Repos lots of scenery and straight fast trails. Many times it is possible to leave Repos by the road to the T at the Riviere Rats road then make a left and go to Kanawata by the road. We have left LeCabanon many mornings and been to Kanawata by lunchtime. We also like to ride through the Zec Gros Brochet. You had some very good pics I liked the one by Dam Gilardo. Casey has alot of history, many people don't know about the big airstrip. I guess it was built by the Canadian Army years ago for maneuvers, but I also heard that some drug smugglers tried to use it as a drop off point some years back but the police were waiting for them. Just think how quick you could get to Parent if you left Casey on the RR track!

I talked to my dad this morning, and they rode just under 200 miles yesturday. They took 345 down across the barrage then continued up 345 to the M20. The M20 was good plenty of snow but could have used a good grooming, it hadn't been groomed for at least a week. They took the M20 down to the connection with 360, but before they did they did some exploring on the old trail to Vignrod and then rode into Mattawin for gas and lunch.Came back to LeCabanon by 360 which was good to very good especially from the old bridge up, it had just been groomed the day before. Not getting alot of snow but a little here and there is def. improving conditions.