viper2

Nice report! We also like to use the unmarked trail through the Zec Gros Brochet. You may remember a few years back that actually was a marked trail to Repos for a year or two before they finished the 33.

Great report Alain, as always. I hope to make at least 1 trip up this year but i am not sure when, I promised my wife a warm weather trip the year so if I do make it up this year it will probably be later in winter. Have a safe riding season.

Ha Ha it never rains in Chibougamau in february.

Hi Groomer! Looks like that would be a good trail for the guy looking for off trail riders aviator-mech

Jeez that thing sure don't track very straight, I mean there was a track broken and he couldn't even stay in it!

snow might not be a problem, but once you get away from SMDS there won't be much grooming if any yet and the trail markers probably are not in place yet.

Greg, I remember this one from last year. When we gassed at LaDore after starting the day in Chapais my wife asks me ?How long is it to Relay 22 yet?????

How about when you ask the guy at the gas station how far a certain town is from there and he says 2 hours. Ah.............OK how fast do i have to ride to get there in 2 hours?

Ok, but tell us how you really feel...........

Just proves sometimes your first impression is very wrong! LOL

Thanks for the report Alain looks like a good start to the season.

ttt I think everyone should read this and print a copy of the merchants for future reference.

They def. have a good maintainence program there and alot of the miles are put on in tour groups that are guided and just putter along, but they do rent to anyone not just guided trips so check them out good before you drive away because they hold you responsible for any damage.

Hey Dave, did you get to the bottom of your motor troubles from last year? It's a shame you had to cut your trip short. What are you and your wife planning for this year? We were were thinking of maybe making a trip to the Gaspe,but would probably be open to almost anywhere. My wife says no more 325 mile days though.

Thanks for the update Alain. It sounds like the trails that close in Lanaudiere are going to impact you and your friends the most, as the trails more to the south are most impacted. Hopefully an agreement will be reached so the quebecois from those areas don't have to trailer their sleds. As far as most of us from the states we usually trailer up past those areas to start. Scooter I have a feeling when the snow comes and the trails start opening you will be able to find the trails that are closed on the fmcq site under the regional listings. It's a little too early to give up on a resolution yet.

That is one of the most valuable locations in all Quebec. It really can't close as too many people depend on it whether it's sledders, loggers or just as a stop over on the way to Parent. It def. is a goldmine.

I got a couple more pics from our trip. On the second last day we travelled from Chapais and wanted to hit Relay 22. I knew this would mean a 300 mi. day and my wife was unimpressed, but we wanted to do it to get back to the truck on Sunday and she didn't complain because she had good motivation to get home. When we hit LaDore I took the local to St. Felician. As I had been on this trail before I was not being very careful at intersections. Finally after about 5 miles of questioning myself and passing an ATV I stopped at a 4 way intersection to try to figure out how to get off the ATV trail #70. As I was sitting there unprepared to take a picture I saw something unbelievable to me. I was so dumbfounded I almost didn't get any pics at all. This is a close up of the last in line There were about 25 or 30 of these things and they all seemed to be restored A perfect example of a saddlebag trip, 10 years from now the only things about this trip we will remember well are the things we didn't plan or that went wrong. Ya gotta luv it. This will be my last trip for the year, time to make some money Oh one more pic, our motivation to get home...........................................

Great report Alain, I won't be coming back up this winter it is time to go to work but hopefully anyone looking for one last trip will read your report. The photos were excellent

Nice report JimP. It is amazing what they can do with the groomers out of LeCabanon. We came home from there last monday and some of the corners and trails esp. near St. Michel were pretty bad but Denis never gives up. I think he would go out and groom even he knew only one sled was going to ride.

RDL=Riviere Du Loup

Mid Range answered part of your question so I will try to get the rest. If you are heading from Chibougamau to Lac St. Jean area you must pass through LaDore. When you come to gas station at LaDore if you cross the street into the gas station parking lot then 93 goes out the back of the lot. If you want to tale the local (orange) trail to St. Felecian you would continue straight and not cross the road. (although you will want to get gas first) It is about the same distance within a few KM either way but the local trail runs more in the mountains and has better snow. Just be careful on the local trail not to jump on the ATV trail (#70) there is one spot where you have to make a left, if you go straight you will be on the ATV. Then when you come into the fields at St. Felecian you will hit the intersection with 373 and 93. Take 373 toward Roberval and St. Prime at this point the snow will be very thin, but go a few miles and look for an intersection in the middle of a field. You will want to make a right toward St. Hedgewich do not go straight to St. Prime. The snow will get better again pretty quickly and you go about 7 or 8 miles and you will hit 83. I would then run the 2.5 miles into St. Hedgewich(you will be making a left) for gas then come right back out to 83.

Yea we did have to pass by 2 sleds in the trough, they had to climb up the bank. I just wondered why it wasn't opened all the way into Balbuzard.

Jeff came home from there Monday, St. Michel a little thin then. Halfway to Repos it got good and plenty of snow after that. Trails were all good on 23rd from Lecabanon to Parent. From there to the 13 split is was a little rough from there to Clova was very nice. Next morning from Clova to Balbuzard was pretty rough esp. the last few miles before Balbuzard. Left Chib. on 27th. not bad to Ladore but needed to be groomed since it snowed. St. Hedgewich to Relay 22 was excellent, from there on 28th was good to Wemotaci then not too bad to 369 junction. Hey Martin why is it so bad just at Balbuzard?

When you leave town heading west you do have to run on the edge of the road for about a mile or so it's not great but but nothing to worry about, and of course crossing the 1 lane vehicle bridge has nothing on it as usual.

Thanks Alain, that means alot coming from you as your reports are always top notch. I have a few pics left here are some. An old trestle bridge on the abandoned rail bed from Lebel sur Quevillon to Chapais The trail was not groomed since the snow but still good. This is where things started going bad. My wife had stopped and said her temp. light had just come on, and I was concerned because with over 10,000 miles on her Vector and in all types of conditions this was the first time the light came on. If you look close in the foreground of her track you will see the antifreeze spot as she pulled away.