viper2

I think that is your best bet.A few years ago we had a trip planned for the 2nd week of march to LSJ. It rained 2 days before we left and was warm (50 deg. F).everyone said not to go but all they were looking at was the what the weather had just been.It was to get cold they day we left and stay at or below freezing.I checked a couple websites made some calls to some club presidents and we decided to go.there was 4 of us and my buddy didn't really want to go he said it can't be good.I have to admit i had my doubts but we went,it was one of our best trips ever.There was lots of snow and no one on the trails.Take this advice when in doubt,call someone that is on the ground there,talk to a club president or even the owner of a prominent hotel.These people can't afford to steer you wrong. Good Luck

that is not always true i have been to both places that time of year and sometimes it is actually better around st. Zenon.But as far as gas and grooming go if they have good conditions they will keep on truckin'.you are going to have to wait and see i would not make a res. for that time of year just wing it.

Great report! Glad to hear they are using the road again through the park,i was wondering if they would do that now that the lumber business is so bad. Do you know if the middle trail is being groomed this year from Repos down through Zec Gros Brochet.How about the trail from Chateauvert the old way down to Dam Giraldo?Last year they had that open again and it was nice,i don't think many people knew it was open.

Nice report and great pics,looks like a good start for the Gaspe.

Thanks sounds alot better than last year.

Check out the deer skins on the pews,some of them are mine! A friend of mine works on and in the ice hotel.He is a guide on Anticosti Island and has become my friend from hunting together for 8 or 10 years. Two years ago we visited him at the ice hotel and he gave us a grand tour.When we went into the Chapel he told me he brought all the skins from Anticosti and some were mine, pretty neat feeling i must say.I don't take many pics when i ride they are all in my head,but my wife may have took some i'll have to check. Although you pretty much got it covered.

Great report,been to the scoobyraid that is a nice place for lunch also stayed one night at Valinouet,had left Baie St. Paul that morning with the ladies and hit a downpour of rain while on the little ferry in Tadoussac. I usually will not ride in the rain but i didn't know how long it would last and i wanted to get out of the "hole".We headed up the trail and stopped at a gas station and called ahead to Valinouet as the # was on the trail map.This was my first time riding Mt. Valin so i didn't know there was a couple nice lodges on the way.I wish i could remember that one auberge we passed on the hill a real nice place,anyway we get to the gas station at Valinouet and get our apartment and the guy tells us to go to the ski lodge if we want dinner.We go up there and they had closed so we come back and get frozen pizza and tv dinners to make ourselves.we look over at the gas station 5 min. later and they are closed,we almost went hungry that night.I'll never forget that night that is what makes snowmobiling esp. a saddlebag trip so fun.You can go through a place like that even 10 years later and remember that whole trip in your mind like it was yesturday.Nothing relaxes my mind like sledding.

Thanks for the feedback,we usually try to hit a bank one day on the trail.It seems you get the best exchange this way.I have exchanged money already at the duty free but they do nail you pretty good.As far as getting it exchanged before you go some banks charge a flat transaction fee plus it seems a bother to them.We usually try to have enough left over to get started the next year.I don't like to use my credit card either i want to pay as i play not paying for it all summer,maybe that's just me.

What is the current exchange rate? Also i heard gas was about $0.75 a liter is this true?

Good report did you see many other sleds?

Good post hoprfully the rain is done for the winter.

I know you guys are riding why not post conditions and pics?

Looks good indeed i'll be there in three weeks,thanks for the report.

But how do you really feel? Seriously i think you sould file under the lemon law sounds like you got a bad one for sure.I don't think your dealer is helping much either my dealer has helped me out already by getting stuff covered that probably wasn't under warranty.He usually tells them look this should never have happened and they grumble a little but pay it. Good luck with your next sled but i really think they all have their problems.

Yea,i never had too much faith in mirrors, but want to be legal.Too many times i have seen 2 groups get mixed and someone just looking for that light in their mirror only to be passed by someone not in their group and find out the rest of your guys are not coming.I had mirrors on my Viper,but rarely used them i like to look back every once in a while and make sure who and what if anything is behind me. :D

Thanks, we have been using the kind with the strap that goes over your arm.I guess after reading that the arm type is not legal.

Are there any laws regarding the use of mirrors on a snowmobile and where are they listed?

Thanks for the ideas,i do have gauntlets and i always take them with,but maybe i will take your suggestions and plan on using a thin pair of finger gloves along with the gauntlets and take my mitts just in case

Thanks for the replies,tried to check out the choko claw online but there isn't much more than a picture.They look like they might work,i used to use the 3 finger gloves with the sep. thumb and pointer finger and i think the claw may make braking easier than the mitts.

Looking for opinions on the best gloves.I need a new pair and i am leaning toward some type of finger glove.I usually went with the mitten type but it is easier to signal how many sleds are following with fingers.Also it seems in the last 10 years or so the layout of the brake levers on the sleds has made it harder/uncomfortable to use mits.--------------thanks for the input.

Good report! this has got to be a great time to be in Quebec,with most people preoccupied with the holidays i'm sure there is little traffic.Please let us know if there are any major reroutes or new trails in that region,heading up to St. Zenon last week of Jan.

Thanks for for the update smclelan,now we have to get up there and ride in and buy some gas so they know they made the right decision to keep open. It would be a big loss if they would close.

Thanks for the reply Jack.i have not stayed at the Hotel Amosphere before,will have to try and hit that one this year.like i said i haven't ridden that area for a few years but i agree there was usually little traffic.i do remember seeing a post last year of Forsythe with just the chimney standing! I have never been to Matagami so i am looking forward to seeing that and also giving piston alley a shot with my new Apex. It will be nice to do that without having to worry about running out of gas.as for amos the only time i was there was a ride in a rollback with a freind who burned a piston in his new polaris 700 triple. Have fun this year and stay safe.

planning a saddlebag trip for feb. for western quebec,does anyone know of any new trails or reroutes or even closings?not sure where we are leaving from yet probably manawaki or temiscaming or possibly even st. zenon but def. plan to hit western border up to matagami then chibougamau.any info is app., i haven't been in that area for a few years.i saw last year there was a trail closed in the area of the forest fire ?TQ63 and also there has been some chatter of the clova road being groomed this year.looking for something a little different this year did gaspe last year and prev. 2 years did lac st. jean.

i think he means the road that the cars use to get to clova from manawaki,if so that would be a highway!