towing

It is right that most of the fire damege have been on norther areas but yes Clova, Senneterre, Lebel sur Quevillon Chapais and Chibougamau have been affected by the fire. Even no villages have been destroyed they all have been evacuated at some moment in june and July because the fires were at only few miles from them. At the moment, no snowmobile club have made comments about this. The possible problem I see is not some trail damage cause directly by the fire because most of the trails are on summer roads that are already reopened in those area but after the fires most of the burned area are harvest by the wood cutters to get out the wood that is still usable. This process need to be done as soon as possible after the fire before insects ruined the wood quality. I would think those operations have already been done by now but having this year 20X the burned area than a "normal '' year may have complicated the puzzle for those who do that task... so I would expect we may have to deal with logging in some area especially in the beginning of the winter. We will know more on this in the next weeks but by now no bad news ...

from my first post, this relay... have now turn into this!

No it was few years before but I too have very good pics of this great surprise encounter! i'm glad you reconize us and took the time to stop and chat a bit it's you that pointed us the little curious beast that was looknig at us in the background, just behind my partner Kristine got the lumix out and zoom in some great pics of it Hoping our paths will cross again on the trail! 😄 this looks like the last new bridge of the 49e trail in LSJ area ?

hope everybody doing well, maybe with some thumb itching beginning! Not sure if it will help you or get it worse but I share with you some pics I like from past seasons, feel free to contribute yourself to the post! This first one was taken somewhere between La Cache and St-Paulin many years ago, not sure why but It always make me drooling when I look at it! 🤣 here's another one from a relay that still exist and is popular but completely changed from this pic... any thought?

I put together this musical ride video from last sunday Joliette/Taureau reservoir loop ride. It was pretty much a copy/paste as for snow levels but had the chance to get a cold winter day that we enjoyed very much. Here a list of relays that have ended their season in St-Zenon/St-Michel area on last monday march 20, 2023 Auberge la Glacière (gaz open) Pourvoirie la Barriere Domaine Bazinet Repos (gaz open) Kanawata (gaz open) Those other one below are still opened: Auberge le Cabanon Pourvoirie du lac blanc Koubec And all St-Michel village restaurant

Thank you very much for your good words guys. The last weeks have been very busy on my side and I have been less present on here and still have many good reading in backlog from many of you ahead! I had to admit even with my experience and skills it is still complicated to capture video. Even externally powered the gopro is not reliable, neither the remote control and I don't talk about fogging issues when snowing or getting some dirt in the lens that I haven't seen that ruin hours of video shots... but when it work, results are outstanding!!! this year the ice was not a big challenge with the so mild season we have( the south half of the St-Lawrence river was at clear water!) but with the infamous ferry we have there is always a doubt! We had plan the whole trip 2 days before leaving and were reserving hotel just one day in advance. We were mentally ready to change our plans accordingly if the ferry would have been last minute closed... so many great trail option in Quebec!

Here is the ride we did on sunday March 12th it's one of my classics ride but I admit that this season with the St-Maurice river closed and the detour in the Mauricie wildlife reserve on the #360 it added some body work to an already big day ride. We left at 8:30 towards St-Zénon. The trails near my home were just groomed but very hard in the morning, scratcher mandatory! There is still a lot of snow even in the south of the area. I had put on the roller skis to do 2 shorts side of the road sections but no mud to start the day. Here in the maple grove in St-Norbert For the rest, no roadside or marginal section to go north. Here's a guy who holds his right to cross!!! Beautiful trails going up to St-Zenon. We fuel up at the Cabanon before continuing towards the Taureau dam on perfect grooming We went through the dam. The reservoir level is already very low. And started the #360 to the east. It was not freshly groomed but still nice and fast Riding the #360 in these conditions on a blue bird day like this is near the peak of snowmobiling happiness!!! We took a first real break at stop #440, our usual spot The 2 picnic tables... there's still snow there! The 2nd part of #360 to Mattawin had been groomed overnight and was perfect The beautiful Mattawin River We finally arrived for dinner at Marineau at 1:30 p.m. with 245 km on the meter. The lunch rush hour was already passed but despite this superb day and conditions there are already fewer sledders on the trail. We took a good lunch break (still so well received by Marie-Josée at Marineau) refueled and continued on the #360 which was perfectly groomed Past the #355 junction, the #360 to the south had not been groomed recently and was less good. Near St-Joseph de Mékinac village on a plowed road section the groomer will really have to built us a little sidewalk on the side of the snow bank soon, there is way enough snow for the groomer to do that. To the south of the village there is another short short plowed road section and then it becomes quite nice On the #23 to the south the rivière des envies is holding up and was solid but this one is always to be watched at spring It's not the snow that is missing there! The St-Maurice was still solid, no slush We then took back #3, a little bumpy but still going fast. There is a short section of plowed road in the power lines which would also require a small sidewalk to not play in the mud! Otherwise it was riding fine We crossed the St-Maurice at the Gabelle and it was still very good We fueled up one last time and took a little break in St-Étienne before continuing on #3 trail. A little bumpy at first in the woods but nice and fast in the fields. The whole rest of the trip was nice with a good snow cover We finally got home around 7:45 p.m. with 475 km on the meter, very satisfied with our ride but haven't took long to fall asleep that night! Despite the impressive snow cover, the season is already well advanced. Some outfitters in the north, such as Repos and Kanawata have announced that they will close after this next weekend which is quite usual for them. Some others continue to operate until the trails close... There is still great snowmobiling to do, it's often the best conditions of the year so enjoy these last weeks of sledding Alain

Day#4: Matane/Forestville A day that started early to be on the wharf around 7:15 a.m. for boarding the 8:00 a.m. ferry to Baie-Comeau Once boarding done we go upstairs in the passenger section for a 2.5 hours to relax. We had plenty of time to visit this infamous boat which has caused so much talk for the wrong reasons, but in our case everything went well. It is therefore a little before 11:00 am that we begin our snowmobile ride on the north side of the St-Lawrence river. and we went west on #3 trail The Manicouagan River footbridge is very impressive Very high in the air, it offers us a very nice view of the surroundings (to be seen in the video) We stopped at Chute-aux-Outardes for lunch and then continued on #3 trail, which we kept for the rest of the day. Being a mountains, lakes and rivers lover, I really like the north coast. The famous section of #3 trail in the Pessamit sector which was closed for almost 2 seasons is now reopened and apart from a few 50km/h signs we barely recognized it and realized that we had already passed when we arrived at the Betsiamites river bridge We continued to Forestville where we arrived around 4:00 p.m. with 181 km on the clock to spend the night at the EconoLodge I put together a fairly complete musical video memory of this fourth day that I share with you below. Set sound on and quality to 1080 for best viewing. Day#5: Forestville/La Malbaie We start our ride at 8:00 on the trail from the Econo Lodge in Forestville because we had a good day ahead with a gray weather and a little snow. Beautiful mountainous and wooded sections on trail #3 We decided to not going down south to les escoumins to keep the day's milage reasonable and cut through by the local trail bypass Approaching Tadoussac We ate there before taking the ferry of the Saguenay River. Here, leaving Baie Ste-Catherine It was more snowy in the afternoon but it was riding well We took trail #378 which goes further north instead of keeping trail #3 which went down along the river. The route is beautiful but it was more bumpy on the 2nd half, we regretted it a bit. Arrived at the petit Manoir du Casino around 4:30 p.m. with 290 km on the dream meter The services on site are very good and the 2 spa areas, especially the Spa O'Quartz with its tropical decor and its many pools and waterfalls, is an exceptional place to relax after a good day on the snowmobile. I put together a fairly complete musical video memory of this 5e day that I share with you below. Set sound on and quality to 1080 for best viewing. Day#6: La Malbaie/Quebec An outstanding sunny day awaited us for the last day of our trip, seen from the hotel on our way to breakfast... We stayed closer to the St-Lawrence river to continue west taking the locals and trail #378 Here's the view at Baie-St-Paul We took #3 trail further west. The trails were all very nice. We took a lunch break at the Relais Ste-Anne, happy to see that it survived the covid's time well. We resumed after lunch for the last segment, still on trail #3 west Here crossing the Montmorency River on the west side of Quebec city As we expected a little, the trails were more bumpy when crossing Quebec city, especially west of this small bridge (St-Charles River I believe) where my wife seriously think of just walking through it ! But it got back to normal maybe a 12km further just after Val Bélair and we quickly returned to our starting point a little after 3:00 p.m. with a little less than 220 km for the day. We were impressed to see the foot of snow accumulated on our van and trailer and had a good snow removal job to do, but despite the 2 hour drive to do, we came back home for dinner very happy with our trip and to relax in our stuff. So an another very nice trip for us without problems which filled our heads with beautiful memories that I try to keep even more present with the help of my videos that I put together for each day. Here's the last one, Day#6 La Malbaie-Quebec which is very nice with the beautiful sun we had. Set sound and quality to 1080 for best viewing. Hope you enjoyed the ride! Alain

Here is my snowmobile holiday week February 26 to March 3, 2023 detailed report in pics and video With several possible options, it is finally this route that Snowcruiser, Kristine and I have chosen for our 2023 snowmobile trip. A trip that we had already done in the opposite direction several years ago and that we shortened a bit starting from Quebec instead of Trois-Rivières which gave more reasonable daily miles. A total of nearly 1500kms in 6 days starting near Quebec to follow St-Lawrence river south side to Matane and cross at Baie-Comeau to return along on the north side. DAY#1: Quebec/Tourville Our trip began Sunday, February 26 in the morning in a somewhat unusual way: we unloaded the sleds from the trailer at the motel Colibri in St-Augustin to load them back directly in the trailer of the official Quebec/Levis snowmobile shuttle which took us to the courtyard of the Hotel Normandin in Levis where the real snowmobile ride began. The gray sky at start gave way to some sunshine and the cold temperature gave optimal conditions to enjoy some wide trails on the south shore of St-Lawrence river We had dinner in St-Lazare and then made a loop in the Massif du Sud area We then came back on fast #35 trail And end our day ride in Tourville with just over 270kms. We slept at the Maison du Voyageur. This accommodation was the best value for money of the trip. It's an old village bank building converted into a multi-bedroom apartment with full bathroom and common living room/kitchen area + large locked garage for snowmobiles at $99/night, unbeatable in 2023! Our large 2-beds room was as beautiful and equipped as those of the big hotels we rented the other days (better than some) I put together a fairly complete musical video memory of this day that I share with you below. Set sound on and quality to 1080 for best viewing. DAY#2: Tourville-Rimouski We continued south on fast #35 trail . I did not remember we had that long of linear trail, we did clocking many miles fast! Here's a pic at the club house of Les Explorateurs de Pohénégamook snowmobile club We dropped the #35 just at the tip of Pohénégamook Lake that we only photographed We took trail #544on opposite direction which turned out to be near as fast but should be avoided in real spring conditions because there are nearly 15 km of snow plowed trail. In our case, the road base was hard snow covered by just enough snow lube in order to be perfect and very fast. We then continued with #571 trail to join #3 trail and stop for lunch at Club motoneige l'Étang du Moulin clubhouse We finally ate outside because they are closed on Monday's! We continued #5 trail to Rimouski and got there early but just getting around the city and getting to the Rimouski Hotel along St-Lawrence river is quite long and filled this end of the day which ended around 3:30 pm with around 295kms. We choose this hotel because they have a SPA/swimming pool, which is much appreciated by the lady of the group after a good sledding day. I put together a fairly complete musical video memory of this second day that I share with you below. Set sound on and quality to 1080 for best viewing. Day #3: Rimouski/Matane + detour from Montagne St-Pierre The Rimouski/Matane ride being relatively short, it gave us the possibility of stretching the ride south which we did towards La Rédemption We have been to Montagne St-Pierre several times, but not often on a clear day and we were served quite well this time! We took the opportunity to go to Val d'Irene hoping to eat there but the ski resort was closed that day We then continued and had dinner at Jojo's restaurant in Amqui. It's always a bit weird with the #5 trail east/west there because it's near the spot where it loop back on itself. So we took the #5 east (which goes north!) along Lac Matapédia to join the #591 and then the #5 east (which really goes east!) And reached Matane where we ended the day at the Quality Inn with around 235kms near the ferry dock that we had to take at 8:00 the next morning to reach Baie-Comeau. I put together a fairly complete musical video memory of this third day that I share with you below. Set sound on and quality to 1080 for best viewing. To be continued soon...

the FQCQ (quad federation) publish how the right of access fee is spend with percentage for each spent and there's no ZECs fees appearing, I had not found any official sources confirming that it is money involved but some unofficials sources let me think it is possible. I want to explain a bit why FQCQ have this agreement: first, you shouldn't think that quad riders had it easy, their trail system network began to develop in the 90s and it's just in 2017 they managed to get this agreement with the ZEC federation, more than 20 years later!!! They had the problem with the ZECS every summer, the quad riders had to pay their right of acces in several zecs to arrive at their destination and start over again the next day when returning back home if they sleep on the trip. It terribly limited tourism and the development of their trail network. To get the 2017 agreement, there were 14 months of intense negotiations between the 2 federations and the Zecs federation had consulted the 30 concerned Zecs (the one that federated quad trails crossed) before reaching an agreement. In the case of snowmobiles trails, we have been crossing many ZECs since the 70s and the snowmobile clubs had always managed to get along with the ZECs in the last 50 years, until this year with Martin-Valin...it's a first case , it is perhaps normal that it was not at the top of the list of concerns for FCMQ, but that has just changed. The reason that lead to FQCQ-ZECs agreement also apply to us: federated trails are the main drive belt that transport tourism(read $$$) between regions through all the Quebec province, especially the snowmobile trails in many remote areas but don't expect the FCMQ-Fédération ZECs agreement process to be quick, easy or already win... At least actually the cat is out of the bag and sledders are starting to understand what is really going on with this ZEC and the possible impacts on our entire trail system. I hope that the public pressure will lead to some political pressure to support the FCMQ in their requests to solve that issue... I think they will need it.

Thanks Snowmaster! I think you will love your ride toward Gaspésia. I don't know if you had seen auberge grande Nature in St-Octave de l'avenir(near Cap-Chat) just at the foot of chic chocs but if not it worth the detour, for the view and more. If you decide to stay there and have the chance to get their scandinavian wood log cabin, it's one of the prettiest chalet I had chance to rent. Thanks Mike! My friend Snowcruiser was thinking he had a train following behind at first! he felt he was just making shadow to me with is sled 😄 You are welcome mccaffrey! It's the first time I go aftermarket for light on a sled, those gen4 are really weak stock... a good way for brp to sell more auxiliary light kits! As a bonus because the weather and my equipment cooperate, I had been able to put together this video of the ride...

Here is our yesterday loop ride February 11 in Mauricie area With perfect winter conditions, we left the Champlain area with our ride partner Snowcruiser and his friend Michel. Here on trail #351 along #40 highway #40 eastbound At the first junction we passed under the highway via the local trail towards St-Luc de Vincennes. Here on a small bridge, not the prettiest but which does the job perfectly. We joined #3 trail which we headed east This sign above with the name of Claude Cosette piqued my curiosity and today I search a bit to find that he was a pioneer in the Champlain Snowmobile Club involved as director and volunteer for the St-Narcisse sector. A little further we switched north towards St-Séverin and then St-Tite One of the 3 places (2 on the ice and 1 on a bridge) where we cross the Rivière des Envies. We finally got enough cold for it to be safe We then took the #23 and then the #360 towards St-Joseph de Mékinac To have a meal at the village restaurant a little before noon After a good lunch break we continued north To ride #355 trail Gazoduc section. It was not freshly groomed but was nice At the next intersection we took a short break before heading south on #351 trail. A nice surprise appeared there We therefore continued towards Zec Tawachiche on a freshly groomed trail. We then headed east towards Lac Aux Sables. Here on the river which is very strong in Notre Dame de Montauban area We then took the #353 towards St-Ubalde. It turned out to be the worst day choice because it was quite worn on some sections We took a break at the #351/#302 trails junction because my passenger really needed it! We then continued on the #302 which gave us back a big smile on our face A visit to the St-Casimir cemetery! For then cross the Ste-Anne River. It's a bit narrow but by looking down we still appreciate it! We took a last break at #351 trail junction. As we chattered we saw the horizon turn more and more colored We then made our last stretch on #351 to return to our starting point. For those wondering if super Dominator LED lights work, that's what I have and Snowcruiser in front me is stock... We returned to our starting point around 6:30 p.m. with 277 km on the dreammeter. So an impressive snow cover everywhere that will help us get through the period of milder weather announced for the next few days, hoping that it will be colder than forecasted! Bye! Alain

Thank you guys! We can tell for sure it is a classic sure value as a nice stop in the area, it is the 41e edition this year and the first one was in 1967!!! If you take a look here the history link of the festival web page, it's not in english but by scrolling down you will be able to take a look at many of the most impressives pieces of art work having been done in the past there https://festivalstcomeenglace.com/notre-histoire/

Extremely nice report and superbs pics you have many great shots! thank you for having took the time to post it 👍 Being able to share this run with you dad is a great chance for both of you, cherish those moments! for most of us we just can take them along with us in our heart 💔

Last sunday we did a ride at St-Côme ice sculptures festival. I would have prefered a sunny day for pics but we got a gray and snowy day with comfortable winter temperature. We did the ride from home which finally looks like that We had just got few very deep cold days and the trail base was hard as a rock very nice snow had continue to accumulate There is a small trail section shared with ATVs and they don't groom their trail, they plow! The Sculpture festival was just started and most ice art works were not completed, more work in progress but the festival continue for the 2 next weekend so those who will have the chance to go will see even an better exposition than us. Again the gray day gave deceiving pics but it give an idea of what it looks like In the middle of the village there is a large life-size fresco in construction under the western theme this boat is quite impressive This festival is always a great snowmobile destination in Lanaudière, trail #343 crosses right in the middle of the village so you can't miss them. you still have until February 19 if you pass in this area. We looped back home by getting on the #63 trail and went south. The trail over Riviere Noire in St-Jean de Matha wasn't safe yet and we had to pass on the road bridge. I was scared a bit by looking at those slushy sled's tracks but I heard from non officials sources that they had staked the river this week. We finally got back home at the end of afternoon with another 232kms of good sledding in my neck of the wood! After few days in arctic cold the temperature seems to stay warmer than usual but it is not the snow that is missing! still snowing actually, may have a bit of rain tonight but not an issue for sure. It's the best time of the season to enjoy! Alain

here the ride we did Sunday January 29 under a temperature of -12C with snow Left St-Thomas near Joliette around 9:00 AM to go have a lunch at the Lac Blanc outfitter near St-Alexis des Monts. Despite the snow, the visibility in the distance was correct, we could easily see the stakes, but it was difficult to see the relief of the trail. Luckily,all trails had been freshly groomed and with the deep cold night the conditions were perfect. As usual in these snow conditions, visibility was almost perfect in the woods Since the snow had just started, we chose to do the most fields section in the morning before there were too many snow blades. Here on #3 in St-Cuthbert. This weather reminded me of when I was a kid and the school closed due to snowstorm and i was spending the day at playing in the storm. It ride extremely well, perfect trail. We went through the #63 and then took the #350 in the St-Paulin sector. To note in this sector, the gas station in the village of St-Paulin is closed on Sundays. The trail was nice and beautiful snowy scenery We arrived early around 11:15 for lunch at the Auberge du Lac-Blanc It was wise to arrive early, the service was fast and impeccable and it was more busy when we left an hour later. Although we had to come back home early for a family dinner, since it was still early we were able to stretch the ride a bit by going north on the trail à Gaston (#350 northwest). Again, very cold temperature helping, the trail was mint and the beautiful 3" layer of snow that gave a smooth ride in powder The little 900 ace is a lot of fun to ride in these mint wooded trail conditions. The snow cover is getting impressive in Lanaudière/Mauricie, in the good ones that we have had for several years We quickly pass by Koubec And went back down south via trail #345 which was perfect. We went through the Mandeville sector I was tempted to take the marked trail on Lake Maskinongé but with the snow and the wind my sweetheart was not very comfortable with my plan so we kept on the land trail The trails were a bit more rough in St-Gabriel sector but I was not surprised because I had read they had a major breakage on one of their 2 dozers at the end of the week and they only have one left to groom their entire territory. We went back down to the St-Cuthbert sector where we resumed the morning trail path to return home. There were more snow blades in the fields but it was still riding well We were quickly back home around 3:40 p.m. with 232kms of happiness on the meter The season is now with outstanding conditions and we finally have some real cold to freeze the trails and make them more solid. I expect the few rivers that were not safe yet to be ok by the end of the week with the weather forecast ahead. Gentlemen, start your engines and go!

I am in total disagreement to pay for going on Mt-Valins federate trails because it pass on a ZEC and yes it is a very very dangerous precedent for the future. There are 84 zec in Quebec and in the past none of them had ever charge fees for snowmobile federate trails and there are a bunch of them that are opened in winter. Martin Valin Zec administrators have smell the money and are at fishing on us actually to see if it work... let them know loud and clear if you are not agreeing that... Here a map of the 84 Quebec's ZEC locations...

Here is our last ride path It is under a very cloudy sky and a little snow that we left Saturday morning around 9:00 am from Champlain (east of Trois-Rivières) to go having a lunch at La Tuque accompanied by our friend Snowcruiser. The trails were very nice at start, here in the very long straight stretch on trail #3 Once near Grand-Mère we got on the St-Maurice river... Because of the temperatures that have been too mild so far, the 28kms marked trail on the St-Maurice River north of #23 trail has not been done yet, not safe. So we made it on land through #23+#360 trails towards St-Joseph de Mekinac. For those who doesn't know, this bridge we pass under is on the #155 (road between Trois-Rivières and La Tuque) and have been closed last year during 7month after being inspected and realized it was not safe anymore!. Here we can clearly see the steel pillars and reinforcement cables that have been installed on the bridge(had just concrete before) to reopen it at the end of last summer. It is a temporary fix and a new bridge construction is supposed to start at spring 2023 and last 3 years! We passed through St-Tite The famous Rivière des Envies which took a long time to freeze is now crossable and safe just before switching onto #360 trail at the junction there was an SQ police checkpoint. I thought I would have to dig off in my pants to get all my papers out but no, we mustn't look too suspicious, we passed through in less than a minute with only a visual license plate check and a brief chat. Here just leaving, my partner Snowcruiser on his new Enduro The #360 was superb and very fast The #355 on the Gazoduc section was a little bumpy but it still ride well The next section of #355 between the junction with #351 and Lake Wayagamac was very ruff, good snow cover but just really due to be re-regroomed, Kristine had not liked it. We notice that the lack of deep cold and the general mild weather+ frequent new snow since the beginning of the season affect the grooming efficiency and trail toughness compare to what we are used to in january. We took a break under the Railway Bridge of Riviere du Milieu Past the junction south of Wayagamac lake the conditions came back correct and it was riding well Arriving in La Tuque, the trail is on the pedestrian bridge instead of the river which is not safe yet... We stopped to eat at Marineau auberge at the entrance of the city around 1:00 p.m. with 180 km on the meter It was our first ride with Snowcruiser this season and the lunch break pass like flash by chatting in very good company! We then went to refuel in town, here along the endless 30km/h zone along the airport. And here in town... We had 2 options for the return, either to retrace our steps on the #355 and then take the #351 in the Zec Tawachiche or take the #73 and do the Zec Jeannotte / Rivière à Pierre which is longer run. It is my back seat passenger who made the decision and we set off for La Jeannotte around 2:30 p.m. Here along Lake Wayagamac The jeannotte did not disappoint us even if the detour in the center was a little more bumpy, very beautiful and fast It was beautiful up to the ZEC entrance Then, the traffic of this Saturday had done its job and it was getting more rought as we went down Like an oasis in the desert, we crossed our first dozer just before Rivière à Pierre The track towards St-Raymond was ok But #353 was very rought. We took a little break at the #23 trail junction which we then took east towards St-Alban and it was really better. We had a couple more rought stretches but were also lucky enough to cross 2 more dozers on the way back. We crossed St Anne and Batiscan rivers which are both staked and safe and finally returned to our starting point around 7:30 p.m. with just over 220kms in the afternoon for a total of just over 400kms for the day. I admit that we slept very well that next night!!! So another great ride for us this season, the trail network is almost complete and the snow is here, I hope for even more cold in the next few weeks to optimize the quality/solidity of the trails. The weather forecast is really promising, hoping they will be right. Bye Alain

My pleasure GSX800, kristine with her new camera took great shots! You are welcome viper2, we still have some rivers that are not ready but it is surprisingly good, considering the lack of real cold we had. We just got a bit in the last 3 days and it will go back to milder weather for the rest of the week... last year we had already got many nights in the -25C /-30c bracket. You are welcome Snowmaster! I like alot riding those fields, it's very relaxing. On the ride we did I had not really sees more traffic from the free weekend, we did see few old sleds but not that many. The north side have been a lot busier with people dropping in St-Zenon/St-Michel, many guys from ontario and us that have enjoy the free weekend there. The dozer was at making some pile of snow with the front blade for installing more stakes, a lot easier for him to maneuver forward/backward without the drag! You are welcome Florida Snowman, i'm not as recognizable with the skidoo as I was with the yammy but Kristine's jacket can be a good hint, it would be a pleasure to shake your hand on the trail!. Wish you a good season and a safe nice trip this week... Will PM you...

Here is the ride we did last Sunday With the good snowfall on Friday followed by a mild temperature night, we already knew that the trails conditions would deteriorate quickly under the effect of traffic, so we postponed our departure to Sunday. We launched directly from the home in St-Thomas de Joliette on Sunday morning under a beautiful sun and a temperature of -15C. Superb winter conditions, very hard frozen groomed trail giving ideal conditions. Here on #3 towards Berthierville The wood sections were very snowy Nice encounter on this winter morning The La Chaloupe river is ok but stay in the marked trail! We continued on #3 to the east with perfect conditions Another great encounter! they weren't nervous at all, just happy to run outside In the St-Barthelemy sector where the trail get souther the snow was a little swept but on an icy base it ride very well I chose to keep #3 and go through Maskinonge village instead of #63 which goes through St-Justin. It's good but there is a section of 500' swept away where you can see the dirt. In the afternoon we came back by St-Justin on #63 instead and it's more snowy Here Ste-Ursules sector We are used to heading between #3 and #63 via St-Sévère but the Rivière du Loup that we have to cross direct on the ice is not safe yet so we opted for #63 trail We took a break on the beautiful site of the Magnan Falls in Charette The falls are usually completely frozen but this year you can still see the water flowing We continued on #63 And took the #3 towards St-Étienne And crossed the St-Maurice on the #3 at the height of La Gabelle. A few slush spots but it's marked and rides well The east side of the St-Maurice was a little rougher but still ride well and the snow cover is very good We stopped to eat at pizzeria du Lac at Lac à la Tortue near Grand-Mère. After a good meal break we left and retraced our steps on the same route with a few exceptions. Here in the area of Notre Dame du Mont-Carmel We did a pitstop in St-Étienne. Unlike past years where the trail passed in the yard between the gas station and the BRP NC dealer, the trail this year passes behind NC and you have to take a very short trail to go to gas or at NC We saw this impressive dogs team on the way back, there are 2 wide... We took a break again at the Magnan Falls in Charette but at the top of the falls this time As I said at the beginning it's rare to see the water in the falls it's usually all hard frozen We then continued west. The trail conditions had deteriorated a little since our lunch but from the fork of the #350 St-Paulin sector it became very beautiful and fast again until St-Cuthbert. Here a snow bridge not far from the village of Ste-Ursules We took the #63 to go through St-Justin, it was superb We came across the Dozer de St-Barthelemy without the drag which was at finishing some work on the trail We went through St-Norbert to come back, the trail was more bumpy from the traffic but it was ok We were back home around 4:30 p.m. with 322kms (200miles) of happiness on the meter! I know that most of you won't ride that south but the good news is that the trail network enlarge and is getting more and more connected to spread the traffic through. There are few rivers mostly along the St-Laurence river that are not ready yet. St-Maurice river is crossable but the trail on the river is not ready yet. The interactive map seems pretty accurate now on the trail condition. If we can keep getting January like temperature it will be perfect... Bye! Alain

Thanks Daredog! We get used to the skidoo, I was knowing from the beginning that the Yammy+Expert-X Boivin rear skid combo would be hard to replace and it is the case. I enjoy the 900ace touring until I encounter a rough trail section...not that the skidoo is not good and I improved it with 3 Elka shocks but the Expert-X was at the next level... The skidoo shine as for fuel usage/increase mileage range and the heated seat is a great addition that Kristine and me are both enjoying more than expected when it's very cold. I left you a small musical clip put together from this last ride image

You are right and it's not a good idea to do that: Taking the #23/#360 on land is the bypass to use in this case and at season beginning/ending, any moment that the river is not safe.

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You are welcome GT Rider ! Ya it's always thought to get the best of the electronics but Kristine new camera setup begin to work pretty good, even in very low light. The last shot on the reservoir was at pretty high speed and it was already enough dark to use the lights and the shot came outstandingly considering the conditions. I wish you and Mrs GT a great time on snow soon! You are welcome Snowmaster, the forecast is looking good: cold and snow! Thank you for the good words guys👍

I'm drooling on my keyboard!!! what a wonderful day!