towing

I had to go in Chertsey and Rawdon (south from St-Donat) for the job today and took those pics with my Blackberry. Too beautiful to not share... take in account they had 6 inches 2 days ago...pics speak from themselves On the #125 road toward Chertsey Chertsey village infront Gaz Station over 20" to the ground at noon and still snowing!!! And here on Rawdon side and Village This snow fall is over all what we expected!!! we have enought snow to open the whole trail network oneshot! right now, it's the next storm on forecast for friday that is worrisome because too warm. Maybe rain in the south and snow in the north...hope for the best Alain

You are welcome Iceman !!! Can't wait to see how much snow we will get over the week... forecast are crazy good... Alain Note: I have computer problem right now and i'm out of time to resolve all my issues. Sorry if I don't answer fast or i'm late to post... it should comeback to normal soon... just hoping to arrive at christmas at the same time as others...lolll

We ended up on the trail #23 trail that we took westbound, to then ride again the #3 blue section we did in the morning and go in dam direction These are the most beautiful sections. Fast and very beautiful We then took the #345 trail towards the new bridge over the Mattawin river. We saw immediately that it received more traffic and got some ski kling-klang occasionally and some dirty snow. The trail was slightly modified just before the bridge showing us this new view before arriving A new bridge section was built this summer making the bridge 100% operational regardless of the water level of the river and also enabling the dozer to cross it smoothly. A big plus for this area. We then joined the #360 trail southbound to return to the dam. It was not yet surfaced, but the road is so beautiful that it ride very well. Here near the Taureau Dam the section near the dam up to the #345 was more rocky and a bit rough. We then ride back to La Glaciere on #345/#23 trails. Here is a pic taken in the blue section #1 along a power line To conclude, a beautiful start for us!!! Trail bases are ready there, it was already snowing when we left and major amount of snow are previewed for the next days in this area. We already received today (monday 17 dec) around 6 inches of new snow at home near the St-Laurence river and it is still snowing and more than a foot on the forecast for the rest of the week... looks really good It seems we will have a great powder sledding conditions for next week-end. Alain

Sorry for the delays but here I go !!! That's it, our season is now started with a 151miles done in the St-Zenon on this last sunday before snow storm. Obviously, the conditions were early season. The trails base was still thin but very hard with the cold over the week-end. it's under a very cloudy sky that we left our usual starting spot at La Glacière in St-Zenon As discussed in an other post, the #350 trail between the #23 trail and Koubec can't be open because of recent changes.The Royaume snowmobile club manage to move some trails and create new in Mastigouche reserve. I put here a plan of my own to show actual position of the trails. My ride path is yellow and blue, blue representing moved or new trails currently available and the red crossed out the part which is not. From La Glacière to Cabanon, the trail use a new path on around the half of the lenght (see #1 blue path on the map) This new trail path is on existing roads and had acceptable season beginning snow conditions on sunday . It joins the old route farther with good road base trail that was beautiful and fast The last miles before the Cabanon that are often sandy can be avoided by passing directly on the road just next to the trail that is not plowed and already groomed by the dozer. We also did the samething north from Cabanon on the section that quit the Mastigouche reserve road and we stayed on the road up to #345/#23 intersection and then kept the #23 trail to try the Mastigouche reserve itself. Snow condition was even better there. We then joined the #3 blue path on the map that we ride northbound. At this point trail was 9.5/10, full winter like condition We then took the #345 and head south to go dinner at Le Cabanon During my lunch at Le Cabanon I had the chance to talk with Denis Haineault which gave me a little more detail on the trails available. We then fuel-up and took the #23 trail southbound to get #2 blue trail (on my map above) So when starting from the Cabanon we ride directly on the road (like we did a.m.) instead of the side trail to avoid the sandy part and at the usual place where the trail crosses the road we just stay on the road which is the trail path. This is there that the #2 blue section begin. This is a beautiful trail, wide and fast with good visibility because of the wood trim off on each side of the trail. Winter conditions there too Very nice and fast. I saw two rocks and one branch over this entire blue section and I removed them, you will be ok!! ... to be continued

Yesssssssss sirrrrrrrrr , you're right!!!

Nope, but I admit it was a good guess. It's more on the east side and you can have this view just 50 feets farter than the last pic Alain

As groomer post about Gouin, here some details from the trails conditions report for Upper Mauricie area Gradual opening of trails. Surfacing in progress. Beginning of the season conditions. Parent Clova: surfacing Parent Wemotaci: surfacing Parent Horseshoe: surfacing More details here: http://www.snowmobil...a/en/conditions Alain

Souther than that... here an other clue of this spot a bit upper on the river Haha!!! to easy for me for sure srschang. smclelan is right with Real Massé!!!

you are right SRSchang. Maybe we will get some options a bit later, I know that there was a link few years ago on the #23 south from Real Massé but north from Pourvoirie St-Damien that was going to the #345 ... it would be a nice bypass. I will try to get some more information on that when i will go to Cabanon and keep you informed... Alain

You are strongs guys !!! 10 minutes and it was done...Pouvoirie du Lac Blanc... Yes, Simdar (Auberge du Lac a l'eau clair) is a great place, huge indoor pool for those who stay there. Not only the lake water is clear (lac a l'eau clair) but the ice also... the trail cross the lake infront the auberge and few years ago I had a bad fright on there on a windswept section. I really believed for a moment that it was clear water but after realizing it was safe, we stopped and we were able to see small bubbles in the cristal clear ice of maybe 30" or more that was transparent as a glass on each side of the trail. I think of it each time i go there... ********************************************************************************************************** A guess on this one ??? Alain

Yes Iceman, IMO this section was not so beautiful but was offering nice loops options. I hope they will find a solution but for now we will have to ride around... but at least we ride!!! Alain

The season officially started today in St-Zénon!!! I just read it on Lanaudiere Web site here: http://snowmobilecou...a/en/conditions Here's a paste of some of the details: Sector 1 Lanaudière Sainte-Émélie-de-L'Énergie, Saint-Zénon, Saint-Michel-des-Saints, Manawan, Réserve faunique Mastigouche General conditions Acceptable State of trails Beginning of the season conditions Notice to users Gradual opening of trails, surfacing in progress. It plans to open 300 to 400 km of trails for Friday. Open : Réserve faunique Mastigouche Réserve faunique Rouge Matawin Trail # 345 Trail # 23 Trail #63 For more details, contact snowmobile club Le Royaume de la motoneige at 1 877 884-5762. They hope that the repos trail would be groomed for the week-end to link with them to shape-up the rides a bit... to be confirmed... The feed back of a guy un CMIQ french forum is good he is supposed to post some pics soon... I will freak on the job until this next sunday to see that by myself.. Alain

You are all rights guys just few miles before La Cuillère à Pot on #33 trail it is coming, it is coming!!! things are shaping up in the last days...stay tune!!! ***************************************************************************************************** I would try an other one: I took this one from my table when eating where??? Alain

good news guys!!!! I just called few minutes ago and had been confirmed that the dozers started working today to packed the base in Mastigouche Wildlife Reserve direction. The trails are not officially open yet but they are working the trail base where there is a summer road under.. The wheater forecast preview cold temp and some snow near each day for the next week so it look very nice for the christmas holidays !!! I will be there on next sunday and keep you informed how the things are shaping up... can't wait... Alain

Happy birthday to both of you, wish you all the best !!! Alain

X3, same guess ***************************************************************************************************** I try this one for you.... ??? Alain

you are welcome GT Rider , i'm glad you enjoyed Hahaha !!! right now it would be a 200m white grass around the house ride report . You could not imagine the depth of snow we would have if i had any control on that !!! be ready for a first report soon...before 2013 for sure Alain

come on iceman let's be optimistic!!! At home it look pretty similar at your pic. My Son that work in Chersey today said it had nearly 4" at the end of the day today and a bit more in St-Donat from what he heard... As for the weatherman's, they are not able to preview for tomorrow so imagine a week or more ahead... Think snow Alain

To help you plan your trips, here is the Lanaudiere/Mauricie 2012/13 trail map link for pdf version (paper like version): http://snowmobilecou.../maps-brochures or the interactive link with the "custom itinerary" button that enable you to trace an itinerary and having all distance: http://snowmobilecountry.ca/en/map There are not alot of changes but they are somes. To begin, we still have acces to Mt-Tremblant park this season like last year, from Caribou entrance for St-Donat, St-Côme and St-Michel park gates on the other sides. On the map, they are label as temporary trail and by-pass trails showed as dash line. From the news I have we should have acces in the park all the season and the by-pass will probably not open or just partially. Also, the #33 trail from St-Donat to Coin Lavigne will take a new route on the part near Coin Lavigne (heard good things about this new part) St-Côme area got problems with some trails this year. It is the case for the #43 trail from St-Côme to Notre-Dame de la Merci (suspended bridge trail) that get cut in Val St-Côme ski center area. It was so unsure to find a solution that this trail is not showed on the map(have been raise up on the #33) but from the last news they have found an agreement and this historical trail should still be open this season. A new link have been announced completed a couple week ago between Laurentide area and St-Donat. It is the yellow trace on the map below that will link St-Agathe to St-Donat by the Black Mountain trail. It will give a new loop option and the Black Mountain trail won't be a dead end anymore!!! A bit more north, the new bridge over the Mattawin river that I showed you last year had received a new deck extension on the east side this summer and the acces should not been flood again. I had not seen it yet but will take pics when we got there. More North, the old #369 trail that run from Repos to Casey is now label #345 and officially take themore straight path, and directly pass at Kanawata. There is rumor that la Petite Gare at Casey won't open this year but it is not confirmed yet.. I will surely have others updates when the trail will begin to open... think snow Alain

Thank you PLAYHARD !!! more to come soon.... Alain

Look like a real great trip GOOSE I love to see all those know winter spots in summer... The damaged rim/tire pic took my attention, look like a rock's carnage result... not the kind of flat you would expect !!! Thanks for sharing Alain

I would be a pleasure actionjack Krikri and I can't wait to hit the trails again... Alain

Lollll... nice !!!! Alain

I had think it would be nice to put together the hyperlinks of my photo-ride reports from last season into a single post if somebody want to consult them to plan something or just to do a small virtual ride... Lanaudiere ride report 10 march 2012 http://www.quebecrid...?showtopic=2360 Gouin-Chibougamau 4 to 8 march 2012 http://www.quebecrid...?showtopic=2357 St-Tite/St-AlexisdesMonts 26feb 2012 http://www.quebecrid...?showtopic=2325 Joliette/St-Zenon/Mattawin via #360 trail St-Maurice river and return by south #3 trail 18 feb 2012 http://www.quebecrid...?showtopic=2284 Joliette/Grand-Mère #3 and #23 trails 11 feb 2012 http://www.quebecrid...?showtopic=2253 St-Donat St-Côme BlackMountain 30 january 2012 http://www.quebecrid...?showtopic=2207 Mauricie: GrandMère/Latuque/Rivière à Pierre 21 january 2012http://www.quebecrid...?showtopic=2170 Lanaudiere (St-Gabriel/St-Zenon--Joliette/Berthierville 15 january 2012 http://www.quebecrid...?showtopic=2146 St-Zenon- Pourvoirie Lac Repos 7 january 2012 http://www.quebecrid...?showtopic=2106 St-Zenon/St-Donat 3 january 2012 http://www.quebecrid...?showtopic=2082 St-Zénon 27 dec 2011 (before snow storm) http://www.quebecrid...?showtopic=2062 Alain

Happy Thanksgiving everyone !!! Alain