Snobeeler

Packed an overnight bag and hit the freshly groomed trails, headed east to Baie Comeau. First 60 km to bridge was perfect, crossed bridge then good with the exception of 1 km that had been ploughed. Rode local, scenic trails around Baie Comeau then checked in Le Manoir for the evening had another great meal at the in house restaurant. One of the day’s Highlight was the suspension bridge.  Heading  back to the truck & trailer for our long journey home. 
 
Thanks to all the groomer drivers and volunteers for making  all the trials in Quebec the best in the world! Hope you enjoyed our voyage, thanks for following along…. We keep doing it because we personally enjoy reading about other riders adventures. 

Woke up in Forestville at the Enconologe to a cold, sunny morning, this hotel can accommodate many and it right on the trail. Rode mostly local trails all day and they were AMAZING!  Highly recommend the 2 dead end trails straight north of Forestville; the scenery was spectacular and one of the nicest rides we’ve done in northern Quebec. We would have never ridden on those trails had it not been for the lack of snow in most areas this year….it felt like we were the only ones on the trail; met less than a dozen sleds all day. 
 
Absolutely fabulous day on the trails.

"Better late than never…"
100%!
Thanks for sharing!
(Except for a little ptsd from the shot with the snow up to the front bumper, but I should be OK after a while!)
 

M&M Tours is off. Left Oliphant Sunday March 17th, pulled into the Best Western Premier Hotel Aristocrate in Quebec City around 8 and had a fabulous dinner at the in house restaurant, La Fenouillière. Off Monday morning and checked in to Complexe Hotelier Escoumins then spent 3 hours trying to find places to stay for them next 5-7 days. 
 
Rode loops for the first 3 days in a variety of conditions…good, bad & ugly mostly due to the new, wet snow even though the groomers were out. Des Bouleaux Blanc clubhouse is a great stop 40 km from town. Thursday morning rode most the day through storm conditions to the ski village Valinouët and stayed at a local rental house, Auberge du Yeti. Rode up 373 as far as we could then spent the night in a cabin at Auberge 31. A quick lunch at Piste D’or was tasty and the owner was entertaining-he sort of reminded us of Bernard 
 
Then back to truck and trailer, 93 did not disappoint-smooth, fast trails. Loaded up and drove to Forestville.

Sure hope it doesn’t piss off any landowners for next year. 

I'm here/there, last week there were TONS more trailers @ Escoumins and trail traffic, this week very few of both, mostly locals, and they're grooming more than they're showing on iMoto, that plus the rock hard base could be good for a while if temps stay low...

Quebec Snowmobile Trail Maps
Snowmobile Trails Map 2024 v16.1
This map is offered to you free of charge, it is available on PC, Mac, Android platforms, and is compatible with Garmin GPS.
Here are the links where you can retrieve the different versions of the map.
 
https://sites.google.com/site/scdiscdi/cartesgps/sentiersmotoneige?fbclid=IwAR26mRLqrXnz3XVBmAyKceoN8-0duy9jH3XT0Zr04hn84U6p4sZ2jc0wzlA_aem_AT858yFdd1VzoBRPJwdtKROOMmtmdTqEBMYRjxCpr1vW9jECIIzfurs8bzEORxE5eQU

Day 2 Saturday 
 
Noticeably warmer this morning after a cold night. We headed out after breakfast in no hurry to go no particular place. We decided to follow the groomer for a bit. So from here down the TQ93 then to the 373 all of it mint. Groomer has broken up the majority of the ice and yes still some icy spots and the usual south and west facing full sun areas starting to melt through. This is end of March conditions on the 2 of March. That is this season. 
 
373 across to TQ93 then down to orange trail through Site d’ours and over across river to Relais Buttes. Spent time talking with Gaetan there. Did you all know that the Relais closes all off season. It opens December 1 and he does Christmas parties for businesses then that carries him through until trails open. Then when trails are done so is the Relais. Interesting. Mrs Ice had the tomato and stars soup and she loved it. 
 
2 other sleds here. So far we have seen about 15 sleds all morning. We say goodbye to Gaetan sadly I won’t be back this way (not in the plan) as it’s noticeable the difference just a little bit further south here. I am bailing back north. The good stuff is shrinking must stay north. Not un rideable at all, just not what we are looking for. 
 
Up 373 to TQ93 took the gas just to take it at La Dore’. We did not know it until Mrs Ice saw on FB we crossed paths with The Snow Traveler from FB as our radio conversations were intermingled with the open mesh. Wish i knew I would have loved to meet them. Maybe another time. 
 
Debated on next move but ran back on TQ 93 then over the famous bridge from last weeks run (Mark and Phil sr love this crossing) lol. Complete the loop passing orange trail again and its TQ93 to the river lookout. Had to take the paddle boarder to see this river. Nice break here coats off its warm but there is a cool breeze. 
 
Back up to the TQ93 and still great trails all good softening up now and real nice. Run to Lac a Jim here a late lunch. Took time to ask about summer and paddle boarding Lac jim is 10km so small by my Mrs paddle board standards. Few other sleds here but been pretty tame for a Saturday. 
 
Straight shot back to Home sweet home Girardville. All alone again private accommodations. 
 
Great relaxing day. We aint here to set no records. Going to take time to look around and see. 
 
Plenty of time for the mrs to take lots of pictures so enjoy them.
 
Tomorrow we go on an adventure. 
 
Stay Tuned. 

The man with the famous mustache has passed away. Condolences to his family and friends.

Day 8 Monday 

Trucked it to chez Ice, touchdown home 3 hrs from Lac Bouchette. Snowing up there messy to La Tuque almost 3” new snow overnight there. Less as we drove south. 
 
Yamaha off the Snohorse trailer and Freeride back in. Unloaded gear and said goodbye to the Snohorse and he headed on south. Timing is everything and the timing and planning were on. 
 
The rest of the team had a smooth run back to USA Sunday. 
NHmoose said he was home by 10:30. Nice
 
until next time mes amis

Day 7 Sunday 
 
Great night at Windigo, drinks, conversations, stories throw in the nosh on the wings and smoked meat sandwiches. Oh yes. 
To Team Vermont….looking forward to next seasons rendezvous. After saying our goodbyes and loading up. 
Everyone ready to go. 
My sled loves it here so much it doesn’t fire off on the first go. Never good. This will take extra effort. Get coolant heater plugged in. Decided to hook up Daniel’s big jumpbox. Spins over real nice this go round and finally fires. Maybe 15 minutes of giving it attention, For what its worth by far not the coldest night out this week, but is the one night i did not cover my sled. Maybe nothing maybe something, 
 
Up driveway out of  Windigo. TQ83 magic carpet ride back all the wsy to Relais 22 . 
Bridge still unsafe for groomer straight out back of Relais 22 on TQ83. 83 west this year is just north of Relais 22 its 30 km longer then going out the old trail and over the bridge.
 
Gas n go and quick conversation with Christine at 22, knowing full well that many sleds are bearing down on this place from up the TQ83 coming for lunch on Sunday. 
Up we go and as expected busy trail. But all well behaved. Love the new Sena 50 really top shelf. Nice ride back up TQ83 then secret trail to 355 from TQ83 was a stunner. Said goodbye to our trail mates as they were headed to load uo and haul south today. Great guys NH Moose aka “bullwinkle” anytime anywhere goes without saying. Mark ditto do not get to see him enough. Great guy. Phil sr newest member of Team Iceman. Another rider. Gets it done solid. Loved spending time on and off trail with you all.. Until next time boys.
 
Snohorse and I continue on TQ83 junk. And junk. Seriously not good. Big difference in conditions here. We suffer on to local orange to Saint Andre. Ok but best up. Went in another local trail tour then a retrace of our route back to 355 and Auberge Eva. Only people here tonight. Private hotel and restaurant. No one else. 
 
We stitched it together as my partner in trails Snohorse says. Successful week stellar trails with excellent company. Some new discoveries and some new memories on long cherished sections of trails. Some of our favorites, 
 
Is it the last ride? 
 
Stay tuned
 

I consider myself very lucky, 4hrs  exactly from home to the Gaspesie.

Day 6 Saturday
 
Cold this.morning. Not sure what was the temperature but a cold start. Cold makes white asphalt. I happen to admire white asphalt quite a bit and we saw lots of it 
Exception being the local trail from La Dore to TQ83. But the local orange was still ok. Just not perfect. 
 
Joined up with the TQ83 and at first was not liking it. Quickly changed at intersection to local trail south. Fast run down as the top of the TQ83 they are grooming the road as the trail for a god part of it and it’s fantastic. Gas and Late lunch after the rush at Relais 22. Out of there we got places to be. 
 
More sleds out today, but duh? It’s the weekend. Even so, we only caught uo to 2 sleds we easily got by. Only the second pair we had to deal with in front of us in 6 days. Sweet. 

Quick burn to Windigo and wrapped up a stellar day with a stellar night reminiscing and breaking bread with our brothers Team Vermont. Always great fo be at Windigo with Martine Stephanie and Daniel….even better on a Saturday night……and even better with the plan coming together to meet up. 
 
Lots to catch up on and that we did. Sure wish we could do this so much more often.
 
Great times with Great people. 

Through Tadoussac on thurs and back again on Sunday , stayed at the Chantmartin . No snow from hotel down to ferry but rest was all good .
Excellent trails right up to Baie Comeau.

Day 5. Today we started our way back to our starting point. It’s going to take four days and another 720 miles to get back. Woke up to 5° below zero and finished the day 25° with sunshine all day. We took a beautiful side trail today to add another 15 miles to the ride so it was 190 miles today. 

Day 5. Today we started our way back to our starting point. It’s going to take four days and another 720 miles to get back. Woke up to 5° below zero and finished the day 25° with sunshine all day. We took a beautiful side trail today to add another 15 miles to the ride so it was 190 miles today. 

Day 5. Today we started our way back to our starting point. It’s going to take four days and another 720 miles to get back. Woke up to 5° below zero and finished the day 25° with sunshine all day. We took a beautiful side trail today to add another 15 miles to the ride so it was 190 miles today. 

Baie Trinite and Point-Cartier

Been in this parking lot many times, I assume the supermarket ride to this hotel is all black...lots of great side trails in this area that go 25 miles to dead ends...have a great ride back...a week is too short...you are just really starting to enjoy it...then life calls you back!!

Day 5. Today we started our way back to our starting point. It’s going to take four days and another 720 miles to get back. Woke up to 5° below zero and finished the day 25° with sunshine all day. We took a beautiful side trail today to add another 15 miles to the ride so it was 190 miles today. 

Day 5. Today we started our way back to our starting point. It’s going to take four days and another 720 miles to get back. Woke up to 5° below zero and finished the day 25° with sunshine all day. We took a beautiful side trail today to add another 15 miles to the ride so it was 190 miles today. 

Day 5. Today we started our way back to our starting point. It’s going to take four days and another 720 miles to get back. Woke up to 5° below zero and finished the day 25° with sunshine all day. We took a beautiful side trail today to add another 15 miles to the ride so it was 190 miles today.