snowpromod Posted November 17, 2011 Report Share Posted November 17, 2011 Looking to get a better take on off trail riding around Mt. Valin, we rode the area last year and loved it . . . . we are looking to go back this year and take advantage of the deep snow! Our question is, can we ride off trail and do it legally - mostly unplowed forest roads and such. We saw tracks going everywhere last year but stuck to the trails with our shorties. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davemod04 Posted November 22, 2011 Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 have ssen pics of mt valin past weekend riding-thanksgiving weekend wondering if any grooming going on at all yet, or just riding roads? antsy to try out new sled r-motion! post if you know, thanks, Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindasledgirl Posted November 23, 2011 Report Share Posted November 23, 2011 have ssen pics of mt valin past weekend riding-thanksgiving weekend wondering if any grooming going on at all yet, or just riding roads? antsy to try out new sled r-motion! post if you know, thanks, Dave Keep me posted on your rmotion, I can't wait! I pick mine up Friday but there isn't even a flake here. So I will have to just wait for you to tell me how nice it is! Lindasledgirl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorpionbowl Posted November 23, 2011 Report Share Posted November 23, 2011 I believe if you have a trail pass and registration, it's all fair game unless posted or you are in Zec Onatchiway which is a private trail system. I would say they usually don't start grooming till the weekend before thanksgiving. Grooming or not, there are a lot of dangers lurking out there, such as rocks and open water. I guarantee this one will be out there... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92vwgti Posted November 29, 2011 Report Share Posted November 29, 2011 yes off trail on mt valin is legal since its all crown land Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smclelan Posted November 29, 2011 Report Share Posted November 29, 2011 (edited) yes off trail on mt valin is legal since its all crown land This is not 100% the truth!! I am exactly not sure on how permission to snowmobile is dealt with in Quebec, however just because it is crown doesn't give a person the right to ride. There are areas restricted in the Mt Valin area one of which is at La Hutte where sledding is not permitted. Also areas like the Zec that Scorpionbowl mentioned are private areas. To be sure you are in an area where sledding is permitted I recommend contacting the local club by email and getting specifics from them. Edited November 29, 2011 by smclelan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mid Range Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 (edited) This is not 100% the truth!! I am exactly not sure on how permission to snowmobile is dealt with in Quebec, however just because it is crown doesn't give a person the right to ride. There are areas restricted in the Mt Valin area one of which is at La Hutte where sledding is not permitted. Also areas like the Zec that Scorpionbowl mentioned are private areas. To be sure you are in an area where sledding is permitted I recommend contacting the local club by email and getting specifics from them. The purpose of my post is not to say if he's wrong or right but I am a member of a ZEC in my area and any ZEC in Québec are situated on public land (someone can correct me if I'm wrong). ZEC onatchiway might have a private trail system but it is situated on crown land. If an area is strictly forbidden to snowmobilers by the Government of Québec....well that's another story (Parc du mont-tremblant). Les zones d'exploitation contrôlée, communément appelées zec, sont des territoires de chasse et pêche du Québec situés sur le domaine public et administrés par des organismes à but non-lucratif. Ces zones font partie d'un réseau d'infrastructures territoriales mis en place en 1978 par le gouvernement du Québec pour prendre la relève des clubs privés de pêche, de chasse et de piégeage (suite à l'« opération gestion faune ») dans le but de rendre accessible la chasse et la pêche au grand public.Les zones d'exploitation contrôlée, communément appelées zec, sont des territoires de chasse et pêche du Québec situés sur le domaine public et administrés par des organismes à but non-lucratif. Ces zones font partie d'un réseau d'infrastructures territoriales mis en place en 1978 par le gouvernement du Québec pour prendre la relève des clubs privés de pêche, de chasse et de piégeage (suite à l'« opération gestion faune ») dans le but de rendre accessible la chasse et la pêche au grand public. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZEC Edited November 30, 2011 by Mid Range Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92vwgti Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 (edited) true la hutte is no longer legal since its in the park, but the zecs are fair game for off trailers as long as your not on the private clubs trails(ive informed myself years ago from them after all my best sledding buddy has a chalet on the zec) after all the territory going from valinouet past lachapelle and all the way up the bras louis to onatchiway is on a zec and CROWN land( it works differently here in quebec we are allowed offtrailing on any crown land), are you trying to tell me that thouands of off trailers that pass there everywhere are illegal? cmon man Edited November 30, 2011 by 92vwgti Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowpromod Posted December 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2011 Where is the best place to get a GOOD map, any GPS maps out there that are detailed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92vwgti Posted December 5, 2011 Report Share Posted December 5, 2011 the best most detailed map out there ive found is from trak maps the quenec topo 1:20, very detailed shows the littlest trails,new logging roads etc..and contact the zec martin valin and zec ontachiway and order a map from them...with these 2 youll have more than enough info to find awesome powder!!! p:s little tip...its usually always tracked up around valinouet and la chapelle you will have to get aways out to find nice snow(20-40km) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorpionbowl Posted December 6, 2011 Report Share Posted December 6, 2011 You can use google earth to chart out your path. You can see most roads with that level detail. Then, if you want, depending on your gps, you can create your own gps map. The FCMQ [groomed] trails are orange, green, blue. Private trails are purple. Plowed winter roads are aqua. Off-trail roads are red. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92vwgti Posted December 6, 2011 Report Share Posted December 6, 2011 thats pretty neat, thats off the fcmq site? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorpionbowl Posted December 6, 2011 Report Share Posted December 6, 2011 thats pretty neat, thats off the fcmq site? Yes. A few years ago they used to post the Quebec trails as a google earth download file, but I haven't seen it in a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowpromod Posted December 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2011 How is the TrakMap for a GPS map, good detail and accuracy for both on and off trail? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazysnow Posted December 6, 2011 Report Share Posted December 6, 2011 Just checked the WebCam in "L'Etape Quebec " Snowing :yahoo: Let's get this Party started Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markusvt Posted December 6, 2011 Report Share Posted December 6, 2011 I'm sure Greg will chime in with the details, but for SURE, you cannot go anywhere you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92vwgti Posted December 6, 2011 Report Share Posted December 6, 2011 trust me YES you can as long as you are not in the parc national des monts valin or on the zec onatchiway private trails(well unless you are a member) ive seen gamewardens and sq provincial police in the areas last year and asked them about it and they say its totally LEGAL...but hey what do i know im just a stupid local lol the 1;20 trak quebec topo map is AMAZINGGG..very well detailed than any other map ive seen...worth the $$ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindasledgirl Posted December 6, 2011 Report Share Posted December 6, 2011 Just checked the WebCam in "L'Etape Quebec " Snowing :yahoo: Let's get this Party started I saw that this morning! Are you going? When are you leaving? trust me YES you can as long as you are not in the parc national des monts valin or on the zec onatchiway private trails(well unless you are a member) ive seen gamewardens and sq provincial police in the areas last year and asked them about it and they say its totally LEGAL...but hey what do i know im just a stupid local lol the 1;20 trak quebec topo map is AMAZINGGG..very well detailed than any other map ive seen...worth the $$ Hi!! If you are a local...tell me, is it worth the drive to Valin this weekend? Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92vwgti Posted December 6, 2011 Report Share Posted December 6, 2011 10-12 inches of hard pack... it depends where you are coming from, and how much you are willing to spend to ride... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindasledgirl Posted December 6, 2011 Report Share Posted December 6, 2011 I spend to ride, packing up now for Mont Valin. Coming from Sarnia Ontario lol. Please send snow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92vwgti Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 be carefull as the trails arent groomed yet and the weekend will have a crapload of sledders, alot of guys that are anxious to try new machines and forget to drive on the right side Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92vwgti Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 ok so i just chekced with the owner of la chapelle(which is on the zec martin valin) and he called the sec martin valin and onatchiway autority and they both said when the zec is closed after moose hunting until opening in spring anybody can go offtrail where they want!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dooright Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 (edited) Just a FYI ..... What is a ZEC ? click this link , more than you ever want to know http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZEC Edited December 8, 2011 by dooright Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davemod04 Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 I have the sledgps sd card for NE US and Quebec snowmobile trails from mountain dynamics. Detail is okay for US but limited for Quebec. Wondering if Trak map for snowmobile trails would be better. We don't ride off-trail, so not sure if the Trak topo map would be what we want for riding fcmg trails, ? Thoughts? Sounds like 93vwgti has experience with trak topo. The Garmin nuvi 550 gps mounted with a handlebar ram mount and hard wired seems to work well, just need better data base. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil 1 Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 What is a ZEC ? It is game lands, hunting areas , someone correct me if I am wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.