Trois-Rivières/La Tuque/Lac Édouard/St-Raymond pics ride-report 4-5 january 2013

[towing]

Krikri, Snowcruiser and I are just back from a nice relaxing 2 days trip in Mauricie. We left on friday morning Champlain village east of Trois-Rivières to go north and go to sleep at Lac Edouard with a fuel stop at La Tuque and on saturday we went to dinner at St-Raymond and returned to Champlain by the south trails. The scale is small but here's the trip plan ...

It under the snow with already 3 inch of new powder to the ground that we left Champlain just on St-Laurence river shore.

We had not got much feedback from the Mauricie area and were pleasantly surprised to see so much snow. Here on the C3 pathway not far north of Highway #40

They also had their lot of heavy snow that surely made this trail section very difficult to open. The surface of the trail was a little choppy, probably in the firsts groomer pass(C3 trail further north)

We continued and took the #23 trail to St-Tite.

North of St-Tite, we decided to keep the #23 trail to the east (right) towards St-Thecle instead of passing by St-Rock de Mékinac as usual.

It is a pleasant way to go, but with a couple side of road trail section, not really a problem with the current snow conditions but to consider if we would got a thaw. Here near the village ...

We stopped for dinner in St-Thecle at this friendly restaurant. Fast service, good food.

We then continued on #23 trails... (Here, observers will notice Krikri taking the pic in my mirror!)

...

[towing]

We forked on the # 351 north towards the pipeline. The circuit is rather mountainous

Generally on quite all the way, there are no more fallen trees in the trails but we still have to be careful because there are still branches that protrude into the trail path and can surprise us from time to time. Snowmobile clubs still have some work to do but the biggest is done.

Here a small stream along the trail ...

The last portion of the #351 passes under power lines, this section must have been surfaced just once and was still rought with some pot holes. What I found special here is that there are 5 different power lines in parallel, It give alot of hydro-Quebec towers in the landscape!

We then joined the #355 trail. Like last year, a few miles portion of the trail is on this plowed road but there is no sand and it runs well up to this well known point ...

We then quickly got in the pipeline section

It ride fine, just to pay attention to a few holes in the bottom of some hills other than that bery fast

And we quickly got to La Tuque for refueling. Here the famous snowmobiles traffic light , probably the first in Quebec. I was a little disappointed that they did not put back the snowmobile icon in the light (they usually changed it for the summer/winter)

[lindasledgirl]

Great trail pictures and report!! Thanks!!

Linda

[towing]

When we leave La Tuque, we crossed the groomer which began his run ...

We then took the #73 in Jeannotte direction which was very nice. Here a rear view at sunset

We then took the #355 north to Lac Édouard. We arrived at our destination around 17:15 (we had left in the morning at 9:30) to le Gite D' Édouard with 168 miles on the dreammeter

It’s our partner Snowcruiser that suggested this lodging because he had been there a few years ago. We were received almost as if we were going to dinner in our family by the friendly owner who prepared us a bifteck plate that ranks in my top 5 of the best I've eaten in my life. This is a nice little clean and affordable place, and I immediately felt like at home. I also liked that we could leave all our snowmobile clothing in the basement near the stove where it is arranged to receive clothes and mittens which were dry and hot in the next morning. I ask her and she even speak english.

We did not see the time passing by relaxing and chatting in the evening while the snow continued to fall outside so that at the morning, adding to the 4 inches they had when we arrived in the evening, there were some additional that powder coat the sleds

We refuel at pourvoirie du Domaine around 9:15 before taking back #355 trail in the opposite direction to go back to the #73 trail. The scene with the sun was beautiful ...

As a bonus, I had the extreme privilege of opening the virgin trail with 6"of powder on several miles. You all know how fun it is...

We reached the #73 junction which we took to the east. Here, the flat roof shows the snow accumulation out there: 3 feets +

...

[towing]

The #73 trail even snowy was very fast

and even pleasant to ride

We passed the Zec entrance and continued east

It was bad that there was no place to stop to enjoy the view of the big unfrozen river flowing right next to the trail with rapids sections, seemed just beautiful.

Here the famous marmite and relay of the same name ..

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[towing]

At the next intersection, we decided to go through a local trail that passes by the north instead of the #73 trail to get to St-Raymond. A choice that turned out not so good, as well as the beginning of the trail was wide and fast, we finally got on a very ruff hare trail who had just been traced once. I do think that if we had followed others sleds tracks instead of signs at an early intersection, we might been able to avoid that secton but we did not know well the area so ...

We finally reached the #23 trail near the St-Raymond relay. The trail was very bumpy up to our dinner destination: the Roquemont. We got there around 13:30 but we just began to get hungry after the generous breakfast our host cooked us in Lac Edouard.

We then left by down south trails that were in way much better condition than the north side.

By this sign we had a good laugh ... you have a choice!

Here Portneuf river is the only one gave us a hard time. The trail was marked closed with 2 crossed markers on each side and we could well see the water at the foot of the uphill on the other side. Fortunately, we avoided taking a bath and followed the tracks of others sledders and could easily reach the road and a bridge and then been back in the trail on the other side

We then continued west under a setting sun

Here’s the river crossing in St-Anne de la Pérade with fishing shacks left, close to #40 highway

And here we buckled up our loop back with the Friday trail path...

We arrived to our destination around 17:15 with 332 miles on the meter for the entire ride and about the same mileage as friday for the day. It was a beautiful ride, more relaxing for us in terms of time and miles of snowmobile that we are used to and I especially appreciated it because I really needed to replenish energy . A ride like that is even more effective than therapy get back up!

We thank Snowcruiser having accompanied us in this inaugurating first ride of 2013

Bye!!!

Alain

[mikerider]

Enjoyed reading the story as much as the pics. Thanks for sharing.

mike

[crazysnow]

Wow !!! Looks great Alain thanks for the awesome report

[Florida Snowman]

You are the BEST Alain!!! Thanks for all the pics & detailed narrative. I'm biting at the bit & cant wait to get riding up there next Sunday!!

Are you going to the gathering in LSJ?

Best,

Tom

[182ray]

Nice ride!

[fuzzy600ho]

Frist class report and pics,, as always,, Thanks Alain for taking the time to post...

[Trailblazer]

Absolutely stunning shots Alain, i am drooling in my chair.

[viper2]

Thanks for the report Alain, my only request is that you could post a little earlier on a Sunday night I gave up the wait at 11:00 . LOL

[stupe]

Nice report. For some reason that snowmobile traffic light in La Tuque disappeared a few years ago. Haven't seen it in years. Too bad...

[Florida Snowman]

Nice report. For some reason that snowmobile traffic light in La Tuque disappeared a few years ago. Haven't seen it in years. Too bad...

[600IQHO]

Great report and pics! Thanks for sharing.

[Phil 1]

Great stuff Alain, Thank you

Late one evening upon arriving at Lac Edoward we came upon le Gite D' Édouard, knocked on the door and met Nicole. I've stayed there a couple of times, great set up, great food good accomidations and good conversation with Nicole. It reminds me of staying with my grandmother when I was a child.

Phil

[Shane]

Fantastic Alain. As the others have said...THANK YOU for your reports! I too CANNOT wait to be there on Sunday to RIDE, Be safe my friend.

Edited January 8, 2013 by Shane

[towing]

Great trail pictures and report!! Thanks!!

Linda

Thank you Linda

Enjoyed reading the story as much as the pics. Thanks for sharing.

mike

Wow !!! Looks great Alain thanks for the awesome report

Thank you guys !!! You know what ?? I surprised myself in reading again my report just to relive my ride!!! I love sledding

You are the BEST Alain!!! Thanks for all the pics & detailed narrative. I'm biting at the bit & cant wait to get riding up there next Sunday!!

Are you going to the gathering in LSJ?

Best,

Tom

Thank you Tom for your good words, no I won't be at the gathering and i think I will miss something big

But i'm very happy for this next sunday where I should meet /ride with Snowfarmer in St-Zénon area

Nice ride!

Frist class report and pics,, as always,, Thanks Alain for taking the time to post...

Thank you guys

Absolutely stunning shots Alain, i am drooling in my chair.

Loll thank you trailblazer, we should have a droling smiley here!!!

Thanks for the report Alain, my only request is that you could post a little earlier on a Sunday night I gave up the wait at 11:00 . LOL

Loll, I create expectation!!! I was still writing it at 11:00!!! As a side note, all this snow that shape up this incredibile season start put alot of load on the buildings roofs, some weaker one already crushed. At home, all mines are enought strongs (I think...) but at my old father one's I was not so sure and at 77 years old i don't want to see him on the roof even i know he still do it We had already shoveled his house and garage in christmas holidays and sunday I pass most of the day in shoveling his 25'X110'greenhouse which had more than 30' of hard snow and ice and its extremely touchy to not damaged the plastic film that cover the whole thing but it's all done now

this said, if it's the only price to pay for a snowy season, I would take an other 5 feet !!!

[dooright]

Thanks for the report Alain, my only request is that you could post a little earlier on a Sunday night I gave up the wait at 11:00 . LOL

Just a little tip ..... He post on the CMIQ site first ..... Dont tell anyone ! Edited January 8, 2013 by dooright

[towing]

Nice report. For some reason that snowmobile traffic light in La Tuque disappeared a few years ago. Haven't seen it in years. Too bad...

Thank stupe!!! The traffic light is always there but this is only a bicycle pic in place of the one Florida Snowman show us. It was a nice attention to snowmobilers from La Tuque community...

Great report and pics! Thanks for sharing.

Great stuff Alain, Thank you

Late one evening upon arriving at Lac Edoward we came upon le Gite D' Édouard, knocked on the door and met Nicole. I've stayed there a couple of times, great set up, great food good accomidations and good conversation with Nicole. It reminds me of staying with my grandmother when I was a child.

Phil

You are welcome Phil,

I would just say my Aunt in place of my Grandmother to keep it pleasant for Nicole

No joke, I exactly feel the same about the Gite d'édouard and Nicole hospitality. She is a great person

Fantastic Alain. As the others have said...THANK YOU for your reports! I too CANNOT wait to be there on Sunday to RIDE, Be safe my friend.

You are welcome Shane !!! You know, from years when i made my trail reports I always try to report exact conditions, focussing and identifing the best sections I had ride and the less good you have to pass throught to get the good ones but this season it is so easy... it's snowy and better than ever everywhere in the area !!!

Ride safely too and enjoy your ride !!!

Just a little tip ..... He post on the CMIQ site first ..... Dont tell anyone !

Shutttttttttttttttt You are right they got it in french at 22:00...

Bye!!!

Alain

[gade_guy]

Great report and pics Alain. And great to see such good conditions so far south all the way to ST. Lawrence so early in season. Gives me ideas of riding from the house right into Quebec vs. taking the truck, we shall see how next 2 weeks weather and storms go.