towing Posted March 11, 2013 Report Share Posted March 11, 2013 Saturday morning-3C, the first sunny day after two weeks of clouds, Krikri and I go to ride but has no idea where ? so it will therefore be the <we don’t know where we go ride>!!! We leave from home at St-Thomas de Joliette and went north-east. Fields trails are freshly groomed and with the night’s cold it gives real highways trails. Go for the fields, we ride towards Mauricie on #3 trail Shortly before Louiseville, we switch on #63 trail that we know still snowy instead of #3 trail that had already marginal snow a few weeks ago. The trails are beautiful but the small parts of roadside are quite hard as expected with the mild temperatures from the last few weeks But what is he doing here on this already perfect trail??! ! Maybe he also wants to enjoy the sun as us! To stay in the fields we shortcut on this trail through St-Leon and A3 trail throught St-Sévère and seek back #63 trail after. It is the most direct route, which would be the best path to put the TransQuébec #3 IMO (see map at the end) The big river is still good, no slush Our only partners for the day ... they follow really good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
towing Posted March 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2013 Here we take back the #63, which itself connect the #3 trails few miles further The trail is very fast and quickly we are in St-Étienne .We then cross the St-Maurice River near La Gabelle dam. A little slush on the edges but it is often like this during the season as they vary the level with the dam. The rest is perfect And we continue east on #3 trail Near Shawinigan, curiosity takes me and we take the M3 trail to join the St-Maurice river. It is still as in winter, not slush at all At the #23 junction, we have a hesitation ... continue on the inviting St-Maurice that we already ride a couple time this season or take the #23 westbound that we have not done yet this year: Go for #23 trail Here the ski slope in St-Mathieu du Parc And we take the opportunity to lunch at the sugar shack Chez Hill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceman Posted March 11, 2013 Report Share Posted March 11, 2013 Saw you at St. Etienne saturday morning getting gas. I was in Eli Tech with NH Moose. By the time I was off the Phone you were gone. Wanted to get out to say hello. Looks like it was a great ride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
towing Posted March 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2013 (edited) A big hi!! to mxz7000 that was there and recognized my Venture parked in front the shack and came to talk to us a couple minutes just before we leaved. We then continue west... We feared a bit because we already know there is plowed road, hard to do in spring condition but we have a sidewalk to ride on Unfortunately, the trail portion just beyond this road is also plowed but practically on the mud on an half mile, the hill you see farther is on mud and rock ... too bad that it's over there because the rest of the trail was fine We pass the Auberge du Trappeur Rivers are beautifuls Another hesitation at the #349 junction to St-Alexis des Monts or continue the #23 ..... The #23! We will do the same later with the M10 trail That's what I call keeping his right side of the trail! We are entering the Mastigouche wildlife reserve Which is quite nice with lots of snow ... Edited March 13, 2013 by towing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
towing Posted March 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2013 With this beautiful weather, this spot will be ideal for a short break There are several tracks and it's easy for us to get to the parking lot and we walk to see the rapids and waterfalls We relax a bit near the falls Krikri without her helmet ... We go back on the saddle and continue westward Finally take the #345 south and then the trail that is not on the maps that connects the #345 (not far from the #23 to the north where we were) with #23 just south of the Cabanon ( see map at the end). This new trail is beautiful and fun to ride Finally find ourselves at 3:30pm, 10 minutes south of the Cabanon... Dilemma ... back toward home to the south? it is far too early and it's too beautiful: Go, we ride up to St-Michel des Saints Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
towing Posted March 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2013 To my surprise, the #63 trail to St-Michel although bumpy have alot snow and was even good in the big hills near the village, just a little mud at the bottom of the slope We refuel near the Central and I talk with an other sledder who just arrivied from l’Annonciation and that tells me that the #33 was nice on this side ... We does’nt need more, next: Mt-Tremblant park direction though #33 trail. Street in the village is still acceptable The path of the #33 trail has changed this year. There is a closed sign at the usual junction and we must continue a few miles farther toward l’Auberge du lac Taureau to get the right junction here the signs are on the left This trail is faster with better visibility than the previous After the #63 junction we continue on the #33, the trail was much more bumpy. But hardly had we started we meet the groomer We take a break at the cafeteria relai Rouge-Mattawin, we had not yet stopped there this year. We then continue and enter Mt-Tremblant park. The first section was quite bumpy but much better after the junction to the Coin Lavigne so we maintain very good speed there We then took trail in front Coin Lavigne to #63 trail. Despite the first section was plowed it was still acceptable with just a little brown. The return was made by Ste-Émilie / St-Jean de Matha where we took a quick meal. We finally came home around 8:30 p.m. and complete our “we don’t know where we to go ride” with 293miles on the dreammeter In summary there are still a lot of snow in our area despite mild temperatures in last weeks. Weather in the next days will be decisive for the next. .. rain or snow?? With the actual snow cover i’m pretty confident to get good conditions for next weekend, as weather forecast plan cooling down temperature but no doubt the season is well underway ... Alain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trailblazer Posted March 11, 2013 Report Share Posted March 11, 2013 Superbe Alain, nice shots of the trail and surroundings. Not bad ride for a "I don't know where we go ride", ha ha ha too funny. Glad to see everything held up for you on Saturday and you didn't run into too many mucky roads Good report Alain Ciou JG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
towing Posted March 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2013 Saw you at St. Etienne saturday morning getting gas. I was in Eli Tech with NH Moose. By the time I was off the Phone you were gone. Wanted to get out to say hello. Looks like it was a great ride. Too bad I miss you... would have been great to meet you and NH Moose in persons. Yes I read the badluck of NH Moose on the other tread... no luck at Elitech... As a side note, I had not reported yet but I had followed you track pretty much on my last week trip. 972 miles through Champlain/Roberval/Dolbeau/Ste-Rose du Nord/Sacré Coeur/Anse St-Jean/ La Malbaie and back to Champlain on #3 trail. We had a real great trip... It raise our season's mileage a bit with over 1250 miles of fun in the last week... Superbe Alain, nice shots of the trail and surroundings. Not bad ride for a "I don't know where we go ride", ha ha ha too funny. Glad to see everything held up for you on Saturday and you didn't run into too many mucky roads Good report Alain Ciou JG Thank you JG!!! it was really the way we did this ride... and we are satisfied with the result ! Too bad to see ending signs appearing... we keep our fingers crossed to avoid rain in the next days. Alain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikerider Posted March 11, 2013 Report Share Posted March 11, 2013 Great report and pics, as always. Keep us posted on conditions this coming week. Have a six day weekend starting Wednesday, and of course they are calling for rain Tuesday. Thanks, mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzy600ho Posted March 11, 2013 Report Share Posted March 11, 2013 Great ride Alain with the spring conditions already here. Nice nice pics ( as always),,and thanks for taking the time to post your ride after a full day. Hope you guys can " sneak " another couple weeks of good riding in before mother nature changes direction. Fuzzy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markusvt Posted March 11, 2013 Report Share Posted March 11, 2013 Wow, very nice conditions still! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mxz7000 Posted March 11, 2013 Report Share Posted March 11, 2013 (edited) Allen - It was great to meet you finally at the sugar shack. We continued our route around the park and back to Sacaomie for an amazing dinner and cocktails. Once again it was a pleasure meeting you. I see several pictures of yours I recognize. We did end up going all the way up to River Matawin and around on the 360. Bob Edited March 11, 2013 by mxz7000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revct1 Posted March 11, 2013 Report Share Posted March 11, 2013 Alain & Krikri, Your pics make it look like mid-winter although the road crossings are giving way to the spring melt. Looks like it was a great late season ride. Thanks. Jack & Sandi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
600IQHO Posted March 11, 2013 Report Share Posted March 11, 2013 Great report, really did not expect conditions that good that far south. Please let us know how many miles you end up for the season. Looks like snow after the rain this week. I will look forward to your next report. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
towing Posted March 13, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2013 Great report and pics, as always. Keep us posted on conditions this coming week. Have a six day weekend starting Wednesday, and of course they are calling for rain Tuesday. Thanks, mike Thanks mike. At home in Joliette we had very few rain till 5pm today but it start to rain hard up to 7pm. still raining but not much until now. The temperature have play between 2C and 7C today 4C most of the day. It's 1C now and I hope it is snowing up north... It melt here for sure but need to see a sunlitght tomorroy to evaluate... I thing sure, when all freeze back it wil be very icy. If no new snow scratchers will be mandatory... good luck for your ride and keep us inform how it looks like... Great ride Alain with the spring conditions already here. Nice nice pics ( as always),,and thanks for taking the time to post your ride after a full day. Hope you guys can " sneak " another couple weeks of good riding in before mother nature changes direction. Fuzzy Thanks Fuzzy, I really hope for an other couple rides this season. I less sure I will be able to start from home and will probably need to dust-off the trailer that had an easy life this winter... stay tuned... Wow, very nice conditions still! Yes hoping it will survive well to the rain. I have to go to St-Alexis des Monts for the job tomorroy morning and will see how it look.. Allen - It was great to meet you finally at the sugar shack. We continued our route around the park and back to Sacaomie for an amazing dinner and cocktails. Once again it was a pleasure meeting you. I see several pictures of yours I recognize. We did end up going all the way up to River Matawin and around on the 360. Bob I was a pleasure to meet too, i'm glad you took the time to hook me before we left! I was happy we did the #23 trail there at least once this season but the #360 up north along mattawin river is sooo nice... Seems you had a nice weekend trip!! Alain & Krikri, Your pics make it look like mid-winter although the road crossings are giving way to the spring melt. Looks like it was a great late season ride. Thanks. Jack & Sandi Yes it was and there are some others to come for sure Great report, really did not expect conditions that good that far south. Please let us know how many miles you end up for the season. Looks like snow after the rain this week. I will look forward to your next report. We are still in the rain stage, hoping the snow stage to come.. At least all will freeze back for sure and the temperature lowering will keep the snowmobile clubs in the mood to still continue grooming... Has for milage, I will have to check but i don't have so much... in the 4000 miles yet this season... more to come... Alain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT Rider Posted March 13, 2013 Report Share Posted March 13, 2013 i don't have so much... in the 4000 miles yet this season... It looks like you have had great quality trips. We enjoy reading and viewing your reports. We hope you get a few more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viper2 Posted March 13, 2013 Report Share Posted March 13, 2013 Nice report Alain, I am done for the year time to summerize the sleds and get back to work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
towing Posted March 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2013 i don't have so much... in the 4000 miles yet this season... It looks like you have had great quality trips. We enjoy reading and viewing your reports. We hope you get a few more. I'm happy with my season until now. We had been in full winter condition with deep snow cover since Christmas.. very good. As for condition now after the rain here in the south we loose 1/3 of what we had but i don't think they will groom again near home because the rivers let go. More north seems good but no new snow from what I saw today in St-Alexis des Monts (by car) Still huge snow cover but will be pretty icy. I heard Cabanon should be out to groom tonight, probably many others club will do the same for shaping trails for the weekend... Nice report Alain, I am done for the year time to summerize the sleds and get back to work Sorry to read you're done for your season, ironically you got freaking cold temps for your trip and i got too warm for mine !! a season in swing from an extreme to the other but at least we had great trails for riding... I hope for an other couple ride before installing summer tires on the venture... Alain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gizz Posted March 14, 2013 Report Share Posted March 14, 2013 Alain, We are heading up for one last run next week. Probably 4 days of riding. I really appreciate the information you provide because without it we would be left guessing. This was originally a Gaspe trip but sounds very bad out there, then it was a Shawinigan(which isn't out of the question), but now we are leaning more and more on starting at Zenon and heading north/west. Grooming is what worries me the most. If they stop grooming for whatever reason, then it won't matter how much snow they have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
towing Posted March 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2013 Hi gizz I try to seek information too, I am planning a 2 day ride sat/sunday probably to parent. What I seen about grooming is about clubs alliance du nord on Trail condition web site they write: http://www.snowmobil...a/en/conditions Sector 14 Mauricie Club motoneige Alliance du Nord Parent, Clova, Réservoir Gouin General conditions Good State of trails Good ground coverage Notice to users Last week and weekend access to trails in our area. Last surfacing March 9, 2013, we do not surfaced after this date. THis information was updated on the 12 seems to be the last call for this area...I hope for more updated information today (always check at the updated date) and I will do some phone call tonight, if you get something on your side keep me inform.. Alain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
towing Posted March 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2013 St-Zénon area is already groomed, I call at Kanawata and they groom tomorroy... You can take a look at the trail conditions web site it had many updates today... Surprisingly, Latuque is closed!!! http://www.snowmobil...a/en/conditions It seems to be in the last run with connectivity through the trail network... Alain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gizz Posted March 15, 2013 Report Share Posted March 15, 2013 If La Tuque is closed then so much for 355 and 73 in that area. Thanks for the update i was looking yesterday myself. We aren't coming up until Tuesday but the weather temps looks good. I'm dissapointed that they quit grooming so soon. I can understand areas south but not the northern areas. I remember riding from Shawinigan about 4 yrs ago or so in April. Went up there for a 3 day ride and everything was perfect. Now we are only midway through March and they quit. That is dissappointing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowdogs Posted March 15, 2013 Report Share Posted March 15, 2013 Lionel at la Glaciere says reports from riders are good, they got 2 inches of snow Tuesday and he believes groomers will be out Friday night and Sunday night. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
groomer Posted March 15, 2013 Report Share Posted March 15, 2013 thx for the grooming pics alain !! great pics of water falls !!! jean-guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trailblazer Posted March 15, 2013 Report Share Posted March 15, 2013 If La Tuque is closed then so much for 355 and 73 in that area. Thanks for the update i was looking yesterday myself. We aren't coming up until Tuesday but the weather temps looks good. I'm dissapointed that they quit grooming so soon. I can understand areas south but not the northern areas. I remember riding from Shawinigan about 4 yrs ago or so in April. Went up there for a 3 day ride and everything was perfect. Now we are only midway through March and they quit. That is dissappointing March is touch and go for grooming, all depends on the temperature in the evenings, above freezing the skid will just made snow balls. The clubs are either usually making the right decision for this time of year or they are running low in funds and need to keep some for maintenance and fall preparation. I personnal don't care too much to ride on soft sloppy snow conditions, even if i can do it in a t-shirt and no gloves. Spring sledding usually can bring more damage than pleasure. In my world snowmobiling is cold temps hard packed surfaces and a little snow dust blowing in the wind on a blue jay day, but thats my opion. JG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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