scorpionbowl Posted December 22, 2014 Report Share Posted December 22, 2014 I started the drive up to Chicoutimi this morning, with a stop in L'Etape on the way. Everything around L'Etape was groomed perfect, a good amount of snow, but not a lot. There's a great base with 6" of powder. Not possible to get stuck. There are new gas pumps and now just the one building. 369 seems open and groomed all the way, but I only went to Castor. 23 south was freshly groomed and likely open to Lesage, but I turned around after 15 miles or so. 23 north looked open, but I didn't take it. I'm in Chicoutimi now, and can't imagine anything is open, but it was dark. I'm driving to monts valin tomorrow and will provide further updates. The forecast here looks horrible Wednesday night through Thursday, but I will continue to give updates as conditions allow... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
600IQHO Posted December 23, 2014 Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 I will be looking forward to your posts. I want to know if I made a mistake by staying home. I hope the weather is good and the trails are perfect for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florida Snowman Posted December 23, 2014 Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 Good recon Gary. Enjoy! Be safe. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pipeman Posted December 23, 2014 Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 Great pic of 23! I sure hope it survives the gloomy forecast but if it turns cold after the warm up it will help with a hard base (hopefully). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revct1 Posted December 23, 2014 Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 Hi Gary, We are planning on going to the Sag. We're driving up Dec 27th if all goes as planned. The forecast is for warmth for a couple of days but then cooling off. The fingers are crossed. Keep the updates coming and hope to see you. Jack & Sandi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smclelan Posted December 23, 2014 Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 Gary are you really there or sitting home in front of the computer making this stuff up and using pictures off your website?? Better send a picture to prove you are really there!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorpionbowl Posted December 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 Gary are you really there or sitting home in front of the computer making this stuff up and using pictures off your website?? Better send a picture to prove you are really there!! Holy cow! I get no respect on here either...and this from a guy who can't ride one mile until he gets his free sled for the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorpionbowl Posted December 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 Drove to Valinoeut this morning, cloudy and plenty cold. All trails that cross the roads were groomed but very thin. Not a lot of dirt, but plenty of rocks. Anything near Valinoeut was the same. I wouldn't touch 93 till past Chapelle, and I didn't want to waste time getting there. The rain forecast is picking up speed, so Wednesday looks like rain too, so I wanted to get quality miles and headed to the zec since this may be the only good day. 267 (bras Louis) was very good, probably groomed Sunday. I put one scratcher on to keep temps down, trails are hard. The 477 to Onatchiway was freshly groomed and perfect till the rocks last 5 miles. The 476 south was groomed by I wouldn't touch it. The 484 was just groomed, but I didn't look. The zec was perfect. You folks that won't pay the $30 don't know what you're missing, especially this time of year when everything else is junk. That notwithstanding, after this rain, the zec to La Hache will be very icy, the rest should be good. 210 miles in the books before 1:30pm. The nice new La Hache relais, with sticker... The forest roads are in great shape and will hold up the best with this rain... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smclelan Posted December 23, 2014 Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 (edited) Those days are over my friend, no more free sleds I have to buy my own. I had no idea how expensive this sport was!!! Looks like you had a good day riding today. Edited December 23, 2014 by smclelan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NH-Moose Posted December 24, 2014 Report Share Posted December 24, 2014 Go get those early miles like you always do Gary!! Greetings from Florida, wishing I were there breaking in the 900 ;<) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
towing Posted December 24, 2014 Report Share Posted December 24, 2014 Great report and pics scorpionbowl! loved it keep it going Alain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorpionbowl Posted December 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2014 Freezing rain started at 5am in the valley, 30F. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smclelan Posted December 24, 2014 Report Share Posted December 24, 2014 Well if it stays at 30° all will be good there. It doesn't look like the mild weather is going g to last as long as they were predicting earlier, that is good news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyman Posted December 24, 2014 Report Share Posted December 24, 2014 Scorpionbowl just posted on FB. 110 miles of heaven. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorpionbowl Posted December 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2014 Scorpionbowl just posted on FB. 110 miles of heaven. If you have Gortex...update to follow... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorpionbowl Posted December 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2014 Left the hotel around 7:30am, 34f, no rain. On the hill was the same temp, light rain. I was first track on a freshly groomed 93 to Chapelle. This would be junk on any other day this time of year. Once past Chapelle it was as good as it gets, except for the light rain of course. Things got colder till the 93/252 warmup hut where it was light snow if u can tell. 93 to scare coeur wasn't freshly groomed. The Pelchat was just groomed and looked great. 252 was great, 254 wasn't good, 251 was perfect. 267 was poor till the power lines when it opens up and was just groomed. At the top of bras Louis, it was perfect, but the rain picking up. Then it was a perfect fast 20 miles back to the truck where it was pouring. Not many fools out today, just the one posting. The whole drive back was about 36f, showers off and on. You could start to see standing water on the trails. It's been fairly cold for a while, so the true damage is still to come. I'll be out looking tomorrow. I can't imagine anything other than the core monts valin trails and forest roads holding up through this. Stay tuned... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorpionbowl Posted December 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2014 Forgot to mention that I had to put on a scratcher again to keep temps down. The base is so hard, even the warm weather doesn't losen it up. With little backside snow, you will need scratchers for sure... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLAYHARD Posted December 24, 2014 Report Share Posted December 24, 2014 You are definitely my IDOL. Damn, all I can hear from Thanksgiving 'til mid Jan is that TIC TOC TIC TOC in the back of my head. And you! Out there "getting it over with!" Awesome. Merry/Happy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorpionbowl Posted December 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 25, 2014 Left the city around 8am, showers just started. Not much rain on the hill, but warm. Headed 93 east, since west was essentially impassable. 93 east held up nicely, hardly any traffic from the grooming yesterday. Plenty of water on the ice. Plenty of ice and water in the trails till you near KM31. Here's the snow level at the cross. Once past KM31 everything was great, plenty of snow, but it's amazing how the snow sucks up the water. A few days ago you could drive a truck down these trails. Today, you step on the trail and you sink 10" It would have been fun to watch the yamahas try to corner in this stuff. It was 43F when I got back to the truck at 1pm and 45F in the city. As I mentioned yesterday, the core monts valin trails and forest roads are all you'll be able to ride. Here's 93 at the start of bras Louis. It was bad yesterday, I didn't even try today. Here's where 93 crosses in St. Honore, near the BMR. There's probably 8 hours of melting to go from these pics, and it's very windy. There's not much snow in the forecast either. Who knows when legitimate Quebec conditions will arrive, but I'm done for now. I'll look forward to updates from the rest of you. Happy Holidays! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
800steve Posted December 26, 2014 Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 Thanks for the pics Scorpion-bowl, bad news, but good to see you got some miles in. Looks like it will be some time for the weather pattern to change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceman Posted December 26, 2014 Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 Yamaha guys are smart enough to be patient and wait for winter to arrive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
182ray Posted December 26, 2014 Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 Good one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
182ray Posted December 26, 2014 Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 Good one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
600IQHO Posted December 26, 2014 Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 Looks like it will start to get cold again on Monday and maybe some snow Wed. & Thursday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vt_bluyamaha54 Posted December 29, 2014 Report Share Posted December 29, 2014 Yamaha guys are smart enough to be patient and wait for winter to arrive. Bazinga!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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