scorpionbowl Posted December 28, 2016 Report Share Posted December 28, 2016 Summarizing what happens on this trip. Taking it day by day, no real plan... Day 1: Leave trail 16 to 83. Head east on mostly garbage...rough and low snow until the ski area (aka relais spandex). There it is freshly groomed but still low snow. Local 21 looks great, didn't take it. Groomer comes out from St Felix and I'm second tracks and it's perfect. Local 22 looks good, didn't take it. Perfection to 383 (eternity), it is freshly groomed, didn't take it. Continued perfection to 383 west, it's freshly groomed, didn't take it. Continued down 83 to the 301, it's freshly groomed, didn't take it. Continued down the Claremont express, the south side was groomed the day before, 4" powder, but smooth. Just made it to Claremont for first gas at 103 miles, light was on for a while. Noticed the skidoo dealer moved, maybe this isn't news? Snow is thinner here, but fine. Doubled back to 383 west. On the 383, groomer stopped quick, but it was smooth with 6" powder. Took the 22, same conditions, then gassed at St Felix. Took 83 west to 21, but didn't take it. Back at relais spandex the groomer came through most of the way back to the city. Nice easy run, 200 miles. Heading to Valinouet tomorrow, by truck. 182ray, Scranton1, Phil 1 and 3 others 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceman Posted December 29, 2016 Report Share Posted December 29, 2016 Nice, first outing there Gary. Looking forward to following along. Say hi to Sylvie for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revct1 Posted December 29, 2016 Report Share Posted December 29, 2016 Nice ride Gary. The Claremont Express is such a good trip. Don, Sylvie was our server tonight. She was working by herself with quite a few tables. The wait staff here in Quebec always amazes me. They almost run from table to table. Jack & Sandi iceman 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NH-Moose Posted December 29, 2016 Report Share Posted December 29, 2016 Go Gary, wish I was there! Low at 103 miles, what's up with that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkippyDoo Posted December 29, 2016 Report Share Posted December 29, 2016 Good luck at Valinouet. Big snow big bumps big traffic. no freshly groomed trails to be found anywhere or I woulda went down them . The 93 was pounded right out, the Bra Louis was one sled width wide. Did make it to mont villain. Less snow less bumps and less traffic that way. 165 miles for the day. Riding the storm out tomorrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorpionbowl Posted December 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2016 42 minutes ago, SkippyDoo said: Good luck at Valinouet. Big snow big bumps big traffic. no freshly groomed trails to be found anywhere or I woulda went down them . The 93 was pounded right out, the Bra Louis was one sled width wide. Did make it to mont villain. Less snow less bumps and less traffic that way. 165 miles for the day. Riding the storm out tomorrow Only riding a few miles of that junk to get to the good stuff...and it ain't on no map... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florida Snowman Posted December 29, 2016 Report Share Posted December 29, 2016 Hey Gary, ZEC it baby! Have fun, be safe & enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorpionbowl Posted December 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2016 Running off satellite, so a bare bones update today, no firestick tonight that's for sure. Day 2: We are operating on plan B (out of plan A-D). We drive to Valinouet, lock up and head out bras Louis (267), it's perfect. We meet 477, it's perfect, we take it. We hit 476, it's perfect, we don't take it. Gas and snack at onatchiway and out the 484, better than perfect. We hit the 482, it's perfect, we don't take it. The 484 dead ends at the Peribonka, we take the bush trail the few miles to the river, nice, but dodging downed trees. We hit the river, no stakes, we cross and hit the 367, groomed but rough. We skip scooby, at the lamarche trail, 367 says danger so we head to lamarche on orange, it's not open we get gas, little English but he said no circuit so we guess it's all junk. Back to the 367, it's not open a few miles in the swamp, then it's groomed but sucks. We know the 482 is good, we take it and return. Snow started around 3pm, nothing major yet, 165 miles today. Phil 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revct1 Posted December 30, 2016 Report Share Posted December 30, 2016 Keep it going Gary. Some good and some bad. In December we take what we get. So far this year has been better than a lot of others. Jack & Sandi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorpionbowl Posted December 30, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2016 4" snow at onatchiway, up to 6" in the mountains, barely 2" new at valinouet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorpionbowl Posted December 30, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2016 Day 3: Woke up, it's 50f in the chalet, no heat. Nice people here, but not the place to stay. Wifi sucks, no breakfast till 8am, and a bucket of ice is $5. We hit the trail early and head to Valinouet. Groomer passes us at gas headed to chapelle, we grab breakfast. 7 miles in we pass groomer and take southern orange trails to chapelle. 2-6" softens any bumps and we top off at chapelle and get a quick wifi hit. Out the orange trail to pelchat to check it out. About 12" here and summits went toward pelchat so we think no problem. 252 south from the pelchat turn... These summits are crazy, zig zagging everywhere wanting to suck u off trail. Luckily one guy is fairly straight down the trail. The snow got deep quick, I say 20" anyway. Get off the lead track and snow is well over the hood. Good day for iceman to be working, we barely have the setup for this but had no problem following. After 10 miles or so, we catch the summits and I shit u not, one of them is dragging a full sized canoe. When we meet them they figured the pelchat trail was the wrong turn, and they wanted to go right to a camp or something, so they just turn off the trail and dip into a bowl toward the other road and the guy with the canoe gets stuck big, I thought this would take a long time to fix and didn't even get a picture. While they dig we look at the trail... We are two guys with marginal sleds for these conditions. There's a 6' wide base in the middle, get off that and it sucks u in. Where's RR when you need him. Meanwhile the guys empty the snow in the canoe, take the tension off the rope and stomp around sled. I think these guys are high. The guy gets on it, starts moving slowly, then the canoe turns upside down, I figure he's done, but he rocks the sled side to side full throttle and gets onto a flat, flips the canoe and off they go. Looks like they have problems a little later, but we turn around and head back to the 252. By now two sleds are on the 252, so it's easy going in 12" powder to 93. Here someone else has gone to sacre couer already so it's and easy run with 12-16" of fresh powder, get off the lead track and the conditions weren't nearly as deep as Pelchat. Once 93 is off the c900, it's impossible to follow the trail with this snow and wind but finally make our way to the road and check in. Now we figure out what to do tomorrow... PLAYHARD and RoadRunner 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceman Posted December 30, 2016 Report Share Posted December 30, 2016 I'm on my way with my Canoe and a rope. See you in the morning. You can drag me around in the canoe. I'll buy the Ice. A bucket for each of you. Snobeeler 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revct1 Posted December 30, 2016 Report Share Posted December 30, 2016 Drinks to you guys tonight. We didn't get the snow that was predicted for Saguenay. Jack & Sandi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florida Snowman Posted December 31, 2016 Report Share Posted December 31, 2016 Did the canoe have an outboard motor attached? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cnc Posted December 31, 2016 Report Share Posted December 31, 2016 A canoe?, maybe they were going ice fishing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrGutz Posted December 31, 2016 Report Share Posted December 31, 2016 ICE fishing would not need the boat? I hope... GutZ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoadRunner Posted December 31, 2016 Report Share Posted December 31, 2016 Great reports Scorp, looks like you are getting your money's worth!! Hope to see you this winter on the trails! RR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cnc Posted December 31, 2016 Report Share Posted December 31, 2016 1 hour ago, MrGutz said: ICE fishing would not need the boat? I hope... GutZ Just a joke but I wouldn't go out on the ice around here just yet without a boat or a very fast sled. Ice is still iffy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackstraw Posted December 31, 2016 Report Share Posted December 31, 2016 $5 for ice? I don't get it up there, you buy a cocktail in a bar and they give you 2 cubes in the glass if your lucky, and if you ask for more they think your nuts It's friggin cold as hell up there why so stingy with the ice? I don't get it. Stick some trays out the back door and they will be ready in minutes mcstar 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorpionbowl Posted December 31, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2016 Not a good way to start the day when u r the blue dot... actionjack 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trailblazer Posted December 31, 2016 Report Share Posted December 31, 2016 Head back to the hills Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorpionbowl Posted January 1, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2017 Not much to get excited about from the map above but we decide to check imotoniege and head south to 3. It doesn't take long to see 16" of powder plus new drifting from the wind, so we have to backtrack. Imotoniege shows the C900 groomed half way which doesn't make sense since he doesn't turn around there, he goes to the 252 intersection. Starting out is perfectly groomed, one pan wide, so he hasn't returned. We ride on, skies are getting blue and the wind strong. We meet the groomer turning around and on the sat phone, probably updating imotoniege. Of course no one has touched th 93 or 252 from there, so we bust through drifts back to chapelle. After a quick break we expect hell to Valinouet, but lucked out because the groomer made one pass and was getting ready to turn around. Today was one of those brochure days where around every corner was a view you would see in an ad... Trailblazer, Scranton1, RoadRunner and 4 others 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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