Conditions for trip

[Js12ren]

We have changed our plans for the Temiscaming trip and now thinking Gaspe. I see they are getting warm temps and some rain till Sat pretty much everywhere. Does anybody have an idea how the conditions will be after the warmup for a loop around the peninsula starting Monday morning? I've never been to the Gaspe so I don't know anything about it. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks

Joe

[Phil 1]

Groomer will keep us posted on conditions AFTER the weather passes. Our crystal balls are out for service...

Check his thread.

[Js12ren]

7 minutes ago, Phil 1 said:

Groomer will keep us posted on conditions AFTER the weather passes. Our crystal balls are out for service...

Check his thread.

Thanks Phil I thought I was the only one with crystal ball issues.

[Grampsledder]

The Gaspe is a great ride.    Looks like they have tons of snow.    We like the two cut throughs (595 and 597) and the Chic Choc trail if they fit in your plans.  We're headed up for our 7th trip in 1 1/2 weeks.   

[GT Rider]

I will be in Matane 2/25. I will post conditions.

4th year attempting a Gaspe loop. After making arrangements the weather hiccups. I hope that 3 foot of snow from the last storm holds up.

[Js12ren]

9 minutes ago, GT Rider said:

I will be in Matane 2/25. I will post conditions.

4th year attempting a Gaspe loop. After making arrangements the weather hiccups. I hope that 3 foot of snow from the last storm holds up.

That would be awesome thanks. A group of friends of mine are planning to be in RDL that day and they are also waiting to see how everything pans out. We will be one day behind them unless something changes. These last two Winters have been a challenge for sure.

[Phil 1]

All will be fine!!!

[doonali]

16 minutes ago, GT Rider said:

I will be in Matane 2/25. I will post conditions.

4th year attempting a Gaspe loop. After making arrangements the weather hiccups. I hope that 3 foot of snow from the last storm holds up.

Was begining to wonder if you were doing a trip this season. I'll look forward to your reports.

[GT Rider]

1 hour ago, doonali said:

Was begining to wonder if you were doing a trip this season. I'll look forward to your reports.

We waited on reservations until I saw Groomer's Murdochville Post. It looked like snow would not be an issue. We will see.

[Fuse6]

We arrive in Mont Joli This Sat Feb 25.

Depart Sunday morning going clockwise. Wish we were starting 2 days later. Should be lots of snow, maybe to mild for the groomers on the weekend?

Group of friends are arriving in RDL tonight. I will text him late Thurs for a trail report. 

Mont Saint Pierre to Grande Vallee is showing fair on Quebectrails.com. I'm guessing they are still trying to deal with the drifted snow from last week, and conditions will improve. Can anyone confirm that?

Are the grooming maps updated mid day or just 6:00 in the morning

thanks

 

[PINKM1]

The North Shore got pounded last week 120cm in some places (almost 4'), that's the reason for the sub par conditions around Mount St. Pierre and Murdochville. It can take up to a week to clean up after a storm like that. You should be fine and what rain they get this weekend should only make the conditions better. We are starting in R-D-L next Friday the 3rd, should be epic!

 

[revct1]

44 minutes ago, Fuse6 said:

We arrive in Mont Joli This Sat Feb 25.

Depart Sunday morning going clockwise. Wish we were starting 2 days later. Should be lots of snow, maybe to mild for the groomers on the weekend?

Group of friends are arriving in RDL tonight. I will text him late Thurs for a trail report. 

Mont Saint Pierre to Grande Vallee is showing fair on Quebectrails.com. I'm guessing they are still trying to deal with the drifted snow from last week, and conditions will improve. Can anyone confirm that?

Are the grooming maps updated mid day or just 6:00 in the morning

thanks

 

Hi Steve.  The groomer map is updated at 6:00 AM and again at 1:00 PM.  We have found a few trails that were white on the map (not groomed recently) this year but actually were groomed.  I don't know what the glitch was but it was a pleasant surprise to be expecting bumps and it was smooth.  The trails were in the Lac St Jean region.

Jack & Sandi

[themainer]

Gonna be starting the loop clockwise on Monday too. I'm more worried about getting snow Wednesday night, but looks like it won't be too much. Planning to do the north shore tuesday since it looks like the best sunny day of the week.

[Northbound]

Jack,  

    We've been using the grooming app on the fcmq site a lot this year. One thing that I think I've learned. I've been watching a section of trail that we need to use on the next day and it shows as white and dated either a long time ago or not groomed. When we pass that area the next day we find that there has been a reroute. So the old route does not get groomed.

     Most of the reroutes work so seamlessly that you wouldn't know you were on one except for memory or your gps. 

      Sounds like you and Sandi are having a great season, keep it up.

      Jeff and Sandy

[PLAYHARD]

We did the tour listed below last week and it turned out great, skirted the storm as planned/hoped. The base was big, and the dump on top should mean lots left after this week's warm-up. Also, we were pleasantly reminded that "white" on the grooming web updates sometimes means it just didn't need it. Don't miss the sled museum in the basement at Hotel Copper in Murdochville! We went over these miles by a bit each day, but all days were pretty easy:

 

...Weather forecasts from different sources varied throughout the week, so i made the move to drive a few more hours east of RDL Saturday and set ourselves up in Amqui, so we'll have more flexibility later in the week if we need it, and we’re looping around back west at the end of the week to catch a night at the original place we were going to launch from. Here’s our story, locked & loaded!...

 

 

HQ, Sat 2/11) 11hr-10min/677mi from Hinsdale, MA

Sélectôtel, 340 Saint-Benoît Boul O, Amqui, QC G5J 2G2 www.selectotelamqui.com  418-629-2241

http://www.viaexplora.com/snowmobile/index.html?unit=mi&lat=49.126876&lng=-66.933766&zoom=7&force=1&ewaypoints=4847549,-6742737,-51108,16413,1552,33206,12206,81353,14652,-961,3114,42380,37645,-45538,30992,66439,-57824,97532,13340,30445,31654,-26930,17144,8789,21304,-141045,-10573,-68219,-27575,-103091,-38188,-97627,-63921,-106507,5827,84754,54424,92285,4919,30487&cst=1.0,1.01,1.05&csts=1.0&cstr=1.01&spd=50000,50000,50000

 

Day 1, Sun 2/12) 180mi, Trails: 5e, 587se, gas in Matapedia, 5e

HOSTELLERIE BAIE BLEUE, 482 boulevard Perron, Carleton-sur-Mer G0C 1J0 http://baiebleue.com/hostellerie/  (800) 463-9099 (418) 364-3355 

http://www.viaexplora.com/snowmobile/index.html?unit=mi&lat=48.304211&lng=-66.770302&zoom=9&force=1&ewaypoints=4847173,-6743784,-48342,14164,-471,35540,11609,82247,963,-1579&cst=1.0,1.01,1.05&csts=1.0&cstr=1.01&spd=50000,50000,50000

 

Day 2, Mon 2/13) 180mi, Trails: Local to tour windmills, 5e, 595n, gas @ Relais De La Cache, local e, 597s

Hôtel Copper, 700 5e Rue, Murdochville, QC G0E 1W0 www.hotel-copper.ca  418-784-2566

http://www.viaexplora.com/snowmobile/index.html?unit=mi&lat=48.661889&lng=-65.956970&zoom=9&force=1&ewaypoints=4810928,-6613388,13192,-230,1846,44673,39826,-46704,30100,66532&cst=1.0,1.01,1.05&csts=1.0&cstr=1.01&spd=50000,50000,50000

 

Day 3, Tues 2/14) 190mi, Trails: 597s, gas in Grande-Rivière, 5e, local to Perce Rock, gas in Gaspe, 5ne

Auberge Le Caribou, 82 Boul Renard O, Gaspé, QC G4X5H1  www.aubergelecaribou.ca  (877) 260-3344

http://www.viaexplora.com/snowmobile/index.html?attraits=&unit=mi&lat=48.791914&lng=-64.811012&zoom=9&force=1&ewaypoints=4897492,-6549609,-58668,97626,13198,30430,48453,-18275&cst=1.0,1.01,1.05&csts=1.0&cstr=1.01&spd=50000,50000,50000

 

Day 4, Wed 2/15) 180mi, Trails: 5w, gas in Mont-Saint-Pierre

Hôtel & Cie, 90 Boulevard Sainte Anne O, Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, QC G4V 1R3  www.hoteletcie.com 418-763-3321

http://www.viaexplora.com/snowmobile/index.html?attraits=&unit=mi&lat=49.407878&lng=-65.533762&zoom=8&force=1&ewaypoints=4900686,-6439622,21916,-138954,-10714,-70473,541,205&cst=1.0,1.01,1.05&csts=1.0&cstr=1.01&spd=50000,50000,50000

 

Day 5, Thurs 2/16) 250mi, Trails: 5w, gas in Matane & Rimouski

Hôtel Universel, 311 Boulevard de l'hôtel de ville O, Rivière-du-Loup, QC G5R 5S4 www.hoteluniverselrdl.com  418-862-9520

http://www.viaexplora.com/snowmobile/index.html?attraits=H&unit=mi&lat=48.702718&lng=-68.003481&zoom=8&force=1&ewaypoints=4911818,-6648816,-27830,-103464,-38151,-97355,-63828,-106324&cst=1.0,1.01,1.05&csts=1.0&cstr=1.01&spd=50000,50000,50000

 

Day 6, Fri 2/17)  190mi, Trails: 576se, 85se, local to 544se, 571se, gas in Squatec, 546, 35ne, 5e, 579se, gas in Saint Gabriel, 579se to 587se Radar/Mummies in La Redemption/Ste Irene

Sélectôtel, 340 Saint-Benoît Boul O, Amqui, QC G5J 2G2www.selectotelamqui.com  418-629-2241

http://www.viaexplora.com/snowmobile/index.html?attraits=&unit=km&lat=48.419208&lng=-68.480255&zoom=8&force=1&ewaypoints=4781976,-6956066,7059,84241,53122,55660,-234,36447,5307,35805&cst=1.0,1.01,1.05&csts=1.0&cstr=1.01&spd=50000,50000,50000

 

[Fuse6]

Excellent report and resource Playhard. We are doing the exact same route starting Monday except starting in Mont Joli so won't be making the run to RDL.  A few questions:

1. Is it a nice ride down the 587S from Amqui to Campellton vs taking trail 5

2. To get gas at LaCache is it far from the Junction of 595 and Murdochville trail. We will be leaving Murdochville full heading to New Richmond so may not need to gas at LaCache if it is far off route.

3. You did find gas in Mont Saint Pierre???? On the map and GAS BUDDY I didn't see any. we are staying a night in MSP so would be great if can gas there.

4. Any part of your route you would avoid if doing again

Thanks, Steve

 

[Grampsledder]

Gas at La Chace is only a few miles from the Chic Choc trail.   The gas is in Mont Louis, no gas in Mont St Pierre. 

[iceman]

3 minutes ago, Grampsledder said:

Gas at La Chace is only a few miles from the Chic Choc trail.   The gas is in Mont Louis, no gas in Mont St Pierre. 

True, there is no "gas station" in Mont St. Pierre, however you don't always need a gas pump. You just need to know who to ask. #nicetohavefriends 

 

[iceman]

13 hours ago, Fuse6 said:

1. Is it a nice ride down the 587S from Amqui to Campellton vs taking trail 5

Absolutely. I prefer this route myself. Very nice trail. 

[SkippyDoo]

Just got back from what was supposed to be a four day trip. There is plenty of snow everywhere however parking lots roads etc where completely melted down and dry. The road into the copper was bare. Sentier Chic Chocs was not in good shape but passable. We crossed that in heavy rain, fog and winds. Tough sledding.  The trail was narrow and moguled up in places. One massive crater at least 4 ft deep that nearly ended my trip right there. It was a very surreal experience. Nothing like that I have ever been through before  You could see the massive amount of snow that they had just got though.  We left Murdochville via black trail in a rental car that the flatbed we needed brought us.  It was all good into PALC from RDL, good into New Richmond and 595 was great up to lacache. Trails looked great leaving RDL by truck this morning but they are going to get hard and icy for sure. Some cold temps and a little fresh snow thrown in for good measure and they will be in great shape. 

[iceman]

5 minutes ago, SkippyDoo said:

Just got back from what was supposed to be a four day trip. There is plenty of snow everywhere however parking lots roads etc where completely melted down and dry. The road into the copper was bare. Sentier Chic Chocs was not in good shape but passable. We crossed that in heavy rain, fog and winds. Tough sledding.  The trail was narrow and moguled up in places. One massive crater at least 4 ft deep that nearly ended my trip right there. It was a very surreal experience. Nothing like that I have ever been through before  You could see the massive amount of snow that they had just got though.  We left Murdochville via black trail in a rental car that the flatbed we needed brought us.  It was all good into PALC from RDL, good into New Richmond and 595 was great up to lacache. Trails looked great leaving RDL by truck this morning but they are going to get hard and icy for sure. Some cold temps and a little fresh snow thrown in for good measure and they will be in great shape. 

So you were on the black trail because the conditions kept you from riding back? 

Nice play putting the rental car on the flatbed. Brilliant. Nicely done. 

Sorry it ended this way for your trip.

[SkippyDoo]

No, we where going to finish but my sled (2016 Rene X 600 etec)started overheating Friday morning for as of yet unknown reasons. Nothing I did seemed to help.  The temp just went slowly up and up until the light came on. I tried to push on but we weren't making good time. The coolant was full, getting the sled in loose snow didn't help either. Acts like the Tstat is stuck. Then as we where towing my sled back to the copper with the ol ladies Artic cat the other guy in the group hit the bridge just north of the copper on 5 and bent his control arm pretty bad. (Yamacat) plus it's making a noise like the cooling fan is hitting something. Apparently he was nearly ejected over the side of the bridge. The rear of the sled was sitting up on the cable at a 90 degree angle to the bridge. That was the story being told by the 2 female observers that where behind him. Hopefully he learned the value of self preservation while riding when 2 days away from the truck. He was going too fast. We had two ladies with us on this trip, and even after the deluge and mostly miserable weather and trail conditions we had rode in for the better part of 100 miles they still where having a ball. My  woman worked with the brother of the owner of the copper and came up with the rental car on the back of the flatbed idea. Somehow. Not sure how they pulled that off with  the language barrier bet they did. I was outside with my sled ripped in pieces trying to find a problem. DNF's are unacceptable. In my mind at this point We where going to finish somehow.  They first said there was a bus back to RDL that runs every day but we had missed that. Then they offered a helicopter ride that started out as 800 bucks back to RDL to get trucks. That turned into about 3500 when they wanted to charge to bring it in from Gaspe to Murdochville, then to RDL and back to its home port which I understood to be in Murdochville.  The helicopter ride would have been fun and a good story but not for 3500. The flatbed and rental was 1350 split 2 ways minus the rooms we no longer needed plus gas food and beers, subtract US to Can dollar conversion and it was nearly a break even expense. And now I can cross off driving a car out in the Gaspe. 132 is a nice ride. The trip ended well with no regrets, lessons learned and a good time had by all. I'll be back next year with a rain suit and a shiny new Renegade X 1200. This was my first time in 11 years of riding in Quebec that I got a DNF, and first trip to the Gaspe

[Phil 1]

Always an adventure...

I had a 600 E tec gade years ago now ride the 1200, you are going to like the new "Renegade X 1200".

Flew over the Gaspésie few years ago at 30,000 feet, a helicopter ride would have been really cool.

[SkippyDoo]

40 minutes ago, Phil 1 said:

Always an adventure...

I had a 600 E tec gade years ago now ride the 1200, you are going to like the new "Renegade X 1200".

Flew over the Gaspésie few years ago at 30,000 feet, a helicopter ride would have been really cool.

I think I will like it. I tried a short ride on a 900 ACE that was in the group and gotta say that was an impressive sled. I didn't get a chance to really work it out but on sport mode it was very responsive. It seemed pretty light for a four stroke too. Nice sled. The helicopter ride would have been cool for sure but an expensive way out. The group handled everything well. I'm pretty happy how it all turned out all things considered. 

[iceman]

Again, nice job to work out your escape. Hat's off to the Ladies. Gaspe is challenging with good weather. My first trip to Gaspe we got as far as Matane from RDL. Then the "snowpocalypse" started 3 days there. 

Regroup, re-tool the return.