Saint-Zenon Week Trip 2/3-2/10

[mrgrumpers]

Hello All, wanted to share my trip like last year with everyone.  Will give as much detail about everything I can remember and share some pictures as well.  Will go day by day, and then give an overall recap.

Day 1 - 2/4:

This is our typical Sunday run that my family has been doing for years.  We always end up doing it as it seems to be always green on the map.  Rode up to the dam then west on 360.  We stopped out Lac Taureau for a little break and enjoy the scenery.  From there we went down the reservoir towards Saint-Michel and grab some gas.  We made the decision since it was still early in the day to head back out 63 and down towards the relay where 33 & 63 connect.  From there we left and headed our way back to Real Masse.  Overall the trails where great, even around Saint-Michel.  Overall give the trails a 8 out 10 especially with how much traffic we were passing.  

Day 2 - 2/5:

With the snow we received Sunday into Monday, we decided to do something different and head south.  Everything seemed to be groomed the night before.  Once we started to get into the fields around Saint-Gaberial there were a good amount of drift points from all the wind.  From there we headed more south towards Joilette before turning on 43 towards Saint-Alphonse.  These were probably the most wind drifts fields all day, we were breaking trail throughout them until we headed back up the mountain.  They put in a new trail since the one between Saint-Alphonse and Saint-Come was closed.  It was shared with an ATV trail for a little which wasn’t bad at all.  We were planning on heading to Black Mountain in Saint-Donat since they put up a tower on top of the mountain.  I missed the turn to head that way so we ended up in Saint-Come.  From there we just decided to do another loop around Saint-Gaberial then head back to Real.  Overall give the trails another 8 out 10, not for how they were but there were a couple of times where the signage down south wasn’t the best.

Day 3 - 2/6:

For a while now my father has been afraid to going to Lac de Repo because back in the early 90’s he heard “horror” stories of bad gas up there.  I told him that everything will be fine.  I know a ton of people on QuebecRider that go up there and they have no issue.  What I didn’t tell him was that the ride was going to be the longest he has ever done.  We left Real and headed toward Riveire-Mattawin.  The trail was smooth and I knew we could do it rather quickly.  Once we filled up on gas we turned around and headed towards the Repos.  This was out first time on 345 towards the repos from 360.  It was different but freshly groomed and perfect.  The trail is amazing, going from full on woods to long straights.  We literally passed two sleds right before the repos.  Got gas there, and it started to snow pretty good so instead of coming back down 345 we came down 33.  We got a little confused with the lakes but 33 was just as amazing.  Found some stuff on the trail, met up with the gentlemen that has lost the stuff, handed everything we found and informed him that the jumper cables were on a sign a couple of miles back.  Got gas in Saint-Michel again and then headed back to Real.  Overall give the trail a 9 out of 10.

Day 4 - 2/7:

We were planning on something different this day but decided since 345 and 360 were all freshly groomed we would just run it again.  Did the same trip minus the repos part as the previous day.  We stopped for gas and then had lunch a Hotel Marineau Mattawin, since it was a nice little snow and it was a little cold.  Headed to the dam after lunch and crossed it since you now can go back over it.  The entrance is way easier now and much wider!  Overall the trails were a perfect 10 out of 10.

 

Day 5 - 2/8:

Woke up the next day not knowing what to do but noticed that everything around Saint-Donat was groomed, so we made the call to head over to Black Mountain.  Trails were perfect, and I couldn’t have asked for a nicer day.  Passed a good amount of sleds throughout the morning but trails stayed perfect.  Finally reached the trail for Black Mountain and headed on up.  My dad and I have never been so it was something new for us to go visit.  Passed more sleds coming down the mountain which was nice so when we reached the summit we were the only ones up there.  The new lookout tower is amazing, gives you such amazing views in every direction.  From there we grabbed gas in Saint-Donat then went down Lac Ouareau and up 310 towards Coin Lavigne.  There is a bring on 310 that seemed to have boards there were pulled out or something.  There were foot gaps between each board and made for an interesting ride of them.  Otherwise the trails were again amazing an 9.5 out of 10.

 

 

Day 6 - 2/9:

Today was our last day of riding so we decided to do a small loop.  We headed up to Le Cabanon then out 23 towards Grand Mere.  We decided to make the right towards Koubek and then head to Mandeville.  From there we just decided to head to Saint-Gaberial and then to Saint-Damien then back towards Real.  By far the worst trails I have seem were from the Saint-Daimen warming hut up to Real.  I mean they weren’t like 5-10mph bad but every turn was 1 foot bumps with some ice in other turns.  Overall the trails were a good 7.5 out of 10, would have been perfect except for 23 towards Real.

 

 

Overall:

Overall the trip was pure amazing like always for Quebec.  People are friendly and kind no matter who you met on the trails.  Now lets go with the good, bad, and amazing.  The good, is that again we did over 1100 miles on amazing trails all week.  The bad, would be that it seemed that people did not like to signal at all while passing them.  I understand while in a turn you don’t but when you on a nice straight just knowing that this is the last sled is great to know.  The amazing, what can I say no where else has snow but Quebec.  Go from inches in NY to feet in Quebec its pure amazing.  If we passed you on the trail at all or met you, thank you for being so friendly.  We are heading back up in a couple of weeks, so if us then, stop us and lets have chat.

Kyle and Mike

Edited February 14, 2018 by mrgrumpers

[towing]

Very nice and complete report,  thank you for sharing! seems you had a very good time up there...

I would suggest you to ride the M20 trail if you go in the same area on the #360, it is the orange trail on your map day#3. Really worth it , you will like for sure!!!

I really need to go at the Black Mountain, haven't seen the new belvedere yet...

Would like to know which camera you used to film? your movie is surprisingly good for a camera installed directly on the sled.

Thanks again!

 

Alain

[Teet F8SP]

Nice trip looks like you had a great time.  We love the Real Masse, thats where we like to stay, great food, great people and heated garage for sleds.  Must have been busy time if the trails were that rough around there.  

 

[actionjack]

Thanks for the report. Good job putting it together. 

[doonali]

Very nice report an videos.

About the hand signals not being common in Quebec, I know a lot of us run gauntlets making it much more difficult to take your hand out and get it back in depending on the style. That being said we ALWAYS assume there is going to be an oncoming sled coming around the next corner or over the next knoll!     Ride hard.....but always ride right!!!

Edited February 15, 2018 by doonali

[Snobeeler]

Yes, great report, thanks for sharing.

[mrgrumpers]

Alain,  the camera I use is a GoPro Hero Session 5. It doesn't do great in the cold but after using it for 30 minutes I can put it in my pocket to warm up.  For the mount, Polaris stock bumper has a middle support which we just put the handle bar mount and then connect the camera to that.  Never had an issue with it moving or worry about it falling off.

Teet 8SFP, the only day trails were bad was that Friday.  They groomed everything but from the Saint-Damien hut to Real.  It was busy but not the worst I have seen before.  There were days were I passed 5 sleds all day.

Doonali, I completely understand what you are saying.  I have gauntlets on my sled as well, and we always assume there is another sled coming.  Just wanted to put it out there, not upset or anything.  We always ride right, and didn't come across people cutting corners or anything at all.

[gun-driver]

5 hours ago, doonali said:

Very nice report an videos.

About the hand signals not being common in Quebec, I know a lot of us run gauntlets making it much more difficult to take your hand out and get it back in depending on the style. That being said we ALWAYS assume there is going to be an oncoming sled coming around the next corner or over the next knoll!     Ride hard.....but always ride right!!!

Not to derail a good write up but I never did like the signal thing. Been almost taken out numerous times by people taking their hands off the bars to signal as their sled darts all over the trail.

And...how is the guy that is last in one group and signals you to that fact know that there is not another sled or group just around the corner behind him????

Signals are stupid !!! Keep your hands on the bars and your sled in control on your side and I'll deal with whats behind you.