Jump to content

March 9th-11th Chenail Du Nord adventure.


markusvt
 Share

Recommended Posts

Day 1, Friday, March 9th 2018, 365 miles.

We decided to start at the Sheraton Four Points in Quebec City.  Nice rooms, nice food and huge parking. If you are trying to go north it is a better option for us than the St Foy area.  We debated on starting more north in La Malbaie  but voted unanimously against it in favor of more miles on the sled and less in the truck.

We woke to a fresh 4 inches or so outside and it was still snowing.  Breakfast at 7:00 and then out to unload 5 sleds, Me, Jay, Randy, Dave and Greg. On the trail at 8:00 or so.

We found awesome conditions on the power-lines in Quebec City.  No rocks and tons of snow.  They fully recoved from the rain and warm.  No water, no missing snow bridges, nothing ! A few snowmobile bridges redone since last season and some fresh signing, it was nice. There were lots more 30km maximum signs in town so we took it very easy. Most of route 3 was freshly groomed and really nice until Relay Mont St Anne.  It stayed nice until the 369 La Tape turn off then the snow started picking up and for sure no groomer had been here in a bit.  Big snowdrifts and hard going all the way to Relay Michelieu at the Baie St Paul turn off.  They have 2 huge gas tanks there now that I have not noticed before.  No worries we don’t need gas and continue on.

It is obvious that the groomer has been here recently which was nice.  A few small trail reroutes since last year but it was all nice.  A bit choppy before the ferry as it usually is.  Snowing heavy now and WINDY…….  We got off a bumpy Tadousac ferry ride and headed to lunch at Restaurant Chantmartin a few minutes up the trail, (I was wishing I put the peanut butter on my toast for breakfast because I was HUNGRY!).  We met some folks there that were calling it a day because of too much snow and hard going.  We finished an awesome lunch and marched on. Both gas options on the trail in town are no longer open and we did not want to get the one off the side street so off we go. We bypassed Pelchat and got gas at Relais Escoumin. I know guys had issues with bad gas early in the season here but we took our chances and all was well.  We told the lady in the relay where we were going and she said something about good luck and crazy Americans.  We wrestled the sleds on the Route 3 bypass due to the locals tracking it up every which way playing in the deep snow.

Our plan was to get to Chenail Du Nord at 5:00 with 320 miles but with all the new snow and a few excursions we were not going to make that.  We arrived in Forestville at 6:45PM to get gas.  I looked at the Chenail Du Nord side trail on the way by and there were no tracks and now the fresh snow was in the 12-18 inch range and still snowing.  We leave at 7:00PM after grabbing (3) empty windshield washer jugs for tomorrow.  I shoot a note to Benoit we are running a bit late.

We doubled back the few kilometers to the side trail and off we go. Fresh tracks for 1KM then off a huge bank onto a plowed back road, hum.......  We go a short distance and hook a left back onto the side trail and are ready for the remaining 60 miles.  Lo and behold someone had ridden it pulling a sled and it’s perfect! Benoit has this section pretty well signed to his door. I have GPS tracks if anyone needs them.  It’s dark now but we could easily go 65mph+ on sections of this trail.  We arrived at 8:30PM with 365 miles on.  Long day and the only over 250 miles day this year, but sometimes to get to the interesting places you have to pay a bit. We had new snow the whole way and everyone was happy to be there!  Benoit came out to greet us and get us set in our cabin.  He said he would go wake the chef and dinner would be ready at 9:15.

Quick unload, shower and off to eat.  The new chef was awesome.  She is a local Floresville woman living in the bush here for the winter.  The meal was awesome as was visiting with Benoit for the evening.  He took out his calculator and said 600KM in 12 hours in this fresh snow, and you got gas, and you ate lunch?  We said yes, he said crazy Americans.  We've heard that before.

Lots of snow today and everything open for business.  I can't see this much snow melting quickly so head on up.  Quebec City is a great place to leave from when the conditions are this good.

 

Capture.JPG

G0010741 (Medium).JPG

G0010760 (Medium).JPG

G0010735 (Medium).JPG

G0010751 (Medium).JPG

G0010707 (Medium).JPG

G0010770 (Medium).JPG

Edited by markusvt
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Day 2, Saturday, March 10th 2018, 212 miles.

Did I say the free WIFI worked excellent here at Chenail du Nord! We woke to an additional 6 inches and still lightly snowing.  We cleaned the sleds off then headed to breakfast at 7:30.  Breakfast was awesome and while we ate Benoit loaded the tracks for the off trail connection to the C-900 Pelchat trail into the GPS’s. He has a new way this year as both of his ways last year have portions that are plowed, sanded and logged this year.

We took a few pictures, filled the sleds, spare tank and the windshield washer jugs with gas.  One of our team members expressed concerns about the miles, the deep snow, gas and getting stuck so we put him at the back. Move on we must.  These are snowmobiles after all and they do go in the snow. We packed our stuff and off we went into the abyss.

The snow was deep and no one had ridden this trail since the all the new snow and there was a lot of it.  It was fun bombing through the snow on the way to the C-900.  For the most part we were the only tracks but in a few sections there were local camp sleds that had broken the trail near them.  It was mostly flat with some gentle uphill’s.  Benoit said there are (3) separate type of systems you ride through.  Doublewide class 4 type roads in the summer for the first part, bigger summer logging roads for the second part, and narrow ATV summer trail type for the 3rd part.  All unplowed and full of snow fun.  Benoit has it signed pretty well but I would not do it without a GPS.

We stopped 20 miles out and emptied the windshield jugs into the sleds that we thought may need them.  The 900 would be good and I had 4 gallons onboard that I would need breaking trail most of the way.

15 miles from connecting with the C-900 we started seeing a few huge holes from locals getting stuck and digging out.  A few miles later we came on a group of locals stopped and resting from the deep snow challenges. They were headed to Chappell after a morning of fishing and drinking wine they said, good times.

We arrived at the C-900 Pelchat trail at 75 miles and to Chappell with 112 miles.  Only the last part was groomed wide and nice.  We got gas out of their (2) big tanks.  I have not been there in awhile so I’m not sure how long they have had them.  We went in for lunch and with all of the renovations it is pretty darn nice now. The servers did not disappoint and the food came out faster than McDonalds.

We took the lake over to KM31, then a short blast on whooped out 93 to the Brais Louis.  The trail was groomed perfect all the way to Onatchaway, super fun.  A quick blast on the secondary trails to Mont Vilain with the last 5 miles pretty icy and no new snow here.. The place is redone and more upper class than the old Scooby Raid.  We went in to check and Huston we have a problem.  They don’t have our reservation.  A quick show of the confirmation on the cell phone and they admit they hosed it.  Next best option is they set us up in a cabin ¼ mile away, no WIFI and knock $30 off everyone’s price.  With no choice really we took it.

Off to the cabin to checkin and shower up.  Nice place really.  Dinner was 5 star for sure.  Owner’s and wait staff all supper nice.  Terrible WIFI in the lodge, come on folks this is 2018.

Early bed time for all as plowing through the new snow was pretty darn tiring.

G0020780 (Medium).JPG

G0020831 (Medium).JPG

G0020822 (Medium).JPG

G0020814 (Medium).JPG

Edited by markusvt
Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 hours ago, markusvt said:

 

  One of our team members expressed concerns about the miles, the deep snow, gas and getting stuck so we put him at the back. Move on we must. 

I am sure this team member was not dooright..  Nice read again !

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, dooright said:

Any info on this place , any fellow Quebecriders stayed here ? 

Capture+_2018-03-15-21-25-19.png

I think i recall Scorpionbowl may have visited there a few years back but, don’t think he slept there. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  Wapishish is Accessible from bras Louis and is quite the donkey path into the relais. They have 91 octane, good beer/food and even offer lodging. They mentioned that they hope to be on Quebec map in the next year or two.

  Sounds like they have been busier this year then in previous years. We stopped their on our way back to valin after riding Cote Nord.

  We had started that day after a great stay at Chenail Du Nord, and were lucky to have Benoit confirm our handmade Gps track west to Wapishish.

  It’s worth the adventure and our group would go back again. 

6BF4B146-F9FF-425E-93C0-E177FA681829.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Day 3, Sunday, March 11th 2018, 202 miles.

We woke to blue skis and it stopped snowing, yeah! :rolleyes: With only 200 miles back to the truck we weren’t in a big rush.  Mont Vilian does not start breakfast until 8:00AM, a bit of a pain under normal conditions. :diablo: All was good with the food and the cabin but the poor to no internet is a show stopper for me.

We were expecting the worse as the last 5 miles in was all ice and no fresh snow.  As soon as we hooked a left towards Alma we could see they had gotten plenty of snow this last storm.  It was perfectly fresh groomed and we were first tracks all the way to Alma!  Best I have ever seen these trails.

We crossed the bridge, meandered through town and stayed on the 23 all the way into Mont Apica.  The trails were in really nice condition and the traffic was not too bad.  A few of us grabbed a splash of gas and off the Le Tape for food and gas.  I think overall better food and much quicker service.

23 to Le Tape was a tiny bit bumpy in the turns but mostly really nice.  The side trail to Le Tape was very good considering the traffic as we got closer.

After lunch we grabbed the 369 back to Route 3.  I would say the 369 may have been the best I have seen it ever.   It’s amazing what a pile of new snow and grooming will do.  We did jump on the 304 to avoid the last twisty part of 369 through the mountains. We were dreading Route 3 but it was totally fine for a warmish Sunday afternoon all the way back to the Hotel. 

High 5’s and hugs all around and a successful 780 mile trip in the books. 

No sled or rider issues.  Gas, oil and go, just the way we like it. :yahoo:

G0030949 (Medium).JPG

G0030987 (Medium).JPG

G0030914 (Medium).JPG

G0030974 (Medium).JPG

G0030997 (Medium).JPG

IMG_0601 (Medium).JPG

Capture.JPG

Edited by markusvt
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow, I think you guys got the better deal with that Cabin at Mont Valian. I was there about two weeks ago and our Cabin didn't look anything like that. lol

The 8am breakfast is kind of silly. Especially because everyone staying there shows up all at once to eat.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...