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St-Zenon/Mattawin/M20 photo ride report 30march2019


towing
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Here is the ride Kristine and I made yesterday Saturday, March 30, 2019

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On friday night the weather forecast was really bad announcing a mix of snow ice/rain even for the north of our area from the beginning of the afternoon Saturday, so we canceled our sled ride plans and decided to stay at home. Having nothing on plans for early saturday we had gone to bed late after midnight, and on Saturday morning, looking at the forecast, the weather cocktail was delayed to the end of the afternoon to 4or 5 pm ... Ok change plans again, hook on the trailer and go to St-Zenon! We managed to hit the trail around 9:45 

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It started to snow just as we started our ride. Freshly groomed trails from the beginning, not brought back perfect but it ride very well.

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We passed by the Cabanon

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The #345 trail was beautiful up to the intersection with the #23 east toward the Mastigouche reserve. Then pretty bumby up to the junction to the Dam that we took. The trails after this point were all nice with only few bumps in some curves here and there

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Sorry for the white spots in the pics, we had forgotten to turn off the  camera flash that reflects on the falling snow flakes... it gives some style!

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The Taureau reservoir is already lowered to its lowest, ready to receive spring water. Water goes near the base of trees at its summer level


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The #360 was nice and fast as usual

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And the river's views are even nice under this snowy weather


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We arrived for lunch at Marineau around 12:45 with 102 miles on the dreammeter. Learned today that we just missed a part of the 6 amigos crew by just few minutes...too bad it would have been so nice to meet them completely unplanned over the trail,  sometimes the world is really small!!! 

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After a very good meal, we left and retraced our steps up to the M20 trail that we took to loop on

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The M20 was beautiful, as nice as usual to do. There was already about 4-5 inches of new snow over the trail and it was snowing hard some moments

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At the end of the M20 we took the #345 trail toward St-Zénon

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And then went back on the #360 as on our morning path

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It was starting to fall something other than snow that was begin to freeze in my windshield

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Halfway on the #345 the rain became more present. It must have been very close to the freezing point because it was freezing on the sled but my heated visor was ok, just had to wipe it every 10 seconds! 

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We did a last refuel at Le Cabanon and passed through #63 trail (village of St-Zenon) to return to La Glacière. Apart from the very bigs hills that were deep bumpy, the rest was nice

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Here we see the ice in the branches and the clouds hitting the mountain

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We got back to the trailer around 5:40 PM with 220miles on the dreammeter  Very happy with our ride but a little wet and icy!

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The Venture pass the 20 000miles mark during this ride, still running strong! Grumpy Santa asked on my last report what would be the next one ? no decision taken yet other than the venture should be strong enough to give me one more season... as for new touring sled choices, not much options other than taking a turbo or not! 

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So we were really happy with our final decision to having went for it, despite the not perfect weather because at this time of the season the remaining riding opportunities are on the low side...

In summary still a lot of snow in the area but we board in April tomorrow ... some clubs will close, some others will leave the signs in place but stop grooming: in sum we really arrive at the end of the season. It will still be possible for die hard one to do some miles but you will need to do your homework before leaving because it can change quickly depending on the weather.

The snowmobile country trail conditions site is always a good place to have last informations on snowmobile clubs: https://www.snowmobilecountry.ca/en/conditions/

happy season's ending!

Alain

Edited by towing
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38 minutes ago, towing said:

So we were really happy with our final decision to having went for it,

:yahoo: Well done!

 

39 minutes ago, towing said:

It will still be possible for die hard one to do some miles

You know lots of us are still looking at the grooming updates daily (or twice daily), but at this point just daydreaming about running the 23 back & forth between St Raymond & Chicoutimi!

 

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Congrats on your beautiful last run mon ami & crossing the big “20” mark too. It seems like forever since I rode those same trails in your pics but it was only last sat/sun/mon. Looks fun with all the loose snow on it now. How was the traffic and how many trucks would you say were at LeCabanon ? 

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2 hours ago, PLAYHARD said:

:yahoo: Well done!

 

You know lots of us are still looking at the grooming updates daily (or twice daily), but at this point just daydreaming about running the 23 back & forth between St Raymond & Chicoutimi!

 

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no, no we are not addicted!!! 😁

1 hour ago, GT Rider said:

Thanks again for the ride. You have me thinking of M20, 360 and lunch at Marineau. Good times.

That picture of the Go Pro looks like a company torture test promotion.

 

You are welcome Jim! Hahaha yes for he gopro! it have been in fact a real torture test and my set-up is not ready for those conditions, it freeze up/snow-ice and fog in the lens! in final no real good output. I will continu to work on the set-up!!! 

1 hour ago, snowmaster2112 said:

Congrats on your beautiful last run mon ami & crossing the big “20” mark too. It seems like forever since I rode those same trails in your pics but it was only last sat/sun/mon. Looks fun with all the loose snow on it now. How was the traffic and how many trucks would you say were at LeCabanon ? 

Thanks Chris! Not much traffic for sure, the weather had scared some(like me at first). There also was a sled drag event on the Taureau Lake Saturday that had attract many sledders. As for the trucks in the Cabanon yard, hard to tell but I extract those 2 pics from my camera video...there was some...

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54 minutes ago, Jackstraw said:

We where probably still there. Changing in the rental building. Trailblazer walked over as he was just about to leave and saw us pull up. Would have loved to finally meet you after following all your posts!

As Playhard wrote me lately: "So close, but no Cigar!"  Maybe we will be more lucky next time! seems you did a real nice big ride in very good company, even it cost money it is priceless...

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Nice report like always Alain.  We rode out of Le Cabanon on friday and saturday.  Trails were surprisingly nice. 

Saturday we were able to get back around 4:00pm,  just as the ice was starting. 

We ended up with 410 miles for the 2 days.

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4 hours ago, scdrider said:

Nice report like always Alain.  We rode out of Le Cabanon on friday and saturday.  Trails were surprisingly nice. 

Saturday we were able to get back around 4:00pm,  just as the ice was starting. 

We ended up with 410 miles for the 2 days.

You got just the perfect timing!!! They got pretty much freezing rain in St-Michel des Saints area. Somes peoples were in power outage for more than 24hrs... many trees/branches down. St-Michel snowmobile club announce today that they won't groom anymore this season...it give them a bad slap. Too bad, a bit norther they received it all in snow for more than a foot of new stuff Repos/Manawan/cents lacs and it is not an april fool 😄

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On 4/1/2019 at 8:58 PM, towing said:

You got just the perfect timing!!! They got pretty much freezing rain in St-Michel des Saints area. Somes peoples were in power outage for more than 24hrs... many trees/branches down. St-Michel snowmobile club announce today that they won't groom anymore this season...it give them a bad slap. Too bad, a bit norther they received it all in snow for more than a foot of new stuff Repos/Manawan/cents lacs and it is not an april fool 😄

For information, St-Michel des Saints snowmobile club change their mind and went back in the trail, they groom tonight for the week-end! they just announced it on their facebook page and removed the closed message. Winter continue!!!

updated here as well https://www.snowmobilecountry.ca/en/conditions/

 

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Edited by towing
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