Claude Fournier, president of the Roberval Passe-Partout Club, confirms that Trail 373 will not be open for the upcoming winter season.
It is unlikely that the Roberval Passe-Partout Club will obtain the necessary right-of-way permits for the upcoming winter season to allow out-of-town snowmobilers to travel directly to Saint-Félicien.
Without these permits, snowmobilers will have to take a 75-km detour, thereby bypassing the Roberval area.
Last year, the layout of Trail 373 made it easier for snowmobilers to travel.
“We directed them from downtown Roberval to the marina and the Village on Ice.
From there, they would travel over land to Mashteuiatsh, Saint-Prime, and Saint-Félicien,” explains Claude Fournier, president of the Passe-Partout Club.
No Access Across the Lake
The situation will change, however, for the upcoming season.
The club was unable to secure two rights-of-way, each covering the length of a single lot.
Snowmobilers coming from outside the area will therefore have to take a much longer route.
“These property owners had their crops damaged over the summer by ATV riders.
We met with them to find solutions.
Unfortunately, they won’t allow us to cross their land.
ATV riders are partly responsible for this situation, as are some reckless snowmobilers,” explains Claude Fournier.
The Passe-Partout Club also explored the possibility of establishing a trail on Lake Saint-Jean, starting from Pointe Scott in Roberval.
However, this option will not be feasible.
The Federation cannot approve this option.
Insurers are reluctant to cover travel on frozen bodies of water.
We also cannot use the ice groomer on a frozen lake.
Furthermore, visibility on the lake can often become poor, making travel dangerous,” the president emphasizes.
A New Route
Snowmobilers arriving via the provincial or regional trail will therefore have to travel an additional 75 km to reach Saint-Félicien.
This new route could also have an impact on commercial and tourist activity in Roberval.
The new route will take them toward the ZEC de La Lièvre and Chemin de La Lionne, allowing them to reach Saint-Félicien without passing through Roberval.
“We’re concerned about winter tourism.
Will snowmobilers accept this long detour?” wonders Claude Fournie
By
iceman ·
