viper2 Posted March 2, 2010 Report Share Posted March 2, 2010 Just got back from 6 days of riding. We left tuesday morning from LeCabanon at St. Zenon, we headed down to Lac Taureau and took it to Canadventure where we picked up 33 north to Repos. From there we took trail R to Kanawata where we gassed up and headed to Casey then onto 83 west. Everything up to this point was good and 83 to Parent wasn't too bad. From Parent to 13 split it wasn't too good but after that it was as good as I have ever seen it. 270 miles for the day. We stayed at the Tamarac, Martin was a good host and he has a nice rustic place. Day 2: Clova to Amos It started pretty bad with the trail not groomed in quite a while. It was really narrow and rough just before Balbuzard, but past there it had been groomed and was pretty good to Lac Fallion. From there to Senneterre it was pretty good and Senneterre to Amos was excellent. 215 miles for the day, stayed at Amosphere which is really nice. Day 3: Amos to Matagami via LaSarre. 93 to LaSarre then 396 up to Matagami all trails were very good but the trail markings beyond LaSarre were almost non existant. Got gas at Beaucanton then at lumber camp Tembec which was 60 miles up the trail. This is the only gas before Matagami and is 84 miles from Matagami. It is strongly reccommended not to pass by. The trail goes right through camp, so you won't miss it. We came upon a Wolf on the trail about 25 miles before Matagami and he didn't want to leave the trail. We tried giving him time and a head start then we tried pushing him, finally I told my dad he should just try to pass the wolf. When he did the wolf tried to grab his leg, but then luckily he ran off the trail, I don't think my wife would have passed him. At times this thing was going about 18 MPH and we probably fooled around for 6 to 8 miles before we got around. I got a pic I will post later but it's not that great. 260 mi. for the dat stayed at motel Matagami. Day 4:Matagami to Chapais Took 396 down to Lebel Sur Quevillon where it started freezing drizzle. We headed up toward Miqueon and the rail bed was not groomed since it snowed. It wasn't bad but not as good as normal. Gassed there then headed toward Chapais. 1/2 way up railbed where Chapais club takes over the trail was groomed and was excellent. Looked like it was going to be an early quit and my wife was happy for that. We called ahead to outfitter JC Bou and made a reservation so we would be 15- 20 miles ahead for Saturday which we knew would be a long day. Just after we got off the rail bed disaster struck. My wife through a stud through her front heat exchanger, and till we figured it out we were at the Chapais club. While we were trying to get ahold of the dealer in Chib. a local guy came to our aide. His name is Steve and he went for his truck, he hauled my wife and her sled into town and we met them there. He led us to his house where we unloaded the sled and he took me to the auto parts store where I got some antifreeze and gas tank/radiator repair kit (the epoxy stick ) or as Steve called it "quickmetal" We went back to his house and he helped up perform the repair. We left the sled in his garage overnight then he showed us how to get to the motel. In the morning he met us for breakfast then we went to his house and filled the antifreeze, bled the system and luckily no leaks. I gave him some cash for his time which I had to twist his arm to take and promised to stop by the next time through town. These are the kind of people we constantly meet in Quebec and truly make for a great experience. If only we were all this giving. 225 miles for the day. Day 5: Chapais to Relay 22 miles from Chapais to barrier nord trail was good. From there to sawmill was not bad but not groomed since it snowed. After Scicerie 54 in the twistys it was poor not groomer for awile. Trail got pretty good at LaDore down to St. Felician but once we got out of the mountains and down in the fields it went from 3 feet of snow to about 6 inches of slush. Once we left St. Hedgewich trail was really good through park to relay 22. 305 miles for the day. Got to talk with Greg du Vermont at relay 22 but I didn't even realize it until the following morning when we were all leaving and I saw it on his saddlebag. Day 6: Relay 22 to LeCabanon via 83,369,33,318 83 west to Wemotaci was good, but when we left Wemo it was poor, so we jumped on the road (plenty of snow) and took it all the way to Casey where we gassed up and lunched at Petite Gare, nice place to stop and a good lunch. While we were there the passenger train went through heading toward LaTuque. The owner of the Auberge told us it goes from Montreal to Senneterre up one day down the next. From there we went through Kanawata and back down trail R to Repos then down 33 to Lac Taureau and onto 318 to LeCabanon. Trails near St. Michel DS were beat but they had got about a foot of snow while we were out thursday or friday? All in all good trails but a little too warm. Plenty of snow on 83 and anything north. Abitibi was excellent but from what I saw of Lac St. Jean I would stay away from there. General opinion from almost all the business owners up there is going to be an early quit this year only about a week or so yet. 1500 miles for the week, I have some pics and I will try to post tommorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDI-HAM Posted March 2, 2010 Report Share Posted March 2, 2010 Awesome report- Threads like these are great when you want to plan trips. It's great to hear about locals being the way they are. It's a shame the only publicity snowmobilers get is bad publicity- Why doesn't the news do stories or documentaries on trips like yours- The people you meet, the places you stay - the events along the way??? I guess non- snowmobilers just want to keep on believing we are bunch of fowl mouthed - beer swilling nature disturbing tresspassing bunch of yahoos... Sounds like you had a fantastic trip. Thanks for sharing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viper2 Posted March 2, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2010 (edited) Here are some pics Just before Clova at intersection with Lepine Rd. Everyone trying to get a look at the wolf! A closer look at Mr. Wolf More later Edited March 2, 2010 by viper2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viper2 Posted March 2, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2010 Sorry I screwed up the captions I don't know why but I was deleting each picture after I posted it and when I did the edit it put everything at the bottom. I will do better next time. :wacko: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
favarcat Posted March 2, 2010 Report Share Posted March 2, 2010 What is trail R to Kanawata? Is it the old trail up to Chateauvert or a trail direct from Repo to Kanawata? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
600IQHO Posted March 3, 2010 Report Share Posted March 3, 2010 Thanks for the report! It sounds like a good loop, I printed that out. I may do all or part of that next season. It is good to hear that you had good weather and conditions concidering the type of season it has been. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markusvt Posted March 3, 2010 Report Share Posted March 3, 2010 Great to meet you guys at Relay 22. Like you, this year we saw 2 wolves. Never seen any before in all these years. Very big creatures, TV and pictures don't do them justice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT Rider Posted March 3, 2010 Report Share Posted March 3, 2010 Thanks for the report. It looks like you had a memorable trip. That is a great shot of the wolf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viper2 Posted March 3, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2010 What is trail R to Kanawata? Is it the old trail up to Chateauvert or a trail direct from Repo to Kanawata? We call the road trail "R" They are done logging for the winter so they don't sand it anymore, in fact on Monday when we came back it had not even been plowed yet. Quick way from Repos to Kanawata only 35 miles! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viper2 Posted March 3, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2010 More pics Entering Abitibi Amos area Another pic of the wolf More later :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Je me souviens Posted March 3, 2010 Report Share Posted March 3, 2010 Great report, love the picture of the wolfe. I was considereing heading up that way this week-end. Now I am ready to ride. I hope there is some snow left up that way. Keep the pictures coming. If we were all as giving as the guy who helped you out, life would be great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
groomer Posted March 3, 2010 Report Share Posted March 3, 2010 great shot of the wolf !! groomer !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greasemonkey Posted March 3, 2010 Report Share Posted March 3, 2010 Awesome wolf encounter. Once had a Bobcat, or Lynx sitting in the middle of the trail in Tremblant. Wouldn't move. We stopped, got off the sleds and all walked around taking pics. He finally got up, walked off the trail about 5 feet and walked parallel to us to the back of us then got back up on the trail and sat down again. Totally ignoring us. Guess he was waiting for a snowshoe rabbit or something to cross. Mad as hell that I can't find the pics anywhere. Just some more reasons to enjoy snowmobiling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viper2 Posted March 3, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2010 great shot of the wolf !! groomer !!! Thanks groomer, the wolves seem to really be spreading in Quebec. Last year we saw 2 together in the fields outside of St. Felician and at the time we thought they were coyotes, but when we got to the spot where they were we realized just how far away they were when we saw them and also got to see their tracks and knew we had just seen wolves. A few years ago one crossed the trail in front of me above Létape near Mt. Apica. He stood broadside in the trail for a few seconds and the hair on the back of my neck stood up, what a sight. As for this guy after I took the first pic we waited a few minutes then I went up the trail slowly for about a mile and there he was still running. I would have liked to get a shot from the side but he probably would have taken a bite from my leg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mid Range Posted March 4, 2010 Report Share Posted March 4, 2010 thanks for sharing.nice pics.Next time you should have a taste of Lépine road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
groomer Posted March 4, 2010 Report Share Posted March 4, 2010 Thanks groomer, the wolves seem to really be spreading in Quebec. Last year we saw 2 together in the fields outside of St. Felician and at the time we thought they were coyotes, but when we got to the spot where they were we realized just how far away they were when we saw them and also got to see their tracks and knew we had just seen wolves. A few years ago one crossed the trail in front of me above Létape near Mt. Apica. He stood broadside in the trail for a few seconds and the hair on the back of my neck stood up, what a sight. As for this guy after I took the first pic we waited a few minutes then I went up the trail slowly for about a mile and there he was still running. I would have liked to get a shot from the side but he probably would have taken a bite from my leg. ha !! ha !! about 20 years ago ,i saw coyote ,he was so close ,i ve been afraid for my legs !! last summer ,there was a coyote family about 3 miles from my camp.saw them a few times .when i m at my camp ,specially late sept or october , if i take the time to listen at night ,can hear them barking !! my boss is a trapper ,he can catch up to 40-60 during the trapping season . im on my way sledding ,went last night .greeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaat day !!! groomer !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COLD BEER Posted March 4, 2010 Report Share Posted March 4, 2010 Viper2 That was one of the best reports I’ve read, great pics too! I’ll be taking that report into consideration next week when we head up. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rfm Posted March 4, 2010 Report Share Posted March 4, 2010 Great report and pictures. Thanks Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
towing Posted March 5, 2010 Report Share Posted March 5, 2010 Handsome report viper2 And it's the best wolf shot i've ever seen !!! great Alain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viper2 Posted March 5, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2010 Handsome report viper2 And it's the best wolf shot i've ever seen !!! great Alain Thanks Alain, that means alot coming from you as your reports are always top notch. I have a few pics left here are some. An old trestle bridge on the abandoned rail bed from Lebel sur Quevillon to Chapais The trail was not groomed since the snow but still good. This is where things started going bad. My wife had stopped and said her temp. light had just come on, and I was concerned because with over 10,000 miles on her Vector and in all types of conditions this was the first time the light came on. If you look close in the foreground of her track you will see the antifreeze spot as she pulled away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viper2 Posted March 8, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2010 I got a couple more pics from our trip. On the second last day we travelled from Chapais and wanted to hit Relay 22. I knew this would mean a 300 mi. day and my wife was unimpressed, but we wanted to do it to get back to the truck on Sunday and she didn't complain because she had good motivation to get home. When we hit LaDore I took the local to St. Felician. As I had been on this trail before I was not being very careful at intersections. Finally after about 5 miles of questioning myself and passing an ATV I stopped at a 4 way intersection to try to figure out how to get off the ATV trail #70. As I was sitting there unprepared to take a picture I saw something unbelievable to me. I was so dumbfounded I almost didn't get any pics at all. This is a close up of the last in line There were about 25 or 30 of these things and they all seemed to be restored A perfect example of a saddlebag trip, 10 years from now the only things about this trip we will remember well are the things we didn't plan or that went wrong. Ya gotta luv it. This will be my last trip for the year, time to make some money Oh one more pic, our motivation to get home........................................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mid Range Posted March 8, 2010 Report Share Posted March 8, 2010 This will be my last trip for the year, time to make some money Oh one more pic, our motivation to get home........................................... So true.such a beautiful comment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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