iceman

Work continues

Steel If I recall correctly the old bridge was deemed unsafe because of the Anchor Points to the ground for the Cables Not a bridge builder don’t know. Probably was 300k to fix the old bridge and 900k to build a new one so up here that means, shoot the wad go for the 900k (more money to go around)

Negative

Gotta pay $$$ if you want to play. Nothing new there. Let’s be honest at $500-600-700 still gonna buy a pass, no? Kinda Priceless to ride the Quebec trails.

Sad state of affairs Incredible the stupidity and lack of respect

Roberval IMPORTANT NOTICE – LOSS OF 2 RIGHTS OF WAY > It is with great disappointment that we must inform you that Club Passe Partout has just lost two rights of way on private property. > Why? ATVs were driven on federal trails out of season, broke fences, left tracks in the fields, and ignored signage. The landowners, fed up, have simply closed off access—not just to ATVs, but to us snowmobilers as well. > Result: Access to Mashteuiatsh, St. Prime, and the upper part of the lake has become problematic. > We’re not the police, but we ask you to do one simple thing: - Respect the open season (December 1 to March 31) - Stay on the marked trails - If you see offenders, speak up, film them (without putting yourself in danger), and notify us > Our right of way isn’t a given. It’s a privilege granted by farmers and residents who trust us. A minority has just ruined it for hundreds of members. > Please share. Let’s protect our trails together. > — The Club’s Board of Directors

Want to see what it’s like in two weeks? Left for Island time 2 weeks (plus a few days) Looked like this Return to this

Quite a story here near Parent In the Parent area of La Tuque, a day’s work in the forest turned into an emergency for two friends who are seasoned outdoor enthusiasts. While they were cutting firewood on a remote piece of land near Lake Dandurand—accessible only by snowmobile in winter—a large branch broke off an old tree and fell on the head of 64-year-old André Bouchard. His friend Daniel Laliberté, a retired trapper known as Ti-Rouge in the village, quickly realized the gravity of the situation. Given the remote location, Ti-Rouge managed to strap his friend behind him on his snowmobile, securing them together with a coat to keep him in place. He first drove the injured man to a nearby rest stop, where another friend joined them. Together, they set off for the Local Community Service Center (CLSC) in Parent, transporting André Bouchard “sandwiched” between them on the snowmobile for a distance of about 50 kilometers. During the trip, the condition of the logger, who had suffered a head injury, remained very concerning. Upon their arrival at the CLSC, the on-site nurse took charge of the 64-year-old man and attempted to arrange for paramedics to respond. However, the nearest paramedics were nearly 200 kilometers away, in downtown La Tuque. An ambulance is normally stationed permanently at the Parent CLSC to handle this type of situation, but none of the three first responders in the area were available that day to drive the emergency vehicle. After several attempts, a transfer to the hospital was finally possible, with a delay of several hours. André Bouchard is now in intensive care at the Trois-Rivières hospital, where he underwent cranial reconstruction surgery. Placed in an induced coma, he is beginning to wake up, and doctors no longer fear for his life, according to his loved ones. The family now hopes he will recover with as few serious complications as possible. This incident highlights the challenges surrounding emergency services in this remote area of the Mauricie region, which is frequented by many hunting and fishing enthusiasts. Ti-Rouge laments the lack of first responders in Parent and states that some trained personnel have reportedly left their posts due to compensation deemed insufficient. The mayor of La Tuque acknowledges that it is difficult to recruit personnel in this region and refers to a “service gap” on the day of the accident, in a context of economic decline marked notably by the closure of the Rivière-aux-Rats sawmill. He invites interested citizens to volunteer to ensure the continuation of these essential services. #Mauricie #LaTuque #Snowmobile #Rescue #QuebecNews

Abitibi Trip⛏️🌲 Friday March 27 As always great stay at Hotel Forestal. This place has come a long ways over the years. Restaurant has always been solid here with Natalie and Valerie doing awesome work here. The Breakfast buffet is easy and fast. Dinner was great. We met Lee sorry did not catch his last name and his wife Kelly. Lee is quite a character and has been all over Quebec. Great conversation. Definitely an ambassador for the sport. Great guy. Love the loft rooms here they are very well done. Today is it. The end of a terrific season. Time to “put on our snowmobiles for one last day this season.” We are out early and on sleds before 8am. Pretty hilarious i think the last day is probably my earliest start all year as at 7:51 am, I start inreach track. Cold this morning out here -18c. Crisp. Snow is crunchy. Can’t be fooling around with no gloves on for very long. Good amount of guys outside loading sleds and gear to leave. That will soon be us in Amos. Let’s get this over with. Local trail right in front of hotel is not fresh groom but fine and dandy. We run to junction and head West on TQ83. Beautiful trail here as well. All real nice in this town no complaints. We take 313 now and its another beautiful ride. Wow really a nice mix of everything out here. Minus the big mountains of course. The terrain varies and is a nice mix. Part way up and well if it isn’t another one of those mechanical wonders I love so much. Ski Dozer, groomer or surfacer, call it what you like. He is grooming perfect trail. Now as discussed in an earlier episode it’s simple really. For trail to be perfect it needs to be groomed Grooming a perfect trail is how it stays perfect All temperature dependent of course. Now he is heading south usually so tempting to want to ride on that white ribbon. But is perfect over here no need to even put one ski over there. Arriving at 309/313 here is where dozer came from we continue un groomed perfect trail north 313 direction TQ93 Barraute region. Before arriving to TQ93 I hear Playhard very excitedly on radio. Moose Moose Moose 🫎 🫎🫎 3 moose must be real Playhard has a tendency to read all the signs and now this being his first season mic’d up he kinda narrates as he leads let’s say. It’s all individual styles. He really probably doesn’t realize it even, he is just riding along loving every minute of it. This week have heard him say moose alot before but usually only once each time. So without asking i just back down a bit and each time the 🫎 well it was a trail warning sign for moose. Same thing for Bambi, then sign for Deer. Too funny. This time though is real. Not a large one very young, He crested one of the famous Abitibi rollers and moose was sleeping at bottom of other side on trail. He was not going fast and both were just as surprised to see each other, I am certain. Feel bad for this poor creature the snow is close to 4 feet in most places I would not want to have to try to walk in that either. Closer look at the beautiful beast showing some blood 🩸 around its mouth area and i saw some blood on trail where was laying, not alot but some. Its hind left leg seems injured too. Using it to move but seems to be favoring the other quite a bit. Moves up trail stops and looks at us. Hate to see any animal injured. Now what? This moose is not going to jump off into that deep snow. We waited a bit just let it relax. It slowly kept moving north and finally was like a small bush trail off to left it moved over and partway off big trail and we snuck by. Saw three guys just up ahead taking photos so I made sure to give tgem heads up for moose ahead. Onward to TQ93 Left turn we are on final stretch now. We are closing in on Truck. Here trail is amazing and stays that way all the way to the Trailer in Amos, finished up on fresh groomed trail from outside Amos right to hotel. Great cherry on top for an awesome season. 10 am We now get sleds unloaded then loaded on trailer. Slip into area near restaurant and get changed out in the coatroom. Was great. Then its time to hit black trail. Playhard has the com and does just friggin awesome One oversized truck with escorts trucks gave us a bit of a slow down on 117 but we eventually get by. Lots of police on road too. Friday, sunny day and end of the month. Not reallly worried about police. We truck on. Playhard doesn’t want to give up the wheel. Little bit of traffic by 64O near Montreal. Then 40 east and hammer time. Left Amos 10:40. Dropped trailer at shop 6:30. Finished up the week together with a loss. We trucked it up to Shawinigan to join Mrs Ice at Centre Gervais Auto. First playoff match for the Shawinigan Cataractes (LHJMQ) (CHL) it’s the First Cat’s hockey for David with us here. Playhard did his first “tomahawk chop” well at least he got to do one as we lost 4-1. Phoenix of Sherbrooke take game 1. Playhard stayed the night at Chez Ice and this morning he is inbound USA. Spectacular season With the return of Playhard in the saddle again after a year off the band was back together again. The team is solid all great assets on and off the trail. Snohorse,NHmoose and Mrs Ice as well. We covered a good bit of the province with our trips this year. Rode nothing in January Finished up with just over 5kmiles. It not about the miles. Looking forward to next season. Lots of riding still left for those wanting to go for it. Quality trails with ongoing grooming. Abitibi is full on winter still. But It changes quick. We shall see what the snow gods have in store next season for us. You Can plan all you want. Where and if and when the snow falls will determine the rest. Thanks to everyone who reads along. Thanks to all the snowmobile clubs for making beautiful trail and especially thanks to all the land owners, without them this would not be possible. Another season in the books, it was a great one. Until next time….. VIDEO-2026-03-28-12-17-32.mp4 VIDEO-2026-03-28-12-17-57.mp4 VIDEO-2026-03-28-12-16-46.mp4

Thanks so mich Fred so glad to see you all in Carelton. Really appreciate your kind words is why i post to share It. Makes it all worth the effort

Black Trail Can’t be sad with the season we had Plan A all the way.

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Abitibi Trip ⛏️🌲 Thursday March 26 Great experience being at Le Bannik. Breakfast could be a bit more than it is. It’s ok next time it will be known and we will come prepared. Upstairs Loft was it. Nice space to hang in. We shall return in force. On sleds start track 9:31. Val d’or via TQ63 to 309. 3” fresh snow here at Le Bannik clouds this morning but no snow now. Groomer was by here last night and trail is nice with fluff on top. We wind out of town and here is 4-5” of snow as we get toTQ63. One day I will go further south on TQ63 but just not meant to be this ride. TQ63 is awesomeness. The entire week (except a bit sunday and early Monday morning) trails are perfect. Mid winter conditions. No scratchers here and no wheels needed either(that changes fast). But easily lots of riding in 2 weeks here is not a joke. (Weather will determine this) Stopped to take picture and four sleds go by. Actually made it better as they blew it open nice. It’s gonna be tight on go go juice today as is. First sleds we have seen since hotel. Was 5-6 others there. We get to 309 junction and they are there but getting ready to go. Yeah all good go for it. They were clearly faster and doing a fine job grooming it in my opinion. Have at it boys. Merci. By the way snowing again now. Great trail smaller in places but a good mix of the good stuff. Beautiful territory. We arrive at left turn for Moffet and our friends are stopped here. They go right up 309 We go left to gas in Moffet Marche Baril in Moffit. Danica is super nice and friendly beautiful store/gas/hardware/supermarket. Clean and new. Great stop. Back to 309 onward we arrive near Winneway and here gps says left but handwritten sign says Val d’or- Rapide Sept right. After brief discussion. I check IMotoneige and it shows right. Left was old trail and now I think is just the trail to Winneway in and out. Right is the 309. Metal signs not to be trusted its the old trail dog years ago probably. Tight twisty this one here been many moons since i been on this 309 section it has rerouted big time since my last ride here. I had no idea it no longer crossed the barrage at Rapide 7? How long has it been since that was changed? After bridge over river. Trail is much different very flat. Last middle section from Moffet to here at River bridge is grey on Imoto so we were wondering, got intel at hotel was not terrible. The new snow helped alot. It was not great but I will give it good. Corners getting used up. Especially right turns. Here right up from bridge. Hello. Groomer headed down. We salute the operator and carry on. Getting nervous for the gas now so I go into cruise mode finding that cruise control speed where I dont need to vary my throttle. Just sipping a little gas not hammering on it. Does it work? Beats the hell out of me? Maybe riding like I stole it gets better mileage? Oh well sticking with the plan just as we have all week. Plan A. Mint trails now as we are in Val d’or land. Its here the west was made. West is best. This week it is for sure. I cruise control into town wondering now that I am at F25 ran ot F30 yesterday. Make it to town and into the alley by Ski Doo. I think we gonna make it. Still snowing good as we roll into Shell. 3:00 i think. Decision is made gas and Forestal. Forestal has got it going on. Lots of people here. We stay here and ride to truck in morning then load up. Change clothes and black trail to Trois Rivieres. The end is near. Already plotting for next year. This memorable season will be one I am thankful for and so happy to have had the chance to ride with the best. On trail and off trail. Big long day tomorrow. Until next time.

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