Ashuapmushuan* River, Quebec, Canada
Cost: $2,500 per person
Friday, August 30 – Wednesday, September 4, 2024, 5 days
Canoeing, and the art of living in the Boreal Forest. No prior canoeing or canoe-camping
experience is necessary.
*Ashuapmushuan loosely translates from Innu as “A place where I lay, waiting for Moose”
Day 1, Friday, August 30
Our journey starts in St.Felicien, a fishing and farming village on the shore of an impressively giant Lake St. Jean at the mouth of Ashuapmushuan. We will meet at 5 PM (we are currently looking for a local inn to partner with, more details on a meeting place after our next visit to the area next winter!) After meeting each other, we will share an authentic French-Canadian meal, followed by a pre-trip meeting.
Day 2, Saturday, August 31
After breakfast, we will carpool to the put-in, some 170 kilometers up the river. Once we leave the last village behind, we will drive through the vast boreal wilderness of Ashuapmushuan Wildlife Reserve, where moose and wolves commonly cross the road. We will put in our canoes at kilometer 170, where the road comes close to the river, and glide away down the pure northern waters. In the afternoon, we will set up our first camp, and gather around a campfire for a meal, stories, and songs.
Days 3 – 5, Sunday, September 1 – Wednesday, September 4
Each day, we will wake up to the sounds of nature and have the opportunity for yoga or a morning swim before breakfast. We will paddle an easy 10 kilometers through lakes and moving water, interspersed with rapids. We will demystify swift-water paddling, teach you how to read the river, and confidently navigate your canoes through the stretches of fast water. As we move downstream, we will fish the eddies for Northern Pike and Walleye, and stop to rest and swim at the sandy beaches and rock outcrops. In addition to fishing and wild food (berries, mushrooms, and herbs) gathering, we will offer opportunities for learning the Boreal Forest ecology and the use of knife, axe, saw, and fire for making simple necessities as a way of paying tribute to indigenous people, and Coureur Des Bois, who traveled these waters for the past 4000 years.
Weather and environment notes
The best time to visit the Boreal Forest by canoe is late summer and early fall. The multitudes of biting insects are typically kept down by the cool nights, while the water and daytime temperatures are pleasantly warm. We will catch the tail end of the blueberry season (if we get it right, you will not believe the abundance!), and fishing is good. Expect the daytime temperatures in the sixties and seventies and the nights in the forties. Should a cold front pass through, the nighttime temps could drop down to freezing. While the rain is “business as usual” in the boreal forest, the end of August and early September, are typically characterized by dryer weather. You can expect to see very few or no other humans while on the trip and experience nature in its wild, almost untouched state, you can even drink water directly from the river!
Getting there
St. Felicien can be reached by a pleasant drive from Montreal, Quebec City, or the northeastern United States. Depending on where you are traveling from, a train to Quebec City could be an attractive option.
Extending your stay
There is so much to see on your way home! From whale watching in Saguenay Fjord to hiking the rugged domes of Laurentian mountains to walking the quaint cobble-stoned streets of fortified Quebec City, Quebec has many unique cultural, and natural wonders, rich in history of its indigenous nations and the new France. We love Quebec, know it well, and will be happy to make further recommendations for your stay.
