Chic Chocs, Gaspe Peninsula, Quebec
Cost: $2,600 per person
Sunday, February 25 – Friday, March 1, 2024, 5 days
Hut to Hut Cross-Country Skiing in a Winter Paradise
Day 1, Sunday, February 25
Our journey starts at Manoir De Sapins, a charming hostel in the small coastal village of Ste- Félicité. Our hosts, Aurelie and Deidre are good friends. For many years, they have hosted us both before and after our expeditions. Please arrive between 4 and 5:30 PM. Dinner will be served at 6 PM followed by a pre-trip meeting, personal gear check, and packing.
Day 2, Monday, February 26
After an early breakfast, we will carpool to the trailhead in the national park. We will drop our food and heavy gear at the transport service cabin. Our equipment will be sledded into the mountains by snowmobile, while we’ll ski with light packs. You are welcome to send along your sleeping bag, and heavier personal items/gear as well, if you want to lighten your load even more. All cabins are supplied with bunk beds, mattresses, and firewood. You will be carrying a change of clothes and a summer-weight sleeping bag (cabins are well-insulated and stay warm through the night). As your guides, we will carry safety equipment and food for the day. We will pull a large expedition sled, so we can take your packs, if the going gets hard! At night, we will use candles for light. Cabins have outhouses with views. Sometimes there is a spring with running water nearby, while other times we’ll melt snow for cooking and drinking. On this first day of travel, we will cover ten gradual uphill kilometers through the Boreal Forest reaching Le Pluever Cabin, set on the shore of a highland lake, Lake Cascapedia, and flanked by majestic mountains. We will be gaining elevation for most of the10K, however, we will break the trail for you, and you can take as much time as you need to reach our destination: one of us will get to the cabin ahead of the group, shovel out the entrance, start the fire and prepare warm treats for arriving group members!
Day 3, Tuesday, February 27
Crossing Lake Cascapedia, we will continue the gradual assent across the many alpine lakes, and frozen bogs with views of the mountains all around reaching Cabin La Messange, set up high on the alpine plateau. We have gained the highest point of our trip! We will spend two nights under the roof of La Messange.
Day 4, Wednesday, February 28
This is a rest day with many exciting options. The ambitious backcountry skiers can attempt a challenging peak and ridge assent with sweeping views across the St. Lawrence, those interested in boreal ecology, navigation, and wildlife can go on a guided exploration of lakes and mountains with map and compass in search of moose, while those who love powder can find many exhilarating descents through the old-growth forest and those who like to relax and read by the fire will find the cabin delightful and restful amidst the frozen world.
Day 5, Thursday, February 29
Today we will return to LePluvier. It is mostly downhill! We have several options for the return trip: retracing our ski tracks back to Lake Cascapedia, going on a twice-as-long loop down the mountains and skiing the length of the lake to the cabin, or navigating without trails, following streams, bogs, and contours of the land. We will assess the group and weather conditions and may choose two out of three options in smaller groups. Reaching our familiar home at LePluvier, we will celebrate the last night of the expedition!
Day 6, Friday, March 1
This is the last day of our journey. After breakfast and packing, we’ll head down the mountains, carving turns on the gradual ten-kilometer descent back to the trailhead.
After the expedition:
We will say goodbye in the early afternoon at the trailhead. If you have extra time, we highly recommend staying in Quebec longer, and here are some great options:
- Head up to Gite Du Mont Albert, a few kilometers up the park road. Here, you can stay at the hotel, or in one of many cozy chalets, surrounding the mountain resort. This resort is set in the center of the mountains with world-class backcountry skiing, ski-mountaineering, nordic skiing, and snowshoeing opportunities. There is a great restaurant and sauna. There are no stores, gas stations, or commercial developments of any kind at Mont Albert.
- Return to Manoir De Sapins and experience the charming maritime culture, authentic cuisine and magnificent views of the gulf of the frozen St. Lawrence
- Cross the St. Lawerence on an ice-breaker ferry and head down to Quebec City. Quebec City is the only fully intact fortified medieval city in North America. Much like going to Europe, without crossing the ocean! There are many authentic, cultural, and adventure opportunities including some of the best nordic skiing on the continent, great downhill skiing, museums, architecture and French cuisine.
Whichever option you choose, we recommend making your reservations early: March is the most popular time for visitors!
We love Quebec, know it well, and will be happy to help you make the most out of your stay!
Weather notes:
You can expect steady winter weather with temperatures dipping down to single digits and even below zero and rising into the upper twenties on some days. We may get an occasional (unlikely) thaw or a deep freeze. It will most likely be snowing at least half of the time and we can experience a big snowstorm, while out in the backcountry. Snowstorms, typically deposit between one and three feet of powder. We will likely experience bright winter sun some of the time. There is no avalanche danger on this trip. While the weather is likely colder than what you are used to, it is easy and fun to live and exercise in the cold and every night we’ll have the luxury of a warm and dry cabin, where we’ll rest, dry our ski boots and clothes, and cook and eat a delicious meal replenishing our strength and stamina. We have guided groups in the cold for decades and will help you to stay comfortable and avoid frostbite and hypothermia while having lots of fun!
Driving notes:
You must have snow tires while driving in Quebec. Unlike in New England, Quebec roads don’t stop during snow storms. A three-foot storm is not a weather emergency, but business as usual. Snow squalls, not associated with weather systems are frequent along the coast. Their snow-removal equipment and techniques are superior and they know how to drive well during the 6.5 months of winter. In our opinion, four-wheel drive is not nearly as important as snow tires! Check the weather forecast, plan your drive accordingly, and avoid driving through snow storms at night.
Packing List_Chic Choc
Notes: If you need to purchase equipment, consider supporting companies that are B-Corp certified, to insure fair labor and environmental practices, such as Patagonia. In addition, please consider used equipment sources, such as Patagonia Worn Wear or Outdoor Gear Exchange in Burlington, VT. You will be able to wash (bandana wash with hot water) as well as wash essential items of your clothing (socks and underwear) during the trip.