Quebec trail conditions

[shawnj]

THanks, looking very forward to a few days down there. I was only there once before, 3 years ago and it was such awsome scenery and friendly people, even though I cant speak any french we had no problems at all, excellent experience.

 

[shawnj]

Just got home from St. Donat area. Did two days of riding. Real nice conditions for most of the ride and nice scenery. Had purchased two 3 day permits but didn't go out on 3rd day as my wife has been fighting kidney stones for couple weeks now and the previuos days ride did her in. Only complaint I have, and I found this 2 years ago ,is, signage isn't great for someone new to the area. There were numerous,almost all, iinterssections where there was no trail number in either direction. So you come to a T in the trail and hope you guessed which direction to go. A couple times we guess wrong and ended up 2 hours out of our way. I think at each interssection there should be a trail number indicating each, even if its handwritten on a paper plate or board or something. I was so flustered and confused when it came to another trail. Quite a few folks witth maps open at different intersections trying to figure where they were. All and all, we made it safely, and will give it a try next season likely too.

 

[quebecmoutainrider]

I wish it was only in the odd spot..but its very common to have no signs...anywhere..been all over quebec..For that reason in my backpack which I ride with all the time...has a compass..shovel and other stuff for offtrail..but switch a few things for trail ridding with my wife..atleast then if you have a compass you can read the map..I too have made misstakes like you and rode the wrong way..I carry gas..just a few things we offtrail riders learn to bring..yes a gps too...unfortunately you need the signs more on the trail than the road..yet on the road everyone has a gps or a map or compass on the mirrow...not all cars but most...but not on the trail..do not depend on signage from anyone..your life could depend on the wrong turn or right one...depend on you..and teach everyone you know to do the same...we are responcible for eachother..because we are all ridders who need to get home to family..Ride responcible...but also be prepared..

 

[shawnj]

I had re read my previous post a few times and thought to myself that I must sound like I was complaining, but in a good way, maybe I was. I did however have a gps mounted to my sled, but I had it zoomed in most of the time and although I did see the odd town, I just thought trail must have been rerouted. I ended up going through St.Zenon I believe, have no idea how I got off the (343maybe) its a dotted trail on this years map. A couple times on that trail I came to intersections and there was a sign either way to a place I never heard of nor found on the map anywhere but no trail number sign saying which way, or even to tell you that your still on the trail you thought you were on. I knew to get back to St. Donat area, I had to turn right so I did. Another time I ended up in St. Come I think its called. I have NO idea how I ended up that far down, I should not have been anywehre near that town. I was supposed to be heading toward the 33. I thought I was on the 33 and all of a sudden, another trail, another 33 sign,hmmmm. SO thats when the confusion and frustration started. I did figure out that there is LOCAL trails also, not marked as a trail number on map, but out on the trail there is a sign with a number, for example LOCAL 10 or LOCAL 12. When I was leaving St. Michaels de Saints, I expected that there would be by looking at the map, no other turns off of that trail(again i think the 343) but there was a number of them. We came across a hunting lodge I think somewhere along the way, does anyone know the name of this place, north east of St. Donat I think. We followed the road south for a bit on a trail marked 33, was there a 33 north at the camp that I might have missed, there was also some deer with BIG antlers there if anyone knows this place. I'd post my gps tracks if I knew how. :exc: