To: Kurt Ries/VIESystems
cc:
bcc:
Subject: Chic Chocs
>
The Waitsfield trip fell through. So skied High Peaks Avalanche pass and
>
Klondike
>
trails last weekend.
>
>
Good cover on Saturday and after a night of rain Sunday was spotty and
>
soupy.
>
Unless High Peaks gets snow the seasons may be over below 2500 feet.
Good
for you. Hey, I've been hearing about an apparently good place to
do a
few turns in the area. Called Pelke Basin. I'm not sure I've
spelled
it correctly. Ever skied there?
>
Hi, Kurt. Am myself just back from a week skiing in the Parc de la
>
Gaspesie in Quebec (the Chic Chocs). Was thinking of posting you a
>
trip report. May well do that.
>
>
>>Kurt
>
Pls do.
>
> I
am quit curious about the area.
> -Drive/fly times
> -Hotels/BB
> -Trail heads/maps/books
I'm not
up for a full report, but I'll sketch in some information for
you.
It's a long drive. We started in Montpelier before 10AM and got
in to
the auberge we stayed at after 8PM. From Jersey I'd probably
want to
start the drive to early to dare say. It is far. You could fly
into
Montreal, but you probably end up pissing away a lot of time and
then
you have to rent the car. I think driving is probably the only
way to
go.
The skiing
is in and around the Parc de la Gaspesie. Most
documentation
is in French, although on site most folks are bilingual.
There
are three lodging options:
(1) the
Gite du Mont Albert. This is essentially a hotel. It's
situated
at the trailhead for a number of trails. Food is top notch. I
think
the price is reasonable, but don't know as I paid a package
price
of $700 for six days food and lodging plus transportation from
Montpelier
and guiding while there.
(2) the
refuges. These are their hut system. If I did it again this is
the way
I'd go. They hold eight and have a wood stove. You can arrange
to have
your heavy gear moved from one to another via snow machine
... for
a price.
(3)
tenting. There is a year-round campground near the Gite. You might
want to
make a friend of someone staying at the Gite to have a shower
at some
point ...
There
is a reasonable trail map that I have that can be purchase for
3.50
Canadian. It doesn't show everything and it's dated 1994.
There
are a couple of web sites that might be helpful:
http://www.demarque.qc.ca/yetis/
http://www.fse.ulaval.ca/csdd/parcg/
The
first is especially nice as it has pictures of some of the
sites.
The Club Grand Yetis runs the hut system--you make reservations
with
them--and does the baggage hauling.
Here
are some of the places to make a few turns:
La Cuve
du Mont Albert (skied twice, with carribou)
Les
Mines Madeline area (not yet)
Mont
Hogsback (two guys in the group, it was too icy)
Mont
Blanche La Montagne (toured it twice, but snow cover was light)
Mont
Champs de Mars (one day of corn snow skiing)
It was
altogether a wonderful experience, even with a dearth of
powder.
It's nice enough, though, that I wouldn't want to encourage
the
unworthy to go there and spoil the scene.
-- al