It’s our traditional winter ATV trip, always during the week of Valentine’s Day. My girlfriend Julie and I really like having 2 work breaks during the year, one in winter and one in summer, instead of taking all our vacations only in the summer season.
This time, instead of taking a break of 4 or 5 days, we decided to limit our trip to 2 and a half days. We don’t have enough vacation days in the bank to carry out all the projects planned for this year. As they say, we have to make choices.
So we chose to take a ride in the regions closest to home, namely the Chaudière-Appalaches and Granit areas.
To make things easier, the weather forecast is for a good snowfall (about 30cm to 40cm) on Thursday, the day before the planned departure on Friday evening after supper. As a precaution, I change the route for that day to favor trails that pass through roadways, in case the trails are not groomed and/or hardened in time.
In addition, a snowstorm with strong winds is forecast for Sunday. I therefore plan two routes for Sunday, one long and one shorter. If the weather turns out to be as the forecast predicts, we will opt for the shorter route in order to reach the parking lot more quickly.
Friday evening, from Laurier-Station to Plessisville
In this sector, we favored a route consisting mainly of farm roads. There had been a good snowfall the day before and there was a chance that several trails would not yet be groomed.
We went through Val-Alain and Notre-Dame-De-Lourdes.
It was a beautiful evening with a beautiful copper-colored moon. The roadways were already all cleared of snow. It was quite chilly in the evening, around 15 °C. We didn’t see anyone on the trails, it was very quiet. It took us 1 hour and 30 minutes to complete the journey.
Driving at night is a different experience and we love it.
Saturday, from Plessisville to Lac Mégantic
A rather cold morning, -23 degrees according to the illuminated sign at the local shop. The quads got off to a good start without too many problems at this temperature.
The trails between the starting point and the town of Victoriaville are mainly made up of rows and a few small sections of freshly groomed fields, while others are covered with snow.
Once in Victoriaville, we pass through the suburbs of the city and cross the famous Bulstrode River footbridge.
Trails in the fields, not always easy
Afterwards, the condition of the trails proved to be more difficult in the Saint-Albert and Warwick area. These are mainly trails that pass through open fields. The trails were indeed groomed, but the condition of the surface is typical for the beginning of the season, with deep rolling ruts. This is because there has been a lot of new snow, and it takes several passes of the snow groomers and cold nights before the ground is hard and frozen.
My girlfriend Julie got stuck just before we reached Warwick. I had to turn back to help her get unstuck and then I got stuck too. It was Julie’s turn to get me out with her ATV and we managed to cross the rest of the fields to Saint-Adrien.
Route des Sommets
Then, depending on the location, we take or follow part of the scenic route called the ‘Route des Sommets’ which takes us to Stornoway via Ham-Sud, Weedon and Stratford.
Then, depending on the location, we take or follow part of the scenic route called the “Route des Sommets” (Summit Road) which takes us to Stornoway via Ham-Sud, Weedon, Stratford and Stornoway. This “road” crosses the 17 mountains. Moreover, it is located in the region that is certified as the “Mont-Mégantic International Dark Sky Reserve”. This covers an area of 527,500 hectares (5275 km²). The purpose of these reserves is to limit or reduce light pollution in order to promote a naturally dark night sky. They are preserved for their cultural, scientific, natural and educational value and for public enjoyment.
We stopped in Weedon to refuel our quads and then have a nice hot dinner. After the meal, we headed towards Milan and passed by a historical site called the Legend of Donald Morrison. He is a fugitive who is part of one of the biggest manhunts in Canadian history.
Just before arriving at the motel in Lac-Mégantic, we come across a trail that doesn’t seem to have been groomed for a long time. I try as best I can to get through it, but without success, and my ATV quickly fills up with snow. We decide to go around it for a short distance.
Sunday, from Lac-Mégantic to Laurier-Station
In the morning, around 7:00 a.m., we check the weather and it seems to be forecasting a snowstorm accompanied by strong winds in the early afternoon. Furthermore, there is a risk of zero visibility. It should be noted that the last section of the route, just before arriving at the parking lot in Laurier-Station, is made up of a few good sections of open fields. This is the worst place to cross in case of strong winds, as the trail fills up quickly and the ground becomes soft. As a result, we will opt for a shorter route, 215 km. What’s more, to save time, instead of having lunch before setting off, we’re going to have brunch in Saint-Victor at around 10 a.m.
Julie’s Polaris decides to refuse to start…
At 7:30 a.m., we are ready to go, but Julie’s ATV refuses to start. We hear “click click,” but the starter motor won’t turn. We try to boost it, but I can’t access the battery on my ATV, the passenger seat is frozen, impossible to remove. This was due to having crossed the ungroomed trails the previous day, which caused snow to build up all over the ATV, and with the heat of the engine, it melted, and ice formed, causing certain components to freeze.
Fortunately, a good Samaritan next to our room generously agreed to let us use the battery of his ATV to boost the voltage. It took several tries, but Julie’s quad bike finally started. And off we go!
Finally, we’re on our way!
We take a path that looks like a corridor called L’Express Beauce Mégantic. It is an organization that has owned a former Canadian Pacific railway right-of-way since 2015. The total length is 90 km, between Tring-Jonction and Lac-Mégantic. The trail is not continuous along its entire length; it is intersected by roads in certain places.
It is already starting to snow. Light snow falling quietly from the sky. We feel the serenity, but at the same time, it tells us that the snowstorm is coming. We went to Saint-Victor around 9:45 a.m. for brunch at the restaurant. The trails were really beautiful and we didn’t see a living soul the whole way.
At 10:55 a.m., it is already snowing heavily, but the wind is light. It is time to leave and our next destination is the parking lot at Laurier-Station. From Saint-Victor to Saint-Sylvestre, once again, beautiful trails with a hard surface and a few rows.
The snowstorm is picking up
Afterwards, it gets worse and worse, the wind picks up and the rest of the trail is mainly made up of open fields. In this area, from Saint-Sylvestre to Sainte-Agathe-de-Lotbinière, visibility becomes more difficult and the wheel tracks begin to disappear. You have to make sure you keep the poles in line when you ride to avoid ending up off the trail. Despite everything, there is a good trail surface and we managed to cross this sector without too much trouble, despite the wind and heavy snow.
After that, we ride for 28 km on wooded paths where we are sheltered from the wind until we reach Saint-Flavien. Despite the heavy snow, it’s very easy riding.
We are at the peak of the storm and, at the edge of the woods, there are 800 meters of flat unprotected fields to cover before reaching the road. Visibility is zero, I can’t see the next posts and my quad is trying to get stuck because there is already snow up to the bumper. As long as it moves forward, I maintain the same speed.
If I accelerate too much, I risk getting stuck because the ATV will dig in. If I go too slowly, I won’t move forward. At one point, in the middle of the field, I had a moment of fear. Despite the constant speed of the wheels, I was hardly moving forward. I was crossing a good-sized blanket of snow that was touching the front luggage rack! In the end, I managed to get back on the road without getting stuck. Julie had an easier time of it because she was following in my tracks, luckily!
By the time we reached the parking lot, things were getting serious. The rest of the trip went well, as we were in single file for the last 10 kilometers, but we had to hold on tight to the handles as the wind was blowing hard from the side. It was with great relief that we arrived safely, as visibility was zero.
Conclusion
We enjoyed our weekend despite the weather. Quad riding in winter has its challenges and you need to be well prepared. For example, you need good equipment such as a shovel, good warm clothing, booster cables, etc. You also need to plan and re-evaluate routes according to the weather, which can change.
Indeed, the weather is an inexact science and if we had to listen religiously to the weather and refrain from going out, we would have missed out on many beautiful hikes.
As they say, it’s part of the game!
