Riding the Perimeter of the Gaspe Peninsula - My Bucket List Trip!

As snowmobilers, we all have those trips that we know we have to do! There are a few snowmobiling trips on my list: Yellowstone, the Upper Peninsula and, of course, (as with many east coasters) the Gaspe! This year I had the opportunity to spend eight days doing the perimeter of the Gaspe Peninsula. My husband had done the trip once before and we were itching to do it together. Since it was so cold when he did it in February, we decided to shoot for mid-March this time. We were a bit concerned if they would have sufficient snow, but found that was a needless worry, I’m pretty sure we were riding on a good 6-8 feet of snow at most times. I have to say, the trip did not disappoint, the views were incredible! The trails were amazing and the hospitality was second to none.

Wearing my DSG Lily Collection Jacket and Bibs and GMAX/DSG Helmet.

Since this was a saddlebag trip, packing was a challenge - you had to be able to bring everything you needed for gear and supplies with you on your sled. We found some great waterproof bags on Amazon. With lots of plastic bags to help organize and also as extra waterproofing, we were able to get everything into one bag each that we ratcheted to the back of the sled.

Gear:

DSG Lily Bib and Jacket, Versa and Lily Gloves, three sets of DSG Base Layers, one set of DSG sub-polar base layer (on those first three days I was so happy to have the heavier layers), DSG Tech shirt and tee (for heading to dinner), one pair of jeans, leggings and camisoles, a pair of flats, bathing suit, riding socks and my DSG Avid Technical Boots.

Supplies:

Four quarts of oil each, tools, tow strap, spark plugs, first aid kit, duct tape, bungee cords and marine stabil.

Our route took us from Jackman, Maine to Montmagny to Rimouski to Grand Valle to Chandler to Pointe-A-LA-Croix, back up to Rimouski, down to Lac Etchemin and then back to Jackman. 1,588 miles in eight days. We did allow for two extra days for any issues, but luckily did not need to use them.

Day one was cold! I mean like single digits cold. It was 8 degrees when we left Maine and 21 when we arrived at our destination. No fear, I was prepared with my DSG sub-polar base layers, as well as leggings, my DSG Lily pants and jacket. I did use the muffs on my sled to keep the wind back, which means I only needed my DSG Versa gloves since the muffs keep the hand area nice and warm. Today we rode from Jackman, Maine to Montmagny, Quebec. We had a quick stop at customs when crossing the border (don’t forget your passport) and we were on our way! Having never ridden outside of the states, I could not believe the trails in Quebec. I had heard they were top notch! They did not disappoint. Wide, flat and fast! We covered 151 miles our first day. 

Day 2! Today we would ride a bit farther, 247 miles from Montmagny to Rimouski. The views were spectacular. It was another cold day, but with the same set up as the day before staying warm was not a problem! We chose to stay at Hotel Rimouski, which is fabulous and the view is spectacular, but in mid-March we did have to ride a bit of pavement getting in and out of the hotel. Nothing major, but something to think about.

Day 3 was one of our two long days and probably our most eventful. We rode 285 miles from Rimouski to Grand Valle. We encountered 12-foot snow drifts and blowing snow that at times made finding the trail a challenge, including on the ridge coming into Grand Valle. But we also had some of the most amazing views of the St. Lawrence. I managed to roll my sled on day three; she caught the edge of an embankment and I ran out of talent trying to get it back. A little cosmetic damage that was easily fixed (at least for the remainder of the trip) with duct tape and no injures, so still a win! Grand Valle was by far our favorite stop on the trip. If you are planning a trip, make sure to include Hotel Grande Valle Des Monts on your itinerary. The room was quaint and had a view overlooking the bay and a little church. The food was superb and the hospitality was top notch. We will definitely be staying here again.

Day 4 was an easy 187 miles when compared to the day before. We did have a few challenges when we lost the trail due to snow drifts, but with the Polaris trails app we were able to find our way back without too much of a delay. This was the day we rounded the peninsula and were now traveling along the south side. We had initially planned to go through Perce this day, but due to a trail closure we were routed to a more inland route and missed that. That just means we have to go again right?

Day 5! We broke the 1,000 mile point today! The views continued to be amazing and you could tell you were now on the south side of the peninsula. The winds were no longer blowing snow everywhere and the snow cover, while still excellent, wasn’t the same 6-8 feet we were riding on for the first part of the trip. Our destination for tonight was Point-A-La-Croix.

Day 6 the weather had turned warmer – we are now starting in the 20’s. "Go in March," they said, "it will be warmer." LOL. Today, we completed the loop and once again our destination was Hotel Rimouski. This was our only duplicated stop on the trip. You could tell as we started heading toward the north side again because the snow depth increased and the winds picked up. We were once again riding in the blowing and drifting snow.

Day 7! Today would be my longest single day of riding. 294 miles to Lac Etchemin. For March 23, the trails were still amazing, with tons of snow and groomed to perfection. I will say I was surprised at how easy it is to put this kind of mileage on in a day.

Day 8…. The adventure is coming to an end. A quick trip back to the truck in Jackman. It was less than 100 miles today. I was surprised to see how much snow we had lost here at home in the week we were gone. We still had plenty to get to the truck, but we were definitely riding some bare spots.

If you have ever considered this trip my suggestion is…. DO IT!!! It is an amazing adventure.