We got a trip planned next week leaving from North Bay. The web site says trails are excellent. Just wondering if this is the case? thanks for your input!

the dawg

Just got back an hour ago, did the same loop with my wife this weekend. Thursday morning, drove North Bay to to Ville Marie. Trails along the way looked great! Started ride in Ville Marie 10:00 Thursday, 63 to Belleterre was a little rough, maybe 7/10. Fueled up there, took the 309 north to Laforce, looked like a new trail, it sucked, 3/10, low snow & rough. After Laforce the 309 got better, probably 6/10. Got to Rapide Sept, had to wait 1/2 hour or so to cross the dam, had lunch at the little restaurant on the north side of the dam. Trails from there north got better, probably 8/10, more snow the further north we rode. Stayed at the Motel Continental in downtown Val D'or, even the alley through town had a good packed base. 166 miles on Thursday.

Friday morning woke up to snow & wind, got 6 or so inches through the day. Rode Val D'or to Amos on the 309 / 93, trails were near perfect, 9/10 & 10/10. Stopped in Amos at the Amosphere for a beer, the manager showed us the remodeled rooms, looks like a nice place! Continued on to Taschereau, stopped & had lunch at the restaurant. Rode from there to La Sarre, best trails of the trip, groomed with several inches of new powder. Stayed at Villa Mon Repos. 145 miles on Friday.

Saturday left La Sarre headed south. 93 was pretty good, 8/10 through Rouyn Noranda. After that the trail quality dropped off, took 83 to just south of Rollet, the trail disappeared. We continued on the only trail available, finally saw a sign after 25 miles that it was the 303, which is what we wanted anyway. Thanks to the GPS, at least I knew we were heading south and could see that we were passing the correct towns. The 303 was pretty rough through Guerin where we passed the groomer. From there great trail all the way back to Ville Marie on I guess its an old railbed. 180 miles on Saturday. Great end to the trip!

Other than too much Molson Ex Friday night watching the Sabre's trounce Montreal (or was it Toronto?), it was a great trip. Wish I had time for one more trip up there before the end of the season. There is not much snow compared to other years I've been up there, and as soon as it warms a bit & rains, it will be done.

Trails this morning crossing the roads between Ville Marie & North Bay were all freshly groomed without a sled track on them.

Scott