Mountain Trekking
"In itself, discovering the Gaspé Park for the first time, is an incredible experience. You often hear reactions like 'How is it possible?' or 'Are we still in Quebec?' Those are unusual landscapes and just walking through them can be exceptional." François Boulanger, who is the director of Gaspé Park and a nature enthusiast, knows this terrain like the back of his hand. It's easy to feel his passion for his work when you listen to him talk about the park.
To hike through Gaspé Park is to come in contact with a very special universe, that of the mountains of Quebec. The park features 27 mountains higher than a 1,000 metres. In fact, the Chic-Choc Mountains come second only to the Torngat Mountains, between Labrador and the Ungava Bay, in Inuit territory. You'll have to agree, that makes for a much longer drive!
The high altitude, combined with the latitude of the Gaspé region and the strong winds coming off the St. Lawrence Gulf, turns the forest into tundra, which is characterized by vast open spaces, free of any significant vegetation. The combination of these elements makes this part of the province look eerily like the Great North.
As a bonus, skiing here allows you to see some breathtaking landscapes. Just imagine: You're skiing from peak to peak, always reaching new heights. You go down one valley and up to the next summit. When you get to the top, you're completely exhausted. But then, you look up and catch a sight that makes it all worthwhile: beautiful peaks and valleys, as far as the eye can see.
One thing that often keeps hikers from enjoying their winters troll is the lack of snow. No chance of that happening here; the Gaspé Park gets an average of seven metres of snow every year, mostly from being so close to the gulf of the St. Lawrence, which creates low-pressure currents. Comparatively, Montreal only receives two metres
A network of 17 hostels allows you to easily extend your trip to one week. But why would someone want to spend so much time in the woods with their skis for company? "Because oftentimes, you open the trail after it's been snowing a lot. The group then develops a team dynamic. You feel like you're part of a band of explorers discovering a new region," explains Boulanger.
In the native language, Chic-Choc means "impenetrable wall."The adventurers who frequent this wall on a daily basis have the chance to, once again, rise to the occasion and conquer it, and to feel a part of these giants' universe.
Those who read last week's report will be happy to know that a number of beautiful valleys between Mount Logan and Mount Jacques Cartier. Although not as impressive as Mount Albert, they offer an intense telemark experience, allowing you to ski down some new slopes and filling your head with new vistas.
Gaspé Park is also home to a very particular fauna and flora. I've already mentioned the tundra, but I haven't yet told about the only herd of caribou south of the St. Lawrence, or of the countless moose who can be observed there. In fact, giving you a rundown of all we saw would be nearly impossible. In cases like this, mere words cannot reflect the reality or the emotions that accompanied the trek itself. Those are the limits of the spoken word.
