Chic-Chocs chic (page 3)
Although the name Chic-Chocs comes from a Mi’kmaq word
meaning “impenetrable wall,” three river valleys — Sainte-
Anne, Cap-Chat and Matane — trisect the range. However,
each of these valleys is almost 100 kilometres from its neighbour,
so when you are in the Chic-Chocs, you see only the
impenetrable wall, not the chinks in it.
CHIC-CHOCS SCENE
Getting there There are two ways to get to the Chic-Chocs Mountain Lodge: you can fly from
Montréal to Mont-Joli (about 30 kilometres east of Rimouski), then rent a car for
the scenic two-hour drive along the St. Lawrence River to Cap-Chat, or you can join a chartered
flight with other lodge guests from Montréal or Québec directly to Sainte-Anne-des-Monts,
near Cap-Chat, where you can ride a snowcat for the scenic 40-kilometre trip to the lodge.
This area of the Gaspé is nine hours by car from Montréal.
Staying there
The Chic-Chocs Mountain Lodge is open for more than 200 days a year, from
Dec. 26 to mid-April and from late June to early October. Room rates range from $298 to $310
per night for double occupancy, which also covers transportation by snowcat from Cap-Chat,
meals, guides and all equipment, including excellent alpine touring gear with boots that
do not chew up your feet like rentals often do. For information, visit www.sepaq.com/
chc/en/accueil.html or call (800) 665-3091.
Playing there
The untamed mountains surrounding the lodge are ideal for alpine touring
(a blend of backcountry and downhill skiing), meta skiing and snowshoeing in the company
of experienced guides. After a day of exploring snowy peaks and valleys, you can admire the
panoramic view while soaking weary muscles in an outdoor Jacuzzi.
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A front is moving in, and the low-angled sunshine has
disappeared. We return to the lodge as the heavy blue light of an overcast afternoon presses
down on the mountains. After a
day of sport, it is time to indulge in the second “S,” sauna — in
this case, the outdoor hot tub — while sipping bowls of rich
cocoa made from about 50 nickel-sized discs of real chocolate
melted into milk.
The next day, we try a distinctive lodge activity: meta skiing.
The stubby skis have integral climbing skins on the bottom and
snowboard-like bindings with heels that lift. You can use them
with soft mukluks to give your feet a break from stiff alpine
touring boots. Meta skis are not just snowshoes with downhill
capabilities. A skilled practitioner like Bouffard can telemark
elegantly down steep slopes with them.
Donning these half-skis, we follow cut trails through the
woods to a nearby 50-metre waterfall called Chute Hélène. We
watch for caribou. There are 200 of them in three distinct
herds in this part of Quebec, but sightings are rare. Much more
common are the moose, which “posthole” along the trails, dragging
their legs and leaving deep, messy ruts. I get a close-up look
at one of these ruts when I catch an edge of it at full speed and
pitch into it face first.
Green fangs of ice hang from Chute Hélène. A physician in
our group shows his “maniac” chops by climbing up beside the
falls and telemarking down the icy gully on his meta skis.
Meanwhile, Bouffard opens his neatly organized pack and
extracts a hammock, which he strings between two trees.
Alexandra enjoys the unusual experience of lying in a hammock
in mid-winter.
The day ends with a three-hour dinner, spiced with conversation
spanning a dozen topics. Gagnon recommends Chenin
Blanc wines, which are complex and interesting, but in the
end, I don’t find a replacement for my Malvasia Bianca. That’s
about the only thing I don’t find here.
Jerry Kobalenko is a writer, photographer and adventure traveller
based in Canmore, Alta.
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