Route Blanche is one of seven expeditions that have received funding from The Royal Canadian Geographical Society in 2016. For one month this winter, Dave and Adrien Greene snowshoed 418 kilometres along Quebec’s Lower North Shore using traditional winter camping methods and connecting students from across Canada with the remote communities along the so-called Route Blanche. Here, they reflect on their journey.

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They say that dogs are a reflection of their owners. Osa seems to be as confused as we are as she carefully circles again and again on the lonely remaining patch of snow in our yard. As she curls up, her tail falls off the snow and into the surrounding mud. She appears to be thoroughly disheartened, suffering from the post-trip blues as she suddenly finds herself shedding, covered in muck and unhappy with the relative heat wave.

The only visible trace of our expedition is four sleeping bags and a canvas tent hung out on the line for a much-deserved airing in the warm spring sun. If it weren’t for our photos and grubby journal, we might forget we went anywhere at all. With every expedition, we come to expect, and eventually accept, this phase of the journey. The adventure is over, bills are waiting to be paid and life marches on.

The distance between us and The Lower North Shore has grown in far more than kilometres. We are another world away, one that operates on a different time frame and rhythm. We awake to brown fields and muddy paths. Two weeks ago, we were surrounded by pristine, white snow and a glittering icy landscape begging to be explored. From the very first day of our expedition we asked ourselves when we could return to venture even further into the beckoning hills around us.

We weathered cold fingers, the unrelenting wind, improbable rain, broken gear, fatigue and of course, fear. In a region that is always beautiful, but never forgiving, these experiences are nothing more than par for the course. With good health, strength and our meticulous preparations we were able to endure the challenges and happily absorb the kindness of strangers and learn so much about a place that few Canadians have gone to.

The scenery spoke for itself. So did the people. We found ourselves traversing one of the most interesting and alluring places we could have imagined and learned more than we ever could have hoped.