Hi Travellers,

Here’s the details of the planned trip for the weekend of the 2-3-4 Oct.

Thursday. KMs TBD

Meet at a smallish free cam spot along Highway 17. This site is close-ish to the highway, but traffic isn’t so bad at night and it’s convenient to start in the morning :) Fuel before arriving here as the gas station in Swisha is small and it’ll be a cluster in the morning, if you arrive after these (below) stations are closed then clearly its gas in the AM in town. There is a small grocery at the gas station for last minute supplies.

Gas stations in Deep River:

Ultramar, closes at 20:00, diesel.

Esso, closes at 21:00, no diesel.

Canadian Tire Gas Bar, closes at 22:00, diesel.

Gas stations in Rolphton (Closest to camp)

Esso, closes at 19:00 does sell diesel

Friday camp entrance PICTURE

Thursday night camp site GPS: 46.211990, -77.926990

There are no services at this site.

Friday. 341Kms

Depart camp in good time, and meet at the ZEC office for 10:00. Access to the ZEC is $10.00 per vehicle for the day. BRING CASH. For the record anyone wishing to meet us at the Zec office for ten am Friday is welcome to do this as well understanding that it may be a stretch into the evening for some, and if you're a turbo morning person then that works too.

ZEC Office 46.208296, -77.701256

The days track at 341 KMs means we need to overall average about 40km an hour to arrive by 18:00. Sunset is 18:45. This ambitious but doable if we stay on track :).

The roads are a mix of sandy gravel and gravel for the most part there will be some smaller sections but much of this track is do'able in a passenger car. These roads can change quickly and washouts, sand traps etc are possible.

We will need to go past the turn off for the camp site to get fuel in Louvicourt and double back.

Ultramar Louvicourt, closes at 23:00, diesel. 48.072602, -77.382697

Camping Friday night will be at the Pourvoirie Lac Gueguen. I've arranged a group site, the management tell me they'll do their best to have toilets and showers available as the weather is a wild card. They aren't able to promise that they'll be open as pipes may be freezing overnight... Plan accordingly.

Friday night camp site (Pourvoirie Lac Gueguen): 48.071557, -77.226128

Saturday. 363.2KMs

Depart Camp @ 10am everyone will have fueled in the evening. The days track is longer than Saturday but follows an EPIC gravel road through a very remote region of Quebec. I expect the the fall colours and the scenery to be fantastic. The first half of the day is on a main forestry trunk road that is quite wide and almost exclusively made of long sweeping corners. The second half of the day tightens up a bit but is still forestry roads, and should not be challenging in a typical overland vehicle.

Fuel in the town of Parent is at the general store that is also a SAQ so cold beer and wine with a good selection of groceries and the like

Fuel at Dépanneur et Epicerie chez mon chum, closes at 21:00, diesel. 47.923236, -74.628973

Camping will be at an abandoned air port 50KM east of Parent. The strip itself is still active but there is mucho space for camping. The river is nearby, this site has not been vetted by me so we'll wing it as to exactly where we setup but should be easy to sort out.

Saturday night camp site (Casey Air Strip): 47.940169, -74.088703

Again, there are no services at this site, plan accordingly.

Sunday. 261.7 km

Well roll out of Casey at a time appropriate for the morning, the route is a big gravel highway to Mont-Laurier. The last 30-40 km are paved. After Mont Laurier we will mostly split up and disperse to our respective roads home.

Fuel and Tim's or Mackers or Valentine etc all available in town.

Final thoughts:

I need to reiterate this route is remote, very remote. If you are stranded by your vehicle it will be a significant operation to have it towed out. Bring a satellite messaging device, tools, spares, oil, coolant, and whatever else you and yours need to spend a weekend in the bush. Mobile coverage will only be about 5% of the route, if that. Comms for the trip will be 462.6125 - FRS & GMRS 3