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I love travelling and often find myself exploring, hiking or skiing in different parts of North America or the world. Ever since when I was young, I have always found it hard to sit still for long periods of time without moving. Perhaps that's why I am a marathon runner, cross-country and alpine skier, and an amateur athlete of different self-propelled sport (I was a rock climber once but have been grounded because of family responsibilities. Apparently, I worth more alive than dead, an assessment that I should feel grateful to accept.)
So, here I am on the move again. This time, I am taking a 9-day back-country ski trip to the Chic-Chocs, which is a group of mountains on top of the central Gaspé Peninsula in Québec, Canada. The name "Chic-Choc" comes from a Mi'kmaq (aboriginal) word meaning "impenetrable barrier". These mountains are heavily eroded, with flat tops and steep sides. So, it will be fun skiing up the hills and bombing down (and hopefully not over) the cliffs. There are over 25 mountains with peaks higher than 1 km; the highest being Mont Jacques-Cartier at 1,268 m (4,160 ft).
I am expecting to encounter caribous and other wild animals but few humans, while cross-country skiing on the network of trails, including the International Appalachian Trail that extends south to the USA. I will stay overnights in designated wilderness cabins built by Parc de la Gaspésie. My winter sleeping bag is rated to -20 deg C, so it should keep me warm throughout the night at this time of the year up in the mountain. I will bring a hand-held filtering device to provide me with drinking water from melting snow. Since there is no electricity up there, I will have no access to computers and Internet, which is just as well if I am to enjoy nature and stay away from the modern world for a while.
Well, I better start packing !!!
Source of info / Photo credit / References: "Chic-Choc Mountains" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chic-Choc_Mountains
(to be posted on March 20, 2010)
8 comments:
have a nice trip !
hope it is not too wet this time of the year! have fun and be safe!
Was there once during the summer days.
從紐賓士域沿溪谷的公路上山
才由魁北克省的山坳公路下山,
宛奄曲折的路上,
柳暗花明又一村,
見到山中小村落,
像進入了桃花源!
ops "宛延曲折" 我打錯字!
space
Michelle:
Merci, J'ai fait un voyage fantastique.
Best Actor: It was great skiing up on top of the Chic Choc Mountains. We had dry, fresh snow and below-freezing temp at night !!!
Space:
You must have traversed the Gaspé Peninsula via Highway 132, and then descended toward the St. Lawrence River. I was skiing in the Parc National de la Gaspésie, east of where you had passed thru.
Space: No prob !!!
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