GOING TO ST. DONAT JAN 11 TO 13. ANYONE KNOW HOW THE TRAILS ARE?

I don't know how they are but almost everywhere in Quebec it's raining since 2 days... The temperature is supposed to do down for the next days...

better call ahead.

http://www.fcmq.qc.ca/english/etat_sentiers.asp

Last saturday Jan 5 the trail was a bit ruff a lot of snowmobiler in the region , this week we had a lot of rain and temperature was near 50 DEG F for a couple of days, i'm pretty shure you still can ride but half the snow we had has melted

Hey.... old thread, new season. I'm heading up this weekend (Jan 3rd, 09). Anyone know what the trail condition is like after that 2 day freak of warm weather?

Just got back today, trails are awesome!! Rode to St.Michelle, the park, 310 towards Notre Dam Le merci Awesome. Enjoy.

Thanks for the info. Looking to head there this weekend.

Fantastic. Thanks for the update. I'll post a trail conditions review when I get back Monday.

The trails have been amazing this season. Another 25cms are falling as I type. We ride from St Donat every week. Tremblant Park has been great! Check out www.fcmq.qc.ca (lanaudiere region) or snowmobilecountry.ca for updates. For a really cool view, check out the dam at Lac Taureau, pictured below.
Safe and Happy riding!

Hey everyone.
Sorry for the delay in posting St. Donat trail conditions for last weekend (Jan 3rd & 4th, 2009).
The good news is there is excellent ground coverage. The not-so-great news is that the major routes (trail #33 and 63) have been run pretty bare. The snow is hard packed with lots of bare ice in the turns and hard whoops and berms throughout. Not a lot of fresh soft powder. Even when you're off the major routes the snow seems a little hard. I suspect the fresh snow is covering a hard underlayer of ice from a couple weeks ago when the weather went really warm then really cold.

That said... the conditions are very good for this time of year and better than most other regions. Its worth the trip.


Click to view attachment

Budko mentioned an additional 25cm falling as of yesterday.... if thats the case then the conditions should be excellent. All the trails needed was a good dump of fresh powder to soften things up a bit. Maybe I should have waited until this weekend!

How long is the ride to Lac Taureau from St. Donat??

It depends on which way you go, how often you stop, etc etc.... but we followed the 33 (which is the long way because it arcs to the west), stopped for lunch at the old Malard restaurant (I forget the new name but it's at the Tremblant Park entrance) and the clubhouse outside Sant-Michel-des-Saints. We also fooled around on some back trails. I think it took us about 5 hours. Then about 3 hours of serious riding to get back by coming down the 310 direct to Saint Donat. Hope that helps.

I should also mention that it appears the old Malard restaurant no longer sells gas. So once you leave Saint Donat, you next tank will be at the Saint-Michel-des-Saints clubhouse.

C.

I was up there the 2nd and 3rd it was awesome. We did just over 440 miles in two days. Let us know how your trip went I am headed back up the 17th and 18th.

Thanks...