With our details finalized, our dates booked and our gear packed we are off to Aiguebelle National Park for a winter getaway! We hoped the weather in early February would be kind to us. Gear was carefully catalogued into the Watershed bags and warm clothes and sleeping bags into the Skully bags. The combination of fresh and dehydrated food, along with wine, into a bear barrel. Enough water and small propane canisters to last us for the trek were also stowed away. The bulk was not an issue for us, as we had prearranged a shuttle transport of our gear from cabin to cabin via snowmachine. The only thing we had to concentrate on was the scenery.
From Kingston, it only took a nine-hour drive, ten if you include the stops to stretch our legs and obtain coffee and gas for us to arrive at Aiguebelle National Park. A natural gem of a park located in western Quebec in the Abitibi-Temiscamingue region 50 km north-east of Rouyn-Noranda. Later we discovered the region is the watershed line between the St. Lawrence River and James Bay. The park offers nine rustic shelters and four larger cabins for four-season backcountry accommodations. Depending on the season and location, the rustic shelters are accessible by car, canoe, on foot, backcountry skis or snowshoes.
Here we would backcountry ski and snowshoe to rustic cabins for four nights. The terrain of the park belongs to the Canadian Shield, vaulting steep hills, gorges, dotted with many lakes and streams, surrounded by boreal forests. Highlight this with the abundance of crisp clean snow and we have ideal conditions for our trek with postcard photo views.
During the summer months, a 22-metre high footbridge allows one to cross a gigantic fault if it is not too windy or vertigo is not a problem. The cabins were rustic and small with a slim Coleman tabletop stove to cook with and a small wood stove in the corner, with firewood supplied in abundance. A large pot was available to melt snow for doing dishes. To complete the cabin a small bunk for sleeping. These cabins were quite cosy when illuminated with candles as a light source.
We chose La Cigale as our first rustic shelter, where the views are stunning. Dawning our snowshoes for the 4 km trek we set out traversing switchbacks to reach the ascent of the final 800m, a climb that made your heart pound with exertion and of course the views. Once at the summit the shelter offers sweeping panoramic views of the lakes below. Here we would stay for two nights while exploring the trails before heading onto our next cabin Le Patineur. Switching to our skis we descended the ridge and braced the cold but bright day to enjoy the scenic forests and undisturbed beauty of the snow-covered lakes along the way to Lake Patrice where our next shelter Le Patineur would await us.
This cabin was on the shore facing remarkable views of the lake on one side and majestic hills on the other side. We were surprised to find that this cabin was even smaller than the last, approximately 11 x 7 feet. This made it even more challenging to find a location to tuck our gear out of the way. Every spot under the bed and every shelf was filled with our gear. The door of this shelter did not close completely and a draft was present, add this to the -32 Celsius temperature and our water bottles left on the floor froze solid overnight, despite the woodstove blazing all night.
This was certainly a brief but rewarding winter getaway! Filled with great memories, wonderful sights, a few aches and pains, this was truly a wonderful jewel of a park worth the drive to visit!
The Great Bog Monster
Last summer during our canoe trip in the West Spanish Forest, we had the absolute pleasure of meeting Dennis Rogers of Canoehound Adventures and his awesome group of paddle pals. We are tickled pink to be featured in Day 3 of his 7-Day trip video series!
We completed most of the same route Dennis’ group paddled and portaged, but in reverse. We also had the excitement of meeting the ‘Great Bog Monster’!
Backcountry Couples
Michigan backcountry couple, Canadian native Colleen Kuehl and American husband Jonny, have an amazing enthusiasm for paddling, backpacking, camping and overlanding! They also have a YouTube Channel, Kuehl Kuest – ‘Backcountry Couples’ where they chat with other couples that share their enthusiasm! Colleen and Jonny, honeymooners at 50 interviewed us, Carol and Glenn, honeymooners at 60! How fun is that!
Buy Book
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