actionjack Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 We are considering renting a house with access to Lac Memprhremagog and cannot get straight answers about snowmobiling in the area. We want to use the lake as a starting point for day trips and an overnight or two out to C-A and beyond. Any info would be appreciated. I am comfortable that we can get on the lake (if allowed) just want to know if the local trails are accessible from the lake shore and lead to Regional and TQ trails. Thanks Jack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mxzdude Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 Hi Jack, I've ridden this area for a few years. On the east side of the lake there is trail 105a you take that about 4-5 miles and it will lead you to the trail to go across the border. It should be well marked. Crossing there can be a little confusing if there is fresh snow and you can't follow other tracks. If you care to, you can stay on 105a east to Norton, and cross there this is the easist way to cross but about 25 miles (usually nice trails) If you are staying on the west side of the lake, you can cross the lake in town, or to the north which hits trail 105a . I personally stay away from Maggog and Sherbrook as they are busy industrial cities where the trail goes through and some very busy road crossings not exactly nice scenic countryside. Riding east to Coatacook is nicer. Happy trails, the dude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
actionjack Posted January 25, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 Thank you for replying. We are going to check it out after finally finding a local who skidoos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsxcindy Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 Hi Jack, I've ridden this area for a few years. On the east side of the lake there is trail 105a you take that about 4-5 miles and it will lead you to the trail to go across the border. It should be well marked. Crossing there can be a little confusing if there is fresh snow and you can't follow other tracks. If you care to, you can stay on 105a east to Norton, and cross there this is the easist way to cross but about 25 miles (usually nice trails) If you are staying on the west side of the lake, you can cross the lake in town, or to the north which hits trail 105a . I personally stay away from Maggog and Sherbrook as they are busy industrial cities where the trail goes through and some very busy road crossings not exactly nice scenic countryside. Riding east to Coatacook is nicer. Happy trails, the dude I rode 105a this weekend. The lake and trail 105a were in great condition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
actionjack Posted January 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 Thank you Cindy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vt_bluyamaha54 Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 We are considering renting a house with access to Lac Memprhremagog and cannot get straight answers about snowmobiling in the area. We want to use the lake as a starting point for day trips and an overnight or two out to C-A and beyond. Any info would be appreciated. I am comfortable that we can get on the lake (if allowed) just want to know if the local trails are accessible from the lake shore and lead to Regional and TQ trails. Thanks Jack Hi Jack - I live in Vermont and have begun trips from the Derby, VT area to QC many times over the years. I would caution you that for the last several years, trail conditions have been poor in the Eastern Townships - or the trails have not opened at all. That area can be a "dry slot" that misses storms that give coverage to trails in N. VT and surrounding areas but misses them. After crossing at Stanstead QC (closest to Derby) - or at Norton - you can literally run out of snow a short distance north of the border. The snow seems to build up again as you get close to Thetford Mines or St. Georges QC - which you probably know is at the southern edge of the C-A area. I would definitely look at FCMQ for their conditions before getting too far into your planning on this or you might be stuck on this side of the Border. On the other hand, if there is sufficient snow, the trails are generally good. I recommend taking #521 rather than TQ 55 to reach C-A. It is usually in better shape and even though it is a 'secondary' trail, we have found we make better time on it. You will rejoin 55 outside Cookshire, hit 65 for a short time before rejoining 55 again. Be Safe. Happy Riding! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
actionjack Posted January 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 Thanks for the info, appreciate the reply. I only became aware of Magog by reading through the french sites in search of good snow cover. From what I read there is plenty of snow down near Magog, over to Megantic and Jackman and even up towards the river and some Quebecois were trailering down that way to get a decent ride. It's something new for us and that is part of the fun too. We intend to ride into C-A most days and will do at least one over night trip up towards Quebec. if there is no snow, we'll eat the rental and move - we are driving 12 hours to sled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil 1 Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 Rode the C - A last week, conditions were mostly good. Thedford Mines to RDL around the horn East to South back to TM... Tried to go from Derby last winter and it was THIN... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIYAMAHA Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 I'm in derby, trail up to border is good, have not crosed yet so I have no info for over there> You can get from Magog to border no problem. Give me a PM when your coming up. BRUCE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vt_bluyamaha54 Posted January 29, 2011 Report Share Posted January 29, 2011 Thanks for the info, appreciate the reply. I only became aware of Magog by reading through the french sites in search of good snow cover. From what I read there is plenty of snow down near Magog, over to Megantic and Jackman and even up towards the river and some Quebecois were trailering down that way to get a decent ride. It's something new for us and that is part of the fun too. We intend to ride into C-A most days and will do at least one over night trip up towards Quebec. if there is no snow, we'll eat the rental and move - we are driving 12 hours to sled. Not sure where you are getting the reports from but FCMQ is saying only FAIR for trails in that sector as of 1/27?? I know that NE VT also has less snow (generally 8-10 on the ground) than I do here in eastern central VT (14-20"). I groomed last night and there are areas in the deep woods that we don't have more than about 6" of cover. Most of the storms so far this winter have been 'southern storms' - that is why so much of QC is suffering a bit from lack of snow. Also want to point out that even with good conditions, Derby/Stanstead to southern edge of C-A region is 200-300mi (depending how far east or west you vector from south) so it is not a day trip. Trails are good but the real good trails (what most of us think of as "Quebec-trails") don't begin until outside Thetford Mines or St Georges. You might want to consider trailering to Montmagny? If you do that you can take great day trips and that is also a 'safe' area to park. It is a tough situation I know when you drive so far. Lac Etchemin is another destination possibility I would have made until a couple of years ago. They have gotten pricey and have turned some off. I think you can find posts about the area over at HCS? Just my $.02 - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
actionjack Posted January 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2011 I've been reading that there was snow down in Magog Granby Waterloo on Motoneigeauquebec.com. They got a foot from the first coastal storm and more since then. We'll see in a few hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackstraw Posted January 29, 2011 Report Share Posted January 29, 2011 I've been reading that there was snow down in Magog Granby Waterloo on Motoneigeauquebec.com. They got a foot from the first coastal storm and more since then. We'll see in a few hours. We rode out of thetford a week ago, I'm done with that area, although the conditions where good I couldn't take all the stop signs, road crossings and plowed sections of road. It gets much better the farther East you get from the bigger cities. I normally ride North of the river, except for the Gaspe which we do in late march. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
actionjack Posted January 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 Plenty of snow here. The issue appears to be trail access. We can hit the lake easy - directly from our Chalet. My first ride on the lac will not be at night. We'll either head down to Derby or over to Lac Megantic tomorrow after scouting the lake a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
actionjack Posted January 31, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 There a lot of road crossings and stop signs but there is also decent riding and grooming. Snow depth varies and there are property owner trail issues. We gonna bag up into C-A tomorrow or the next day. There are pick ups on the lakes around here there is also a layer of slush that can be disconcerting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davemod04 Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 Driftduster (Derby-Morgan) trails are almost perfect riding. Living on trail 105 in Holland, we see the groomer go past very often. Norton woods trails are still a little short on enough snow cover to fill in all the bumps, but it's snow, not dirt. We rode Friday from Holland thru Norton border crossing up the 521 to Coaticook TQ55 east to Sawyerville, North thru Thetford Mines 523 North to TQ35 - 537- TQ 5/75 to Bernieres south shore of Quebec City 231 miles rated good to very good, with places that were excellent. 8 hours on trails including lunch. We rode Saturday east on TQ5/75 to 547 south to TQ55 to 545 south to TQ75 North to Comfort Inn in St George, late start/early in 6 hours on trails 165 miles. A fair amount of snow, but a fair amount of traffic and stutter bumps. rated fair to good. Sunday back to Vermont-535 out of St George, excellent fresh groomed and low traffic, TQ 55 west to Weeden, almost all was good to very good, with only a few miles of bumpy wood sections. From Weeden south (west) on the TQ55 trails had gotton an inch or two of snow since up trip and had been groomed and traffic was low. 9:30 out of hotel, lunch in Weeden, gas and customs - home at 4:30 201 miles. Trails were even better on the way back. It is true enough that the first hundred miles into quebec is not all as good as once you get into snow country- but some of it is, and the rest is similar to Vermont, which is pretty good right now. While trails are not as wide open as RDL, snow cover is adequate in the lower coverage portions and as good as it gets in many. We like to ride out of home, it just seems kind of neat, to go and come back by sled. Ride Right and Make All the Corners!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davemod04 Posted February 3, 2011 Report Share Posted February 3, 2011 Lots of fresh snow today along the northern vermont/eastern townships border - 10" . Should make for excellent conditions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
actionjack Posted February 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2011 There was no shortage of snow anywhere we rode. We found mostly excellent conditions over the past 3 days as we bagged the lower C-A. We searched a lot for a chalet with trail access and settled on one that had access to Lac Memphramagog. We used the lake to access the trail and I don't recommend that due to the slush. Magog is a little odd in that there are trails and grooming but so few sledders. There are a few hotels and motels right on the trail from which you could start a good bag trip they just don't really promote it. As American snowmobilers, we were quite the novelty and the hospitality was the best we've ever experienced in QC. 55 was good to spectacular. The trail that takes you past Mt St Sebastien was spectacular and a new favorite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.