Nos Traces Ep 9 - Trouver la descente parfaite dans le Nord des Uapishkas - Partie 1

Episode 9 of Nos Traces takes us to Quebec's North Shore in search of the best ski lines. Our destination? The Uapishka Mountains, also known as the "Groulx Mountains." Renowned for its microclimate, isolation, and great educational potential, this famous mountain range serves as a stepping stone for many to larger expeditions. The gang will embark on an adventure there, hoping to discover some well-hidden runs, and will even meet a local guide and the president of the Friends of the Groulx Mountains: Michel Denis! The Nos Traces web series takes us on a journey to discover Quebec's backcountry skiing destinations and invites us to immerse ourselves in its incredible powder paradises. Maxime can't get enough! Thirsty for exhilarating descents, he suggests to René-Martin that they head to the Groulx Mountains to find some unforgettable runs. René-Martin wasn't convinced at first, but when he saw pictures of this magnificent and enormous mountain range, he knew immediately that he didn't want to miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The Uapishka Mountains are a call to adventure. Located east of the Manicouagan Reservoir, about 300 km north of the city of Baie-Comeau, a trip there guarantees a unique experience in Northern Quebec. With humid, rainy summers and very cold winters, those brave enough to venture there must be prepared to undertake their journey in challenging conditions. In fact, the name Uapishka is the name given to the Groulx Mountains region by the North Shore Innu. It means "white peaks," and it suits them well, since they are covered in snow for about nine months of the year. The goal of our skiers (and snowboarder) is to find out if there are any good skiable lines. They'll head to Baie-Comeau in their van and then, loaded with all their gear, drive north along the Trans-Quebec-Labrador Highway. After a 10-hour drive, they'll arrive at their destination, northeast of the Manicouagan Reservoir: the Groulx Mountains. The group decides to start their trip by visiting a local guide and the president of the Friends of the Groulx Mountains, Michel Denis, who knows the region like the back of his hand. He'll surely be able to give them some good advice! Michel is one of the three residents of Uapishka and has lived there for three decades. He built himself a house that's just like him: extraordinary! A legendary figure in the Quebec adventure scene, he warmly welcomes the trio into his home. For Michel, it all started with a passion: the outdoors. When he first came to the Groulx Mountains, he couldn't believe his eyes and immediately knew that this majestic territory absolutely had to be opened up. The more hikers who come, the easier it will be to protect the mountains. They then headed to the neighbor's house (their only neighbor) to meet Guy Boudreau, a guide, instructor, and adventure coach, to gather more information about the mountain conditions. Guy organizes summer and winter trips to the Groulx Mountains and is undoubtedly THE guide to contact for those who want to experience a guided adventure there. The information he gave the guys would prove essential for the rest of their trip, and Maxime left convinced that there were some great lines to ski. It was after these two valuable encounters that our skiers set out in search of their first runs. They'll start with an extremely steep and icy slope and then ski down a beautiful, massive 250-meter vertical drop on Mount Harfang. Dylan will even call it his best run in a long time! After preparing their sleds, the guys head up to the plateau and set up camp. They think they've found a great descent with potential... 0:00 We set off to explore our mountains in Quebec with the FQME team 1:02 Heading to the Uapishka Mountains, on Quebec's North Shore 1:52 Meeting with Michel Denis, president of the Friends of the Groulx Mountains 6:00 Visit from Guy Boudreau, local guide of the Groulx Mountains 8:02 The trio sets out in search of their first descent 11:37 Dylan experiences what will become his favorite run 13:41 The guys get ready to leave the van to begin the expedition 15:33 Time to set up base camp -- Our Traces is a series produced by the Quebec Federation of Mountaineering and Climbing. Production: Maxime Bolduc Directed, filmed, and edited by: Dylan Page Photography Animation: René-Martin Trudel Production Assistant: Mijanou Colbert Snowboarding Expert: Powpic Thanks to our valued sponsors: Mammut Outdoor Research Happy Yak Scarpa Black Diamond AVX Ortovox And thanks to our friends in the Groulx Mountains!