Peakbagging in Quebec near Boundary (HH) - Need information

[Papa Bear]

I hope to spend 2 or 3 days in Quebec near the Maine boundary in early July (something like Jul 11-12-13 mid-week). Possible itinerary:

1) Marble and Saddle. Gamehiker mentions a recent hike there on another thread. Any chance of getting over to Twin Peaks on the ridge line from the boundary, or is that too much of an undertaking for a one day loop? Roy will know.

2) Gosford and monument 443 peak and if I'm really anmbitious swing down to Boundary (HH). Anyone ever park a car way up that dirt road between Gosford and the boundary swath? That would be right in the middle of this loop.

3) Megantic and environs. Is this a drive-up? I know nothing about the area. Any hints or links for information? Suggestions for the best hikes/best views etc.?

Almost all of these have trails (except Twin Peaks) maintained by Sentiers frontaliers and I have a copy of their map (does not include Megantic).

Lodging I'd love to find a nice affordable place, on the order of a B&B in this area. I certainly can't drive from Maine each day (not that lodging in Maine is so terrific). I'm getting lazy and don't feel like camping, but I could as a last resort.

Anyone care to join me?

Thanks
Pb

 

[Tom Rankin]

Here is another thread which might answer some of your questions:

http://vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=12997

 

[Louis]

Mont Mégantic

Hello
heres the link for information on Mégantic, with a map (carte générale du parc)
The loop that i like: Mont Saint-Joseph/Mont Victoria/Mont Mégantic/Andromède and back to the start... Its a fun and beautiful area...
There is a drive up to Mont Mégantic (which is a observatory)
You can purchase a better map at l'accueil

have fun





http://www.sepaq.com/pq/mme/fr/activiteete.html

 

[Dennis C.]

Papa Bear, I don't have any of the maps or other info at present, but if I recall correctly, there's about (5) five 3000 footers right in the immediate area of Marble, Saddle, and Twin Peaks. When we went in there (from Canada), we split them up, car camped and spent two day hikes to do them all --- my motto applies here

 

[dms]

On a trip with John Swanson, we did all 5 3ks in one day, it was not a marathon, the peaks are all along or on the boundary. We went in via the Marble Mountain Trail and made a big loop.

 

[Papa Bear]

Papa Bear, I don't have any of the maps or other info at present, but if I recall correctly, there's about (5) five 3000 footers right in the immediate area of Marble, Saddle, and Twin Peaks. When we went in there (from Canada), we split them up, car camped and spent two day hikes to do them all --- my motto applies here

On a trip with John Swanson, we did all 5 3ks in one day, it was not a marathon, the peaks are all along or on the boundary. We went in via the Marble Mountain Trail and made a big loop.

OK let's see. Starting at the top there's

1) East Saddle (3240+) - Saddle doesn't count, I see just 8 20 foot contour lines above the saddle

2) Marble (3000+)

3) Twin Peaks (3040+) - sorry, just East Twin

4) "Barker" (3060+)

That's a long walk, especially down to Barker. So where is #5?

 

[onestep]

Saddle Hill 3190'

Both Saddle Hill (East Peak) 3250', and Saddle Hill 3190', are on the 770 list that I have...

Onestep

 

[dms]

Both Saddles count!

 

[Dennis C.]

Papa, the day dms and John S. did it, they were riding in Blazing Saddles.

 

[Neil]

What the hey!? I've been living in Quebec for the past 20 years and other than Mégantic and Gosford I aint never heard about these other mtns. Guess I need my American peakbagging brethren to show me my own back yard. Goes to show ya.

'Course I bet I know a thing or two about some obscure ADK summits that youse guys never even heard of. Like Marcy and Elizabethtown #4.

 

[Papa Bear]

Both Saddle Hill (East Peak) 3250', and Saddle Hill 3190', are on the 770 list that I have...
Onestep

Both Saddles count!

Well I don't have a list, but try as I might I can't see a 3180 contour line on the US side of the line. There is a lot of stuff on the map including the symbol for monument 470, but I don't see that contour line. And the Canadian side has those bogus 25' contours derived from the metric maps so I don't trust those. (And I won't even mention the fact that the 1916 IBC survey puts the high point of Marble 250' inside of Canada don't look)

I just want to hike some mountains on a nice clear day. And I can hardly avoid Saddle Hill anyway.

So ... anyone know any good B&Bs up there? maybe closer to Megantic Park. And yeah, is there a nice view from Barker?

I guess if I work my way down from the Saddles, I can decide whether to do the Twins and Barker depending on how the day is going.


Pb (who is not climbing the 3ks)

 

[RoySwkr]

Any chance of getting over to Twin Peaks on the ridge line from the boundary, or is that too much of an undertaking for a one day loop?

3) Megantic and environs. Is this a drive-up? I know nothing about the area.I'm getting lazy and don't feel like camping, but I could as a last resort.

W Marble has 10x20' and 9x25' contours according to this map:
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=19&n=5023439&e=342637&datum=nad83

I did Twins with Marble/Saddle with a late start and early exit, camped in Pittsburg and Canadian customs didn't open until 8. Then discovered it was moose season in Canada and didn't want to be hiking at dusk. Went E off Saddle, dropped to road along McKie Brook where I met lost Quebecois hunter, then up Twins. There is a rumor there was a fire tower there but I didn't see it. Had to go back for Barker Pd, should have gone earlier in season and got all 5.

You could once drive a paved road to observatory on Megantic, the actual HP may be closed to the public but I can't read French so I went there anyway. There is also a rough gravel road a church on a subpeak.

There is/was a campground in downtown Chartierville and probably B&B but you would need to speak French.

 

[Oncoman]

Hi Richard!

Would love to join you on your Québec hiking venture. I am on vacation that week & had planned to bag some NEFF Vermont pks, but that can wait. You do realize that if you do itinerary #3 you will then have 5 Québec 1000m pks to your credit, including Mont Gosford(1193m) that you have already bagged I believe. Perhaps I could convince you to join me in my foolishly ambitious dream of someday summitting all 75+ Que 1K peaks, 20 or so of which are in the Torngats as you know.

For the Gosford loop, about 17-20km, continuing eastward after the Gosford summit brings you to Cap Frontière(Mon. 443), and then you loop back via south along boundary swath for a little over 1km before turning west; one can also continue south on boundary swath to also bag Boundary Pk, which I need. This only adds 3km to the loop hike. No big deal & no need to spot a car. See map at following link http://www.sentiersfrontaliers.qc.ca/carte.html Also check out this site http://www.oricom.ca/lerandonneur/gosford.html

Note that for Gosford a 5$ Can. entry fee is charged per vehicle & that hiking is prohibited after Sept.20th due to hunting season.

As you know the views from the observation tower on top of Gosford are impressive with Mont Mégantic to the north, Marbre & Saddle to the west and to the south the Bigelows, Sugarloaf & even Washington on a clear day.

As for the Mégantic hike, I suggest 2 loops to choose from :
La boucle des 3 sommets (15,2km) or
La grande boucle (20km)

Both of these loops entail summitting Mont Mégantic(1105m), Mont St-Joseph(1065m) & Mont Victoria(1055m). See following links for details & map http://www.sepaq.com/pq/mme/en/ & http://www.sepaq.com/resources/pdfs/fr/MMEcarteSentiers.pdf

Your itinerary #1 proposing to bag Mont Saddle-Mon. 470 (960m), Mont Marbre(900m) & nearby Maine 3K pks is certainly the most challenging and therefore the most appealing to me.

Concerning lodging, check out this link http://www.tourisme-megantic.com/data/en_section08_p04.htm
The « Sur La Baie », the last one on the list, seems interesting for its low price, scenery & indoor pool; but only 2 rooms available, so act promply.

Looking to the pleasure & honour of hiking with you soon,

Pierre

 

[Papa Bear]

W Marble has 10x20' and 9x25' contours according to this map:
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=19&n=5023439&e=342637&datum=nad83

Hi Roy,yes we're looking at the same map.

My problem is seeing the 10x20. The 9x25 is there on the Canadian side, but it looks like a closed loop entirely on that side.

here's the map at 1:50000

Here's the 1:10000 version which shows the pixels. It's the best we'll get I'm afraid.

Now what I see is the last clearly printed contour on the US side is 3160'. On the Canadian side there are two more contours above that, one at 3175' which runs into the border, and one at 3200' which is a closed loop. And it looks like another closed 3200' loop at the other end (NE end) where it's obscured by the symbol for monument 470. Maybe -- maybe you can claim a brown pixel on the US side right at the border, but I'm doubtful.

My conclusions:

1) based on contours on the US side there is only 180' of interpolated prominence.
2) the high point or points are on the Canadian side.

So ... that makes 769

What do other people see?

 

[dms]

The true summit of Saddle Hill

PB, when you are physically there on the peak itself, you can clearly see that the highpoint is on the US side.

 

[Papa Bear]

PB, when you are physically there on the peak itself, you can clearly see that the highpoint is on the US side.

Fine, but how high is the highpoint? My impression is that the old "rules" (Gene Daniels?) say that the contours on the maps define the prominence. Do you see a 3180' contour on the US side on the map?

 

[dms]

PB, I have an actual paper USGS map for this peak at home, I will take a look at it later. I am sure that Roy will add his expert view on the elevation.

 

[Nate]

Mile 443 Peak

Quick tangent: for the 3k peak at mile marker/monument 443, is it known as anything else? What's its elevation? I ask because for some reason I'm having trouble locating it on the list of Maine 3k peaks I have.

 

[RoySwkr]

Which tangent: for the 3k peak at mile marker/monument 443, is it known as anything else? What's its elevation? I ask because for some reason I'm having trouble locating it on the list of Maine 3k peaks I have.

That is the peak Papa Bear is heading for, the summit is unquestionably in Canada so it isn't on the ME list. On old maps it was higher than Gosford and hence the prominence king of the area.

As for W Saddle, I think I see brown on the US side halfway along the straight segment but that's not the point. Based on the Canadian contours there is a guaranteed prominence of 200' which is well above many peaks on the 3k (and 4k) lists. Gene's rule was that any list with over 400 peaks could not be called exclusive and hence marginal peaks should be listed. There are some people in the "prominence" group who insist on "clean" prominence who would not count this peak or Marble Mountain either for that matter. I say it's on the obvious route between Marble and E Saddle so you might as well make a point of tagging the high point in case more accurate surveys count it. I saved myself a drive to ME my insisting on "Unspotted" and cost myself one by not doing Leroy the first time.

 

[Papa Bear]

Which tangent: for the 3k peak at mile marker/monument 443, is it known as anything else? What's its elevation? I ask because for some reason I'm having trouble locating it on the list of Maine 3k peaks I have.

This peak is not a Maine 3K peak. It is entirely within Canada, about .2 miles west of the border. Canadian maps (Woburn 21 E/7) show it as 1187 M (3894').

Here's a map: Topozone

Not on a US list (it's a Quebec 1KM), just a peak I thought it would be nice to climb.