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Published on Apr 23, 2021
It’s the end of the summer of 2020. I was looking for new experiences. My timing was perfect! the Parc National du Mont-Orford was offering me exactly three of these. A night spent in their new ready-to-camp formula, a never explored before bike path, and a rugged trail to satisfy a new passion of mine: Trail running. Orford, here I come!
By Simon Diotte
The Sentier des Crêtes’s pedigree is a scary one! Its length: 11.4 km, one way. A height different of 455 metres, three times the height of the mast of the Olympic Stadium; the time needed to complete the run is estimated at 5 hours.
When we reach the top of this linear route, we’re not at the end of our sorrows. We still need to travel the same distance through the cross-country ski trails to return to our starting point, unless we go with two cars.
Even though the logistics are quite complicated, the Sentier des Crêtes, a key sector of the Sentiers de l’Estrie, is absolutely worth each stride. Culminating on the summits of the Mount Orford massif, it offers ramblers a cascade of grandiose panoramas.
Being a bit of a masochist, I ran the course twice in less than 24 hours, testing two different routes. For the first one, I started out from my campsite at Lac-Stukely all the way up to the pic de l’Ours, and returned by the same route. This is known as the Escalier du Nord section.
For this 12 km return distance, the climb is difficult, but can be completed in different steps. Many open areas allow us to catch our breath and admire the Chauve, Ham and Stoke mountains towards the northeast. When we reach the Pic de l’Ours, we can enjoy the views of mounts Brome, Shefford, Rougemont and Yamaska.
I started out towards the end of the day and was able to appreciate the spectacular light the sunset offered. I was so awestruck by the beauty of the surroundings that I waited until darkness settled in before heading back down. When I reached my campsite with my headlight guiding the way, only the owls hooting broke the silence of the night.
After a few hours of sleep, I attacked the trail in its entirety. When I reached the Pic de l’Ours, where the panorama is the most spectacular, the trail continues all the way to the ski hill. This undulating portion of the route leads through a series of rocky cliffs and rock bridges offering more delightful viewpoints.
As the trail opens up onto La Grande Coulée ski slope, we find ourselves at a crossroad. On the right, we can climb up to the sky atop Mount Orford. To the left, we head back down to the base. I chose the last option, because another adventure was waiting for me during the afternoon: Cycling on La Cavalière bike path.
For a long time, the Parc national du Mont-Orford was divided into two sectors. Campers staying in The Lac-Stukely sector couldn’t access the Lac-Fraser sector without leaving the park, and vice versa. Since 2019, a new rock dust bike path has bridged this gap.
A confession: I was expecting a monotonous route, basically, a utility pathway. At first, I wanted to skip this activity, but a park warden convinced me to test it. Happily, I listened to her. This forest trail turned out to be a little jewel!
This 10.6 km route takes us up and down as if we’re on a roller coaster. Its sinuous turns just add to the fun of piloting our bicycle down the path. Some of the uphill segments were quite challenging, but I was rewarded every time I headed down a hill. Plus, I had the pleasure of encountering a couple of turtles that tried very hard to block the way as they were relaxing and taking their time on this stone carpet.
It took me less than two hours (out and back) to complete the route, then I returned to my campsite at the end of the day by taking the Colline des Pins, another amazing route.
The Sépaq’s ready-to-camp formulas are clearly becoming more and more popular. However, renting these fully equipped shelters, for more than $100 per night, isn’t affordable for everybody. Recently, the Sépaq introduced a more accessible formula: the Nova tent, still in its experimental phase, in the Parc national du Mont-Orford. I tried it out for myself.
The Nova is a leaner version of the ready-to-camp Étoile. The inside is rather spartan. Two bunk beds, a table, a lamp and a heating unit. Outside, under an awning, a hot plate, and the necessary equipment for cooking. There’s no fridge, so clients will need to bring a cooler. The tent has a canvas door, different from the Étoile shelter, which has a window door.
I really liked the Nova’s many windows which let in a lot of light, as well as the 100% outdoor kitchen space. However, I didn’t appreciate the door with its zipper door we have open and close all the time to enter our deluxe tent. I guess nothing is perfect in this world, not even at Orford.
I can’t wait to see what the future holds for this formula, but the first trial run seems promising. Two Nova tents are presently available for guests to rent.
Nature, sports and outdoor activities
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