Ski-with-the-Cree
Although the Cree won’t likely be skiing, they will provide all the support on this trip. Besides hotels and inns on our way to and from Cree country, we will be staying at a base camp in wood stove heated framed prospector tents on the shore of Negobau Lake south west of Moose Factory, Ontario. There will also be a tepee where you can sleep on spruce boughs. Some may also want to build a quinchee or snow hut to sleep in – or sleep out under the stars to see the northern lights. Food will be both traditional Cree and regular white man. Expect any of goose, rabbit, beaver, otter, caribou, moose, lake trout, sturgeon, grayling and bannock bread. Not a great place for vegetarians. The trail is packed by snowmobile (parts may be track set) and is partly through woods and across muskeg, and partly on the Moose and other rivers. We will ski no more than 25 km (16 miles) per day with daypacks for 6 days in Cree wilderness. The Cree will spend time explaining their history, culture, traditions, hunting and fishing methods, and will also transport our gear (maximum 16 kg or 35 lbs per person) so we only have to carry daypacks on the trail with our down parkas, over pants, ski waxes and lunch. The skiing is on relatively easy, mostly flat terrain, the distances not overly long, and the interaction with the fun-loving Cree is tops. The daytime temperature should be around -5°C to -12°C (23°F to 10°F) while at night it could go down to -30°C (-22°F) or lower (Keep the stoves going!). This is a real cultural/cross-country ski experience that you will remember for a long time. Philip Sutherland, our Cree cook, Clarence Trapper and their families will entertain us in the evenings with stories, legends, traditions, history and culture. They are a real fun people to be with. Everyone will enjoy the cultural exchange.
The trip includes a visit to the Parc d’Aiguebelle on the first day where we will ski on some beautiful track set trails near the height-of-land between James Bay and the Ottawa River. This park contains very old exposed rock – basalt from an ancient volcano before the ice age. The trip also includes rides on the Polar Bear Express train “Little Bear” from Cochrane to Moose Factory and return. We will spend the last night in the Moose Factory Ecolodge with a special dinner at the Cree Cultural Interpretive Centre after a short, but inspiring tour of the second oldest community in Ontario, Moose Factory.
You will need light touring skis, boots and bindings. You will also need an arctic parka and sleeping bag rated for temperatures to at least -30°C (-22°F) or colder if you plan to spend a night or two in the tepee. A complete list of clothing and equipment will be furnished. Skiers should be in good physical condition, have some winter camping experience and ready to have some fun.
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Room Amenities |
Private Shower |
Microwave |
Telephone |
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Private Bathtub |
Air Conditioning |
Fax |
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Private Jacuzzi |
Electric Fan |
Minibar |
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Private Toilet |
TV |
Coffee Maker |
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Private Kitchen |
Video/DVD/Movies |
Hair Dryer |
Stove |
Internet Connection |
Trouser Press |
Meal Options |
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Non-Veg (all) |
Vegetarian |
Organic |
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Non-Veg (fish/chicken) |
Vegan |
Ayurvedic |
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Diabetic |
Low Salt |
Low Fat/Cholesterol |
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Kosher |
Hindu |
Muslim |
Additional: The Cree will provide some traditional "country food" which may include: Hare, Caribou, Moose, Arctic Char, Canada Goose, etc.
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| Additional |
The Cree will demonstrate their traditional hunting, fishing and trapping methods and will discuss their culture and traditions in the evenings. |
| Nearby Attractions |
Moose Factory on James Bay was the second registered town in the Province of Ontario. Kingston was the first. We will visit old churches and a visitor interpretation centre on our last day. |
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| Day 1 |
Leave Ste-Agathe-des-Monts at 6:00 hrs to arrive at the Parc d’Aiguebelle (540 km, 335 miles) by 13:30 hrs for some skiing on track set trails. We will stop at a restaurant in Val d’Or for lunch on the way. At 16:30 hrs we will drive another 250 km (155 miles) in about 2 1/2 hours to our inn in Matheson, Ont. for a spaghetti dinner and overnight there. Dinner and double occupancy accommodations included.
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| Day 2 |
Full breakfast at 7:00 hrs. Leave for Cochrane at 8:30 hrs a 1-hour (110 km, 65 mile) drive in order to load our gear on the Little Bear train at 10:00 hrs and get our group seats on the train. The train is due to depart from Cochrane at 11:15 for the trip north. It takes about 5 ˝ hours to cover the 255 km (158 miles) to a bridge, which is our ski departure point. We will all help unload the gear off the train and ski 6 km (4 miles) down the river to the Moose River, across the Moose River and through the bush to our base camp on Lake Negobau where we will have our first traditional Cree dinner.
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| Day 3 |
The following 3 days will be spent exploring the Cree territory on skis. One day we will ski through the bush to the French River and visit Philip Sutherland’s camp. We may continue on to the Moose Cree First Nation Indian Reserve and pass by a number of Cree fasting lodges. We may then return to our base camp by the shore of the Moose River. The total distance will be about 20 km.
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| Day 4 |
On shorter ski days we may have a barbeque lunch where Clarence Trapper will explain how they set traps under the ice to catch beaver and otter, or how they set fish lines beneath the ice to net fish, or setting snares for hares or other traditions such as animal and bird calling. Each evening Clarence and Philip will provide us with an installment about their Cree culture, history and traditions before bedtime.
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| Day 5 |
Another day may see us skiing through a beautiful black and white spruce forest, across muskeg and through a young tamarack forest to another camp near the mouth of the Cheepash River. Some of the white spruces near the trail are 25 m (80 feet) tall and 60 cm (24 inches) in diameter. The Cree will likely need help in gathering firewood, melting snow for water, setting up a tepee and washing the dishes.
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| Day 6 |
We will ski 25 km northeast to the Ecolodge on Moose Factory Island for a shower and change of clothes. Then a brief tour of Moose Factory, including the old Anglican Church and other interesting cultural and historic sites. There will be a special dinner at the Cree Cultural Interpretive Centre with exchanges of gifts and a tour of the Centre.
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| Day 7 |
We must pack up early and have breakfast at the Ecolodge. We will then be driven across the river to Moosonee to load our gear on the Little Bear train for our trip to Cochrane. Departure time is 9:00 hrs. Arrival time in Cochrane should be around 15:00 hrs. Then we will drive to Noranda, Qc. for dinner at a restaurant (not included). After dinner we will proceed to Val d’Or and our accommodations there.
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| Day 8 |
After breakfast (included) we will leave for Ste-Agathe-des-Monts. The minibus will leave at 8:30 hrs and should arrive in Ste-Agathe-des-Monts by 15:00 hrs. Lunch will be at a restaurant in Mont Laurier or l’Annonciation (not included).
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| Required Skill Level |
Open to All
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| Required Equipment |
Not Included
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| Our Certificatons |
Participants must have some cross-country ski experience. Some previous winter camping experience will be helpful but is not necessary. |
Ski & Snowboard Styles |
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FreeStyle Boarding |
Cross-country Skiing |
Alpine Skiing |
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FreeRide Boarding |
Telemark Skiing |
Carve Skiing |
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FreeCarve Boarding |
FreeStyle Skiing |
Speed Skiing |
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Kite Snowboarding |
Ski Jumping |
Heli/Cat |
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Off Piste |
HalfPipe |
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