iat-qc newsletter · the gaspésie national park is known as a first-class hiking destination in...

SIA-QC – CP 132, Matane, Québec, G4W 3N1 / Tél. (418) 562-7885 / Fax : (418) 566-2115 www.sia-iat.com / [email protected]

April 2013

IAT-QC NEWSLETTER

1st Edition

WORD FROM THE CO-CHAIRMAN OF THE BAS-SAINT-LAURENT REGION Hello to everyone, A new season is approaching. Sponsors andvolunteers, we rely on you to walk (whenever possible) your section for trail maintenance (fallen trees and branches, torn or missing signs, etc ....) In addition, we ask you to promptly notify your area supervisor or our Matane office for all major work necessary, such as a bridge ripped off by flood waters, a shelter crushed by the weight of the snow,etc ... .. so that we can plan group work to correct the situation. Know that without you, dear volunteers, it would be impossible for us to maintain our trail in fonction. The Board of Directors thanks you for your involvement, past, present and future. Our trail will soon be given the prestigious label of"GR" (Long distance hiking trail). We will be the first inAmerica to receive this very coveted European symbol. We should all be proud of it! In 2013, in the Bas-Saint-Laurent, we will pay special attention to the new windpark in the area of Sainte-Marguerite and Causapscal. The volunteers from the Matapedia Valley will have tens of new miles to develop. At first, a temporary trail will be offered tohikers. When the path leading to the windpark is complete, a new trail will be constructed, taking into account the restrictions imposed by the "Les Vents duKempt" park. Good hiking in 2013. Gaétan Roy, Co-chairman BSL

WORD FROM THE CO-CHAIRMAN OF THE GASPÉSIE LES ÎLES – DE – LA - MADELEINE REGION

Work on the trail Lots of action in 2012 in Gaspésie! Thanks to the contributions of the Volet II program of the CREGÎM, improvements have been made in Avignon and in the Gaspé Coast. In Avignon, the three refuges have been improved, there’s a new toilet and a new water point at refuge Turcotte. We also added a platform at the Le Quartz refuge. Finally, Geneviève (Nature Aventure) invites you to go hiking there for several days in the comfort of these shelters.

The Committee of the Gaspé Coast was finally able to repair the damage caused by floods in recent years. A good update of the signage has also been undertaken. Finally, two new bridges were added.

Signage on Highway 132 With a small budget allocated by the CREGîM, a project of improving the trail marking on the main access road (including Hwy 132) was initiated in 2012. We have been aware of this need for some time, however, before 2012 no aid program allowed us to obtain the necessary funding. By the Summer of 2013, we should see new signs wherever the trail crosses major roads.

Touring club of Côte-de-Gaspé - IAT With the collaboration of the Côte-de-Gaspé committee, the Hiking Club will soon begin its fourth year of operation. Its varied and abundant hiking offers (1-2 times a week, Summer and Winter) are attracting more and more participants. Of course, guided hikes allow participants to discover the SIA, Park Forillon as well as the Gaspésie Park, as well as a variety of beautiful places to walk all around the peninsula, places that are not necessarily developed or recognized as hiking trails. The club has become an essential for outdoor activities in the Gaspé Coast and overflows into the MRC of Rocher-Percé where many walks are held. Indeed, the City of Percé has created a beautiful network of trails over the last fifteen years. You can contact the club at the following address [email protected] or visit the Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/RandoSIACdG to check the schedule.

Thanks to volunteers A "big big" thank you to all our volunteers, without whom the trail would have been condemned a long time ago. Don’t give up, we still need you in 2013! Particularly in the Upper-Gaspé region, our friend Jean-Pierre is making an urgent appeal to all because many sections of the trail are in urgent need of maintenance. He can be reached at the following address: [email protected]. Jean-Marc Hardy Co-chairman GIM


VOLUNTEERS We would like to remind our volunteers who participate in the maintenance of the IAT-QC trails that they are covered by the CSST. If people would like to be involved in the maintenance of the trail as a volunteer, you can contact the IAT-QC customer service at the following number: (418) 562-7885 or send an email to: [email protected].

INSURANCE – NOTE For landowners who have an agreement with the SIA-QC regarding passage rights for a part of the trail passing on their property, be aware that we can add you as an additional insured party on our liability insurance. This could save you additional expenses on your own insurance. For more information, please contact the IAT-QC office. Phone: (418) 562-7885 Email: [email protected]

HIKING OFFERED BY SEMELLES AU VENT: Following the test trip organized in September 2012, a new guided excursion is offered by a French agency –called Semelles au vent . This guided 15 day / 14 night trip offers the discovery of the great outdoors of the Gaspé region. For complete information (date, registration modality, program, prices ...) please consult the brochure. Link (French only): http://www.sia-iat.com/images/Upload/semelles_au_vent_forfait.pdf Link to the WEB site of Semelles au vent (French only): http://www.semellesauvent.com/category/pays/canada/

MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL It’s now time to renew your membership with the IAT-QC or to let us know if you don’t want to be a member in 2013. Do not take this notice into consideration if you have already renewed your membership. It is possible to pay your membership by credit card. You also have the possibility of making a payment for more than a year (1year/10$ or 3years/30$ or 5years/50$). You can consult the membership form for more information. Link to the Web / Form: http://www.sia-iat.com/images/Upload/files/adhesion_membres_randonneurseng.pdf Please keep the membership card that you already possess. Your membership is a tremendous support which allows us to preserve and maintain the IAT-QC and to make it a secure and good quality trail. Gaspé members, please renew with your committee. We thank you and we wish you a very beautiful 2013 season!

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM) Note that the next AGM will be take place on May 26th in Amqui. More information will be sent to IAT-QC members before may 14 th.


WORLD FROM THE IAT INTERNATIONAL CHAIRPERSON Hello Everyone.

I hope everyone is having a pleasant and productive spring, and looking forward to getting back outdoors and on the trails.

I recently posted a website story on the Peddars Way And Norfolk Coast Path National Trail joining the IAT http://www.iat-sia.org/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=89&cntnt01returnid=15, and will soon add stories on the Pennine Way and Gloucestershire Way.

Hopefully we will have a continuous route from the English Channel to Cape Wrath and Slieve League - with a stop at the Isle of Man - by the time September and the AGM roll around! Many thanks to Alex Goodey of the North Downs Way National Trail for helping to put the pieces of IAT England together. Alex recently lost his position with the National Trails during the recent cutbacks and restructuring. Hopefully he will stay with us as a volunteer, and find rewarding new career opportunities in the near future. Best Regards, Paul Paul Wylezol Chairperson IAT / IATNL http://www.iat-sia.org/ http://www.iatnl.ca/

MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR The year 2013 is well started for the SIA-QC, no lack of work before the opening of the next hiking season, but also in terms of development to France and Europe that will occupy us until autumn 2014 and beyond. In this regard, from March 22nd to April 8th, I had the opportunity to go to France for the fourth consecutive year as an exhibitor at the hiking trade fairs in Lyon and Paris, along with Tourisme Québec, the Sépaq and Aventure Écotourisme Québec. At the same time, meetings with the FFRP (French Hikers Association) took place and we have planned to sign the collaboration agreement for the homologation and exchange of services in May of this year. We also agreed to organize the inauguration of the GR trail in early October 2014, during an official visit of a group of 150 members of the FFRP who will participate in a 14-day trip to the Gaspe. To be continued in our next communication. About our priorities, you will receive before our next annual general meeting (AGM) of May 26th, a special edition of the newsletter that will present to members the development strategy proposed by the Board of Directors (BOD) of the SIA-QC for the next two years. It will also contain the report of the committee for the revision of the procedure for the director’s nomination. This approch aims to facilitate the interaction of members in the decision making as it is difficult to reunite a large number of participants at the AGM. Therefore, if you cannot be present on May 26, but want to get involved and influence the development of our projects,you can contact us by email or phone in advance to discuss any points on the agenda. I remind you that any time, you can contact us for various projects or suggestions regarding the SIA-QC. Best Regards, Eric Chouinard Director and Secretary

Sentier International des Appalaches - QC International Appalachian Trail - QC

CP 132 Matane, Québec, G4W 3N1

Tél. (418) 562-7885 / Fax : (418) 566-2115

www.sia-iat.com / [email protected]


NEW : 1 - TO 5- DAY GUIDED HIKES WITH BAGGAGE TRANSPORT OFFERED BY THE IAT-QC

The Gaspésie National Park is known as a first-class hiking destination in Québec and we can cross the Park on the IAT-QC over 100 km of trail. To allow you to explore this long-distance mountain hiking circuit, we offer 1- to 5-day guided hikes throughout the park. These packages are for groups of 3 to 8 people. They will allow you to walk in the McGerrigle massif and to travel among the summits of the Chic-Chocs, in the «Crêtes» section to mont Albert, for a total possible distance of 65 km, giving an average walk of 15 km per day. These packages include: One guide per 8 participants, the meals, snacks, park entrance fees and lodging rental, transport to the trailhead, rental of certain pieces of equipment and baggage transport from one lodge to the next. Our hikes are classed intermediate to difficult. They take place on uneven ground including slopes to climb and descend. They are accessible to all who are in good health and have basic hiking experience (day hikes). We walk between 4 and 8 hours a day.

For complete information (date, registration modality, program, prices ...) please consult our brochure. Lien : http://www.sia-iat.com/en/hiking_package_iat_qc.html

iat-qc newsletter · the gaspésie national park is known as a first-class hiking destination in...

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