Our trip to Quebec’s Dumoine River
Published by Jeffrey Hum
On November 29, 2019 I travelled to the Dumoine in Quebec for the first time. Starting in the morning, the CPAWS-OV team made our way from Hull to Deep River, where we stopped to grab some refreshments, and then on to the Dumoine area, arriving in the early afternoon. Along the way, we also stopped at the Grand Chute/Robinson Lake area, where we had the opportunity to marvel at the wonders of some hidden falls and cascades. What I found interesting was the transition out of Hull, where we had received no snow thus far, to sheets of snow and ice along our journey. This area of the forest was spectacular to see, which we were able to find courtesy of our guide Bruce Winterbon. Some of the falls were half-frozen, and the hills of snow in the surrounding area made for great lookouts. After briefing this area, we moved on to the Dumoine. Located in western Quebec, the Dumoine is a secluded area of bush with barely any signs of hikers or outdoorspeople. Due to unmaintained conditions of the road, we travelled through the forests in a pickup truck which allowed us to manoeuvre through thick blankets of snow covering the ground. I later learned that the path we were on would be groomed and used by local snowmobiling clubs in the following months to come.
The Dumoine itself was a spectacular area. The enormous trees were blanketed in snow, many being weighed down by its sheer force. The air was cool and calm. What I noticed was the sense of serenity and peace within the bush- no signs of people or even animals. Everything was quiet, undisturbed and still. It seemed as though the forest was in a state of petrification. After exploring some of the nearby land, we later came across some falls which we were able to marvel at from a wide bridge leading further into the Dumoine. Unfortunately, we were unable to continue our journey onwards to where a nearby cabin was located, as the sun began to go down very quickly in the late afternoon. Crossing back through the forest, we were able to make it back to Hull by the end of the night- a day well spent in the great outdoors.
