2024-07-06 - Trip Report Day 2 - Zec des Martres, Quebec

Zec des Martres

Up at around 7:30, still a bit of rain, set to break for a couple of hours at 9. Stay in bed for an hour and then pack up to go.

Reach the first trail split for Mont du Dôme, left for "very difficult" short but steep trail doing the climb over ~0.8km, or right for a more regular trail over ~1.4km. In my mind, I was expecting something similar to the "expert" track up Mont des Morios with rope sections and more technical climbs, but honestly it was quite an easy route - it has perhaps been overstated due to the trail's ease of access and near vicinity to the sepaq routes for the popular Mont du Lac des Cygnes.

Close to the end of this climb, rain starts to come in hard. I sit with my umbrella for a short time before deciding I will be better off to set up my groundsheet as a rain tarp.

I sit for close to an hour waiting for the rain to end, and take a few pics of nearby foliage in view.

Reaching the top of the climb and approaching Lac du Gros Ruisseau, I am greeted by a wall of white. Due to the conditions, the lake is completely covered with fog. A small layer of visibility at the edge, turning to whiteout as you proceed.

Following the trail around the edge of the lake, there are some cool observations.

The fog begins to roll onto the trail.

I take a rest stop at a clearing on the lakeside, in the hopes that I'm able to spot something around the perimeter as the fog clears. Instead I just take pictures of a few things in the vicinity.

Lots of lichen.

Behind where I'd been sitting were the remains of some old cabin.

It was host to a lot more lichen.

Returning to my pack, the fog is giving a bit of a clearer view of the other side of the lake now.

Continue walking a short way to another clearing and stop for more pics.

Continuing onwards, the trail leaves the edge of the lake and goes deeper into the forest. The variations of trees change. It gets a lot mistier.

Spotted some cool lichen.

A few sets of cut logs operate as trail bridges crossing a small stream leading off of Lac à la Main. Filled up on water after crossing.

Beautiful Dibaeis.

A short way past the bridges, I pass the first spot since starting that actually looks like it's been used for camping. Large, relatively flat cleared dirt area by the edge of Lac à la Main. It had 3 separate openings onto the water, each had a boat chained up to the trees - fishing spot seemingly. No sign of people though since I arrived yesterday.

Decided to stop here and eat breakfast (mix of nesquik and granola with dehydrated milk), and lay around for a couple of hours.

Weather remains dry, but visibility is still mixed.

Lots of dragonflies at this spot.

My first scorpionfly.

Whilst a nice spot to keep in mind for the return, it's still too soon to stop and camp, so it's time to continue.

I reach another set of locked Zec / La Traversée de Charlevoix cabin - it's mid-afternoon, doesn't seem to be any occupants so far. There's a bench on the wooden decking, and the roof extends far enough to provide shelter from the rain for me and my gear - as it seems to have just started pouring torrentially again.

I decide it would be ideal to set up camp around here tonight if possible. I leave my gear sheltered on the decking to do some hiking around without my pack, and hopefully spot some wildlife. Before heading off, I need to filter more water. There's a nearby stream down a steep path centrally located between the 3 cabin sites. When I get to the stream, there's already somebody filtering water - seems one of the other cabins may be occupied. Not that surprising, as a gravel zec road leads all the way to the lake just a bit further up from these cabins - less effort to access than to hike from my direction.

Muddy section of the trail, seems to hold prints very well. Cross a large canine print, within wolf size range. Before starting this trail from the cabins, I passed a sign disallowing dogs. Not sure how much that rules out somebody from a cabin walking here with their dog given the proximity from road access - but they would also have had to deal with zec staff entering from that direction, so I tentatively assume Canis lupus.

Two mushrooms growing into one another.

I liked how much these Cladonia looked like big open mouths.

Spot my first larval dragonfly molt whilst crossing a bridge.

I reach the summit of Butte aux Mouches and stop for a short rest. These's half a fire pit set up on a narrow flat spot on the bare rock trail.

I am very fortunate whilst waiting here to spot a rarity - Bicknell's Thrush.

As I begin my descent and return, I cross paths with a spruce grouse - accompanied by 6-7 chicks. I'm used to seeing ruffed grouse, who are always quite aggressive in trying to chase me away from the area where they're presumably nesting. Comparatively, the spruce grouse and the chicks were very unpeturbed by my presence.

The spruce grouse stood in the center of the very narrow trail. Some chicks were in the undergrowth and branches off of the trail to my left, and some chicks off of the trail to the right. I hoped to try and pass by them and cause as little disturbance as possible, but that proved quite difficult.

I would take a couple of small steps forward. The grouse would watch me, eventually take a few steps forward themselves, and the chicks would continue meandering forwards slowly. After about 20 minutes, I was able to step off of the path to try and let them pass me - they chose to step off of the path themselves, allowing me to pass them.

I get back to my gear, it's going to get dark relatively soon. Cabin still unoccupied. I boil some water and eat my dinner on the deck (same as yesterday). I pitch nearby as rain begins to come down hard. Doesn't persist for too long. I set an early alarm and go to sleep.