PISTON LAKE CRUISER Posted September 29, 2018 Share Posted September 29, 2018 I'm planning our yearly saddlebag trip. Would like to start in Mattawa, ride down to Rolphton for fuel and lunch then into Quebec. The only issue at this point is getting the 4 sleds across the bridge on the Swisha Road with the grated floor . Does anyone know of a contact in that area that could put us in touch with someone who could trailer our sleds across the bridge? Don't want to put the carbides our the ski wheelz through that crossing. Thanks in advance for any help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
signfan Posted September 29, 2018 Share Posted September 29, 2018 How bad is it? Has anyone on here done it and experienced major problems? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grover_yyz Posted September 29, 2018 Share Posted September 29, 2018 You could make some custom wooden skins out of fence boards and tie then on with some wire. Cross over the bridge and toss them in the woods and use them for the return trip. Jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PISTON LAKE CRUISER Posted September 30, 2018 Author Share Posted September 30, 2018 1 hour ago, grover_yyz said: You could make some custom wooden skins out of fence boards and tie then on with some wire. Cross over the bridge and toss them in the woods and use them for the return trip. Jerry Actually you may have put me onto something Jerry. How about old hyfax if I can figure a way to hold them on the carbides. We are planning to come back into Ontario at Temiscaming so only crossing the bridge once. Signfan the bridge is nasty and quite long. Will try to post a picture of it if I can find one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PISTON LAKE CRUISER Posted September 30, 2018 Author Share Posted September 30, 2018 Blake has included a link below that shows how bad the bridge is. Thanks Blake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blake G Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grover_yyz Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 1 hour ago, PISTON LAKE CRUISER said: Actually you may have put me onto something Jerry. How about old hyfax if I can figure a way to hold them on the carbides. We are planning to come back into Ontario at Temiscaming so only crossing the bridge once. Signfan the bridge is nasty and quite long. Will try to post a picture of it if I can find one. I know the bridge. I also have a picture of it somewhere. I tried to cross with the ski wheels down and i thought the wheels would break off so i turned back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 I drove my truck over it a couple of years ago. I remember thinking that the crossing would be 'iffy' w/ a sled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutter Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 Steel grate bridges like are really hard on studded tracks, had a buddy that ripped a few out on that exact bridge. Didn't notice till he got up to speed and heard and felt something strange with the track, one clear pull out and flapper stud hitting the heat exchanger. He caught it and cut the flapper off before it chiseled right through his exchanger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02Sled Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 So the $M question. If this is such a horrendous thing to cross, why would a club even include this as a snowmobile trail route? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigfish Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 2 minutes ago, 02Sled said: So the $M question. If this is such a horrendous thing to cross, why would a club even include this as a snowmobile trail route? it's the only way to cross the Ottawa river into Quebec for miles either way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbo Doo Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 If i remember correctly, theres a bridge crossing in rapide-sept, north east of Belleterre Quebec, and south west of Valdor. It is grated like the bridge at swisha. Also pretty sure the damn crossing at the abitibi canyon is the same. In both instances the club or whoever has placed thing plate steel down for a pathway over it for the sleds. Wonder why they do not do the same here for sleds... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PISTON LAKE CRUISER Posted September 30, 2018 Author Share Posted September 30, 2018 16 minutes ago, IQ TURBO said: If i remember correctly, theres a bridge crossing in rapide-sept, north east of Belleterre Quebec, and south west of Valdor. It is grated like the bridge at swisha. Also pretty sure the damn crossing at the abitibi canyon is the same. In both instances the club or whoever has placed thing plate steel down for a pathway over it for the sleds. Wonder why they do not do the same here for sleds... Jeff, Its a very long bridge that actually looks like 2 separate bridges that meet at the middle abutment. It is an Ontario bridge according to the Quebec trail maps so maybe I'll get Dougie working on it LOL . I do understand why the roads department wouldn't want to cover it as it is self cleaning the way it is. It will make a nice 300 km. day from Mattawa to Pavillon de Verendrye if we can make it work. Looks like 176 km. from Rapides des Joachims with not no stops between. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PISTON LAKE CRUISER Posted September 30, 2018 Author Share Posted September 30, 2018 38 minutes ago, IQ TURBO said: If i remember correctly, theres a bridge crossing in rapide-sept, north east of Belleterre Quebec, and south west of Valdor. It is grated like the bridge at swisha. Also pretty sure the damn crossing at the abitibi canyon is the same. In both instances the club or whoever has placed thing plate steel down for a pathway over it for the sleds. Wonder why they do not do the same here for sleds... Pretty sure that bridge at Rapide-Sept also crosses the Ottawa River Jeff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KCC Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 Yes the bridge does cross part of the Ottawa River from the hydro dam near Rolphton. Years ago there was talk that the quebec club was going to put rubber on it but for some reason it did not happen. The bridge is owned by the federal government and I was lead to believe the bridge is in quebec. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbo Doo Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 30 minutes ago, PISTON LAKE CRUISER said: Pretty sure that bridge at Rapide-Sept also crosses the Ottawa River Jeff. Yes it does. I just retraced my tracks from a few years ago.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PISTON LAKE CRUISER Posted October 1, 2018 Author Share Posted October 1, 2018 55 minutes ago, KCC said: Yes the bridge does cross part of the Ottawa River from the hydro dam near Rolphton. Years ago there was talk that the quebec club was going to put rubber on it but for some reason it did not happen. The bridge is owned by the federal government and I was lead to believe the bridge is in quebec. I commented that it was an Ontario bridge because if you zoom in on the Quebec Interactive map which uses Google maps the dotted line for the border is actually on the edge of the island. I'm wondering if that is the case so that Ontario would have the south channel around the island and the north channel would be a Quebec waterway. Map could be incorrect as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffgrah Posted October 1, 2018 Share Posted October 1, 2018 I have been crossing that bridge for decades and never had an issue. We have a house in Stonecliffe and ride to Val Dor etc. crossing that bridge never an issue. It's not as bad as it looks but to each there own as it's nice to have that trail to ourselves since its one of the best rides in the west side of Quebec. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbo Burgo Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 And I thought riding dry roads was hard on the machines... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02Sled Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 Ouch... that's where a set of ski wheels would sure come in handy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manotickmike Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 I have a pal who lives in Beachburg, crosses there VERY regularly, (studded track, heavy sled, vicious carbides on Split rail skis) who says he has no issues crossing. I'd imagine wheels would drop right into those openings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muskoka1 Posted October 31, 2018 Share Posted October 31, 2018 You can bypass dam @ Rapide-Sept by taking road around! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlowTouringGuy Posted October 31, 2018 Share Posted October 31, 2018 I’ve crossed the bridge on a sled. No problem. It’s bothers your mind far more than it bothers your sled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffgrah Posted October 31, 2018 Share Posted October 31, 2018 Its best if people avoid this route into Quebec since it keeps you off one of the best trails anywhere in Ontario or Quebec. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.