I never have but Le Bannick is where i think most stage out of. I prefer to launch trom temis as it saves the hotel expense and its only 2 hours from muskoka. Temis to ville marie is an hour on the sleds depending on your throttle position. 

Up the west side to matagami. Heavy on the throttle, groomed but loose and fresh on top. Started emptying linq cans at north shelter. Saved a bit just in case and we needed it. One 900t took 36.5 litres. Fried chicken at the grocery store. Mmmm. East side down to Quevillion loose, fresh on top,light chop. Fuel lights on. Needed full tanks again. Quevillion to Sennetere 5 stars of sledding perfection pure bliss, skipped fuel, sennetere to barrutee was punched, fuel lights on, pulled in on fumes. Barrute to amos shelter on 93 punched. Back into amosphere with 530kms for the day. The one pic on the road you could see where the forest fires scorched the left side, right side of the road was untouched. I thought it was a cool pic. The next couple weeks up here are only gonna get better as the air gets beat out of it and the base starts setting up again. 

Where is the best place to stay and stage from in the Ville Marie area for a 3 - 4 day sadllebag trip?  Looking to head north tomorrow night.  Was going to Sainte Anne du Lac and doing a loop, but TQ93 was recently closed south of Chibougamau which has us changing plans last minute.

I think it changed names, I think it is called the hungry bear now, and yes it is open 11a-7p 7days a week right now. Glad you were able to get food, and have a good trip. Ski

So I had an impromptu trip north to Kirkland lake.      Kirkland lake south to Elk Lake was great.     Kirkland lake to Cochrane was brutal for 150km of the trip.     Not any one clubs fault as there are multiple groomer breakdowns.   Cochrane, temiskaming, Shining Tree, all had groomers down.  Remaining groomers working 24/7 until they go down.   so question is with the dumping of snow that New Liskeard north received why isn’t the OFSC moving groomers up from clubs that have parked for the year?   Snocrest riders, Orillia, Haliburton are not grooming.  Why not move 2 or 3 groomers to help out?   Why punish permit buyers who are willing to drive hours and spend $$$$ sledding?  Especially when you’re paying $2.15 or more for premium and hotel plus food!     I met  some Cochrane guys and they said there will be trails to ride for a few weeks at least it looks like.   This morning there was 8-10” of fresh powder in Kirkland Lake. If you are considering going get up there.