The Peribonka River - Blog

Michel Tremblay

Forest survival specialist, explorer, adventurer, trainer, speaker and author

Published on 06 July |Last updated on 19 December

I've already passed by this place 6 times. Nothing unusual, since it is the kind of place that one cannot get tired of, so much the panorama is hallucinating.

Contrary to my other outings on this waterway, my plan was to go up the 81 kilometers that separate my starting point from the Péribonka power station and then to come back... but solo! All this for a total of 162 kilometers, half of which will be done by fighting the river's current, which is more or less intense in places depending on its depth and width. If you are wondering, no, there are no rapids, only a constant current.

For this trip, I gave my first paddle strokes at "Pointe d'Appel" which is the union between Lake Tchitogama and the Péribonka River in the municipality of Lamarche, north of Lac St-Jean (48°50'41.7 "N 71°27'16.2 "W). It is while going up the river that the mixed and in full health forest accompanies us leaving some cottages on the first kilometers.

Many choices of camping sites are offered to the passers-by, sometimes along the river or on the islands forming a long central chain. The only thing that might suggest the presence of humans in the area are the navigation markers that are well placed to prevent motorized boats from running aground on the numerous shoals.

Moreover, what is magic with this beautiful part of the territory is that, according to the latest news, Quebec is backing down on the forestry cuts that were planned in this sector. This would have been, in my humble opinion, disastrous for the fauna, the flora, the recreational and tourist activities. Sigh of relief.... the forest will remain intact.

A walled river

For those who like reliefs you will be delighted. The mountains are 300 meters above the level of the river. It is like a valley where the river is walled in. But the valley is often windy, so the predominant direction in this valley is from south to north. It is under the last heat of the summer that I started my journey by giving me 5 days to complete the whole. But neither the wind nor the current seemed to want to make things easier for me. I had to redouble my efforts to go upstream to the Péribonka 4 power station through the grandiose panorama.

A brutal awakening

Funny thing: during the second night, I was surrounded by wolves that were howling all around me. It was a rather brutal awakening. Sleeping under the tarp, I expected at any moment to see one of these canids appear in the crack of my shelter, but, it was not the case. It was only in the morning that I could see by the tracks that they were only ten meters from my camp... hummmm.

I thought that my descent would be a child's play, but the wind had decided otherwise.

It just gave me a little more time to repeat to myself, "hey this is beautiful!!!"

An impressive wildlife

This is a superb outing that I suggest to all nature lovers. Some accessible waterfalls will enhance your breaks. I was also privileged by the surrounding fauna. Bald eagles, geese, kingfishers, sawbills, ospreys, beavers and wolves, of course, were present.

Don't want to go upstream? The downhill option is also available to you. You must reach the municipality of Saint-Luger-de-Millot north of Lac St-Jean and take the forest road to drive on it until km 76. Turn left on the road that leads to the landing downstream from the Péribonka 4 generating station (49°29'28.8 "N 71°10'20.8 "W).

Of course, plan a vehicle on arrival for the shuttle.

Happiness guaranteed! Have a good descent!