Snow line 18 routes livedeepest recorded base 132 cm5 sectors reportingnext report 2026-10-18

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Park sector · Gatineau Park · · By The Snowshoe Desk

La Peche Ridge Link

This is the least known route in the guide and the one that most repays the effort of finding it: 7.2 km of ridge line between two lake basins, with a 1.1 km section along a rock rim above Meech Creek valley that has no equivalent elsewhere in the park. The catch is the access: P18 has ten spaces, the trail is signposted only in French, and the first 900 m follows a hydro right-of-way that is not the route.

Distance 7.2 km
Elevation gain 175 m
Time 3.5 h
Grade Moderate
La Peche Ridge Link contour illustration
Contour fragment — Gatineau Park, La Pêche Lake Block · 79 cm base · 45.63, -76.10

Best window December through March. The ridge is the first thing in this sector to be walkable after a storm because it is exposed enough to be wind-packed but not enough to be scoured. Parking The P18 lot on Chemin de la Riviere-aux-Sables, 3.4 km north of the P17 turn. Gravel, plowed, room for 10 cars and no gate. It is the only winter access to the ridge between the La Peche lakes and the Meech Creek valley.

01

Arrival

From P17 continue north 3.4 km on Chemin de la Riviere-aux-Sables to P18. The trail leaves the north-east corner of the lot, crosses a hydro right-of-way for 900 m, then turns north-east into the woods at a blue disc. The right-of-way looks like a trail and is not; it continues to a tower access road that goes nowhere.

02

The line

0.0-0.9 km · Hydro right-of-way

Straight, wide and apparently obvious - and wrong if you stay on it. The snowshoe route turns off at 900 m. Snow depth on the right-of-way measured only 34 cm because it is fully exposed to the west wind.

0.9-2.9 km · Climb to the ridge

A 200 m climb at 14-16 degrees through a mixed stand, then a broad ridge at 300 m. Snow depth at the 2.2 km stake measured 79 cm on 24 January, more than double what the right-of-way held.

2.9-5.4 km · Rock rim above Meech Creek

The ridge narrows and runs along a rock rim for 1.1 km. There are four open views west into the Meech Creek valley. This is the section that makes the route worth the drive; it is also where the ridge is only 8-12 m wide in three places.

5.4-7.2 km · Descent and return

The ridge drops on a long diagonal to the lake shore, then the route follows the shoreline south for 800 m back to the P18 access track.

Travelling the line, step by step

  1. Mark the 900 m turn on your map before leaving the lotThe right-of-way is the obvious line and it is the wrong one. Write the turn distance on your hand if you have to.
  2. Switch to microspikes for the right-of-way and back to snowshoes at the discThe first 900 m is a wind-scoured crust that shreds snowshoe crampons and is faster on spikes. The woods beyond hold 79 cm.
  3. Walk the east half of the tread on the rim sectionThe west lip is where a cornice forms and where the 40 m drop is. The east half is on solid ground the whole way.
  4. Take the shoreline for the last 800 m rather than the ridgeThe ridge descent has a long diagonal with a side slope; the shoreline is flat and 400 m shorter, and the two inlets are both bridged by beaver dams.
03

What to carry

  • Snowshoes; the ridge is unpacked and the right-of-way is wind-scoured to a crust
  • Microspikes for the 34 cm crusted right-of-way section
  • Map and compass; the only sign on this route is one blue disc at 900 m and it is in French
  • One pole for the rim section, where the tread is narrow
  • Warm layer for the four open rim views, which are fully exposed to the west
  • Insulated bottle; the descent to the lake shore is the only sheltered stop
04

What can go wrong

  • IceThe hydro right-of-way is wind-scoured to a hard crust and is the iciest surface on the route.
  • AvalancheThe rock rim above Meech Creek is narrow with a 40 m drop on the west side and no barrier.
  • Open waterThe lake shore at 6.4 km has two inlets that stay open through mild spells.

The right-of-way turn is the single navigation decision that matters: miss it and you walk 3 km to a locked tower gate. Mark the turn on your map before you start. On the rim section, the ridge is 8 m wide in three places and a cornice can form on the west lip - keep to the east half of the tread. There is no cell coverage on the ridge.

05

Before you go

Why is the sign only in French?
Gatineau Park is administered by the NCC and the La Peche sector signage was replaced in 2019 with French-only plates after a budget cut. The main sectors have bilingual signs; this one does not.
How do I know I am on the right line at the turn?
The blue disc sits on a tree 8 m east of the right-of-way edge. If you reach a second set of tower footings, you have passed it.
Can this be linked to the La Peche lake circuit?
Yes, by descending to the lake shore and joining the circuit at its 6.9 km point. That combination is 13 km and is a full day.
06

Nearby and similar

The figures above are our own measurements from the date shown. Only the conditions on your day count: check the current forecast, the gate bulletin and the snowpack before you set out, and treat every ice crossing as open until you have tested it.