“My country, it’s no longer winter”: the Great Crossing canceled again

For the second year in a row, the Grande Traversée de la Gaspésie (TDLG) is canceled due to the explosion in transport costs, but above all the lack of snow.

The board of directors of the Grande Traversée (TDLG) made this decision last week, but was waiting to announce it hoping for additional snowfall. However, he had to face the facts that the event, which normally takes place in February, could not go ahead, as was already the case in 2024.

We decided to take a break. We really need to think about what these winter events will look like.declares the president of the board of directors, Claudine Roy.

We have a good headwind which is that my country is winter, but we no longer have winter, so we have to see how we are going to reorient all thisshe says.

This year, very little snow fell in Chaleur Bay and on the tip of Gaspésie.

25 years ago, we skied practically the entire Gaspé Bay which is 35 kilometers long. This year, the inner bay of Gaspé is not even frozenadds Ms. Roy.

Gaspé Bay, we could go sailing there! I’ve never seen that. From Penouille to Gaspé, zero frost, I’ve never seen that.

There is no snow! There is no snow and [avant]we started scouting at the beginning of December with snowmobiles.

It’s always heartbreaking to cancel an event that you have built over the years, where there was a lot of involvement from the community and where everyone pitched in with hundreds of volunteers. . It’s not easy, but yes, we have to face the factsagrees Claudine Roy.

Bus transportation costs also weighed in the organizers’ decision.

Before, we chartered three Orléans Express buses which left Montreal and took our people from Gaspé for $5,000 per bus per week. There, we can’t even get any anymore and last year, it was $25,000 per bus. Costs have explodedexplains Ms. Roy.

If we went ahead and got a week of rain, the people who paid, even if they signed a waiver, […] they can continue. I have seen winter organizations get sued because we canceled at the last minute and people want to be reimbursed, but all the costs, the deposits are already made and people often ask us to be paid in advance so as not to lose, because they are small businessesadds Claudine Roy.

The board is currently evaluating its options for the coming years. During the 2023 edition, the organizers had already added snowshoeing to skiing to ensure activities, even during mild spells.

We are thinking. Can we find another winter model to invite people to come? If we invite them for hiking, I think it would be much less interesting.