In summary:
- Where: Gaspésie National Park
- Trail Name: La traversée des McGerrigle
- Length and duration: 25.2km (2 days, 1 night)
- Elevation: 600 meters
- Difficulty: Difficult (first day), Average (second day)
- Special feature:
- The Sepaq recommends to do the hike in 3 days, but it’s usually completed in two.
- Shuttle mandatory.
In detail:
Want to go for a multi-day hike? The McGerrigle crossing in the Gaspésie National Park is a must according to us! This two-day trek on the International Appalachian Trail begins with the ascent of Mont Jacques-Cartier (477 meters of elevation on 4.2km). The trail then takes you down the south-west side of the mountain (be careful, the path becomes very rough here). Far from the other hikers who make the round trip, this is the perfect time to see caribous. The trail will take you to the Tetras hut for your overnight stay (nearby lake for water refuelling). This first day of 9.3km takes between 4 and 5 hours (depending on your pace and your break at the top of Mount Jacques-Cartier).
The second day begins with the ascent of Mount Xalibu (100 meters), enjoy the view of the valley! After that, it’s downhill all the way to the visitor centre (the summit of Xalibu is at 1,112 meters of elevation and the arrival at 210 meters). You will cross the Rossalin hut once you have reached the bottom of the mountain, this is where you stop if you are making the hike in 3 days. If you chose to do it in 2 days, all you have to do is trek to the visitor centre through the forest path (the less interesting part of the hike). This second day of 14.9km takes between 5 and 6h30 (depending on your pace), but since it is downhill, it is not exhausting.
Happy hiking! Do not forget to reserve your spot on the shuttle and to share your story here!
Useful resources:
National Park of Gaspésie: https://www.sepaq.com/pq/gas/index.dot?language_id=1
