By Ève Blais-Cloutier
It often begins this way, good ideas. A small breakfast between friends on a Sunday morning with too much coffee and not enough food. Discussions become swift and flow rapidly, our imaginations lift off… and just like that, we pick a challenge for ourselves and it is a little crazy: To climb the five highest peaks in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, in under 24 hours.
An electric car, a ravito mobile (and on-the-go food and beverage supplies station), music blasting through the speakers, it’s a go!
The Goal
In total, the challenge awaiting us represents 25 kilometers, 1 472 meters in elevation gain, 5 summits to ascend between sunrise and sunset times (from 6 AM to 6 PM).
The Summit Selection:
- Mount Dominant (8 km) – To start with a bang for a spectacular sunrise.
- D’Alembert Hills (8 km) – Quite a demanding ascension, but such a gratifying one.
- The Sparrowhawk’s Nest (fr: Nid de l’Épervier) (3 km) – Hidden among the Kékéko Hills, a real gem.
- Mount Kanasuta (3 km) – Not the ski station, the other one! The one with the La Yol trails network.
- Mount Cheminis (fr: Mont Chaudron) (3 km) – The great finale, as well as the most impressive to us.
Prepping time
Before leaving, we had to think through everything: from the starting time, to the order in which we would face the different peaks, what to bring in the ravito mobile (and of course, the obvious celebratory beer reserved for the final summit).
The day before, we spent the night at a cottage near the starting line, in the Parc national d’Aiguebelle.
The moon was full and the landscape took our breaths away. We laughed, ate well, and went to bed early. With an alarm set for 4:45 AM in the morning, we had no time to waste!
The day of our dreams
First, we began ascending Mount Dominant, frontal flashlights on our heads and puffer coats well zipped up (the weather was freezing cold). Hiking, by night, under the stars, it was magical. Thus, we arrived at the top just in time for sunrise… WOW! What a breathtaking view over the Abitibi-Témiscamingue’s landscape. We were rendered speechless.
There was no time to lose, we headed towards D’Alembert Hills. There, a heating sensation creeped up inside our legs and we could start to notice the first signs of fatigue. But, oh! Was it worth its while! At the top, we even spotted another mount that sparked our curiosity: the mysterious Mount Duprat. Future adventure material? Maybe so.
Then, we hike down the hills and enjoy a well deserved lunch break back in town. A little food and water and we are back on the road heading towards the The Sparrowhawk’s Nest at Kékéko Hills. Of course, by now, our legs show signs of intense effort, but a surprise encounter with friends on the trail boosts our energy levels.
The Summit of the Day
Fourth stop: Mount Kanasuta. We take somewhat of a daring shortcut (kind of half-hiking, half-climbing), just for the thrill. Then, we could discern our next challenge on the horizon : le Mount Cheminis .
We were heavily apprehending Mount Cheminis (fr: Mont Chaudron). We had read reviews criticizing how the trails were supposedly, how can I say, wild. But surprise! The impeccable markings made our ascension stress-free. When we reached the top, other people were already there to admire the sunset. We found a quiet spot to savor our beers. Mission accomplished.
An experience to re-live
The 5-Summits Challenge, it’s so much more than a big hike. It’s a friendship trip, an achievement in surpassing oneself, and an opportunity to connect with our beautiful territory. Seriously, we are lucky to live here.
And for those who find that 25 km in a day is a little intense, why not experience this challenge but split into five different occasions, one mountain at a time! You could fully enjoy each summit, at your own rhythm, and reconnect abundantly with nature. No matter how you choose to make it happen, this challenge is a must-live, absolutely.
See you on the next adventure!
