Ski Touring
Murdochville: from the brink of abandonment to backcountry paradise
As a mining town, Murdochville was born from making the best of the town's natural resources. It lives on today for the same reason, but the resource in question has changed.
After nine hours of driving snow covered roads, a wave of relief washes over me when I finally arrive in Murdochville, Québec. For a while, I thought I was lost.
Most of my trip had been along a scenic stretch of Quebec Route 132 that runs parallel to the shoreline of the St. Lawrence seaway. But as soon as I turned away from the ice filled waters and began driving up into the mountains that come crashing down to meet the sea, it seemed as if all signs of civilization had suddenly vanished. I was left to count the trees and watch the snowbanks grow taller and taller the further my car climbed uphill.
Forty minutes passed without so much as a mailbox to give me hope anyone lived on this road. As I began to debate whether to pull over to check a map, I rounded a corner and was suddenly in the middle of the secluded Québecois town.
Murdochville is quickly becoming an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise, a hidden gem for those willing to put in the effort to get there. Located six hours northeast of Quebec City in the heart of the Chic Choc Mountains on Québec’s Gaspésie Peninsula, Murdochville is undoubtedly remote. It is the only municipality along a 132km stretch of road that cuts through the heavily eroded peaks and valleys in the range. The town sits at 535m above sea level and sees an average of seven metres of snowfall each winter – an impressive amount, especially by east coast standards. Surrounded on all sides by several steep mountains, including the 25+ 1000m peaks within the Chic Chocs, it’s no wonder why backcountry skiers and riders rave about visiting the area.
Yep. This is the east coast.
© Taylor Sudermann
Shortly after the mine’s closure, 65% of the remaining residents voted in favour of abandoning Murdochville for good.
But at one point not too long ago, Murdochville was on the brink of extinction. In the early 1900s, a rich supply of copper ore was discovered close to where Murdochville now stands. By the 1950s, a relatively large mining operation sprung up and the town was formally established to support it. At its peak, nearly 5,000 residents lived in the area, 2,000 of which were employed by the mines. But when resources were exhausted, operations shut down in 2002 and the community was left with little hope for the future. Shortly after the mine’s closure, 65% of the remaining residents voted in favour of abandoning Murdochville for good.
Final destination = pow town
© Taylor Sudermann
While the Québec government ultimately intervened to prevent the closure from taking effect, Murdochville’s future was still bleak. There was just one major business in the area employing 50 people, and the economic outlook was “doomed to fail within a decade” according to some officials, citing its isolated location. The town’s population dwindled to less than 1000 and many of the houses were abandoned, dropping real estate prices to as low as $15,000.
Murdochville would need something, anything, to put it back on the map. And that’s exactly what backcountry skiing did once it came to town.
On the east side of Murdochville, Mont Miller ski hill rises up with a t-bar lift and a blue hostel at its base. The hostel, Auberge Chic-Chac, seems unassuming at first, but the backcountry ski & snowboard lodge’s success has helped Murdochville redefine itself as a hub for outdoor recreation. First opened in 2006, the Chic-Chac started out as a modest operation that offered guided snowmobile and ski touring trips around the surrounding area. Demand quickly increased as word spread about the incredible snow conditions and terrain that could not be found anywhere else on the east coast. While Murdochville was continuing to cope with the loss of the mine, the Chic-Chac was proving there was an answer to the problem. Business was successful year after year, and outside investors were willing to provide them with funding and resources that the town desperately needed.
These days, the Chic-Chac offers access to skiable terrain on three mountains via snowcats, snowmobiles, ski touring and even a helicopter. They employ 45 seasonal workers and have started to see the town’s real estate market make a comeback as employees and visitors invest in properties to use as vacation homes. As they look towards the future, the Chic-Chac hopes to make Murdochville a year round destination by expanding a network of mountain bike trails and campsites to encourage visitors to come fish, hike, bike and whitewater raft during the summer.
The community is optimistic about their future and the excited energy surrounding the outdoor scene is uplifting to experience. While there’s still plenty of work to be done, the towns sees an increase in visitors each year.
After spending four days of skiing some of the best terrain I’ve ever seen on the east coast, I can confidently say that I’ll be making the pilgrimage back to Murdochville very, very soon.