Written by Simon Ruel, Altitude Sports writer.
Translation: Reilly Doucet

In the fall of 2021, while participating in the Marathon des Sables in the sweltering heat of the Sahara desert, Mathieu Blanchard and Loury Lag dreamt of cold and snow as a way of escaping the scorching conditions. It was in this climate, the antithesis of Quebec winter, that they conceived the idea of crossing an equally hostile environment: the eye of Quebec, near Baie-Comeau, in the Côté-Nord region.

Almost a year later, we spoke with the two travel companions to review last winter's chilling adventure. Discover their equipment choices and tips in the video below, and read on for their impressions of their northern journey. 

The Eye of Quebec is an astrobleme, a trace left by the impact of a large meteorite, 214 million years ago. The crater became the cradle of a unique ecosystem, containing various types of vegetation, much of which is now submerged by the Manicouagan reservoir. It is on this frozen lake, formed by the construction of the Daniel-Johnson hydroelectric dam in the 1960s, that the adventurers completed a 240-kilometre loop, at the height of winter in 2022. 

The duo looking for a winter adventure were definitely granted it. They travelled hundreds of kilometres across the surface of a frozen lake in the middle of February, so that the ice would be thick enough and the cold constant enough. It took them ten days to complete the journey, which was more or less what they had planned. But that estimation was critical, since they needed to foresee their food and fuel accordingly. The crossing wasn't an easy feat, especially considering how few people had ventured out on the lake before them. 

Of course, as high-level athletes, Mathieu, an ultra-trail runner, and Loury, an explorer, are used to the physical preparation required for such an undertaking. It's been part of their daily life for a long time. But for this trip, the technical aspect of survival in the wild, in such a cold climate, was more present than ever. 

When the two discuss the ten days they spent together in the cold, they talk a lot about sharing. They knew that Loury would have to show Mathieu quite a bit about big expeditions. Because, well, there's a lot to learn: setting up a tent with mittens, in the wind; lighting a burner in the cold, amid powerful gusts; repairing equipment and tending to wounds... 

That said, it's those powerful moments that draw people like them to this kind of project. That, and the lessons learned. The two adventurers describe a unique feeling, evoked by the particular character of the trip's events. The experience was all the more special because it required organization and rigor, as well as constant vigilance. The senses were always on high alert as they lived through something truly grandiose. The pair learned to notice the details, and realized that just like in the desert, the scenery is very diverse: snow waves, compression ridges, cracked ice, and islands emerging in the distance. 

But how did they deal with the fear? After all, it was not a quiet Sunday afternoon hike - the danger was very real. Mathieu and Loury put things into perspective, agreeing that fear is part of the job. You can use it, as well as develop it, and tame it. It's a kind of guide, in the taking of risks. 

Still, during an adventure of this magnitude, you can't just think on a philosophical level: the threats are concrete. Imagine trying to sleep at thirty degrees below zero, and waking up to the sound of ice cracking under your tent. Well, that's exactly what the guys experienced, isolated as they were in the infinity of the polar night. It makes you shiver just thinking about it, and that's without counting the pack of wolves that had been spotted in the area shortly before their departure, tearing apart a moose. 

Yet the real challenge...is the cold. Sure, it's an obvious one, and the explorers were no doubt prepared for it. But when you're really in it, it's still a shock. As Mathieu puts it bluntly, "sleeping in a tent, when it's minus thirty degrees, is painful. Even with the right equipment, it's difficult to anticipate how you'll have to adapt to the cold: "you have to accept it, in order to free yourself from its incessant bite." Brr. 

When asked what they liked the most about the entire adventure, they talked once again about sharing. In fact, it seems to be the theme of everything they experienced: the sharing of skills between Loury and Mathieu; the sharing of emotions with their entourage and loved ones; the generous welcome from the Innu Nation; and the help they received from locals in the different regions they crossed. 

Taking up a challenge as big and bold as this one would be somewhat futile without a certain spiritual element. So let's save the last word for Mathieu Blanchard, who puts it so well: