Route Transtaïga
Encyclopedia
The Trans-Taiga Road is an extremely remote wilderness road in northern Quebec, Canada
. It is 582 kilometres (361.6 mi) long to Centrale Brisay and another 84 kilometres (52.2 mi) along the Caniapiscau Reservoir
, all of it unpaved.
The road's northeastern terminus is almost at the 55th parallel north
, making it the northernmost continuous road in Eastern North America. Though the terminus is also the farthest point from any town (745 km or 466 miles (750 km) from Radisson
) via road in North America
, it is nonetheless relatively close - 190 kilometres (118.1 mi) - to Schefferville
geographically. It does not, however, provide access to it, as the intervening terrain is unpassable even in an all-terrain vehicle. The road's end is also close to the southern limit of Nunavik
, Quebec's Inuit region.
The Trans-Taiga Road branches off from the James Bay Road (French: Route de la Baie James) at kilometer 544. It was built as an access road to the hydro-electric generating stations of Hydro-Québec
along the La Grande River
and Caniapiscau River
. Several outfitter
s are established along this road, providing wilderness hunting and fishing expeditions, and some may also provide fuel, food and lodging. Otherwise, there are no services along this road.
While the Trans-Taiga Road is reportedly drivable by ordinary passenger vehicles for its entire length, Hydro-Québec recommends use of 4WD vehicles for the section between Brisay and Caniapiscau, which is of a rougher grade than the rest of the road.
As the name of the road indicates, this road winds its way through Quebec's vast boreal forest, characterized by stunted spruce and pine, bogs and rocky outcroppings. Taiga
is the Russian term for the same type of forest.
It has been suggested by both regional and provincial officials to build a link from the road's northeastern terminus in Caniapiscau
to Kuujjuaq
, several hundred miles to the north in Nunavik
, also accessing Schefferville
along the way. As the road east of Centrale Brisay is extremely rough (large rocks on the road surface), part of the existing road would also require upgrade; an extension via Schefferville would likely require crossing the province of Newfoundland and Labrador
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is 582 kilometres (361.6 mi) long to Centrale Brisay and another 84 kilometres (52.2 mi) along the Caniapiscau Reservoir
Caniapiscau Reservoir
The Caniapiscau Reservoir is a reservoir on the upper Caniapiscau River in the Côte-Nord administrative region of the Canadian province of Quebec...
, all of it unpaved.
The road's northeastern terminus is almost at the 55th parallel north
55th parallel north
The 55th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 55 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean....
, making it the northernmost continuous road in Eastern North America. Though the terminus is also the farthest point from any town (745 km or 466 miles (750 km) from Radisson
Radisson, Quebec
Radisson is a small village situated near the Robert-Bourassa hydroelectric power station on the La Grande River in the James Bay region of Quebec...
) via road in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, it is nonetheless relatively close - 190 kilometres (118.1 mi) - to Schefferville
Schefferville, Quebec
Schefferville is a town in the Canadian province of Quebec. Schefferville is in the heart of the Naskapi and Innu territory in northern Quebec, less than 2 km from the border with Labrador on the north shore of Knob Lake. The town has an incorporated area of . It is located within the...
geographically. It does not, however, provide access to it, as the intervening terrain is unpassable even in an all-terrain vehicle. The road's end is also close to the southern limit of Nunavik
Nunavik
Nunavik comprises the northern third of the province of Quebec, Canada. Covering a land area of 443,684.71 km² north of the 55th parallel, it is the homeland of the Inuit of Quebec...
, Quebec's Inuit region.
The Trans-Taiga Road branches off from the James Bay Road (French: Route de la Baie James) at kilometer 544. It was built as an access road to the hydro-electric generating stations of Hydro-Québec
Hydro-Québec
Hydro-Québec is a government-owned public utility established in 1944 by the Government of Quebec. Based in Montreal, the company is in charge of the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity across Quebec....
along the La Grande River
La Grande River
La Grande River is a river in northwestern Quebec, Canada, which rises in the highlands of north central Quebec and flows roughly west to drain into James Bay. It is the second largest river in Quebec, surpassed only by the Saint Lawrence River....
and Caniapiscau River
Caniapiscau River
The Caniapiscau River is a tributary of the Koksoak River in Nunavik, Quebec, Canada. In Cree the name of the river means rocky point.Starting from Lac Sevestre on the Canadian Shield, the Caniapiscau River flows northward through a wide, timbered glacial valley until it makes a sharp turn at its...
. Several outfitter
Outfitter
An outfitter is a shop or person that sells men's clothes . More specifically, it is a company or individual who provides or deals in equipment and supplies for the pursuit of certain activities. The term is most closely associated with outdoor activities such as rafting, hunting, fishing,...
s are established along this road, providing wilderness hunting and fishing expeditions, and some may also provide fuel, food and lodging. Otherwise, there are no services along this road.
While the Trans-Taiga Road is reportedly drivable by ordinary passenger vehicles for its entire length, Hydro-Québec recommends use of 4WD vehicles for the section between Brisay and Caniapiscau, which is of a rougher grade than the rest of the road.
As the name of the road indicates, this road winds its way through Quebec's vast boreal forest, characterized by stunted spruce and pine, bogs and rocky outcroppings. Taiga
Taiga
Taiga , also known as the boreal forest, is a biome characterized by coniferous forests.Taiga is the world's largest terrestrial biome. In North America it covers most of inland Canada and Alaska as well as parts of the extreme northern continental United States and is known as the Northwoods...
is the Russian term for the same type of forest.
It has been suggested by both regional and provincial officials to build a link from the road's northeastern terminus in Caniapiscau
Caniapiscau, Quebec
Caniapiscau is a vast unorganized territory in the Côte-Nord region of Quebec, Canada, part of Caniapiscau Regional County Municipality.The territory is home to the huge Caniapiscau Reservoir, the largest body of water in Quebec. The reservoir was named after Lake Caniapiscau that was flooded in...
to Kuujjuaq
Kuujjuaq, Quebec
Kuujjuaq is the largest Inuit village in Nunavik, Quebec, Canada with a population of 2,132 as of the 2006 census. This is up roughly 10% from 1,932 as of the 2001 Census. It is the administrative capital of Nunavik and lies on the western shore of the Koksoak River.Kuujjuaq previously was known...
, several hundred miles to the north in Nunavik
Nunavik
Nunavik comprises the northern third of the province of Quebec, Canada. Covering a land area of 443,684.71 km² north of the 55th parallel, it is the homeland of the Inuit of Quebec...
, also accessing Schefferville
Schefferville, Quebec
Schefferville is a town in the Canadian province of Quebec. Schefferville is in the heart of the Naskapi and Innu territory in northern Quebec, less than 2 km from the border with Labrador on the north shore of Knob Lake. The town has an incorporated area of . It is located within the...
along the way. As the road east of Centrale Brisay is extremely rough (large rocks on the road surface), part of the existing road would also require upgrade; an extension via Schefferville would likely require crossing the province of Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
.
Waypoints
| Km | Mi | |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | Start of Trans-taiga Road at km 544 of the James Bay Road |
| 23 | 14 | Emergency telephone |
| 56 | 35 | Sakami Lake |
| 62 | 39 | Robert-Bourassa Reservoir Robert-Bourassa Reservoir The Robert-Bourassa Reservoir is a man-made lake in northern Quebec, Canada. It was created in the mid 1970s as part of the James Bay Project and provides the needed water for the Robert-Bourassa and La Grande-2-A generating stations. It has a maximum surface area of , and a surface elevation... |
| 100 | 62 | junction with access road to La Grande-3 generating station La Grande-3 generating station The La Grande-3 or LG-3 is a hydroelectric dam on the La Grande River in northern Quebec, part of Hydro-Québec's James Bay Project. The station can generate 2,418 MW and was commissioned in 1982-1984. It generates electricity through the reservoir and dam system. The dam and reservoir both are... , 30 km north |
| 286 | 178 | Caladonia Lake, Nouchimi Outfitter, fuel available |
| 292 | 181 | La Grande-4 Airport La Grande-4 Airport La Grande-4 Airport is an airfield exclusively serving the La Grande-4 hydro-electric generating station in northern Quebec, Canada.-See also:* La Grande Rivière Airport* La Grande-3 Airport* La Grande-4/Lac de la Falaise Water Aerodrome... |
| 311 | 193 | junction with access road to La Grande-4 generating station La Grande-4 generating station The La Grande-4 is a hydroelectric generating station on the La Grande River that is part of Hydro-Québec's James Bay Project. The station can generate 2,779 MW and was commissioned in 1984–1986... , 5 km north |
| 358 | 222 | Mirage Outfitter and Pourvoirie Mirage Aerodrome Pourvoirie Mirage Aerodrome Pourvoirie Mirage Aerodrome is located on the Trans-Taiga Road near Mirage Lodge Quebec, Canada.... , fuel available |
| 395 | 245 | junction with access road to Laforge-1 generating station Laforge-1 generating station The Laforge-1 is a hydroelectric power station on the Laforge River, a tributary of the La Grande River, and is part of Hydro-Québec's James Bay Project. The station can generate 878 MW and was commissioned in 1993-1994. It generates electricity through the reservoir and dam system.- External links... , 38 km north |
| 525 | 326 | junction with access road to Laforge-2 generating station Laforge-2 generating station The Laforge-2 is a hydroelectric generating station on the Laforge River, a tributary of the La Grande River, and is part of Hydro-Québec's James Bay Project. The station can generate 319 MW and was commissioned in 1996. It is considered a "run of the river" generating station since the Laforge-2... , 6 km north |
| 582 | 362 | Brisay generating station Brisay generating station The Brisay hydroelectric power station is on the Caniapiscau Reservoir, in the Canadian province of Quebec. Part of Hydro-Québec's James Bay Project, the station can generate 469 MW and was commissioned in 1993. It generates electricity through the reservoir and dam system.- See also :* List of... |
| 666 | 414 | End of Transtaiga Road, Caniapiscau Reservoir |
- Source: Live through enormous: Visit the James Bay, Municipalité de Baie-James, February 2005.
External links
- Unofficial site, part of the James Bay Road site
- Plan by Quebec Provincial government includes study of a possible extension to Kuujjuaq.
- Mirage Outfitter