Megantic Mountain

Updated August 2022 to mark the 

50th Anniversary

of our 1972 trek across the mountain

Majestic Megantic Mountain is situated in the mountainous southeastern corner of Quebec near the border with Maine and New Hampshire. Relatively unknown not so long ago, the mountain has since had an astronomy observatory built on the top and has become a provincial park.

A wintry scene of Megantic Mountain

Once upon a time when Ted and I we were young, we loved venturing into the woods in search of adventure, whether real or imaginary. In spring just as the snow began to melt, the two of us would explore further into the wilderness forests and climb the hills southward from behind the tiny village of Milan, Quebec, just to prove to ourselves we could reach the top and discover how far we could go. We chose spring of year because melting snow does not blow and drift; meaning our footprints in the wet snow would remain uncovered and provide us with an unmistakable route back out of the woods. 

Megantic Mountain, distant several miles, was always familiar to Ted and me and visible from just outside Milan. As we grew older, Ted and I discussed hiking to the top of Megantic Mountain, and at times dreamed about making the journey. On weekends through summer 1971 we carried out a few trial hikes from Scotstown to the foot of the mountain at the small dam on Mountain Brook.

Megantic Mountain on a beautiful summer day

Finally in late August 1972, Ted and I together with our friend Ron hiked through the valley forests and over those peaks that comprise Megantic Mountain. Our trek was made eastward from the Scotstown end of the mountain to the small chapel on the eastern summit. 

None of today's network of park trails existed back in 1972, thus we had to rely on a compass and a topographical map to find our way. 

Everything else we needed was carried in our backpacks.

1. Junction with the Franceville Road. (About 4 miles from Scotsown) 

2. The access road into the camp (about 2 miles from the Franceville road) was a two-rut road that wasn't wide enough to pass an opposing vehicle. The camp was a cabin located at the dam on Mountain Brook, and back then, was known locally as the Walter MacKenzie camp. Walter Mackenzie owned the cabin.

3. The two-rut road continued, but was impassible for most vehicles from the 2 to 3. The road ended in a small clearing beside the brook. From 3, no route existed and we were plotting our course with map and compass.

Walking through hardwood forests was easy, but as the ascent steepened, the deciduous trees gave way to conifers. Stands of evergreen trees proved very difficult to shove through. Stunted tree growth in some places made our required route impassible, forcing us to plot detours to get around. 

Along our route we encountered several deep, tree-covered ravines that we had to carefully descend and ascend in order to safely cross. Our map only showed them as small streams, but we were grateful for the cold, clean water for drinking. At higher elevations we encountered areas strewn with massive granite boulders that looked like piled-up giant marbles. These obstacles also were too difficult to climb over, and thus forced us to make more detours.

3. As mentioned, no route existed from here, and neither did convenience. We were compelled to wade Mountain Brook, which was a calf-deep small river rather than a brook.

4. At 4, crossing that unnamed smaller stream was an unexpected challenge, because it was a rocky ravine littered with numerous fallen moss-covered tree trunks.

5. Our route from 4 to 5 was uphill and became more difficult to traverse. Detouring around impassible obstacles made hiking slow and arduous. Near 5 we encountered the remains an overgrown logging road and finding a small flat opening, decided to set up camp on it.

We spent one night on the slope not too far from where the observatory is now located. Back in 1972 the site of observatory hadn't surveyed, and maybe not even planned. Total darkness arrives fast in a forested area after sunset, and well before the last vestiges of sunset fade from the sky.

5. Where we resumed our trek on day two.

6. The approximate location where we came out of the woods onto the road, which wasn't much more than a steep, two-rut gravel road.

7. Top of the mountain.

8. Junction with the gravel road between Notre Due des Bois (southward) and Val Racine (northward)

9. Details in the following image

Early the following morning and after breakfast, we resumed our eastward journey. 

About an hour later and after covering some difficult terrain, we broke out of the woods upon reaching the gravel road that led to the top of the eastern end of the mountain, exiting about 200 yards south (downhill) from where we'd planned to intersect the road. I knew this because my targeted location was the small roadside spring where we would find drinkable water.

After making those unexpected course changes and correction compensations the day before, we were astonished to have been this close.

 Facing eastward, this is the view from the top of the mountain.
That cul-de-sac road far below (lower left area) makes a T at the road between Notre Dame des Bois and Val Racine. Location is at 9 in the map above.

After our exit from the forest, we were looking at another 14 miles of hiking to reach Milan, but the remainder of our journey would be made on gravel roads.

Tiny Eglise St. Joseph's atop the mountain.
This may explain why years ago Megantic Mountain was occasionally referred to as Mont St. Joseph.
Not shown here and the church faces, is a tall antenna tower.

Crossing Megantic Mountain proved to be one of the most arduous and difficult hikes I have ever undertaken but it was the fulfillment of one dream of my youth, as foolish as it may have been.

The God of Israel said,

“For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed, says the Lord, who has compassion on you.” 

(Isaiah 54:10)

The meaning of this verse really does come alive when reading it aloud at the foot of Megantic Mountain, or any mountain. The magnitude of God’s love and peace is truly immeasurable and immovable from us.

The Oddblock Station Agent 

Another view from near the top

Addendum April 01, 2019

During that week in August 1972 after Ted, Ron and I made that trek across Megantic Mountain, my grandfather told us about a forest fire that burned much of Megantic Mountain.

While on the mountain I never saw much evidence that there had ever been a forest fire except perhaps for many dead tree trunks that were once quite noticeable on the slopes when seen from the Salmon River near Scotstown.

These many decades later and purely by chance, I stumbled upon this item from a CPR-related publication posted on line. Grandpa was right and he would've been 20 at the time.

The severity of that forest fire was great, and to place the size of the area affected into perspective, Scotstown and Megantic are nearly twenty-five miles apart.

Sad and ironic to realize too, 105 years later, a freight train on the same railway line destroyed much of the older part of Megantic in that wreck on July 06, 2013.

The town of Springhill mentioned above is known today as Nantes, that same Nantes where that oil train had been parked.

Addendum August, 2022

I sourced these images from the internet, and I must admit that I'm astounded to learn this is the present day location of what was once the location of the Walter Mackenzie camp.

View of the parking lot from the building shown in the above image.