They are going to cross the Gaspé peninsula… in a straight line

Photo courtesy, Jonathan Fournier
Daniel Barriault and Jacob Root intend to walk 12 to 14 hours per day for 10 days.

Stephanie Gendron

Saturday, 22 July, 2017 18:31

UPDATE
Saturday, 22 July, 2017 18:31

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SAINTE-FLAVIE | Two adventurers will attempt to cross the Gaspé peninsula in 10 days by following a straight line, across the massif des Chic-Chocs, a dozen rivers and nurseries to black flies.

Jacob Root, 40 years, and Daniel Barriault, 33 years old, have not chosen the easiest way to cross the Gaspé peninsula. They will walk by forcing them to move in a straight line, regardless of the obstacles they encounter.

In addition, they have decided to bring a minimum of equipment. “We’re going to take all the means imaginable to keep the line straight. It starts really in the unknown, ” says Jacob Root.

The guide in adventure tourism and outdoor living in the Gaspésie is accustomed to challenges. He met Daniel Barriault during a shoot tele and he said he wanted to do an expedition that would last several days. “I have suggested to cross the Gaspésie in a straight line where you do contournes no obstacle, and the idea made its path,” says he, laughing.

Two massive and several rivers

On Monday, they will leave Sainte-Flavie in the direction of Drilled and will move to 300 miles in 10 days and 4000 meters of positive height gain. They anticipate having to walk 12 to 14 hours each day to get to Perce on 2 August.

They will meet without a doubt, moose, black bears, coyotes, and possibly caribou. They go through two massive mountains and a dozen rivers, including a wide of 60 meters.

“Whether it’s in the heart of the Chic-Chocs involves a lot of ascents and descents, and there is no stopping. It is hyper-intense. It is bared, with the minimum of clothing and protection, ” says Jacob Root.

Without a tent

They sleep without a tent, under a tarp, in their sleeping bags with a net on the head, to protect them from flies.

When they will face challenges such as climbing walls or ravines, they will have to widen the head for the face. “If we arrive at the end of a ravine 80 meters and 60 meters of rope, it is necessary to find a way to stop in the middle of the wall, to stand, to attach the rope to a tree and continue to go down,” he says.

Jacob Root is fascinated by the challenge period, 10 days. “When it lasts three days, you can always say that it is soon to be over. When you’re at five days and that you are in tatters, but that thou hast only half done… the mental aspect scares me and stimulates me at the time, ” says the adventurer.

In their backpacks

• Tarp, groundsheet and sleeping bag.
• Cord of 5 mm to 60 meters long.
• Short pants, hiking boots, t-shirts, tracksuits polar fleece, and leggings.
• Dehydrated food, protein bars, a bowl of 500 ml, stove, water bottles.
• Head lamps, GPS, compass, satellite phone, tag.