It is located at Km 336 of Route 389 leading to Fermont. Nestled in the northern wilderness, it offers various accommodations, packages, and outdoor activities. Tourists, scientific researchers, and the Innus of Pessamit mingle there during their stay.
Head north by taking Route 389 from Baie-Comeau. Sometimes winding, this legendary road is passable by all types of vehicles, in summer and winter alike. After 4.5 hours of driving, you arrive at Station Uapishka, at the foot of the mountains of the same name (also called the Groulx Mountains), several of which exceed 900 meters in altitude. Your experience begins, amidst the beauty and vastness of nature, in a feeling of pure freedom.
"We almost feel like time stands still. As soon as you take Route 389, you lose cell phone reception. At the Station, you are here 24/7 with us, which creates many interesting exchanges," emphasizes Stéphanie Landry, customer and marketing manager.
A Young Station with Dynamic Goals
In 2016, the Council of the Innus of Pessamit and the Manicouagan-Uapishka Biosphere Reserve joined forces to create Station Uapishka. They purchased the prospector's refuge, which was a sort of outfitter, to promote dynamic occupation of this northern territory. Their goal was to structure scientific, socio-professional, and tourist development in the area. Two years later, they moved on to the phase of optimizing infrastructure to focus on a more tourist-oriented clientele and develop their capacity to welcome visitors and researchers. The new main building was constructed and relocated due to the rising water level in the Manicouagan reservoir.
2021 marks the year for the Station's restructuring phase of tourist offerings, with new activities and accommodations. A completely renovated lodge, cottages for two to eight people, campsites, and ready-to-camp accommodations in shaputuans. "It's quite impressive to see the quality of our infrastructure in such an isolated environment, in the middle of nowhere." A catering service is available. About twenty employees are at work. Some services are offered year-round, others for nine months.
Exploring the Territory, on Foot and on the Water
Guides can take you hiking to Mounts Harfang, Geoffrey, and Provencher, where several ecosystems succeed each other before reaching the Arctic tundra. On the water, embark on a zodiac, kayak, or rabaska "for a completely different perspective on the scale of the massifs" and to navigate the reservoir, or the great Lake Manicouagan, a meteorite impact crater dubbed the "Eye of Quebec," the largest on Earth. This vast territory is one of the best places in Canada for snowmobiling. Soon, the Station will organize backcountry skiing.
This indigenous enterprise, at the heart of the social economy, serves as a springboard for its youth. It is driven by numerous development projects for the coming years. An invitation to return, again and again.
Written by: Christine Gilliet (Mots et marées)
Click here to listen to the Bonjour Côte-Nord podcast episode on Station Uapishka with Stéphanie Landry:
