Made possible by Ski at School Outaouais (SASO), the adventure was about giving students an opportunity to test their limits by undergoing an extreme challenge and to promote active living in celebration of National Health and Fitness Day.

With several stops along the way, the group travelled around 140 km over a three and a half day stretch while eating and sleeping in local establishments in different parts of the region.

The group began the trip, in the early hours of Sunday morning, with a send-off from l’Ecole secondaire Sieur de Coulonge (ESSC), through the Pontiac Pacific Junction (PPJ) Trail on route to their first stop at the Campbell’s Bay RA.

After snacking up and reenergizing themselves, the group geared up again and took off, in the early afternoon, towards Shawville where they spent the night at Pontiac High School (PHS) – a total of 38 km.

On Monday morning, the group resumed its adventure under sunny blue skies, with a 25 km trek towards Quyon where they stayed for the night inside the Family Centre.

The following day consisted of an all-day 42-km push towards Aylmer, Que. before shuttling to Camp Fortune in Chelsea, Que., where they spent the night.

This morning, the skiers set out on a 17-km trek towards the Nation’s Capital to celebrate their momentous accomplishment while recognizing National Health and Fitness Day, upon arrival at their final destination.

According to ESSC outdoor education and physical education teacher Martin Bertrand, the state of the climate and weather conditions and its effect on performance was all a matter of perspective.

“It depends how you view it because, last year, I think the bad weather actually made the trip for us,” he said. “It wasn’t pleasant. But it brought everybody together. This year, it’s much more beautiful. But the conditions are actually going to be very sticky making us a bit slower.”

“It’s hard to say if it’s working to our advantage or not,” he added. “Skiing in a pair of shorts and a tee shirt is pretty nice. But it’s still a challenge.”

Looking at the growth the participants have undergone and the effort they’ve put into preparing for the adventure and fearlessly taking on such a big challenge, Bertrand was very proud knowing that no task seems to be too daunting for his students.

“It’s pretty incredible what our youth in the Pontiac can accomplish, if you just give them a little nudge” he said.

For Bertrand, the trip was about more than cross-country skiing. It was a chance for the kids to learn a number of important values, including the notions that hard work pays and that they can accomplish anything they want if they truly desire it.

“They’re resilient and this is all about the mental game,” he said. “They can all do it. They just have to convince themselves that they can and who cares if it takes eight hours one day or 10 hours another. As long as we make the distance.”

As a proud Pontiac resident, Bertrand echoed the importance of giving local youth opportunities to achieve beyond their dreams and to surpass their personally-established limitations because the future they essentially represent the future of the region.

“We have the whole Pontiac to kind of rebuild or give a lot of economic status and everything,” he said. “So, these kids, if they have that strength and power, they can do it here in the Pontiac.”

The excursion involved 10 students from l’Ecole secondaire Sieur de Coulonge (ESSC) in Mansfield et Pontefract and another from l’Ecole secondaire des Trois Chemins in Thurso, Que., alongside five guides and three others supporting them.

Initially, it was supposed to involves students from all three high schools in the Pontiac with a total of around 20 students.

Unfortunately, students from Pontiac High School in Shawville and Wilbert Keon School in Chapeau couldn’t make it this time around and will look forward to next year’s excursion, Bertrand said.

According to one of the guides and former Olympic swimming coach, Pierre Lafontaine, the most important aspect about the adventure is that it will hopefully motivate participants to take on more challenges, tell their friends about it and make the region a better more active place to live.

“What are they going to do when they go back to their schools and inspire other kids to get involved and be more active?” he said. “Hopefully they’re going to turn around and say you know what guys ‘Lets get the double of us next year. Let’s get kids involved,’ because really this is leadership. These are high school kids. This is about doing things they’ve never done in their lives and I think it’s pretty cool.”

For first-time skier and ESSC secondary five student Alexia Desrochers, the adventure was an absolute thrill and she’s grateful that it’s allowed her to connect with a lot of different people.

“Personally, I would never go cross-country skiing on my own,” she said. “But this is fun because it’s not just cross-country skiing. You stop every night and you hang out with everyone. It’s not about the skiing. It’s more about everything else.”

Desrochers was originally intrigued about the excursion after watching a 30-minute documentary about it, earlier this year.

While getting adapted to the sport initially required a period of adjustment, it didn’t take too long for her to get the hang of things and enjoy every step of the journey.

“It’s hard to get the technique at first, you just feel like a penguin,” she said. “But it’s like walking, once you get it. It’s not as hard as we thought it would be. The first few kilometres are the hardest. But then, it’s okay. It gets easier.”

As for ESSC secondary four student, Thomas Brousseau-Senecal, last year’s trip was so enjoyable that he decided to return for another go-round this time.

Unlike the cold, windy conditions that the previous excursion offered, this year, the weather was thankfully warm and sunny, making the struggle significantly more bearable for the participants, Brousseau-Senecal said.

“My impression is a lot better because the temperature is with us,” he said. “The sun is with us. We don’t have freezing rain. We don’t have big winds. So, this time it’s a lot better and a big success.”

Having gone through the gauntlet twice, Brousseau-Senecal explained that the best part of the adventure is the joy and satisfaction that he felt once he arrived at the finish line with his loved-ones waiting for him, knowing thast he accomplished something significant. Plus, the social aspect of the trip makes the times of struggle that much more worth experiencing.

“During the trip, you talk with friends, you encourage others,” he said. “You back and forth at the front of the group and the back of the group to see if everyone’s doing fine and you make new friendships, which is very appreciable.”

Generally thrilled with the experience, Brousseau-Senecal said he’s excitingly looking forward to participating on next year’s trip.

From left, student Nicolas Monette and ESSC outdoor education and physical education teacher Martin Bertrand ski alongside fellow guide and former coach with Canada’s swimming team.

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