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Submitted by harts
Route description: Valleyfield Slalom Course and Training Centre
- Posted by
- harts
- Date posted
- May 16, 2007
- Date last travelled
- 2007-05-27 00:00
Valleyfield is an inner-city white water training centre. It is about the same length as Palmer Rapids, and provides a good year-round location to practice. It is reasonably close. It is not a pretty location, but a good option for those looking to practice eddies, surfing, or various other skills. It is class 2 at the bottom half, and class 2+ at the top. There are slalom gates on this river, which you can use or choose to ignore.
The water levels are quite consistent all year long, so this is a good option. There are some nice surf waves at the bottom, and a very easy portage trail the whole length of the river.
Valleyfield is a town on the St. Lawrence river, just south east of the point where the 401 meets hwy 20 (i.e. just inside the border of Quebec).
The trip, from downtown Ottawa, takes 1:45 to 2:00hrs and is about 170km one way.
- From Ottawa, take the 417 towards Montreal.
- Exit toward Monkland/Cornwall (exit 58)
- Drive to Cornwall (hwy 138) -- approximately 35km.
- Follow hwy 138. It turns right then left as you approach Cornwall.
- Before getting onto the 401, you can stop at Tim Horton’s in the mall that is just past the 401.
- Take the 401 East (toward Montreal).
- The 401 turns into Hwy 20 at the Quebec border
- Drive 14km after the border and exit at Route 201 Sud towards Salaberry-de-Valleyfield (exit 14)
- You’ll cross a few bridges, then you’ll enter Valleyfield. Take a right at Rue Alexandre (a 1 way street)
- Turn left on Rue Dufferin.
- You’ll see a shopping mall on the right. At the set of lights, turn into the shopping mall (you’ll see a Jean Coutu in the mall parking lot and a McDonalds on the other side of Dufferin)
- Drive BEHIND the Maxi grocery store. This will bring you to a small parking area behind the mall and you’ll see the river with gates hanging.
