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I recently returned from an absolutely epic 30-day film shoot in the beautiful province of Québec, Canada. I hiked, and backpacked, and mountain biked, and climbed, and ran, and star gazed, and ate, and paddled, and Via Ferrata ’ed my way through six diverse regions in Québec all showcasing mind-blowing fall colors. The Epic Trails episodes that will come out of this adventure will air next year, however I’m excited to share a glimpse into my time in “la belle province” by way of this blog.

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If there is an adventure capital of Québec, I feel it would probably be in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region. All of Québec is beautiful – and each it its own unique way - but the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region is a spectacular gem within a gem.

The Saguenay Fjord commands attention. Carved by ancient glaciers, the fjord slices through granite domes to create cliffs that dive vertically down into the rich waters of the Saguenay River that then feed into the St. Lawrence River.

Upon arrival, I met up with Simon-Olivier Côté, guide and owner of OrganisAction, to head out for three days of backpacking along the edge of the fjord. The trail winds through forests that smell like Christmas and offer a regular dose of stunning views.

The weather was not in our favor, as we battled low hangingclouds and rain that obscured many of the best views. But even the misty fogleft an enchanting feeling for the crew as we hiked and accumulated miles.

These amazing views here are protected by a unique pairing of parks. The terrestrial Parc national du Fjord-du-Saguenay protects the land along the fjord, and the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park is dedicated to protecting the marine environment.

Hikers and backpackers in the region can enjoy a well-designed hut system to keep warm and cozy along the trail. Each night Simon-Olivier and I enjoyed cooking up a fine meal, drinking some wine-in-a-bag and chatting by headlamp before bed.

In the mornings I would make coffee and sit out on the rocksto watch the sunrise over the fjord. As Simon-Olivier and I kept plugging away,I was amazed at how challenging the trail really was. In my mind I had picturedQuébec to be a flat landscape. But flat it is not.

After wrapping up the backpacking, I took the ferry acrossto the other side of the fjord for some more high adventure. Tucked into thepoetically named Baie Éternité (meaning ‘bay of eternity’) is one of theworld’s best via ferrata routes. Bolted high into the granite cliffs is apucker-inducing set of iron rungs and cables for adventure seekers to play on.

With the right equipment and guides, via ferrattas are very fun and quite safe. They are excellent playgrounds for both young and old. This one in particular offers some rather challenging route options which, to me, made it all the more fun! The unique feature of this park-run offering is the setting—it’s in one of the most beautiful locations a person could ask for. This course truly stands out!

I worked my way through the technical course for several hours with the assistance of guide Marion Lagauterie. When we finally made it to the top, I was amazed at the expansive views of the landscape as well as by just how extensive the via ferrata is here.

My time in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region was truly a special experience I won’t soon forget.