Chic-Choc Mountains

The Chic-Choc Mountains, also spelled Shick Shocks, form a mountain range in the central region of the Gaspe Peninsula in Quebec, Canada. It is a part of the Notre Dame Mountains, which are a subrange of the Appalachians.^[1]

Chic-Choc Mountains
Highest point
Peak	Mount Jacques-Cartier
Elevation	1,268 m (4,160 ft)
Coordinates	48°59′26″N 65°56′33″W
Dimensions
Length	95 km (59 mi) East-West
Width	10 km (6.2 mi)
Geography
Chic-Choc Mountains Location in Quebec#Location in Canada Show map of Quebec Chic-Choc Mountains Chic-Choc Mountains (Canada) Show map of Canada
Country	Canada
Region	Quebec
Range coordinates	48°55′N 66°00′W
Parent range	Notre Dame Mountains

History

The name Chic-Chocs comes from the Mi'kmaq word sigsôg, meaning "crags" or "rocky mountains."^{[disputed – discuss]} It has undergone many different spellings over time, including Chikchâks (1836), Shick-shock (1857), and Chick-Saws (1863).^[1]

Geography

The Chic-Chocs run parallel to the St. Lawrence River and are located some 20 to 40 kilometers inland. They are a narrow band of mountains approximately 95 kilometres (59 mi) long and 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) wide.^[1] The Chic-Chocs are heavily eroded, with rounded, flattened tops and steep sides. Over 32 mountains in the range have peaks higher than 1,000 metres (3,300 ft); the highest is Mount Jacques-Cartier at 1,268 metres (4,160 ft). Caribou can be found in the plateaus of this region.

Tourism

Although visited^[when?] by just a few^[quantify] tourists, Chic-Choc Mountains became much more popular^{[according to whom?]} in the late 1990s as backcountry skiing gained popularity in Eastern Canada.^{[citation needed]}

Some of the most popular backcountry skiing areas in the region include Mont Hogs Back, Mont Albert, Champ Mars, Mount Logan, and Mines Madeleine.^{[citation needed]}

The mountains near Mont Saint Pierre are a destination for ice climbers.^[2]

A network of trails, including the International Appalachian Trail, passes through these mountains. Quebec's Parc national de la Gaspésie protects most of the mountain range.

Gallery

• 
  Chic-choc from Mont Xalibu
• 
  View from Mont Jacques-Cartier
• 
  Winter in the Chic Choc Mountains
• 
  Near Sayabec
• 
  Parc de la Gaspésie

See also

• Appalachian Uplands
• List of subranges of the Appalachian Mountains
• Jacques Cartier