Rivière à l'Épaule facts for kids

The Rivière à l'Épaule (which means "Shoulder River" in English) is a river in Quebec, Canada. It flows into the Jacques-Cartier River. This river is located in the Capitale-Nationale region.

The river flows through two areas: Lac-Jacques-Cartier and Stoneham-et-Tewkesbury. The entire river is inside the Jacques-Cartier National Park. This park is managed by Sépaq, a group that looks after Quebec's outdoor spaces.

A main road, Route 175, runs along the east side of the river's valley. This road connects Quebec and Saguenay. Other smaller roads are used for logging and for people visiting the area for fun.

The main activities here are forestry (cutting down trees) and tourism (people visiting for recreation). The river usually freezes from early December to late March. It's safe to walk on the ice from late December to early March.

River's Journey: Where it Starts and Ends

The Rivière à l'Épaule begins at a small lake called Petit lac à l'Épaule. This lake is 1.3 kilometres (0.81 mi) long and 0.4 kilometres (0.25 mi) wide. It sits at an altitude of 772 metres (2,533 ft). You can find it in the Lac-Jacques-Cartier area.

This starting lake is also part of the Laurentides Wildlife Reserve. Route 175 passes right by its eastern shore. There's a marshy area on the lake's north side.

The Rivière à l'Épaule collects water from an area of 87 square kilometres (34 sq mi).

From the dam at Petit lac à l'Épaule, the river flows for 25.0 kilometres (15.5 mi). It generally goes southwest in a fairly straight line. The river drops 552 metres (1,811 ft) in height from its source to its mouth.

• For the first 8.0 kilometres (5.0 mi), it flows southwest.
• It crosses Lac à l'Épaule for 2.9 kilometres (1.8 mi). This lake is at an altitude of 651 metres (2,136 ft).
• Then, it continues for 17.0 kilometres (10.6 mi) southwest through a deep valley.

Finally, the Rivière à l'Épaule empties into the Jacques-Cartier River. This happens at the base of a mountain called Montagne de l'Épaule. From this meeting point, the water flows down the Jacques-Cartier River for 41.9 kilometres (26.0 mi). It then reaches the northeast bank of the St. Lawrence River.

Why is it Called "Shoulder River"?

The name "Rivière à l'Épaule" is very old. Its exact meaning isn't certain. However, one main idea is that "shoulder" here means a flat, gently sloping area. This kind of area often connects two valleys that are at different heights. This is common in places that were once covered by glaciers.

In 1829, a surveyor named John Adams mentioned the "L'Épaule River" and "Montagne de l'Épaule." William Ware described the area around Lac Épaule in 1835.

Long ago, in the 1600s, Jesuit missionaries used to travel through this area. They followed a path made by the Innu people to get to lac Saint-Jean. Around 1829, a map drawn by Wendat (Huron) chief Nicholas Vincent showed the river with its Wendat name, Hüaonjacaronté.

Historical Events and Famous Visitors

This area was once on the edge of where settlers lived. In 1867, people tried to clear the land for farming. The government later built a shelter there for travelers coming from Lac-Saint-Jean. A road to Jacques-Cartier Lake was also built.

Starting in 1907, places were built for sport fishermen to stay. Later, a place called Camp Devlin was added.

In the summer of 1943, something very important happened at Lac à l'Épaule. Two famous leaders, Sir Winston Churchill and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, visited. They were in Quebec for a meeting during World War II.

A larger building, built in 1946 by a logging company, later became a meeting spot for government officials. In September 1962, a special meeting of Quebec government ministers took place there. This meeting made the phrase "shoulder-to-shoulder" famous in Quebec. The ministers met to decide if they should ask the public to vote on a big idea. This idea was to give Hydro-Quebec the job of managing all of Quebec's hydroelectric power.

The name "Rivière à l'Épaule" was officially recognized on December 5, 1968. This was done by the Commission de toponymie du Québec, which is in charge of place names in Quebec.