Aerial view of Dogstar Cabin on its wooded clifftop above a snow-covered valley

Dogstar

An old hunters' cabin, a long way from anything

The largest and most remote of our wilderness cabin offerings, Dogstar sits in the heart of LeTerrain, surrounded by thousands of acres of wilderness, perched 200 feet above the Quyon Valley. The view stretches as far as the eye can see, east and west, without a single sign of humanity. Here, you may hear wolves howling at dusk and watch the sun rise over an untouched wilderness. There are not many places left in the world where you can experience something like this.

Dawn over the valley below Dogstar: forested ridges receding to the far hills, with mist lying along the valley floor

The best view in the Gatineau hills

You wake up above the mist. Ridge behind ridge to the far hills, the Quyon running somewhere under the white, and not one road, roofline or wire in any of it.

Off grid, not roughing it

A wood stove that heats the whole cabin, propane for cooking, a kitchen with everything already in it, and a bathroom. What you do not get is running water, WiFi, or anything to do in the evening except watch the valley go dark. Bring bedding, food, and ice for the cooler.

See the cabin

Getting there

  • A 15 to 20 minute hike from the main log house
  • Arrive well before dark, and pack lightly
  • Luggage shuttle, 30$ each way: 3.00pm to 5.00pm on check-in day, 10am to 12pm on check-out day

Sleeping

  • A loft that sleeps two
  • A fold-out couch for two more

Kitchen

  • Propane stovetop, BBQ and heater
  • Pots and pans, plates, cutlery and a stovetop coffee maker
  • Deep-country well water, in a 5-gallon jug
  • A cooler for food and drinks

The building

  • Wood stove, with firewood provided October to March at 20$ a night
  • A large back porch under the stars, over the valley
  • Bathroom with a modern eco toilet
  • Moderate solar power, set up for lights
  • Comfortable and cosy, and you may still see a mouse: keep food packed away at night

Safety and outside

  • Smoke alarm, carbon monoxide alarm, fire extinguisher and first aid kit
  • Fire pit and outdoor furniture
  • Cleaning products

Connection

  • No running water and no WiFi
  • A couple of bars of cell reception, enough for a text or an email
A woman walking the leaf-covered path through golden autumn hardwoods, the green cabin and its covered porch just visible ahead
The valley from the cliff in autumn: mixed forest to distant hills, with the river winding through marsh at the centre
The large back porch: timber frame, two dark bar stools facing the rail and the forest beyond
Looking down from the sleeping loft over the living area, rugs, couch, round table and kitchen, with the porch through the windows
The living area: a black cast iron wood stove with split firewood stacked beside it, a couch in the foreground, and the sleeping loft above the door
The kitchen in low autumn sun: a white propane range with a kettle, a dark counter along the window wall, and a half-round table under a large picture window
The half-round table built under the picture window, chair drawn up, autumn trees filling the glass
The cabin seen through autumn branches at sunset, its porch lit from behind, a picnic table on the slope beside it
Winter sunrise from the clifftop: the sun starring over the far hills, snow-covered valley and bare trees below

The last of the walk

The path comes up through the hardwoods and the cabin shows through the trunks ahead, green board and glass. Fifteen or twenty minutes from the main log house.

The water you look down on

From the cliff the valley reads as one green sweep. Inside it the Quyon runs for miles through marsh and forest, and at first light the mist comes off it.

The river meandering through an autumn marsh at sunrise, mist lying over the water between forested ridges Video

The river, from the air

Sunrise on the Quyon in autumn, mist still on the water, with Steve paddling the channel through the marsh.

Stay up there, keep it wild

This land stays wild because of the people who stay in its cabins. Membership opens the trails and the dark sky preserve from CA$20 a month, and Earth members book Dogstar at 25% off. Cancel any time.

Become a member