The surface of Ashuapmushuan Lake is usually frozen from early November to mid-May, however, safe ice movement is generally from mid-November to mid-April.
Geography
This lake has a length of 13.4 kilometres (8.3 mi) oriented north-west, a maximum width of 2.4 kilometres (1.5 mi) and an altitude of 371 metres (1,217 ft). Towards the center of the lake, a first bay stretches over 0.8 kilometres (0.50 mi) to the east; a second stretches southward on 1.6 kilometres (0.99 mi). In addition, a third bay stretches 0.5 metres (1 ft 8 in) northeasterly from its southern tip to the mouth of the Licorne River.
The mouth of Lake Ashuapmushuan is located at:
8.8 kilometres (5.5 mi) southwesterly of the route 167;
From the mouth of Ashuapmushuan Lake, the current of the Ashuapmushuan River flows northward on 35.9 kilometres (22.3 mi), then 144 kilometres (89 mi) south-east to its confluence with lac Saint-Jean where it empties onto the west shore.
Toponymy
On the peninsula at the northwestern end of the lake, at the confluence of the Marquette River, Normandin River, and Ashuapmushuan River, a trading post was built in the early eighteenth century. It has been in operation for several decades.
In the Ilnue language, ashuapmushuan means "where moose are being watched". Since the late nineteenth century, a dozen different spellings of the name of this body of water has been noted, whose form "Lac Chamouchouan" noted on a map of 1897.[2][3][4][5][6]
^Distances measured from the Atlas of Canada (published on the Internet) of the Department of Natural Resources Canada.
^BUIS, Arthur, Le Saguenay et la vallée du lac St-Jean (English: The Saguenay and the Lac St-Jean valley): [...]", Quebec, 1880, 342 pages.
^GIROUX, Thomas-Edmond, De Québec au lac Saint-Jean (English : From Quebec to Lac Saint-Jean) [... ], Editions Science Moderne, Chicoutimi, Saguenay Historical Society Publications, No. 32, 1977, 192 pages.
^O'SULLIVAN, Henry, Rapport préliminaire sur l'exploration de l'étendue de pays comprise entre le lac Saint-Jean et la Baie de James (English: Preliminary report on the Exploration of the extent of the country between Lake Saint-Jean and James Bay): [..]", Quebec, 1898, 23 pages.
^WILSON, Larry, L'appel du Chibougamau : l'histoire d'une région minière du Québec (English: The Chibougamau's Call: The History of a Mining Region of Quebec), Montreal, 1956, 184 pages.
^Histoire de Saint-Félicien 1865-1965 (English: History of Saint-Félicien 1865- 1965), Committee on History and Centennial Commission, Saint-Félicien, 1965, 296 pages.
