Gros Morne National Park is situated along the west coast of Newfoundland and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This designation means that it is deemed to have cultural or physical significance and preservation of the area is considered in the best interests of not only Canada, but the international community as well.
The Long Range Traverse (part of the Appalachian Mountain range)is the section we will be covering during our upcoming trek.
Despite the above map showing a ‘trail’, the only real trails are those made by wildlife. The red dotted line above denotes the general direction a hiker would take to make their way along the Long Range Mountains, but it is unmarked.
Our trek begins on the eastern tip of West Brook Pond (a boat will take us to the start of our hike) and that first day is likely going to be one of the more challenging sections….going straight up!
Over the next 4 or 5 days, we’ll travel south, then south west. Our last camp will be at in an area called Ferry Gulch which is at the base of Gros Morne Mountain. If all goes according to plan, we’ll summit Gros Morne the following morning, descend and make our way back through the forest to mark the end of the traverse.
The key to doing this multi-day, backcountry hike is to have strong navigational skills (compass and topographical map reading). It seems getting lost can happen quite easily.
We’ve also learned that one of the other factors that can make the trek a little more difficult (beyond the physical aspects) is the weather. Heavy rains and high winds means that appropriate clothing is required (including bug jackets…thanks to the black flies and mosquitoes). A foggy day may mean you just sit tight in camp until it clears, as using a compass and map in heavy fog is almost impossible.
For these reasons, there is a mandatory meeting with a park warden the day before the hike is scheduled. They will give us a briefing, test our navigational skills, and confirm our anticipated return date. If we ‘pass’ the test, then they will give us our backcountry park permit. Even though we reserved our permit several months ago, that single test determines whether we can even begin the journey. I guess it’s understandable.
We’re excited!
Gear is ready, survival kit and first aid kits are stocked and ready, meal planning is complete, even a ‘test’ pack and hike was completed this past weekend…in pouring rain! All good so far.
