On July 24 IATNL Chairperson Paul Wylezol took advantage of an ideal summer day to take Ontario resident David Slade and his nephew Sam on an afternoon trek to 660 meter (2,000ft) Cape Blow-Me-Down on the Copper Mine To Cape Trail in the beautiful Bay of Islands. David, who recently completed a blueprint for the IATNL’s first backcountry cabin, is in Newfoundland to hike a portion of the Devil’s Bite Trail just east of Parsons Pond on the Great Northern Peninsula.
The Copper Mine To Cape Trail is being developed by OBIEC (Outer Bay of Islands Enhancement Committee) in conjunction with the IATNL, which is currently developing the Blow-Me-Down Mountain Trail across the top of the Blow-Me-Down Mountains from Serpentine Valley to Blow-Me-Down Brook west of Frenchman’s Cove.
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A round-trip of the 3-kilometer (1.8 mile) trail begins at the abandoned century+ old copper mine just above Route 450 (Captain Cook Trail) at the eastern end of York Harbour. It takes approximately 4 hours to complete and provides a 360° view of the Outer Bay of Islands, North Arm Hills, Humber Arm to Corner Brook, Gulf Coast and the Blow-Me-Down Mountains.
Along the trail hikers may catch a glimpse of moose and ptarmigan … or even whales in the pretty blue waters of the bay below.
