On April 1, IAT President Paul Wylezol and IATNL Signage Director Delano Pittman took full advantage of a beautiful late winter day to head off into the North Arm Hills on snowmobile to scout out the IATNL North Arm Hills Trail, from the north shore of the Bay of Islands to Chimney Cove Valley. With clear skies and ideal snow conditions, the ride couldn’t have been better!
The day-long adventure started at sunrise in Hugh’s Brook near Corner Brook. After an hour’s drive on Goose Arm logging road, access to the the mountaintop was through a gentle valley on the eastern slopes near the “bowl”, a not-so-gentle valley popular with high-marking daredevils.
Once on the “hills”, Paul and Delano turned south enroute to the snow-covered perodotite of North Arm Mountain, overlooking the eastern end of North Arm.
From there they followed the edge of the mountains to Stowbridge’s Valley, where they were rewarded with spectacular views of the Outer Bay of Islands and Blow-Me-Down Mountains.
To continue west required turning inland and making a wide looping arc around Stowbridge’s, from a landscape rich in detail and depth to a featureless slope dividing snow and sky.
West of Stowbridge’s Valley lies Liverpool Brook, a sinuous stream tumbling over rocks and around bends, through a remote and hidden valley surrounded by barren mountains above forested slopes.
The sheltered valley provides respite to moose and other wildlife from the winter winds that whip across the unprotected landscape of the higher altitudes.
Over the hill at the entrance to the valley, an undisturbed coastline is indented with coves and headlands, and when the timing is right … whales breaching through spectacular sunsets over the ocean.
Plans call for the IATNL to construct a trail here, on its way to Chimney Cove Valley and Trout River in Gros Morne National Park. But until then, perhaps Paul or Delano will lend you their snowmobiles to ride with the wind and snow.
On the other hand, maybe not. They’re having too much fun themselves …..
riding off into the sunset!!!
To view more photos from Snowmobiling Across the North Arm Hills, go to IATNL Flickr…
