On June 23, IAT/IATNL Chairperson Paul Wylezol and IATNL executive member Delano Pittman took advantage of a beautiful early summer day to head into North Arm of the Bay of Islands to look for an overland route to the IAT hiking camp at Stowbridges, within the boundary of the proposed Cabox Global Geopark spanning the four Bay of Islands Ophiolites.
View of North Arm Hill from Bottom of North Arm (click on photo to make larger)
After an hour’s hike down a valley off Goose Arm logging road where they discovered an ATV trail leading to a remote cabin at the bottom (i.e., inside end) of North Arm, they walked the gravel beach until they reached North Arm Brook.
View of North Arm Hill from Bottom of North Arm (click on photo to make larger)
The brook itself was fairly wide and shallow and split into two smaller streams, making it relatively easy to cross without a boat or hip waiters.
View of North Arm Brook (click on photo to make larger)
From there they walked the north shore of North Arm for approximately one hour, passing the occasional fishing house and small stream.
View of small stream and fishing house in North Arm (click on photo to make larger)
Once at the bottom of a large alluvial fan of peridotite extending from the base of North Arm Hill to the Arm itself, they walked approximately half a kilometer up the scree field to a small gorge, which after a few attempts they found to be impassable for the average hiker.
View of North Arm Hill and Alluvial Fan (click on photo to make larger)
On their return trek to the truck, it was decided that the only option to reach Stowbridges at present (without cutting a trail up through the scrub) would be via a longer hike up one of the still unexplored valleys at the bottom of the arm.
Stay tuned!
