A new cost-sharing agreement between the provincial and federal governments aims to address a number of concerns along the T’Railway Provincial Park. The initiative, cost-shared on a 50-50 basis, will result in $1.6 million being utilized for improvements and repairs, including reconstruction of the Crabbes River Bridge.

In early August IATNL Chairperson Paul Wylezol and executive member Delano Pittman joined six IATNL trail workers on a backcountry adventure above the north rim of Parsons Pond Inner Pond. The eight man crew flew in over the mountains for 3 days of trail blazing and cutting on the mid section of the Devil’s Bite Trail.

The second meeting of IAT Ireland, the working group examining the feasibility of establishing a segment of the IAT on the island of Ireland, took place in Armagh city, Northern Ireland on September 10, 2009. The meeting was held at the invitation of the North-South Ministerial Council, the body established by the Governments of Ireland and Northern Ireland to promote cooperation on the island of Ireland.

In early August IATNL Chairperson Paul Wylezol accompanied a trail crew to Conche on the eastern side of the Great Northern Peninsula to begin work on the new Conche to Croque Coastal Trail. While Paul and trail worker Brandie-lyn Leafloor departed Conche enroute to flagging the trail to Crouse Peninsula, the remaining crew “slashed and burned” in their footsteps.

In July IATNL Trail Director Arne Helgeland and Treasurer Kevin Noseworthy made a trail blazing trek to Simms Falls, the first step in the development of a southern access to Blow-Me-Down Mountain Trail. From Simms Falls the trail will wind its way through Simms Gulch and onto the top of the mountains.

During the last week of July 12 intrepid adventurers, including 5 IATNL executive members, left Five Mile Road on the first IATNL Flat Hills to Parsons Pond trek. The recently completed southern access trail off the Flat Hills makes this new scenic route possible. The two-day hike was followed by a half-hour boat ride from Middle Brook back to the community of Parsons Pond.

In late July IATNL Chairperson Paul Wylezol flew in over the mountains east of Parsons Pond with Devil’s Bite Trail crew members Curtis Payne, Trent Foster, Caroline Swan and Troy Gaulton to complete an important section of trail above East Brook Gulch. After a cloud-shrouded start, the weather cooperated nicely for 2 days, allowing the important and scenic stretch of trail to be completed in time for August hiking.

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 660m (2,000ft) Cape Blow-Me-Down on the Copper Mine To Cape Trail in the beautiful Bay of Islands.

In early July IATNL Chairperson Paul Wylezol and volunteers Troy Gaulton, Curtis Payne and Trent Foster travelled by boat to Middle Brook, Parsons Pond where they hiked to Little East Brook (just north of East Brook Gulch) to complete the last remaining section of the Parsons Pond to Flat Hills access trail.

From June 30 to July 2 IATNL Chairperson Paul Wylezol and volunteers Troy Gaulton and Caroline Swan made a 3-day trek into the Lewis Hills to survey the northern end of the IATNL’s Lewis Hills Trail. The 60 kilometer (36 mile) “Canada Day Trek” was under ideal conditions, with clear blue skies, dry barrens, cool clear streams (for drinking and dipping), and a pleasant light breeze to keep down the few flies and mid-20C’s (80F) heat.

On Tuesday, June 9 IAT representatives Paul Wylezol and Kevin Noseworthy travelled to Holyhead, Wales for the last leg of the IAT UK-Ireland 2009 Tour. They were met by Adrian Humpage of the British Geological Survey, and representatives of GeoMon Geopark and the Isle of Anglesey.

From Northern Ireland the IAT delegation of Paul Wylezol, Kevin Noseworthy and Earl Raymond travelled to Dublin, capital of the Irish Republic, for more hiking, meeting and sightseeing. The visit started with a trek into the Dublin Mountains and a short walk on sections of the Wicklow Way.

After the IAT visit to Scotland, the IATNL contingent of Paul Wylezol and Kevin Noseworthy and IAT Maine representative Earl Raymond travelled to Northern Ireland for 2 days of meetings and touring. Again the weather was cooperative and our hosts were knowledgeable, entertaining and great ambassadors of the north.

The IAT visit to the UK and Ireland got off to a great start this past week. The first leg of the trip began in Scotland with a meeting with Scottish Environment Minister Roseanna Cunningham, followed by a trek to the summit of Ben Nevis and a public meeting on the creation of an IAT

On May 24 IATNL Chairperson Paul Wylezol and Treasurer Kevin Noseworthy made the most of a beautiful spring day to head into Serpentine Valley to survey a connecting route for the Lewis Hills Trail from Logger School Road to the north end of the hills.

American long distance hiker Paul Duffy recently arrived in Newfoundland to begin his 14 month, 6,000 mile quest to hike the Eastern Continental Trail from Crow Head, Newfoundland to Key West, Florida.

The IATNL supports the park’s position that the outstanding natural and tourism value of this resource should not be depreciated by this development. When all things are considered, it will be clear that promoting the natural resource of Lower Churchill power at the expense of one of the few important natural resources of the Northern Peninsula, makes little short- or long-term economic sense, not to mention spiritual or aesthetic sense.

Iron Man 81-year old Roy Murley atop 2100ft Cape Blow Me Down