This second installment of IAT Natural Heritage is by Beyond Ktaadn's Mike Jones (IAT North America Alpine Ecologist), Liz Willey, and Marilyn Anions and is excerpted and adapted from their new Eastern Alpine Guide, with photos by IATNL. Newfoundland's Bay of Islands Ophiolites It’s only about two hours from the fogbound ferry terminal at Port-aux-Basques up the Gulf of St. Lawrence coast, to the logging roads that lead into the mountains surrounding the Bay of Islands.  There are four mountain ranges in all: broad, ocean-front mesas with enormous alpine tablelands, encompassing little-known but spectacular ranges known as the Lewis Hills, Blow Me Down Mountain, North Arm Hills, and Tablelands. The island of Newfoundland rises to its highest point near the center of the Lewis Hills, at a windswept and lonely dome known as The Cabox.  The Cabox’s westerly vantage takes in the Gulf of St. Lawrence from the Port au Port Peninsula to the North Arm Hills. Several vantage points along the western rim of the Lewis Hills tableland peer down vertically to the ocean, 600 meters (2,000 feet) below.  These vistas are vivid testament that in Newfoundland, spectacular mountain scenery can exist at elevations under 1000 meters.  North Arm Hills from Cape Blow Me Down  The four mountain ranges can be divided into two pairs at the Bay of Islands, itself one of the most identifiable features on the western coastline of Newfoundland.  The Lewis Hills and Blow Me Down Mountain form the southern bloc (roughly, the area southwest of the city of…

On March 2 - 3, the IAT North America Council gathered in Moncton, New Brunswick to discuss issues of common interest, report chapter progress, and relax with friends over good food and drink! Topics for discussion included IAT maps and trail markers, websites and social media, corporate sponsors and long-distance hikers, and IAT Europe and the 2013 AGM. IAT North America Geologist Walter Anderson discussed meetings and presentations at North American Geological Societies where he introduced the IAT project to a diverse audience of North American geologists. Will Richard from IAT Maine, gave a presentation on his new book Maine To Greenland, Exploring The Maritime Far Northeast, much of it in "Appalachian" territory,   while Bill Duffy used the opportunity to present an updated version of his IAT Appalachian Domain map.   As usual, the IAT Council Meeting weekend closed out over dinner and drinks! Next stop: September 18-20 at the IAT AGM at Scotland's magnificent Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park !! Click here for more details on the 2013 AGM.

At the 2012 IAT Annual General Meeting in Reykjavik, Iceland, the Iceland Touring Association's Kjalvegur hinn forni (Old Kjalvegur hiking trail) became an official part of the International Appalachian Trail. The former horse track extends approximately 40 kms (26 miles) through a highland dessert valley between Langjökull and Hofsjökull glaciers. Like Sprengisandur highland road, the area was probably known since the first times of Icelandic settlement and is mentioned in the Icelandic sagas. The track along Langjökull was used as a shortcut between regions during summer, with piles of stones still marking the treeless track across the barren terrain. After a number of people perished in snowstorms during the 18th century, the primitive road was forgotten for about 100 years and rediscovered in the 19th century. When you cross Iceland via Kjalvegur you drive through a barren land sandwiched between great sheets of snow and ice. Before the age of cars when everyone travelled by horse, the route was further to the west closer to Langjökull glacier, because of the richer vegetation. This is where the Kjalvegur hinn forni (Old Kjalvegur) hiking trail is today. Because the trail is relatively flatter and easier to walk, many people consider it a good preparation for walking the Laugavegur Trail, one of the most popular and well travelled hiking trails in Icelandic. Hofsjökull Glacier The trail between Hvítánes and Hveravellir can be walked from either south to north or vice versa, and…

January 2013 marks the introduction of two new website series on the Natural and Cultural Heritage found along the International Appalachian Trail, from eastern North America to Western Europe. The IAT Natural Heritage series will showcase concise illustrated stories on both nature and geology, while the IAT Cultural Heritage series will include stories on e.g. human history, art, and architecture. This first piece on IAT Natural Heritage by Beyond Ktaadn's Mike Jones (IAT North America Alpine Ecologist), Liz Willey, and Marilyn Anions was excerpted and adapted from their new Eastern Alpine Guide, and is titled: Common Alpine Plant Species along the IAT in North America From a botanical perspective, one of the more striking differences between the Appalachian Trail (in the strict sense, from Georgia to Maine) and the International Appalachian Trail (the corridor from Katahdin to the Great Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland) is the diversity and extent of alpine tundra ecosystems found along the latter (Figure 1). Figure 1. Extensive alpine and subalpine plant communities occur along the length of the IAT in Maine, Québec, and Newfoundland. (Mont Logan, Québec)   While the AT traverses notable tundra areas on Mount Moosilauke, Franconia Ridge, and the Presidential Range in New Hampshire, and Katahdin in Maine, the IAT not only traverses Katahdin, but also cuts across tundra communities along the Mont Chic-Chocs and Mont Albert and Mont Jacques-Cartier and the Monts McGerrigles in Québec, and Table Mountain, the Lewis Hills, Blow Me Down, the North Arm Hills, the Long…

In December 2012, the new Wales Coast Path joined the International Appalachian Trail as a 870 mile (1,400 km) trek around the entire coast of Wales, from Chester in the north to Chepstow in the south.   The path was developed by the Welsh Government in partnership with the Countryside Council for Wales, sixteen local authorities and two National Parks, and opened on May 5, 2012.  In addition to funding from the Welsh Government and the coastal local authorities, the European Regional Development Fund  has allocated funds over four years in support of the project.   Not surprisingly, the landscapes and scenic vistas along the path are as abundant and varied as the stakeholders participating in its development.  Beginning in north, the North Wales Coast is a mixture of wonderful sandy beaches and family friendly towns and villages. There’s some 60 miles of sea views from the North Wales Path, and at Prestatyn, the Wales Coast Path joins Offa’s Dyke Path, Britain’s longest ancient monument and a National Trail.   Gronant Dunes near Prestatyn Of special note along the northern WCP is the important wetland of the Dee Estuary and the famous castle and walled town of Conwy, constructed by the English monarch Edward I in the 13th century, and now a World Heritage Site. Conwy Castle The Isle of Anglesey contains picturesque beaches and world class geology, Sea Cliffs and Lighthouse at Holyhead and is linked to the mainland by Menai Suspension Bridge, the first modern suspension bridge in the world, built…

In November 2012, Beyond Ktaadn (www.beyondktaadn.org), a collaborative research and outreach organization focused on alpine landscapes in eastern North America, published an Eastern Alpine Guide including IAT mountains in Maine, Quebec, and Newfoundland. The project is coordinated and edited by Beyond Ktaadn President Mike Jones and Research Director/Treasurer Lizabeth Willey, with contributions from academics and experts in the U.S. and Canada, as well as IAT Chairperson Paul Wylezol. The guide is divided into four sections, including a detailed introduction to the geology, climate, vegetation and fauna of the Eastern Alpine Zone, and an analysis of each of the three major alpine regions: South of the St. Lawrence River, Newfoundland, and the Canadian Shield. It contains easy to read topographical maps terrific photos of endemic rocks, plants, and animals and scenic vistas of the various mountains and valleys. Be sure to pick up a copy of the guide, and learn more about our magnificent mountain landscapes as you walk the IAT in eastern North America! To download an overview or purchase the Guide,  go to the official website at www.easternalpine.org. Or you can place your order at Amazon.com.

In summer 2012, IAT partner Blue Ice Explorer in South Greenland designated a new International Appalachian Trail route across the legendary Norse Erik The Red Land of the Eastern Settlement, from Qassiarsuk (Brattahlid) to Narsaq, then on to Igaliku (Garðar) and Illerfissalik (Burfjeld) mountain.  It is the IAT's first re-emergence across the Atlantic Ocean, after departing northern Newfoundland near Leif Erikson's historic settlement at L'Anse aux Meadows. View of Illerfissalik (Burfjeld) mountain from Leif Erikson monument in Qassiarsuk (Brattahlid)   The approximate 100km (60 mile) trek begins with a visit to the Blue Ice Cafe (http://www.blueice.gl) near the airport in Narsarsuaq, where hikers can purchase maps, arrange boat transportation, and obtain overnight accommodation in a variety of locations along the route. Jens Kjeldsen's statue of Erik the Red lifting his son Leif Erikson onto his horse, at Blue Ice Cafe   From the cafe, hikers must take a short 15-minute boat ride across Tunulliarfik (Eriks Fjord) to Qassiarsuk (Erik's historic settlement Brattahlid) where they can visit the bronze statue of Leif Erikson (European discover of America) before beginning their 4-5 day trek.   From Qassiarsuk, the IAT route heads north along the western shore of the fjord, before turning southwest and crossing Erik The Red Land to Tasiusaq, Sermilik (Isa Fjord). View of Tasiusaq Inlet, Sermilik (Isa Fjord)   From Tasiusaq, the route visits Nunataaq      Nunataaq, with 800m (2,625ft) Eqalorutsit Killiit Glacier in…

In August 2012, National Geographic included the International Appalachian Trail in the World's Best Hikes: 20 Epic Trails. "A truly great trail winds into the essence of a place, so when assembling this list of the world’s great hikes we kept an eye on more than the footpath. We looked for walks that travel deeper into a location’s history and culture. Sure, there’s outdoor adventure on each of these 20 hikes, but the trails also tell a rich story. So here they are, the holy grails of trails across the world."  - Doug Schnitzspahn Best For: Appalachian Trail thru-hikers looking to beef up their resumes; hikers with a fondness for primordial geology. Distance: The current trail includes approximately 1,862 trail miles from the end of the U.S. Appalachian Trail in Maine to the North American trail terminus at Crow Head, Newfoundland. The IAT is an attempt to connect a primordial mountain range that traversed part of the supercontinent of Pangaea more than 200 million years ago before separating into multiple ranges. What remains of those peaks in North America has become the famed Appalachian Mountains of the United States, but few of the Appalachian Trail's thru-hikers will want to admit that the mountains continue on into Canada—and don't stop there. The remains of those mountains stretch from Labrador to Greenland and then down to the European continent, with vestiges in Scotland, France, Spain, and even across Gibraltar to Morocco. For the full story of the International Appalachian Trail as a National Geographic World's Best…