On October 19, IAT Chairperson Paul Wylezol and Dermot Wescott of International Alliance For Missions made a colorful autumn day-trek into Little Codroy Pond in southwestern Newfoundland. The area is covered under a Special Management Area agreement between Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Limited and IATNL, and holds great eco and adventure tourism potential for the province’s west coast.

On the morning of August 27, IAT Chairperson Paul Wylezol, Parks Canada Heritage Coordinator Kim Vokey, Filmmaker Mark Flagler, and a group of Western Newfoundland artists and rug hookers set off on a half-day trek of the Overfalls Trail in Gros Morne National Park. The goal was to familiarize participants with the new trail, Trout River Pond, and the Tablelands in preparation for an Art and Adventure weekend in the spring or early summer of 2012.

From August 21 to September 2, long-distance hiker and filmmaker Mark Flagler was in Western Newfoundland beginning production on a one-hour documentary about the IAT in North America. It follows his successful Appalachian Impressions documentary about the US Appalachian Trail, which aired in more than a million households on the PBS television network.

On September 18 at the IAT Annual General Meeting in Gaspésie National Park, Québec, the IAT welcomed France to its growing network of trails in Europe, where the mountains were formed through the same geological events that formed the Appalachian Mountains in North America.  At hand was Armand Ducornet, Secretary General of La Fédération Francaise de la Randonnée Pédestre (French Rambling Association), with over 200,000 members in 3,000+ clubs and associations. (L-R) Eric Chouinard – Director, IAT Quebec; Claude Duguay – Quebec Hiking Federation; Armand Ducornet – Secretary General, FFRP; Daniel Pouplot – Quebec Hiking Federation; Don Hudson – President, IAT Maine; Paul Wylezol – Chairperson IAT/IATNL; Richard Anderson – Founder IAT The FFRP is a national not-for-profit hiking federation that manages 180,000 kms (111,850 miles) of marked paths and trails in 98 counties, with support from government and private partners. During the AGM Monsieur Ducornet gave a presentation on the FFRP, as well as one on the European Ramblers Association (ERA). He later confirmed his intention to recommend to the FRRP that France join the IAT as its 13th European Chapter, and as with all IAT AGMs, was promptly given an opportunity to toast! FFRP’s Armand Ducornet making a toast with iceberg ice from IAT Greenland and Newfoundland Below are highlights from the FFRP and ERA presentations. Presentation on the FFRP Presentation on the ERA For more information on the French Ramblers Association, go to www.ffrandonnee.fr. For information on the European Ramblers Association, go to https://www.era-ewv-ferp.org/.

On September 18, the IAT held its Annual General Meeting at Gîte du Mont Albert Hotel in Gaspésie National Park, Québec.  The event was held in collaboration with the Québec Hiking Federation and SÉPAQ (the Société des Établissements de Plein Air du Québec), and followed the 14th edition of the Québec Hiking Festival on Saturday, September 17. The AGM weekend was hosted by the Québec Chapter of the International Appalachian Trail (Sentier International des Appalaches) which was celebrating the 10th anniversary of the completion of the IAT in the province.  The festivities began Friday evening, September 16th, with the opening dinner at the park's Discovery Center.  Official welcomes were extended by IAT Québec Honorary President Andrew Wake, IAT Québec President Gaétan Roy, IAT Québec Director Eric Chouinard, IAT Chairperson Paul Wylezol and IAT Founder Richard Anderson.  Maine Chapter representative Will Richard concluded the meeting with a slide presentation on Iceland (proposed site of the 2012 IAT AGM), on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge separating North America from Europe and Africa. The 14th Annual Walking Festival and 10th Anniversary Celebration of IAT Québec began Saturday morning after breakfast, with IAT members and festival participants departing on four different hikes.  These were followed by exhibits at the Walker's Village organized by the Québec and Maine Chapters of the IAT, the Québec Outfitter’s Association, the Gaspésie Tourism Association, the CLDs (Centres Locaux de Développement) of Avignon, Matapédia, Matane, Haute-Gaspésie, and Côte-de-Gaspé, and Télécommunications de l’Est. Also on Saturday a group from IAT New Brunswick and Newfoundland Labrador traveled by car along the scenic north shore of the…

On August 24, a Group Of Seven IAT adventurers set out on a 2-day adventure that began with a 2-hour zodiac boat ride on Canada Bay from Bide Arm to Englee, continued with a half-day hike along the French Shore Trail from Conche to Pillier Cove, then finished with a day-long longliner boat ride from Pillier Cove to Hare Bay to Conche Harbour – all in pursuit of the abundant icebergs lining the historic French Shore.

On August 22, IAT Chairperson Paul Wylezol, IATNL Vice Chair Arne Helgeland, and IATNL Signage Director Delano Pittman made the first thru-hike of the IATNL Iceberg Alley Way between St. Carol’s and Great Brehat on the tip of Newfoundland’s Great Northern Peninsula. They were joined by hiker/filmmaker Mark Flagler, who was in Newfoundland beginning work on his IAT North America adventure documentary.

On August 2, IAT Chairperson Paul Wylezol took advantage of a rare and beautiful free day to make a solo east-west traverse of the Blow-Me-Down Mountains on the south shore of the Bay of Islands. The goal was to find an IAT trail route connecting Cape Blow-Me-Down to the Hummock and Blow-Me-Down Brook Trails in the lowlands near Frenchman’s Cove.

For most of its 1,000+ kilometer route, the IATNL follows a series of backcountry mountain trails connected by logging roads and the Newfoundland T’railway. However at the small west coast city of Corner Brook – headquarters of the IATNL – the trail follows the well-developed Corner Brook Stream Trail along the namesake Corner Brook, from Main Street near city hall, past the lower marsh to Glynmill Inn Pond, then on to Margaret Bowater Park.

On July 29 after a meeting of the new Parsons Pond adventure tourism committee, IAT Chairperson Paul Wylezol led some of the members on a tour of the new Jacques Cartier Memorial Trail on Parsons Pond Head. Continued development of the trail is one of the items on the committee’s agenda, as well as development of improved docking facilities at Parsons Pond and the creation of a “trail park” in the Parsons Pond watershed.

On July 20, IAT Chairperson Paul Wylezol, volunteer Brandie-Lyn Leafloor and hiker Connie Lebrun from Alberta headed out from the lookoff above Conche on the eastern side of Newfoundland’s Great Northern Peninsula on a two-day trek of the IAT French Shore Trail, followed by a full-day boat tour of the surrounding islands and headlands to view icebergs and whales, seals and seabirds. The goal was to plan the logistics for upcoming guided treks and boat tours of the scenic and historic French Shore.

On July 14, officials with the IATNL, Parks Canada and Ocean Quest Adventures set out from the dock at Gros Morne National Park’s Trout River Pond on the new zodiac shuttle service to the trailhead of the Overfalls Trail, located at the southeast end of the 15 kilometer (9 mile) long pond. The trail was developed in 2010 by the IATNL in partnership with Parks Canada, while the shuttle and boat tour were contracted to Ocean Quest.

On Saturday, June 4 during the Springfest Feather And Folk Festival in southwestern Newfoundland, IAT Chairperson Paul Wylezol accompanied a group of enthusiastic hikers on a scheduled hike of the Starlight Trail near Tompkins in the Little Codroy Valley. The two-hour trek was preceded by the installation of a new IATNL sign marking the trail and its access to the Grand Codroy Way.

In its May issue, Explore – “Canada’s Adventure Magazine” – named the Inner Pond Trek as the #1 Best New Trip for 2011. The nearly complete yet unmarked trail begins and ends with a one-hour boat ride: across Parsons Pond in the south and Portland Creek Inner and Outer Ponds in the north. The 30-kilometer trek includes views of 7 fiords and numerous waterfalls, including 1,000ft high Partridge Pond Falls.

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!

On March 25, IAT Finance Director Kevin Noseworthy, IATNL Secretary/Youth Coordinator Caroline Swan, and Caroline’s first-year CNA Adventure Tourism students guided three Grade 5 classes from Humber Elementary School in Corner Brook on a 3-hour snowshoe trek to the Hummock above Frenchman’s Cove. The adventure began at 9:00am after a 30-minute bus ride from Corner Brook.

On March 18 at the Canadian Embassy in Dublin, Ireland, new Canadian Ambassador Loyola Hearn extended a Canadian and Newfoundland welcome to IAT Ireland. Also in attendance were IAT President Paul Wylezol and representatives from Fáilte Ireland, Geological Survey of Ireland, Department of Foreign Affairs, Irish Sports Council, Atlantic Corridor, Donegal Local Development Co., Coast Alive ….