The IATNL recently received news and photos from the first complete non-stop Devil’s Bite Trail hike. Though the entire route was bushwacked by IATNL Chairperson Paul Wylezol over three separate occasions, French adventurers Matthieu Currat and Simen Andersen made the first non-stop 4-day trek in July 2009, before much of the trail was completed.
Day One of the trek started with a 45-minute boat ride across Parsons Pond to the Devil’s Bite Trail‘s northern trailhead at Middle Brook. From there Matthieu and Simen hiked to Parsons Pond Inner Pond before heading north to East Brook Gulch.
View of Parsons Pond Inner Pond, with Western Brook Gulch (of Parsons Pond) at right.
While hiking up the southern end of the Flat Hills, the two hikers encountered Chairperson Paul Wylezol and trail workers Curtis Payne, Trent Foster and Troy Gaulton working on the Little East Brook section of trail.
Once on top of the Flat Hills, the trail turns east then south around East Brook Gulch, where it provides great views of the inland fiord, and any moose or caribou along the way.
After leaving East Brook Gulch, Matthieu and Simen made their way around Middle Gulch to the remote inside valley of Parsons Pond Inner Pond.
From there the two crossed above Freake’s Falls on their way to Western Brook Gulch (of Parsons Pond). Leaving the trail at Piss Pot Pond, it was necessary to bushwack down the valley and around the inside pond, before picking up the trail back to the Devil’s Bite Trail‘s southern trailhead, approximately 500 meters south of Middle Brook, Parsons Pond.
Since Matthieu and Simen’s trek, more sections of the Devil’s Bite Trail have been completed above the north rim of Parsons Pond Inner Pond and in Western Brook Gulch. If all goes well, the scenic 4-day backcountry trail will be completed during the summer of 2010.
Congratulations to Messieurs Currat and Andersen for being the first to hike the Devil’s Bite Trail route.
To view more photos from the First Devil’s Bite Trail Hike go to IATNL Flickr…
