From August 20-22, IAT Chairperson Paul Wylezol attended the 4th Conjugate Margins Conference in St. John’s and presented a trio of posters on the IAT, IAT Geoparks and the planned Cabox Geopark in Western Newfoundland. The Conference started in 2008 to bring industry and academia together to discuss the similarities of basis evolution in conjugate margins.

IATNL members Katie Broadhurst and Alexandra Fortin have recently completed their new west coast hiking guide, Hikes of Western Newfoundland. Printed by Boulder Publications, it is a full-colour guide to over 60 spectacular trails and trail networks, from easy seaside walks and picnic spots to spectacular multi-day treks. It contains vivid detailed hike descriptions, including difficulty ratings, distances, trailhead GPS references, points of interest, photographs, and maps.

On June 10, the Cabox Global Geopark initiative spanning the Bay of Islands Ophiolites from Lewis Hills to Tablelands held its first public meeting at the Grenfell Campus of Memorial University in Corner Brook. IAT and Geopark Chairperson Paul Wylezol gave presentations on the IAT and proposed Geopark, while Special Guest Speaker Hugh Barron, Marketing Sector Manager with the British Geological Survey in Edinburgh, Scotland, gave a presentation on Global Geoparks.

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.

On June 12, IATNL executive members Paul Wylezol, Arne Helgeland and Kevin Noseworthy took Hugh Barron, Marketing Sector Manager with the British Geological Survey in Edinburgh, Scotland, on a day-hike into Simms Gulch on the north side of Serpentine Valley. The 24 km (15 mile) trek was under ideal conditions, including clear blue skies, good visibility, mid-teens temperatures, and few black flies and mosquitos!

The International Appalachian Trail Newfoundland & Labrador has taken a page from the IAT Europe playbook with plans to establish a Global Geopark, spanning the Bay of Islands Ophiolites from Lewis Hills to Gros Morne National Park. Other stakeholders include Western DMO, Corner Brook Pulp & Paper Ltd, and all towns in the Bay of Islands and western side of Gros Morne National Park.

On April 10, 2014, IAT Chairperson Paul Wylezol and IATNL Finance Director Kevin Noseworthy set off on a 16-hour snowmobile/hike duathlon across the North Arm Hills. The purpose of the adventure was to check out the condition of a remote fishing outpost at Stowbridges in North Arm of the Bay of Islands. It will be used as a base for hiking across the North Arm Hills to and from Gros Morne National Park.

In August 2013, Appalachian Explorer Lew Coty of Vermont, U.S.A. returned to Western Newfoundland to continue his exploration of Mount St. Gregory, overlooking the Gulf of St. Lawrence just north of the outer Bay of Islands. It was the follow-up to his first trek of the mountain in August 2012.

On November 9, 2013, Appalachian long-distance hiker Cotton Joe Norman from North Carolina, U.S.A. became the first person to complete IAT Scotland, from the Mull of Galloway in the south to Cape Wrath in the north. It was the continuation of an 800 mile (1,280 km) journey that began at Slieve League on the west coast of Ireland on September 2.

On a beautiful Saturday, November 16, 2013, McIver’s Mayor Warren Blanchard guided IAT/IATNL Chairperson Paul Wylezol and IATNL Finance Director Kevin Noseworthy on a 3.7 km (2.2 mile) round trip hike of the new community trail to the top of Bound Head overlooking the scenic outer Bay of Islands.

On November 1-3, 2013, IAT/IATNL Chairperson Paul Wylezol attended the 8th Northeast Alpine Stewardship Gathering at the Sargent Center in Hancock, New Hampshire. There he learned of the latest developments in northeast North America alpine ecology and gave a presentation on the International Appalachian Trail and Global Geoparks.

On October 31, 2013, IAT/IATNL Chairperson Paul Wylezol and IAT Maine President Don Hudson met with Appalachian Mountain Club President John Judge at the AMC headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts. The purpose of the meeting was to bring John up-to-date on new IAT developments and to discuss ways in which the AMC and IAT can cooperate to promote the Appalachian brand and experience.