Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Man vs Wild

My version of Man vs Wild (TV show featuring seasoned adventurer Bear Grylls face to face with the grueling task of navigating remote locations) as I tackled Gros Morne Mountain back in August of last year. Something that I always wanted to do as a young man when I lived there but never did. Took me 24 year later at the age of 44 to tackle this old girl. So glad I did...... the view from the top is to die for.

Brief history of the mountain.

This 806 m high flat-topped mountain is a slice of Arctic tundra far south of its usual range. The habitat here used to be the quiet domain of rock ptarmigan , Arctic hare , and woodland caribou but now a trail leads to the top of this landmark. Around the summit there are views of a spectacular glacial-carved landscape: the deep fjord arms of Bonne Bay and the U-shaped trough of Ten Mile Pond.
  • The first 4 km of the trail takes you to a cluster of small ponds at the base of the mountain, at an elevation of 320 m. The ascent to this point is gradual, and offers a view of Bonne Bay to the south. If time or tiredness do not permit the full hike, this can still be a worthwhile half-day outing - simply return by the same route.
  • Next the trail follows a steep boulder gully to the summit of the mountain, passing through a series of zones, each of which has its characteristic plants and animals. Hikers moving through these habitats are exposed to the same conditions as the creatures that live there. These are indeed harsh places to live, so be prepared for rapid temperature changes, lack of water, high wind, and blistering sun . This is the most difficult part of the hike, and is not recommended for small children . The climb will take at least one hour as the trail gains almost 500 m in elevation.
     
  • Gros Morne's mountain top is flat and its stunted vegetation hugs the ground. Stone cairns mark the trail across the mountaintop to the viewpoint overlooking Ten Mile Pond. Life is hard enough for the plants and animals as it is--do not increase their problems with litter, trampling, or by re-arranging the rocks that they live on and beneath.


  • The trail descends the north-east flank, winding back 6 km through Ferry Gulch, and connecting with the first section of the trail.












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