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Nimblewill Nomad:
IAT Thru-Hiker
Parc de la Gaspesie, Quebec
Week 6
Monday,June 26, 2000
Trail day: 34
Trail mile: 507
Location: le Pluvier Cabin, Lac Cascapedia, Parc de la Gaspesie, QP Canada
Here at the Gite du Mont Albert this morning, and looking out our window at the mountain looming above puts sheer fright into me. To repeat a phrase,"I've climbed some mountains." offers not the least degree of confidence as to what this day is destined to bring, for here is a mountain with such overwhelming power and might, each vein-like gulch appearing to pulse with snow packed so deep, with such enormous energy that even the kind, warm suns of June cannot prevail.
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There are many things that must get done this morning before moving out —to be far from civilization and phones for the next seven days. But as luck would have it, and just as I am talking with the kind officer at Baxter State Park, the pay phone line goes dead. In fact, all of the outside phone lines here at the Gite go dead. Oh well, I know that I must make written reservations to stay in Baxter, but I was getting the kindest assistance in setting up for the best accommodations. I did manage to get a letter off, air mail, thanks to Chantal, the kind receptionist here at the Gite, the same lady who secured my permit to enter the tundra of Jacques Cartier after the Parc was closed in 1998. Folks I know I've already said this, but danged if"This isn't deja vu in spades." I'm getting to see so many great friends as I relive this dream one more time!
The SIA/IAT seems to no longer officially climb Mont Albert, choosing instead to follow a less strenuous partial climb around the mountain. That's fine, but I say the Appalachian Mountains Trail (AMT) and the Eastern Continental Trail (ECT) go up and over! So up and over we go . . . but not till after enduring near two indescribable hours of struggle as the mountain keeps us in its constant and relentless grip. What a climb . . . and in my humble opinion, is this climb the likes of any along the venerable old AT, and what a reward! For standing here now at one of the observation points along the boulder marked treadway, I am staring in awe at the expanse and majesty of the Canadian Tundra. One of the Parc's interpretive wardens/rangers has a high power scope set up and once again I get to see the caribou, small white-gray objects dancing about in the blue at a distance of over four kilometers! Now I know how very fortunate I was yesterday, to have seen the caribou at such close range on the tundra of Jacques Cartier, close enough to photograph!
From here, and by boardwalk and marked pathway the trail crosses the tundra of the McGerrigle, soon to take away the joy and smugness of a confident hike, as it plunges from the mountain . . . over the brink and into an enormous, head-whirling and brutally steep chasm. Here the landscape is like no other place I have ever seen — forbidding, cold, and most unwelcome in its nature. The sheer rock and crags are not the steel-gray familiar granite, more an eerie, mysterious shade of brown, much like the camouflage color of desert warfare. Oh no, this is definitely not the comfortable environment you'd seek when wanting to be"At one with nature."
Here in the gulch the streams and waterfalls are roaring with such resounding might, such as would demand and be given utmost respect. After descending one near-vertical gulch, the trail turns to ascend another, directly into an enormous snowfield. I cannot see the upper reaches of the snowpack, nor where the trail might again emerge . . . but I can see that the only practical way is to climb the snowfield in search of the trail.
Letter from Nimblewill Nomad
Dear Friends, I miss you all so much. Loneliness is just part of the
territory for long distance hikers. John O has ended his hike and has
returned to his home in New Jersey. With his asthma, he just couldn't do
the long miles day after day that's required for this sort of trip. He had
gotten behind and had skipped some sections to stay up and just wasn't
enjoying himself. I have successfully completed the grand traverse across
the McGerrigle and the Chic Chocs of Parc de la Gaspesie and just yesterday
completed the rugged western Chic Chocs in the Reserve de Funique de Matane.
I have a week of much easier going remaining here in PQ Canada to complete
the SIA/IAT in Canada. I have three days remaining to do im Maine to reach
and climb Katahdin from the north. I am on schedule to finish the SIA/IAT
by the middle of this month, near 700 miles in about 50 days. I am strong,
healthy and of good cheer. God bless you all!
— EB Nimblewill Nomad |
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So long John O,
sorry to see you go!
 What is he carrying? Check Nimblewill's gear list.
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