The reason they call Newfoundland "The Rock"

It may not look like much in this photo, but the summit of Gros Morne - the mountain for which the surrounding National Park is named - is the second highest point in Newfoundland at 806m (2,644 feet). My visiting parents and I hike to the top every year, and today was the day. (Hence the lack of posts.)

The hike to the base of the mountain is just over an hour long, and it's all uphill. But there's some nice scenery along the way:

And then comes the climb. If that looks like a path made entirely out of loose rock, you're absolutely right.

It takes between 90 minutes and 2 hours to reach the summit, and your legs are screaming the entire way. Had my folks not been there embarassing me with their climbing prowess, I might have given up, but I somehow made it. The view from the top is entirely worth it:

A caribou herd was hanging out up there for the day, too:

The hike is 14km in total but it's worth it, if for no other reason than the feeling you get when you finally reach the car. It's a tough climb, but you don't need any mountain climbing experience - just patience and sure feet.

Damian P.

Posted by damian at September 2, 2006 06:52 PM