12. Newfoundland & Labrador Caribou Country

SLEDDING ADVENTURES IN WESTERN LABRADOR

Psssst. Wanna know a secret? Where do you think the best-groomed trails in North America may be? Think Western Labrador — an untamed frontier that most map- makers box off in a corner like an afterthought. A sub-arctic wilderness that shares its land borders with the Province of Québec and its heritage with Newfoundland. An unspoiled destination that’s only the same driving distance from Toronto as Tampa, Florida. And yes, it is accessible by road, north on the Trans Québec-Labrador Highway (#389) from Baie Comeau, Québec. So who would ever want to go snowmobiling in Labrador? My bet is that you will, sooner than later. Especially if I can convince you that Labrador West is an outstand- ing snowmobiling destination for the “Been There, Done That” crowd. And that it has snow, especially when no one else does. Let’s start with those magnificent trails. How good are they? Flat as a board. Hard- packed. Minimum sixteen and up to twenty-five feet wide. Well-signed and staked.

78 C a n a d a ’ s B e s t S N O W M O B I L I N G YOUR ULTIMATE RIDE GUIDE C a n a d a ’ s B e s t S N O W M O B I L I N G 79 GETTING THERE Lots of variety, including old roads, utili- longer, than any other trails in Canada. hunting and ice fishing (speckled and into Wabush. I must have looked bizarre ty corridors, lakes, and hilly, forested ter- lake trout, white fish, arctic char, north- at the Toronto airport, with spring in full However you choose to get to Labrador, I highly recommend that you make contact well in advance rain through the Wapuskatto Mountains. But there were only 500 kilometres of ern pike and landlocked salmon). bloom. After one unfortunate experi- And a season that runs from Christmas them, you say — hardly worth so long a Labrador is truly an outdoorsman’s para- ence several years ago, when my snow- to arrange your tour, including a guide and gas if you intend to travel further away than the White into May! journey! And if that’s all that Labrador dise — especially in winter! mobile gear failed to fly with me to my Wolf trail system. This is truly the Great White North, so don’t take anything for granted. Miraculously, as recently as 1997, there had to offer, you might be right. destination, I wasn’t taking any chances By Road: Labrador West is 581 kilometres north of Baie Comeau, Québec via Trans Québec- were no groomed snowmobile trails in Fortunately, there were numerous other The Labrador West region is known as with having to snowmobile Labrador in Labrador Highway 389. About two thirds of this corridor was paved while the remainder was a Labrador. Today, Labrador West (as attractions for the avid snowmobiler. the Iron Ore Capital of North America. my skivvies! So I checked in wearing my hard-pack, gravel surface. During the winter, it was regularly maintained and ploughed by the Labrador City and Wabush are now col- First, the Labrador West trails connect to Incorporated in the sixties, the twin irreplaceable snowmobile suit and boots, Québec Ministry of Transportation into a very serviceable road that normally allows an 8.5-hour and carrying my helmet. But I felt right drive to Labrador West. Services, including gas, were available at Manic 5 (a large hydro dam well at home climbing off that plane in win- worth viewing) and near Gagnon, but given the wilderness locale, it’s wise to carry survival gear, tery Labrador. food and water for several days in case of problems. As spring thaw sets in, a few parts of the After checking into the grand old Wabush Hotel, just steps from the air- road can turn muddy, making driving a challenge. If you are trailering from the Atlantic Provinces, port, we headed to the office of Baie Comeau is best accessed by regular ferry service from Matane, Québec. (Update: a large bus Northern Lights Fishing Lodge where we and trailer combo out of Labrador City can be booked to transport groups.) were set up for the week with two new By Rail: It may be possible to ship sleds north from Sept Isles on the Québec North Shore and Ski-Doo touring sleds from their rental Labrador Railway. Contact Labrador tourism for more information. fleet. By Sled: If you have the time and are prepared for a real backwoods adventure, you can snow- Our first two days, we rode trails around Labrador West groomed by the mobile to Labrador West. There was an ungroomed wilderness trail north from Sept Isles, but it White Wolf Snowmobile Club and sam- requires a savvy guide, not only to navigate the way, but also to arrange a gas stash en route pled the Fermont system too. The tem- (there are no stations). Be prepared to spend at least one night in a bush camp, longer if it snows perature in this sub-arctic climate ranged during the journey. I wouldn’t recommend this option without at least four able-bodied men, from -30 degrees Celsius in early morn- preferably on long track sleds. ing to a very ridable -10 by afternoon. If By Air: The easiest way is to fly into Wabush on the daily Air Canada flights originating from either that sounds too chilly, remember that Montreal or Québec City. You can rent a machine from Northern Lights Fishing Lodge. Remember Labrador’s dry cold is nowhere near as to label all checked luggage with the address/phone number of your Labrador destination and the uncomfortable as the humidity-laden dates you will be there, as well as your home address and phone number. There are car rentals deep freezes of central Canada. As I’ve lectively known) boasts over 500 kilome- several hundred kilometres of groomed towns of Labrador City and Wabush serv- already indicated, the trail riding was at the Wabush airport, but everything is so close and trail accessible that once you get your sleds, tres of area trails. Essentially, they have snowmobile trails around nearby iced the open pit mines owned by the superb, with many scenic lookouts over my guess is that you won’t need one. leapfrogged from goat paths to snow Fermont, Québec. Next, the 1,500 kilo- Iron Ore Company of Canada and the the expansive panorama of Labrador highways almost overnight. metre Labrador Winter Snowmobile Wabush Iron Company Ltd. Together mountains. One indicator of the snowmobiling Trail is complete, enabling riders to with the Québec Cartier Mine in nearby We soon learned that snowmobiles are acceptance level in this northern snowmobile from Labrador West Fermont, Québec, these mines produce as endemic to Labradorians as trucks. community was evident at in-town snow- through Churchill Falls to Happy an astounding 30 million tonnes of qual- For years, wide track machines such as mobile road crossings. The hard pack Valley/Goose Bay, and then down the ity iron ore products annually, that are the Bombardier Skandic had seen tradi- laid down by the groomer across the east coast to L’Ans au Clair at the shipped around the world through Sept tional use by the local hunters and fisher- asphalt was often left intact — and cars Québec border. Finally, and in my opin- Isles, Québec. men who frequently travel to their camps slowed down to pass over these snowy ion the real bonus for adventure-seeking With good wages, low unemployment, and cottages north of town. Not only are speed bumps! snowmobilers, the Labrador experience cheap hydro and modest property taxes, these excellent back country sleds, they Best of all, Labrador has oodles of also includes virtually limitless backcoun- Labrador West boasts an average family are also capable of pulling the ubiqui- snow, temperatures that quickly set a try riding opportunities through those income considerably higher than our tous qamutiks (“ka-moo-teeks”) — large, fresh grooming into a virtually indestruc- beautiful Wapuskatto Mountains, rugged national average. This frontier centre high-sided toboggans — that haul gas tible base, and comparatively minimal terrain laced with hidden lakes. There has a combined population of about and supplies in, and caribou carcasses sled traffic — all factors integral to supe- are even play areas where hardcore rid- 10,000, and offers a wide range of servic- and other bounty out. Groomed trails rior trail quality. Moreover, every trail was ers can hill-climb and side hill to their es and conveniences, including have brought change and challenge to a main one, receiving priority treatment; heart’s content! Labrador’s only 18-hole golf course. Labrador. Some traditional users still there were no under-served secondary or By March, the snow cover had settled When the Trans Québec-Labrador have not succumbed to peer pressure to local trails as can be found in most other sufficiently that one could ride almost Highway opened in 1992, Labrador West join the club by paying the annual user provinces. So kilometre for kilometre, it anywhere with ease. I should also note became the main hub for movement of fee. But many locals not only anteed up is arguable that during March and April, that snowmobilers who are hunters and goods and products across the region. gladly, they also bought new sleds specif- these Labrador West snowmobile trails anglers can combine their riding with ically for trail riding, thus opening up a were consistently better, and better for some of the continent’s best caribou In mid-March, Jean Leroux and I flew new market for snowmobile sales. For

80 C a n a d a ’ s B e s t S N O W M O B I L I N G YOUR ULTIMATE RIDE GUIDE C a n a d a ’ s B e s t S N O W M O B I L I N G 81 the first time, recreational snowmobilers trail pit stops and gas depots necessary mentioned rental fleet, and had a crew we’d witnessed several returning qamu- were going riding for its own sake, for a full service, touring network. But in cut a new trail 70 kilometres through the tiks loaded with fresh meat, so the next instead of using their snowmobile only as my observations, these outfitters were wilderness to link up with the nearest day our mission was to find caribou. a mode of transport for some other activ- weekend operators at best, which left too White Wolf groomed trail. Not one given We saw two. On the way, our party of ity. Both new riders and those who have much to chance when touring the to half measures, the lodge even pur- six traversed 135 cross country kilome- taken it up again were part of those eager Labrador wilderness. Thus, the availabil- chased an old groomer with blade and tres of glacial eskers, wind-swept moun- to partake of Labrador’s groomed trails. ity of gas must be the prime considera- packer plate to start making the trail rid- tains, forested valleys, and drifted lakes Most of these snowmobilers had even tion for any snowmobiler bent on serious able too. that extend as far as the eye can see. This taken to wearing helmets, though it was- touring in Labrador. The best solution is By the time we arrived, the new trail far north, the trees are smallish and was cut 10 to 12 feet wide, adequately often give way to barren hillsides and marked, and rough-packed such that we mountaintops that sparkle white each rode over terrain contours, not moguls. winter. It’s a huge, magnificent, and wild It wasn’t tabletop smooth, but it was a land that barely seems to tolerate human relatively comfortable two-hour ride presence and makes a guy on a snowmo- from the main trail. Groomed regularly, bile feel very tiny indeed. this new trail has given many Labrador Most of the time, I had no idea where West riders their first real taste of desti- we were. I was thankful to our guides and nation touring. to the GPS and contour maps they con- The Northern Lights Lodge consisted sulted frequently. At noon, we stopped to of a main log building with a lounge, brew tea over an open fire and devour them! We got close enough for photos Who To Contact bar, and dining room, surrounded by the sandwiches that the Northern Lights before they bolted — straight off the lake free-standing sleeping cabins, each with cook had provided. It was a savory pre- and up our trail home! Fortunately, they Destination Labrador, 1-800-563-6353 or its own wood stove, sink and toilet. A cursor to the feast that night: a full roast ran off cross country, but at least I could generator supplied the power. The turkey dinner with all the trimmings plus leave Labrador convinced that anyone (709) 944-7788 lodge was a homey, frontiersy sort of a pork roast and salt beef, with black for- with time and serious intent can find Newfoundland & Labrador Tourism, place where the biggest concern each est cake for dessert. Yummy! caribou galore. 1-800-563-6353 or night was whether any of your cabin I admit to teasing my new Labrador www.gov.nf.ca/tourism mates would get up to put more wood friends about finding only those two lone Our Labrador tour was a unique combi- White Wolf Snowmobile Club, on the fire. If not, and you waited too caribou. Especially after a Northern nation of riding adventures. But for all of (709) 944-7401 or long yourself (as I did), then you lay Lights hunting crew brought them in, its recent incursions into civilized snow- there interminably, teeth chattering, hooves up, on qamutiks! If there were mobiling, one doesn’t have to travel far www.white-wolf.net trying to out-wait the others, and won- nearly a million of the beasts, how come from Labrador West to be surrounded by Northern Lights Snowmobile Adventures, dering if maybe everyone else was we’d seen only that hapless pair? My a wilderness frontier where one wrong (709) 944-7475 or already frozen to death and you’re next. readers would be challenged to believe a decision or foolish move can be life- www.labrador-frontier.com n’t mandatory under Newfoundland law. to phone ahead and arrange your tour It was one measure of the purity of winter hunt was worthwhile based on threatening. That’s why I’d recommend Newfoundland & Labrador Outside of town, there are no gas sta- through a local operator who will take the Labrador experience that everyone these measly pickings! So it was that on it only for experienced riders familiar Snowmobile Federation, 1-877-635-4395, tions. That’s one reason qamutiks are an care of lodgings, gas and guiding in the at Northern Lights drank the water our final day of riding — the journey with adventure snowmobiling. It’s also integral part of Labrador snowmobiling. outback. brought up from the lake daily (Update: back to Labrador West — that our mis- why I think a guide is essential for travel (709) 635-4395 or It may well have the highest per capita The necessity of carrying gas creates running water is now available). Another sion was finally accomplished… beyond the White Wolf system, and why I www.nlsf.org ownership of red jerry cans in Canada! an additional problem. Most of the indicator is the stellar display of the We stopped at Esker, a collection of would avoid visiting in January or Ride duration is restricted by fuel sup- sleighs and toboggans I observed didn’t Aurora Borealis that dances a spectacu- hunt camps half way back to Labrador February, when even many locals think ply. For instance, I spotted one group of have runners or carbides, so when cor- lar light show across the clear northern West. An excited hunter told us that a it’s too cold to venture far afield. Where We Stayed eight sleds from Fermont, on their way to nering, they were often all over the trail. sky on many nights. Or how about the herd of several thousand was fifteen That said, Labrador West was an Churchill Falls, pulling four qamutiks, Not only was this a serious safety concern constant presence of four red foxes, miles away. He had the carcasses to prove exceptional place to visit, a pioneer each with ten full jerry cans. That’s 40 for oncoming snowmobilers, it also was ever vigilant for a handout and always it. Thus began a hundred-kilometre locale characterized by the innocence of Wabush Hotel, (709) 282-3221 or cans plus their snowmobile tanks! It cer- likely the single factor most responsible curious about what those crazy humans detour into the mountains where the unlocked doors and open-armed hospi- www.wabushhotel.com tainly pays to know your sled’s gas for damaging groomed trails. would do next. We never seemed to dis- hoof prints and droppings became tality. It was one place where you could mileage and the distance to be traveled appoint them… increasingly plentiful. An hour later we leave the key in your sled overnight and before setting out in Labrador! By day four we were ready for new adven- spotted a hundred caribou running be assured of finding it there next morn- Rentals/Tours It’s likely that the current pace of trail tures. The Northern Lights Fishing Following our arrival in Labrador, we across a lake, but they were gone before ing. It was also a winter place where development will outstrip the establish- Lodge is located on Shaw Lake, almost heard stories of the George River we could get closer. We had turned snowmobiling is as much a way of life as Northern Lights Snowmobile Adventures, ment of trailside gas depots for the fore- 300 kilometres north of Labrador West. Caribou Herd, the world’s largest — around to head back when our guides, enjoying that special season is — and for seeable future. Certainly, a smattering of It was a very successful hunting and fish- numbering in the hundreds of thou- Gerard Rumbolt and Jerry Pelley, point- my money, that’s a good enough reason (709) 944-7475 or outfitter locations north of Labrador ing outfit, before launching a snowmo- sands — which roams freely in the hin- ed down a lake we had crossed earlier, to include it in your touring plans as www.labrador-frontier.com West could become the backbone for the bile operation too. It acquired the afore- terland. On our way in to Shaw Lake, and there they were — or at least 500 of soon as possible! ●

82 C a n a d a ’ s B e s t S N O W M O B I L I N G YOUR ULTIMATE RIDE GUIDE C a n a d a ’ s B e s t S N O W M O B I L I N G 83