August 6-8, 2019, Appalachian explorer Lew Coty from Vermont, USA undertook a 3-day trek across the Bay of Islands north uplands in search of a St Gregory’s Arc hiking route from the southern end of the Gregory Mountains across the North Arm Hills to the IATNL basecamp at Stowbridges. He was joined during the first half of the trek by IATNL Chairperson Paul Wylezol who broke off midway to explore Lower Crabbs Brook.
Cabox Honours Newfoundland Geologist “Hank” Williams
On July 18, 2019, Cabox Aspiring Geopark honoured renowned Newfoundland Geologist Harold “Hank” Williams (1934-2010) by installing a large interpretative panel depicting his life and work at the Saltbox Restaurant and Information Center in Benoit’s Cove. Much of the information was taken from E. R. Ward Neale’s tribute to him at the 1994 Nuna Conference in his honour, in Grand Falls, NL.
UltramaTrex: “A Photographer’s Dream”
For one week in July 2019, long-distance hiker Geoff Rose of Ontario took on the challenges and rewards of Western Newfoundland’s UltramaTrex, a 6-8 day trek across the ultramafic sections of the four Bay of Islands Ophiolite Massifs, from Tablelands in the north, across the North Arm Hills, Bay of Islands, Blow Me Down Mountains and Lewis Hills to the south. “It was a photographer’s dream!” he said. “The UltramaTrex is a grand route. You experience many challenges and view a wonderful range of terrain, flora and fauna. … I loved the ultramafic sections (part of the earth’s mantle) for their surreal landscape.”
IAT Ulster Ireland Hosts Outdoor Economy Forum
From June 2 to 7, 2019, representatives of the International Appalachian Trail (IAT), Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC), Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) and Appalachian Trail Museum gathered in Ulster Ireland for an Outdoor Economy Forum to discuss common issues and assist IAT Ulster Ireland develop a world-class trail network. Day One began with a morning hike along Sallagh Braes basalt cliffs, which provide a spectacular view of the Northern Ireland coast and Irish Sea beyond. The trek was guided by James McKeown of the Glens of Antrim Rambling Club and ended at one of Northern Ireland’s many Games of Thrones tv series sites.
10th Anniversary of IAT’s First Visit to Scotland
From May 28 to June 2, 2019, representatives from IAT Newfoundland (proponents of Cabox Geopark) and IAT Maine visited Scotland on a 10th anniversary IAT Europe tour which ended in Northern Ireland on June 7 after an Outdoor Economy Forum that also included representatives from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and Museum, and Appalachian Mountain Club based in Boston, Mass. The Scotland tour included visits to John Muir’s Birthplace Museum in Dunbar, James Hutton’s Siccar Point, Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, Spireslack open-pit mine, Robbie Burns Birthplace Museum in Ayr, and Lochaber Geopark in the Highlands.
Jakeman All Grade Students Experience Region Through VR
On Tuesday, May 7, 2019, students at Jakeman All Grade School in Trout River took turns touring the Geopark region with the help of Cabox’s Drifting Apart Virtual Reality program. Geopark Chairperson Paul Wylezol took advantage of the beautiful weather to visit the community located just west of the Tablelands Ophiolite Massif in Gros Morne National Park. Teacher Kayla Brake arranged the visit, which included the participation of kindergarten and grades 1-6 and 9.
Cabox Brings VR to St Peters Academy in Benoit’s Cove
On Tuesday, April 2, 2019, Paul Wylezol of Cabox Geopark and Eric Bourgeois of Saltbox Restaurant and Information Center brought the Geopark to Angela Lawrence’s Grade 3 class at St Peter’s Academy in Benoit’s Cove. With interpretive panels and PC in tow, they introduced the students to the region’s natural heritage and gave them the opportunity to view it in VR (virtual reality) from their classroom.
Students at Templeton Experience Geopark Through VR
On Friday, March 8, 2019, Cabox Aspiring Geopark’s Paul Wylezol and Rob Thomas visited Templeton Academy in Meadows on the North Shore of the Humber Arm to introduce students to the region’s natural and cultural heritage using maps and virtual reality (VR) goggles. The visit to the Grade 3 class of teachers Brandy Thomas and Natasha Caines – which recently learned about maps – began with an introduction to James Cook and the work he did in the Bay of Islands 250 years ago (1767-68). Cook drew the outline of Newfoundland and was followed by 19th and 20th century geologists who, in the tradition of England’s William Smith (1769-1839), “colored” it in.
Cabox Completes Year Two of Signage Plan
With the recent installation of Hank Williams’ Tectonic Lithofacies Map of the Appalachian Orogen at the Saltbox Restaurant and Geopark Information Center in Benoit’s Cove, Cabox Geopark has completed Year Two of its 5-year signage strategy. A wide variety of indoor and outdoor signs and interpretive panels have been installed at key locations around the Aspiring Geopark that were created at the IATNL print shop in the Goodhouse Building in Corner Brook, and cost shared by the IATNL and EU Interreg funded Drifting Apart project.
Cabox Commemorates Tectonic Lithofacies Map of the Appalachian Orogen
On Saturday, December 15, 2018, Cabox Geopark commemorated the 40th Anniversary of the Tectonic Lithofacies Map of the Appalachian Orogen. The map was compiled by renowned Newfoundland Geologist Harold “Hank” Williams, with assistance from his graduate student Jim Hibbard who continued to update and digitize the map at North Carolina State University where he was Professor Emeritus until his recent retirement.