se c r e t s f r o m m y s u i t c ase
quebec's unspoiled gaspé peninsula may be
the best part of the applachian mountains
Discover Quebec's
Appalachians
by Suzanne Morphet
Toxic rocks, endangered
caribou, and trees so old they
pre-date the Boston Tea Party?
None of these sound like the Appalachian Mountains I've read about.
Besides, I'm in Quebec, at Gaspésie National Park.
Anyone who's hiked America's iconic Appalachian Trail knows the
Appalachian Mountains don't stop at the Canadian border. They keep
going, through New Brunswick and into what may be the best part of
that ancient mountain range – Quebec's unspoiled Gaspé peninsula.
In Quebec, the Appalachians are called the Notre Dame Mountains
and sub-ranges are known as the McGerrigles and the Chic-Chocs,
the latter a Mi'kmaq name meaning "impenetrable wall." And
that's exactly how the steep forested mountainsides appear on the
September morning we arrive. Low-hanging clouds completely block
our view of the mountain tops; rain is on the way.
A park guide suggests we abandon plans to spend the whole day
hiking one of the highest peaks and settle instead for a half-day
hike on Mont Olivine. It means we won't see any caribou, the only
surviving herd south of the St. Lawrence River. Fewer than 200
animals remain and they prefer the tundra atop Mount Jacques
Cartier, the second-highest mountain in the province. However we
might see moose, deer, golden eagles and spruce grouse.
And we'll be walking on one of the prettiest stretches of the
International Appalachian Trail, which meanders from the tip of the
Gaspé to the northern terminus of the original trail in Maine.
According to the local tourism office, the 12-kilometre Mont
Olivine loop offers "the best ratio of beautiful vistas [for] required
effort!" This being September, we'll also get to enjoy some fall colour.
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The gradual climb takes us through a forest of balsam fir, white
and yellow birch, and black spruce. The moody weather seems to
match the rugged geography and for once, I'm glad it's not sunny.
We pass a large lake that's slightly sinister looking, but maybe that's
because it's called Lac du Diable (Devil's Lake). Further along, a
rushing sound alerts us to a boulder-studded river that's frothing
with white water. As we near the summit, the trail often crosses exposed
rock. "It's really easy to identify serpentine by its colour," says Francois
Belanger, our park guide, pointing to a patch of smooth yellow rock
with grey streaks. "It's toxic to flora," he adds, explaining that the soil
around serpentine rock contains high levels of heavy metal and low
levels of essential elements such as calcium. Only 14 plants have been
identified that can tolerate the serpentine soils on these mountain tops.
Except for the simple huts that provide shelter for hikers in
summer and for backcountry skiers in winter, the landscape appears
exquisitely wild. Virgin pockets of ancient trees still survive, including
260-year-old white spruce.
On this foreboding day we meet very few other hikers. But we do see
one cute fellow – a spruce grouse that blends into the thicket of moss
and ferns. The rain cooperates too, holding off until we're steps from
our van, before pouring down with a fury that suits this wild place.
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