Tourist in the Torngats

Flying in by helicopter from Nutak, the landscape is breathtaking. Most tourists reach the park by way of Twin Otter flight to Saglek airstrip and a very brief helicopter flight from there to base camp. 1 width:500px;height:280px Helicopter pilot Peter Jefford flies towards Torngat Mountains National Park base camp. While the flight in is breathtaking, the most beautiful scenery is even further North, according to Park staff. 2 width:500px;height:280px The land offers one dramatic landscape after another, the feeling of seeing a dozen Gros Mornes. 3 width:500px;height:280px Base camp for Torngat Mountains National Park. The main building includes a kitchen and dining area, as well as office space. Guest tents are inland from the main building, while staff are set-up closer to the water. The solar panel array, beside the main building, power the camp. 4 width:500px;height:280px Camp staff sit for a coffee break between the main camp building and the solar panel array powering the site 5 width:500px;height:280px

Solar panels power the camp, including the fencing around the site meant to keep polar bears away. Paired with fencing, the camp offers 24/7 “bear guards,” also sent out with visitors trekking through the park wilderness 6 width:500px;height:280px  Clothes dry on a line beside one of the main visitor tents at base camp. Inuit staff use smaller, grounded tents closer to the water. 7 width:500px;height:280px Inside one of the large, guest tents. The structure easily fits two single beds, as well as a chair, sidetable and woodstove. 8 width:500px;height:280px A team of geologists from the University of Tokyo have been collecting rock samples from the park this summer, using Home Hardware buckets to help in their tasks. 9 width:500px;height:280px Gary Baikie, visitor experience manager for the park with Parks Canada, shows the inside of one of the larger tents to visitors. The tents offer creature comforts including beds and a woodstove. 10 width:500px;height:280px

Inside the main camp building, this map shows areas identified for potential expansion of the base camp. It would allow for more visitors, but any expansion must be balanced with preserving environment and experience say camp staff. 11 width:500px;height:280px Office space is offered to visiting scientists inside the main camp building at Torngat Mountains National Park base camp. 12 width:500px;height:280px Tourist Jason Miles sits on an iceberg off the coast of Labrador, off the coast the coast of Torngat Mountains National Park, North of Saglek Bay. Miles journeyed daily from the park base camp. — Submitted photo courtesy of Jason Miles 13 width:500px;height:333px The mess hall at the main base camp building is a gathering place for visitors, following long excursions. 14 width:500px;height:280px Base camp tents are seen with a chartered boat in the distance. Boats and helicopters are used to ferry guests, but also to provide supplies and evacuate in the case of an emergency. Visitor vessels are also often spotted in the same water, though all visitors coming to land must register for safety reasons. 15 width:500px;height:280px

Preparing to fly out. 16 width:500px;height:280px