We are CrazyAboutNewfoundland.com: Visiting a place that so few will ever get to ... The Sinkhole

Sunday, December 30, 2007

Visiting a place that so few will ever get to ... The Sinkhole

Humber Valley and Newfoundland continue to provide amazing sights and memories ... This week we joined a tour to "Snowshoe to the Sinkhole in Gros Morne".

Its a 45 minute drive from Humber Valley, up past the Jack Ladder to Wiltondale, and then 10 minutes to Lomand, and snowing all the way! We're quickly out of the jeep and with snowshoes on, venture off with great purpose in to the woods.

We're heading for the Sinkhole and are told its a 6km walk, aided by a snowmobile with a towed sled. The guides whizz by on the snowmobile with loads of gear, and then return to take those in the group that are not quite as fast as others.

It felt all up hill, but was a good walk, and we made it to through Gros Morne National Park and to the locally known "Sinkhole". There we met Marty from My Newfoundland Adventures, who explained what was going to happen next, and then after a quick sandwich and hot chocolate, we're climbing down into the Sinkhole.

The ground has eroded creating an area the size of 1-2 football pitches with 150 foot cliffs all the way round, a waterfull crashing into the middle from above, and the resulting water disappearing into a cave system. In winter the waterfall dramatically freezes up creating amazing ice sculptures. Apparrently in full winter the water is totally surrounded by the ice, and flows through the middle of the frozen pipes.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFSFUZ7MaEs
The snowshoe walk was long but worthwhile. When we got to the Sinkhole, there is a particular spot where the cliff drop has given way to a climbable incline.

The guides had sorted a rope system to help those that needed it - so even the more fragile in our group - made it to the bottom ... and WOW what an experience.

We definately felt like the "special ones", visiting a place that so few will ever get to.