Trekking Expedition

A trek through the Torngat Mountains and its cultural landscape

Tunngasugit!    Welcome!

This expedition offers both fascinating outdoor adventure through the heart of the Mount D’Iberville (Kauvvik) sector as well as an opportunity to share the company of an Inuit family in the community of Kangiqsualujjuaq. The whistling wind in this sector of the park is a constant element that embodies a timeless spirit. Here, you will feel yourself released from the bonds of time. The Mount D’Iberville sector occupies a special magical and spiritual place in Inuit tradition: the abode of the supreme being in their mythology. The Inuit name for this region, Torngait, means “place inhabited by the spirits”. Throughout this back-country expedition, visitors will sense the veiled presence of Inuit legends and myths. Let our guides share this exceptional territory with you.

Itinerary

This multi-day expedition offers visitors three routes in the Mount D’Iberville sector:

1. The Mount D’Iberville creek route.
2. The Minaret Ridge route to the plateau, nicknamed the Football Field, C2 to C3.
3. The Koroc Ridge route to the plateau, nicknamed the Football Field, C2 to C3.

This itinerary will be adapted to weather conditions and group members. To complete a supported ascent of the summit of Mount D’Iberville, contact us.

(In the North, the weather can change suddenly. This itinerary may therefore be adjusted according to current conditions. Flexibility and the ability to adapt to changing situations are pre-requisites.)

Day 1

6 km (five hours). On deplaning, be prepared to enter another world. You will transfer to Kangiqsualujjuaq. Nestled between hills, Kangiqsualujjuaq is a welcoming community ready to offer you a remarkable cultural experience. A park staff member will meet you at the airport and shuttle you to the visitor and interpretation centre where your equipment will be verified and you will receive safety information. Keep your camera handy as you fly over the second largest park in Québec. When the sky is clear, Mount D’Iberville is visible. Your destination is the source of the Koroc River. While trekking to the creek that flows from Mount D’Iberville, you will observe amazing waterfalls cascading down the canyon walls, which tower up to 30 m in some places. The remainder of the day will be used to discover your new environment, adjust your equipment and review risk management.

Camp 1
Accommodations: tent
Meals: dinner * Snacks not included

Day 2

6 km (four hours), ascent, elevation 200 m. After a first night in the immense tundra, the day will begin gently with a tasty outdoor breakfast. You will discover that the Arctic summer nurtures a delicate flora that takes practice to observe. Cotton grass and other Gentiana grow scattered along your trail. Take your time, there are few places on earth where it is possible to view in one location as wide a range of geological features and processes. Passage up the west side of the canyon. According to weather conditions and the pace of your group, your second night could be spend at a camp set up near a small lake or at Camp 3.

Camp 2
Accommodations: tent
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner * Snacks not included

Day 3

5 km (five hours), ascent, elevation 300 m. Your expedition will continue on relatively flat, though varied terrain: tundra, rocks and bogs. A short break is planned near an archaeological site before entering the access corridor to the summit of Mount D’Iberville. The trail here becomes steeper with the terrain changing to large rocks and vegetation gradually diminishing. Reaching the top of a beautiful cascade, you will have a splendid view of the mountain. But be careful: the plant life is fragile.

Camp 3
Accommodations: tent
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner * Snacks not included

Day 4

5.5 km (seven hours), ascent, elevation 800 m. The day begins early. The fording of the small creek is the last place to fill your water containers on the trail to the Minaret Ridge (Snow may still be present, even in mid-July.) The trail is difficult (class 2, scrambling) and full of rocks, sometimes large and unstable. The slow ascent will give you an opportunity to take in an unforgettable panoramic view of the region and, perhaps, one the most beautiful you will ever see. The second leg of this ascent is more exposed (class 3). The elevation is imposing and intoxicating: 1,554 m (5,100 ft). A plateau, nicknamed the Football Field, offers a spectacular view of Rama Bay and the Labrador Sea. The turquoise and steel-blue glacial lakes contrast sharply with the grey, brown and ochre tints of the mountains. Mount D’Iberville is so close here you can almost reach out and touch it. Immediately below are the remnants of a glacier, known by the same name. If weather conditions permit, a short break will be enjoyed before returning to Camp 3. The return route is equally difficult.

Camp 3
Accommodations: tent
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner * Snacks not included

Day 5

5 km (eight hours). This day can be spend recuperating at the camp or trekking along the Koroc Ridge route. The experience is unlike the ascent of the day before, but equally difficult (classes 2 and 3), imposing and intoxicating. The point of return is where the trail becomes class 5.

If you would like to carry on to the summit, let us know. A package already exists specifically for travellers with this objective.

Camp 3
Accommodations: tent
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner * Snacks not included

Day 6

5 km (four hours). Return to Camp 2. This region is home to wolves, black bears and polar bears. Accompanied by Inuit guides, though, you will have nothing to worry about. Your guides are experienced at identifying wildlife kilometres ahead across the tundra! Savour all the geological, wildlife and plant attractions that are part of this expedition.

Camp 2
Accommodations: tent
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner * Snacks not included

Day 7

6 km (four hours). Return to Camp 1 or near the landing strip.

Camp 1
Accommodations: tent
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner * Snacks not included

Day 8

6 km (four hours). The final leg of this trek brings you to the landing strip. Return to the community of Kangiqsualujjuaq in the afternoon, where you can explore the community and meet its residents. Although the day is yours, you are encouraged to get to know the community and to share news of your adventure and photos with anyone who might be passing by the community centre.

Accommodations: hotel
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner (at hotel) * Snacks not included

Day 9

You may decide to continue your discovery of the community independently or take part in the daily life of an Inuit family. Time revolves around the hunt, the tides and weather conditions. Whatever your decision, your time spent in Kangiqsualujjuaq will be unforgettable and is an excellent way to conclude your expedition in the Far North.

Accommodations: hotel
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner (at hotel) * Snacks not included

Day 10

After breakfast, return flight to Kuujjuaq, the region’s largest community and transfer to your Montreal return flight.