Gros Morne National Park
The Gros Morne Cooperating Association, in cooperation with Parks Canada, has established two secluded backcountry ski huts for your winter adventure pleasure. Users of the backcountry huts should be experienced winter wilderness travelers or be guided by experienced wilderness leaders. There are no marked trails or routes that take you right to these huts.
Bakers Brook Hut
Nestled on the wooded shoreline of Bakers Brook Pond Fjord
Located in a sheltered spruce and fir forest beside Bakers Brook Pond, this hut’s backdrop is the spectacular mountain scenery of the Long Range. For over half of the journey into this hut you travel along the marked Baker’s Brook ski trail. This is an excellent base-camp for further exploration of the gentle terrain of the coastal lowlands and is a recommended backcountry option for the aspiring backcountry skier. For the more experienced and adventurous skiers and snowshoers with appropriate equipment, it is an excellent staging area for exploration of the fjord and the mountains.
The route to the cabin is unmarked but most visitors start on route 430, 5 km north of Rocky Harbour at the access road to the Berry Hill Campground. From there, visitors can follow a combination of unplowed park roads, the Bakers Brook Falls hiking trail, and old pathways to the cabin. The kitchen shelter in the Berry Hill group camping area provides a warm up shelter 2 km in from the highway.
Difficulty: novice – intermediate
Distance: 8.5 km (parking area to hut)
Time: 3-4 hours (one way)
Elevation: 90 m
Hazards specific to this area: Bakers Brook Pond ice, whiteouts, avalanches (in mountainous areas )
Map & Coordinates: Gros Morne 12 H/12, coordonnées UTM E 0437800 N 5499900
Note: Injury, illness, hypothermia and poor visibility are some of the realities of winter travel in Gros Morne National Park. Be prepared – you could be out overnight without shelter!
Personal Clothing
- long underwear top and bottom (quick drying such as polypro)
- sock liners (polypro) and socks (wool or synthetic equivalent)
- tops and pants (fleece or wool)
- shell jacket and pants (water/wind proof, breathable)
- vest (synthetic or down)
- heavy top (fleece or wool)
- hat (fleece or wool) and balaclava
- mitts (fleece or wool) and water/wind proof and breathable over mitts
Make sure that you carry extra layers of clothing for warmth when you stop or if your clothing becomes wet!
Equipment
- backcountry skis (or snowshoes), boots, poles
- goggles and/or sunglasses
- insulated sleeping pad
- sleeping bag
- food and water
- first aid kit (with additional survival gear)
- matches and candle (or headlamp with spare batteries)
- map and compass
- ski waxes
- shovel
- stove, fuel and cooking pot
- repair kit (pliers, screwdriver, ski tip, duct tape, wire)
- plastic bags (keep clothing dry!)
If you travel into the mountainous areas, prepare for hazards such as avalanches, cold exposure, and whiteout conditions!
Disclaimer
There are inherent risks with winter wilderness travel. The areas described herein will at times be unsafe due to weather, snow, ice, and avalanche conditions. Gros Morne National Park has done its best to provide accurate information and to describe the conditions typical of each general area. However, it is up to the users of this information to learn the necessary skills for safe winter travel, access additional trip planning materials, and to exercise caution while travelling in the national park. Users of this information do so entirely at their own risk, and the Parks Canada Agency disclaims any liability for injury, death or damage to anyone undertaking winter travel in any of the regions described. This information is no substitute for experience or good judgement.