Lifestyle JOURNEYS
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IN THE PLACE OF THE SPIRITS
IF THE WILDERNESS IS IN YOUR BLOOD , THERE ’ S A PLACE WAITING FOR YOU IN LABRADOR ’ S TORNGAT MOUNTAINS .
I ’ d been asleep for hours when the whisper woke me .
“ Liz … get up . You have to see this .”
It was 3am … and freezing cold … and my bed was warm … and the last thing on earth I wanted to do was leave it .
But my journalist buddies and I had agreed that if anyone caught a glimpse of the Northern Lights , we ’ d sound the alert .
Groggily , I stuck my feet into my chilly boots , pulled on my coat , headed outside and looked up .
Not a glimmer of the lights . Nothing . I hate practical jokes .
Instead , my buddy Mike appeared , staring into the darkness just beyond the bear fence that surrounded the camp . Wilderness-wise bear guards patrol the bear fence night and day - they ’ re one part of the amazing human machine that makes the Torngat Mountain Base Camp and Research Station where we were all staying a reality – but they were nowhere in sight .
What was in sight – and what Mike was staring at so intently - was the biggest black bear I ’ d ever seen , munching on blueberries just beyond the fence . Suddenly I understood the real source of the snuffl ing I ’ d been hearing all night . I ’ d blamed Mike – one tent away from mine – and was planning to tell him in the morning that he had a massive snoring problem .
We stood , frozen into silence by the bear ’ s size , scent , chewing , and mind-blowing proximity .
After a few mesmerized moments , Mike asked , “ Is it smart for us to be so close to a bear ? How much would it bother him to come through that electric fence ?”
Just as I was turning to do the 1200 metre dash across the camp , two shots exploded . Blueberry Bear grunted , then lumbered reluctantly up the rugged slope behind the camp . The Base Camp bear guards had arrived .
Situated 200 km north of Nain , the last inhabited community in Labrador , the Torngat Mountains Base Camp is a rugged miracle of organization and partnership between Parks Canada and the Inuit people of Labrador and Nunavik . The National Park Reserve both protects the Inuit homeland and showcases its incredible beauty .
The buildings on the base include a research station and a cafeteria , as well as a collection of bear-proof Intershelters which look a bit like big green plastic igloos , a series of DesignShelter tents and – wonderfully - a shiny shower and bathroom facility with giant propane heaters to keep things cozy from early morning until the last shower of the night . Each Intershelter and DesignShelter has a raised wooden fl oor , two down-comforter-topped single beds , a bedside table , lamp , chest of drawers , coat rack , mirror , table and two chairs . It ’ s Ikea-basic .
spring 2016 | wo magazine | 23