Event report for the 2017 New Brunswick Expedition Challenge.
After a year of conceptualising the event and countless kilometres of trail recon by East Coast Overland with the assistance of Explore The North and J. Diamond we were ready. August was the perfect month to run the NB Expedition Challenge (NBX 2017) here in New Brunswick. The vast swaths of mosquitoes that plague outdoor enthusiasts in the months of May and June have mostly died off, the swamps and mud pits of the spring rains have all but dried up and sun has had a chance to solidify the soft spring trails.
This year the summer had been a very dry one for the East Coast, bringing little to no rain until, as luck would have it, the night of the rendezvous for NBX 2017. It continued to rain through day one and two of the event. The mud and rain set a dreary start, but did not deter the 31 vehicles that had gathered for this adventure. Everyone was eager to put it into high gear and play around with their waypoints and Gaia App, which were generously donated through Gaia’s sponsorship.
Day one was a shake down day to get the teams used to working together and to give them an idea of the challenges that would present themselves over the next four days.
Day one was a shake down day to get the teams used to working together and to give them an idea of the challenges that would present themselves over the next four days.
Team Rubi Su on Day 2 on a muddy trail, somewhere in central New Brunswick.
Day two was the first day of the real challenges. With the trails still wet and muddy from the last 24 hours of rain, drivers started to realize that their skills and vehicles would be pushed during this navigation challenge. From tight overgrown trails to flooded trail sections, teams learned to develop strategies on how to best tackle the number of waypoints issued each morning. Some got stuck, some almost flipped over and almost everyone winched their rigs through a very steep obstacle nicknamed the “tank trap”.
Team Harrington from Vermont working their way through the Tank Trap, one rig at a time.
Day two roughly went from the Doaktown area to Rogersville where the camp for the night was stationed in a clearing. Some people struggled with the Gaia app, which no longer offers a satellite image view. This created a challenge for those who are used to the older version. Luckily, Backroad Mapbooks was one of the sponsors of our event and had provided each team with a copy of the New Brunswick Backroad Mapbook, which illustrates the vast trail network that criss crosses the province.
The teams were quickly bonding and making new friendships. Participants shared stories of the day’s adventures and discussed what to expect for the next day over drinks, dinner and the evening's warm crackling campfire.
The teams were quickly bonding and making new friendships. Participants shared stories of the day’s adventures and discussed what to expect for the next day over drinks, dinner and the evening's warm crackling campfire.
Team Overland Living Outfitters Jeep all kitted out.
The sun started to make an appearance towards the end of the day and with it came a rise in spirits and excitement about the adventure that lay ahead. The trails would lead the participants ever further north into the mountains of New Brunswick. Day-by-day the scenery would become more dramatic with the increasing altitude, the villages and gas stations would become more scarce and the remoteness of the region would become abundantly obvious.
Remote and beautiful scenery was a common theme for the event.
One of the great things about events like this is the boost to local economy and in particular gas stations that lie along the route where everyone will stop to fuel up and refill coolers with ice, food and drinks before heading back into the wilderness. I'm sure the station owners had a smile when over 30 vehicles pulled in to line up at the pumps.
A member from Team Rubi Su in northern New Brunswick.
As the teams started to depart camp on the morning of day three, the weather was looking great and the forecast was even better with warm temperatures and sunshine. From Rogersville through Red Bank and up into the Christmas Mountains, this leg of the journey displayed some of the most spectacular scenery and trails the region has to offer.
Steep climbs, narrow rocky washed out trail sections and stunning mountain vistas summarize this section along the New Brunswick Expedition Challenge. This region is best known for Mount Carleton Provincial Park and the Christmas Mountains. But these trails, as beautiful as they are, don’t come without a price to pay. Punctured tires, broken shocks, cracked radiators and other trail carnage was the result. It was a vehicle repair night for many of the rigs.
Steep climbs, narrow rocky washed out trail sections and stunning mountain vistas summarize this section along the New Brunswick Expedition Challenge. This region is best known for Mount Carleton Provincial Park and the Christmas Mountains. But these trails, as beautiful as they are, don’t come without a price to pay. Punctured tires, broken shocks, cracked radiators and other trail carnage was the result. It was a vehicle repair night for many of the rigs.
Team Fundy Ones conducting field repairs on one of their three TJs.
If mud was the flavour for day one and two, then dust quickly became the flavour for days three and four. The long dirt roads, mostly used by logging trucks and the occasional ATV, are notorious for kicking up large dust clouds that linger between the wood lined tracks. This reduced visibility and forced drivers to increase the distance between team members. With the compass displaying north, teams blazed on across dusty dirt roads through the highlands, with temperatures pushing 30' Celsius. After five days, cold water became a very sought after commodity. The teams found just that at the end of one of the way points where they seized the opportunity to refresh by taking a spontaneous dip in one of the lakes along the route.
Nick and I had scouted a location near the end of the event that was more suitable than the northern town of Dalhousie, which was the original destination. We found a beautiful pebble river with clear water and a beach large enough to fit all the vehicles. While we waited for the participants to finish their way points for the day, we stopped for a refreshing plunge in the cold stream and reflected on the event as it drew to an end. We were already exploring ideas for the next New Brunswick Challenge, NBX 2018.
Nick and I had scouted a location near the end of the event that was more suitable than the northern town of Dalhousie, which was the original destination. We found a beautiful pebble river with clear water and a beach large enough to fit all the vehicles. While we waited for the participants to finish their way points for the day, we stopped for a refreshing plunge in the cold stream and reflected on the event as it drew to an end. We were already exploring ideas for the next New Brunswick Challenge, NBX 2018.
Group photo at the end of the five days of adventure.
A big THANK YOU to all our sponsors. It was through of their generous support that we could offer some amazing prizes, such a Snomaster Fridge, TREDS, Pioneer Tools, Krazy Beaver Shovel and tons of swag and other great and useful items.
Thank You to Wild Coast Tents, Backroad Mapbooks, CORE Outfitters, 4 Wheel Parts, Trailsoffroad.com, OutHEREadventure.com, Explore The North, Outdoor Junkie, Arrowhead Coffee Company, Overland Xplorers and Gaia GPS.
Thank You to Wild Coast Tents, Backroad Mapbooks, CORE Outfitters, 4 Wheel Parts, Trailsoffroad.com, OutHEREadventure.com, Explore The North, Outdoor Junkie, Arrowhead Coffee Company, Overland Xplorers and Gaia GPS.
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