Profile of Keith & Heather Nicol

Biography

Contributors Keith and Heather Nicol live in Corner Brook and are avid explorers of Newfoundland. Keith can be reached at knicol@swgc.mun.ca

All articles of Keith & Heather Nicol

• Great backcountry skiing
  A big advantage is that the road to Trout River from Woody Point passes along the base of the Tablelands giving access to many valleys, bowls and ...
• Plan B — Skiing to Blow Me Down ridge
  Our last ski trip to the Blow Me Down Mountains was in mid-January 2013 and so, on Tuesday, April 9, we decided to head down there again to check ...
• Ski touring to the Lewis Hills
  When a group of us were young and foolish we decided to do a ski trip to the high point of the Island, the Lewis Hills or the “Roof of Newf” as ...
• Snowmobiling to the North Arms Hills
  We have been out with him on several occasions and have seen eagles up close, viewed great scenery and always caught our limit of cod during the ...
• Backcountry skiing in the Blow Me Down valley
  At one time (30 or more years ago) backcountry skiing meant donning knickers and anoraks and heading off the beaten track on long, narrow skis. ...
• Safety in the snow
  This winter we have had some wild weather in western Newfoundland — major snowstorms with lots of snow and wind interspersed with rain and ...
• Visiting old friends at Whaleback
  We always enjoy visiting the Whaleback Nordic Ski Club in Stephenville since we have friends there that go back to our early involvement in ...
• Heading for the cross-country trails
  In the Corner Brook area, it seems to have been snowing nonstop since Christmas Day and cross-country skiers have been hitting the trails in many ...
• Our outdoor year in review
  December is a time of year when many people often reflect on their experiences of the past year. When we think of the various trips and outdoor ...
• Wave watching on the west coast
  Newfoundland’s weather is wilder than most places in Canada and the fall and early winter are often particularly windy and stormy. This is ...
• Getting ready for the cross-country ski season
  There are many cross-country ski clubs in western Newfoundland and they are starting to gear up for the coming season. The Blow Me Down Trails in ...
• Staying found
  Our first experience with getting lost in the wilderness happened on the Queen Charlotte Islands in B.C. over 35 years ago. We were heading down ...
• Paddling past the fall colours
  There are many ways to see the fall colours in western Newfoundland. You can go for a drive through the Humber Valley or up to Gros Morne ...
• Have baby, will travel
  We recently had my niece, Sandra and her husband, Scott visit from Vancouver, B.C. and they are avid hikers and back-country skiers. They have ...
• Exploring underground close to home
  Most of our columns deal with exploring the rivers, lakes, land and the adjacent Gulf of St. Lawrence. But western Newfoundland also has some ...
• Hiking trails to try in central Newfoundland
  We often think in western Newfoundland that we have the best hiking trails in Atlantic Canada.After all Gros Morne National Park attracts hikers ...
• Exploring Trout River Pond by sea or trail
  Upper and Lower Trout River Pond is located at the southern end of Gros Morne National Park. It is one of several “in land” fjords the park has ...
• Take the time to explore what the Eastport Peninsula...
  On our most recent trip to Central Newfoundland in early August 2012 we were keen on exploring some places we had not been to before. Our ...
• Take the scenic route, go boating on the lower...
  The lower Humber River, especially between Steady Brook and the ocean, is easily the most scenic large river on the island of Newfoundland and it ...
• Hiking, biking and bird watching in Codroy
  The Codroy Valley in southwestern Newfoundland is a mecca for bird watchers."This area has a variety of habitats and with its favourable climate ...
• Sampling coastal hikes and a few good shows in Gros...
  We just returned from Cow Head where we saw several excellent plays as part of Theatre Newfoundland Labrador's annual Gros Morne Theatre Festival ...
• Intricate shapes, clear water and fossils to be...
  Some hiking trails really showcase an area's geology and one of the best examples in western Newfoundland is the Gravels on the Port aux Port ...
• From a visit to the Man in the Mountain, to an...
  Our May 15 column dealt with a sampling of some of the events and activities associated with Spring Fest-various festivals that celebrate what to ...
• Spring skiing in the Blow Me Down backcountry
  There was a time in the first few years after we moved to Corner Brook in the early 1980’s that we would record all of our hiking and skiing ...
• Tablelands are a backcountry mecca for skiers
  When we first moved to Corner Brook over 30 years ago we joined the local cross-country ski club and also got passes for Marble Mountain. ...
• Alpine touring in the Blow Me Down Mountains
  There are many variations in backcountry skiing from light ski touring to full-fledged ski mountaineering, but an increasingly popular activity ...
• Dog sledding in Gros Morne National Park
  We were getting a quick immersion into dog sledding as we steered the sled around the first corner. By leaning sharply into the turn and putting ...
• Snowmobiling and avalanches in the Lewis Hills
  Last March we had our first ever snowmobile trip to the Lewis Hills with guide Mike McCarthy. As part of some avalanche research Rick Wheeler and ...
• Checking out St. Anthony
  George Pink, a driving force behind the Aurora Nordic Ski Club in St. Anthony, had been in touch with me back in the fall about doing a CANSI ...
• Exploring Pasadena Ski and Nature Park
  We recently had a chance to visit the Pasadena Ski and Nature Park which is a year-round facility located just to the south of the community of ...