| Route
section and facilities information |
Road
condition |
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Section
1: Baie Comeau to Manic Five, 214 kilometres
Gas and
accommodations at Energy Motel at Manic Five. No town here. Gas, snacks,
liquor, and Manic 5 T-shirts are about all that is available. Gas @ 85
cents/litre (June 1997)
Click for
larger image of Manic 5 dam: |
This is a paved road in very good condition.
There are many hunters, fishers, and others who have camps on this
route. It is difficult to make good travel time along this section due
to the hills and many sharp turns in the road. Manic 5 main hydro dam is
impressive sight. Estimated travel time is 3 hours. SOS phone booths
appear roughly every 20-40 KMs. |
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Section
2: Manic 5 to Gagnon (ghost town), 175 kilometres
Gas,
restaurant and accommodations at Motel Relais Gabriel, which is just 100
kilometres past Manic Five and 75 kilometres before the ghost town of
Gagnon. No towns here, just food and gas. I didn't see a "motel"
of the usual standards, only some shacks. It seems this would be
suitable for anyone stranded or needing a rest, or perhaps hunters. Gas
@ 85 cents/litre (June 1997) |
This is a good
condition and highly maintained gravel road. You can make relatively
quick progress along this stretch. Keep to the right at the top of
hills. After Motel Relais Gabriel, the gravel begins to get a little
more rough and you'll likely find a few washboard sections. Estimated
travel time is 2.5 hours. |
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Section 3: Gagnon to Fire Lake, 89 kilometres
Gagnon is a
ghost town with nothing but old pavement left behind. Fire Lake is an
open pit mine that is no longer active. No gas, towns, stores or any
other facilities along this section.
Click
for larger image of former Gagnon main street: |
Paved,
but very old pavement (over 12 years old), and getting more deteriorated
each year. There is patchwork done on this road but it doesn't prevent
one's suspension from getting hammered periodically. The pavement will
make you want to go about 80 - 100 KM/H, but this is not kind to your
vehicle when you encounter the rough spots. Look out for the fresh
looking patches - they tend to have the bumps. Estimated travel time is
1 hour, but I'd take it a little slower than that. |
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Section
4: Fire Lake to Mount Wright, 63 kilometres
Going from one
inactive open pit mine to an active open pit mine (Mount Wright). No
gas, towns, stores or any other facilities along this section.
Click
for a larger image of a twisty section of "the trail", where
the road goes around rather than through any water or rock outcrop: |
Twisting gravel road made without dynamite or
much cost. Rumour has it that this was built by striking workers, and it
looks it. Any place there is water, the road goes around rather than
over it. Any place there is a rocky hill the road goes around rather
than through it. At one point they steal the gravel base of the railway
track to carve a wedge in that and call it a road. This section crosses
the railway tracks about 8 times and so you must stop to look out for an
iron ore train. Locals call it "the trail". Estimated travel
time is 1.5 hours. |
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Section
5: Mount Wright to Labrador City/Wabush, 40 kilometres
About 17
kilometres from Mount Wright you will encounter Fermont - the mining
community associated with Mount Wright. Fermont is a small town with all
basic services, including gas, food, and a hotel. Gas @ 72 cents/litre
(June 1997)
Click for larger image of Mount Wright mine
(background): |
Paved
road in good condition. Estimated travel time is 30 minutes. |
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Section
6: Labrador City to Churchill Falls, 238 kilometres
There are
plenty of facilities available in Labrador City. There are no gas
stations, towns, stores or other facilities enroute to Churchill Falls.
Churchill Falls has some facilities but be aware that this is largely a
"company town", meaning there is very little in the way of
private enterprises. There is one hotel, one gas station, one grocery
store, one convenience store. There is a "B&B" as well,
which was for sale when I was there. The Black Spruce Lodge is a former
guest trailer complex and is much cheaper than the local hotel. In
Churchill Falls, Gas @ 75 cents/litre (June 1997)
Click for a larger
image of road between Labrador City and Churchill Falls, and the town of
Churchill Falls: |
A
well made gravel road, with plenty of straight and level sections. The
temptation will be there to drive at about 100 KM/H (summertime speeds,
that is), however this is something that can only be done when the
conditions are right. The gravel on this road is more coarse (contrasted
with that on the Quebec side just north of Manic 5), and for this reason
one must be careful not to surf on the gravel and off the road on turns.
The sections near Labrador City and Churchill Falls see more traffic and
are more prone to washboard conditions. |
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Section
7: Churchill Falls to Happy Valley - Goose Bay, 288 kilometres
No gas stations, stores, towns, or other facilities along this route
until Goose Bay. Plenty of facilities available in Happy Valley - Goose
Bay. From here it is possible to take a ferry to the island of
Newfoundland (reservations in advance are recommended). |
This section I
have not travelled. It is said to be the worst section of this highway,
but it is currently being upgraded. In the spring it is sometimes better
to cross this stretch in a 4x4 due to washouts. Extra caution is
required if this section continues to lack road signs. If heading east,
take the fork to the right just after you pass the Churchill Falls
switchyard (where the local pavement ends). There is a sign there
indicating which way to take to Goose Bay, but (if you missed it) the
left fork brings one to a spillway control structure (Orma) which is
about 6 - 8 hours drive, and there is diddly squat on that route. I add
this warning due to the lack of road route signs. Speeds average 40 - 50
KM/H. Estimated travel time is 6 - 8 hours. |
Times
given are assuming travel by vehicle (car, van, truck, RV).
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