I am considering a trek in August/September in the Mealy Mountains and English Mountains in Labrador (Canada's newest National Park; for info see 1, 2, 3). However, I am worried by the prospect of polar bears, so I wonder how frequent they are.
I have two data points:
- Gros Morne National Park, almost 500 km south of the Mealy Mountains, rates polar bears there as accidental visitors (Occasional visitor, no permanent population).
- Torngat Mountain National Park, roughly 600 km north of the Mealy Mountains, writes on their website: Visitors travelling and camping in the park are in polar bear country and are at high risk of encounters. Polar bears are almost always present along the north Labrador coast.
Where do the Mealy Mountains fit in during the ice-free season (August/September)? Are polar bears occasional visitors like in Gros Morne National Park, where it's arguably safe to hike without worrying about polar bears? Or are they closer to being permanently present, and is hiking alone without a guide very dangerous?