Calgary Jeep Association
4x4 Related Groups => Land Issues, Trail Projects & Trail Stewardship => Topic started by: morerpmfred on February 24, 2016, 09:51:51 PM
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Just leaving the flood rehab trail meeting in Cochrane.
We will be losing all of our winter trails.
Any trail that crosses the waiporous will be closed.
We may gain a couple all season trails.
March 15 may be the last day to go to the falls.
We may gain some more trails if we get funding for bridges.
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WHAT!!!????? That sucks. Going through the river to the falls was half the fun.
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What's their reasoning?
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West cut throat trout.
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So whats left? lost knife for a click?
I guess I should say whats 'legally' left...
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Andy,
what about down south?
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Could write here for an hour. Lots of details same thread on jj.
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Same thing. Critical habitat for cut throat trout. No wheels in the water any where.
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They are working on pluz plans for livingstone and porkies. And to add to this linear foot print, prime protection, critical wildlife areas and biodiversity. End of day by next fall expect majority if jeep trails to be closed in southern alberta.
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And to add. Google springbank damm. Alternate damn location is maclean. One of these will go ahead. Think maclean store under water during flood. How long till trails are reopened ? May be out to lunch on this one. But you never know.
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Can they prove there are fish in that spring run off creek coming from the falls?
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So we just have to build bridges wide enough for Jeeps?
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Yes, bridges that being installed in the south loop of winter trail are mainly quad size. Sounded like they would put full size in if they had more funding. Andy has more info.
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Just to let everyone know, I met with Dan Tatton prior to the public meeting. I brought up to him a couple of possibilities for additional trails, one of them being the bridges to open up that quad trail to us. Funding is the issue as said. I think with the funds that we have as well as other clubs we should be able to do a couple of small bridges. I will let you know of details as I get them.
There was also discussion about the trail to the falls. Because of the number of river crossings it was pretty much a guaranteed closure, but he is willing to go for a hike in the spring to explore possible re-routes. I will continue to be in contact with both Dan and Rob so we can explore some of these options.
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Excellent news, will help out any way I can.
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I am hurting from this news. but we all knew it was coming
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think its time to hang up the jeeping thing boys.........
might be time to jump on the Quad bandwagon.....
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think its time to hang up the jeeping thing boys.........
might be time to jump on the Quad bandwagon.....
I think they will have the same rules for quads and jeeps. Seeing as how they banned fullsize trucks/jeeps 8 years ago and now they have problems with quads... Go figure....
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there is no bandwagon to jump on. It's jeeping or nothing. .. no its jeeping.. there aint nothing like it.
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We will be losing all of our winter trails.
Any trail that crosses the waiporous will be closed.
Just to be clear. Are you saying the winter loops north of Waiparous creek are being closed?
Is it just Waiparous creek, or any waterway? Nobody is going to afford to build bridges over Waiparous creek, even quad sized ones, IMO that will survive spring flooding.
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Aep is planning to put a bridge across some where. Two potential location where discussed.
No more winter trails. Theses trails are being accessed in the summer by full size vehicles. Thus no enforcement. Thus trail closures.
They,aep are working on opening a couple more trails for all season use. With additional funding for bridges we can have access to more trails.
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All water ways where genetical pure west slope trout are. Those waterways are closed to all motorized traffic.
Not to be confused with stocked west slope cutthroat trout.
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so Andy, do they intend to police/patrol these closed trails?
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If we had enforce ment 40 years ago we would have a lot more trails to day.
Bacauase this comed under species at risk act. Now dfo is involved , fines will be a lot higher. Can only speculate.
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I remain skeptical. A bridge that would last through the next flood would cost many millions of dollars.
The decision to close the winter loops because they do not enforce summer use has zero logic.
My recollection is that the study on the fish impact for this watershed clearly stated that there was no evidence of impact from vehicle crossings. Are they ignoring the science once again? I'm sure the quad users will stop all creek crossing immediately....
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Are they closing the Ghost River as well? Lots of crossings there.
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No closures there. No west slope cutthroat trout there.
There is a historical map made about 1901. And it shies no fish in there. Before tranalta dammed the river it disappeared into the ground right around where the riad goes down in to the valley and the river reappears a couple miles down river about a mile or so west of the first bridge right by the bar c.
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If we had enforce ment 40 years ago we would have a lot more trails to day.
Bacauase this comed under species at risk act. Now dfo is involved , fines will be a lot higher. Can only speculate.
I'd have to disagree with that 40 year comment Andy. It really wasn't till the last 15 years that the number of users have increased to the numbers now. 30-40 years ago there were just a few 4 wheelers and they would maybe use a trail a couple of times in a few years. Quads were non existent back then and the trikes were few and far between. The modifications to a rig back then was a winch with the odd 350 chevy for more power. And then 15 years ago all the heavily modified rigs cropped up and every single mud hole, grassy hill, rock, and obstacle had or be conquered whether on the trail or beside it. Try not to make it sound too much like this was all the cause and fault of the trails being used helter skelter way back when.
Plus you now have all kinds of whining sniveling groups working closely with government to shut everything down for everyone but virtual back country viewers....not users..but viewers.
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March 15 may be the last day to go to the falls.
Any new news? Can't see any press releases or updates on their website.
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There is supposed to be an updated website on whats open and closed and when. Do not know what web address is. So would considerate open till some one posts up.
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I was just on the AEP website, maps have not yet been changed.
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Nothing has been posted officially yet I don't think, some of the proposed trails and re-routes haven't even been finalized yet. Sounds like they intend on leaving the falls trail open until August when it would normally shut down.
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They have posted a new map. No changes that I can see on first glance.
http://aep.alberta.ca/recreation-public-use/recreation-on-public-land/public-land-use-zones/documents/GhostPLUZMap-Apr2016.pdf
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Is a 2016 map. Should be good for the whole year.
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Just leaving the flood rehab trail meeting in Cochrane.
We will be losing all of our winter trails.
Any trail that crosses the waiporous will be closed.
We may gain a couple all season trails.
March 15 may be the last day to go to the falls.
We may gain some more trails if we get funding for bridges.
They issued the notice last week: http://aep.alberta.ca/recreation-public-use/public-land-closures/documents/WaiporousProjectMap-Aug29-2016.pdf
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I see a new map was released on October: http://aep.alberta.ca/recreation-public-use/recreation-on-public-land/public-land-use-zones/documents/GhostGeoreferenceMap-Oct2016.pdf
Quite a few changes. They have removed trails, but also added some. Probably good to be aware of this new setup if you want to be legal.
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Yes and the new trails are something else.. went from a nice little cruise to .. well crap what do i do. Still had fun.. but not for faint hearted.
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.......not for faint hearted.
All relative, though. What might be a walk in the park for some, may be a poop-escaping, arse-eating-seat-cover excursion for others.
Glad to hear that it sounds like something else is challenging in Waiporous.
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Hahaha... Well said. ;)
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Did Cut Knife on Saturday and the back half of the trail is closed. Was still a ton of fun but had to turn back to get out.