Ghost waiperous trails.

[pooljunky]

I am hurting from this news. but we all knew it was coming

[JackstandJohnny]

think its time to hang up the jeeping thing boys......... 

might be time to jump on the Quad bandwagon.....

[hps4evr]

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....

[pooljunky]

there is no bandwagon to jump on.  It's jeeping or nothing. .. no its jeeping.. there aint nothing like it.

[JohnB]

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.

[morerpmfred]

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.

[morerpmfred]

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.

[JackstandJohnny]

so Andy, do they intend to police/patrol these closed trails? 

[morerpmfred]

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.

[JohnB]

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....

[JohnB]

Are they closing the Ghost River as well?  Lots of crossings there.

[morerpmfred]

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.

[Hi Lo Silver]

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.

[JohnB]

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.

[morerpmfred]

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.