FMCBC (SW) Recreation and Conservation Committee

December 2013

The committee has been working with the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations to keep sledders out of the non-motorized areas of 21 Mile Creek/Mount Sproatt/Rainbow Lake. Recently, the Ministry appointed Canadian Snowmobile Adventures to collect a $20 per snowmobile fee to use the access road. It is hoped that users will be informed of the non-motorized boundaries by CSA staff. Additionally, more signs with improved maps have been promised by the Ministry. An article in the Whistler Question provides further information. With this new approach it is all the more important for self-propelled users to report motorized use in the area. Please fill out the 21 Mile Creek User Survey when you recreate in the area as the data collected will be shared with the Ministry.

The Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) has received a revised proposal from the proponents of the Garibaldi at Squamish (Brohm Ridge) Resort. Even with the revisions, the Committee opposes the development. First of all, its would adversely affect non-motorized recreation in Garibaldi Park to have a resort so nearby. Secondly, the proposed resort overlaps areas which have already been zoned for different types of backcountry use. Specifically, Brohm Ridge is an important snowmobiling area and sledders displaced by the resort would seek other, non-motorized areas in compensation. Comments on the proposal will be accepted until January 7, 2014.

Comments to BC Parks about the draft amendments to the Garibaldi Park Management Plan were accepted until January 4, 2013 and the final amendments were due to be released in April. As yet, BC Parks has not shared the amendments with the public but according to Whistler Blackcomb vice-president Doug Forseth, senior officials at the company met with provincial representatives “to review various land use issues that we have in common”. This special meeting seems to contravene fair process so the FMCBC sent a letter to the Minister of the Environment and was a cosignatory on a letter to the Editor of the Pique news in Whistler.

Parking at Mount Seymour and Cypress Provincial Parks on peak winter days remains a concern. The ski area operators would like to reserve for paying customers the parking lots which are closest to the lifts, thus requiring non-paying users to park much further away and walk along the road to access the backcountry. Representatives of the Recreation and Conservation Committee have been meeting with the ski area operators and Parks to provide backcountry users with safe, free access to the parks. They are currently exploring the creation of trails from lower parking lots which would bypass the roads.

These are just a few of the areas monitored by the Federation of Mountain Clubs of British Columbia (South West) Recreation and Conservation Committee, which meets ten times a year and includes members of clubs in the Lower Mainland and Sea to Sky corridor.