Clearing Whitewater Canyon August 26.25
Jamie D, Frank K and Bob T cleared the Whitewater Canyon Trail near Retallack Lodga on Tuesday, August 26. While this isn’t a NACTS trail, we volunteered to clear it for Recreation Sites and Trails BC since their own crews won’t have time this year and we would like to use it for one of our group hikes on September 7th. It was a beautiful day and the team did a great job of clearing and brushing the trail up to the 3.3 km mark. There are no more deadfall’s beyond that. The trail is clear from the Trailhead to the Hieght of Land below the tarn. Enjoy!
Saddle Mountain Lookout Group Hike Aug 24.25
12 hikers lead by Simone H and Michele N hiked up Saddle Mountain on Sunday August 24. The weather was perfect. All but two hikers made it all the way to the summit, but close counts. We stopped part way up at the bench on a rock outcrop for a rest and snack and again for lunch at the summit lookout. Graham F and Jamie D did a few repairs on the lookout entry and measured and planned for future improvements. Everyone had a good time! The views were stunning. Maybe we go earlier next year so we catch the alpine flowers in full bloom.
Saddle Mountain Upper Trail access clearing Aug 22,25
Brian W and Frank K cleared tow bit falls a short way in from the upper Saddle Mountain upper parking lot. These were big trees in a difficult position. Frank reports that Brain did a pro job of assessing the risks, preparing clear areas and an escape route, and cutting and sectioning the falls. Good work Brian and Frank! With those falls removed the upper trail to the summit is completely clear.
Kuskanax Mountain Erosion Repair Aug 20 & 21.25
A 4 member Recreation Sites and Trails crew lead by Cory J and his team of students joined Graham F and Bob T for a couple of days of setting cedar step blocks on steep and eroded sections of the lower Kuskanax Mountain South Trail. Everyone worked hard and anchored, backfilled and graded 29 blocks over a km or so of trail. The RSTBC crew last year set almost 50 blocks in the section above between the first and second viewpoints. We went back and repaired some of the installs from last year and generally graded and repaired the trail as best we could in the time we had. Graham also removed a tricky deadfall that was blocking the trail. This first 2 km of the trail switchbacks up the steep sandy flank of the mountain on the way to the radio tower and summit ridge line. It will require repair and upgrades every year.
Kimbol Lake Group Hike August 3.25
Simone H and Bob T lead a group of 8 hikers, including themselves, up the Kimbol Lake Trail from the Hot Springs source Trail Head to the Lake. It was a beautiful day for a hike through the old growth cedar and hemlock forest with the best part being a swim for most in the placid and not even very cold waters. Everyone remarked on how well the trail was maintained, thanks to the NACTS volunteer trail crew.
Hot Springs Trail Clearing August 6.25
Frank K and Bob T hiked down the Nakusp Hot Springs trail about 3 km to remove a lone deadfall that was leftover from last fall’s blowdown. It was more difficult than it looks since it was lying down the side of steep gulley and kept sliding as Frank sectioned it. The trail is now clear from the lower to upper trailheads.
