Bruce Barker of the Greater Bragg Creek Trails Association has asked me to post this information. Bruce reports, “The logging is going to start impacting ski trails next week, and we don’t want people to be surprised.”
Crystal Line east at West Bragg creek (file photo)
Jan 25, 2013: Logging has progressing southward from the north end of Telephone Loop to the parking lot at West Bragg Creek. The haul road built from the north end has reached the Mountain Road approximately 0.5 km west of the parking lot. Starting Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, the Mountain Road will be used as an access and haul road and will not be accessible for trail users for the rest of the ski season. This haul road is being used to move the timber out to the north, rather than through Bragg Creek.
Blocks 1 through 13, (with the exception of Block 12), north of the parking lot have active logging with felling, skidding, processing and decking occurring, and log hauling in many of the blocks. Block 14 will have active road building and logging starting Jan 28, 2013. If using trails north and west of the parking lot, please use caution around active logging sites and when crossing haul roads and skid trails. Go to www.braggcreekski.org for access to maps.
Mountain road (file photo)
Ski Trails:
* Telephone Loop: Remains useable with a 100 m section paralleling a haul road on the northwest corner, and one haul road crossing in the northwest as well.
* Snowshoe Hare trail is unaffected.
* Mountain Road: After Jan 28, 2013, please avoid use of the Mountain Road. Crystal Line west ski trail is recommended for access to Moose Loop and Telephone Loop.
* Moose Connector: Use caution when crossing Mountain Road.
* All other ski trails are currently unaffected.
* In early- to mid-Feb, 2013 the historic logging road on Crystal Line east, Sundog east and Iron Springs trails will be reactivated for use as a haul road, and these trails will not be recommended for recreational use.
All-Season Trails:
* Disconnect trail construction is not complete, and with logging in Block 8 and 6, should be avoided.
* Caution is advised on Long Distance and Reconnect as trail users may encounter active logging.
* Demi-Tel currently has one road crossing.
* Three skid trails cross the southern portion of Long Distance.
* Logging road crosses Bragging Rights, southern Long Distance, Demi-Tel, Disconnect, and north Long Distance.
Thanks for the update, Bob. It’s too bad that snow conditions aren’t better – I’d really like to see for myself what’s happening there. I read on one of the biking websites that people are mountain biking on the summer trails right now and there are reports of lots of noise from the logging operations North of the parking lot. Seems to me we are putting a lot of trust in these guys not to screw this up. Time will tell, I guess.