Goat Creek trailhead. Evan Buhler RMO photo.
At this time last year, cross country skiers were wondering if there would be grooming in K-country for the winter of 2020-2021. It’s a relief that we don’t have to be concerned about that issue.
After the province observed how successful XC skiers were in raising the money to fund grooming, they created their own user pass for all visitors, summer and winter. Since it came into effect on June 1, 2021, the new user pass for Kananaskis Country has raised just shy of $10 million.
A day pass costs $15 per vehicle, or a yearly pass that allows for two vehicles to be registered under the same pass costs $90.
Read the entire article Kananaskis user pass kicks $9.9 million into provincial coffers
I’m supposed to be retired from blogging but I will post the occasional article throughout the winter. When I go skiing, I will post my trip report on SkierRoger.
Hi Bob
Thanks for the excellent update on this important topic. I was excited to see that you recently registered on the SkierRoger website where we’re all eager to read your trip reports.
By the way, if you would like me to add a special category for any blog comments you may have, just let me know. We all really value your insight.
Sincerely,
Roger Sakatch
Hopefully some of that is going back to pay for grooming in Bragg Creek. The blurb about the fee says that it is covering ski trail grooming, but Bragg Creek Trails sounded a bit doubtful last time I read anything.
Agreed. A component should go to west Bragg creek trail upkeep, or no pass required to utilize the west Bragg trail system. But the WBC management group is savvy and connected enough to probably work it out (province willing), hopefully. Lots of potential projects to fund though, if this summer usage was any indication of inadequate trailhead facilities.
Not a cent for West Bragg Creek yet from the Kananaskis Conservation Pass… but $1 million to develop plans to keep the Canmore Nordic Centre as a world class site for international athletes. Thanks for nothing.
Maybe province isn’t fully aware of current usage and where people are coming from, perhaps assuming it’s just a local spot for creekers. Maybe some car counting necessary this season to compare to Nordic centre (and noting out of province plates), disprove any assumptions. And plenty more capacity in the trail system if parking was expanded again, probably still fill up on good condition days but never feels too busy on the trails.
The province has all the data they need to be fully aware of current usage patterns in Kananaskis Country. They have traffic counters on all roads and at many trailhead parking lots. And they have trail counters and trail cameras on hundreds of sites. The Kananaskis Pass is a licence plate based fee, so they know where users are coming from.
For WBC, the government has detailed user data, a comprehensive Asset Management Plan provided by Bragg Creek Trails and regular reporting on the decrease in donations following the implementation of the Kananaskis Pass.
What this government lacks is the ability to make decisions in a timely manner or to plan ahead for the impacts of their decisions. As one administrator put it recently “They are building the plane as it is taking off”.