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481 Posts |
Posted - 06/02/2011 : 8:38 PM
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| Went up Junction Mountain (Highwood) on Saturday (May 28th). Original plan was Raspberry Ridge, but a fair amount of snow had us change our minds. Snow on Junction was knee deep above 6400'. |
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Jasper, ab
Canada
1029 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2011 : 2:39 PM
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| I just got out of the trail office here in Jasper and I learned that a large chunk of the North Boundary trail and the Maligne Pass trail has been decommissioned. You can still travel in these area, but there will be no trail work done. Bridges will be removed. |
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877 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2011 : 2:47 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by lobo
I just got out of the trail office here in Jasper and I learned that a large chunk of the North Boundary trail and the Maligne Pass trail has been decommissioned. You can still travel in these area, but there will be no trail work done. Bridges will be removed.
Any idea of the reason? Funding/man-power? Caribou/wildlife habitat? |
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Jasper, ab
Canada
1029 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2011 : 2:55 PM
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To me it's simple, they don't want people in the backcountry. How better to do that than take out bridges and stop clearing the trails. I've seen this coming for a few years now. There are no backcountry trail crews this year, although there will be some work done on some trails. The ACC hut Outpost Lake trail will have it's bridge replaced. They say that it's money and the truth of the matter is that few people use Jasper's backcountry trails. Jasper is not Banff, that's for sure. They are using caribou as an excuse for the Maligne Pass decommissioning.
There are only two backcountry wardens left in Jasper, one for the North and one for the South boundaries.
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877 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2011 : 3:30 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by lobo
To me it's simple, they don't want people in the backcountry. How better to do that than take out bridges and stop clearing the trails. I've seen this coming for a few years now. There are no backcountry trail crews this year, although there will be some work done on some trails. The ACC hut Outpost Lake trail will have it's bridge replaced. They say that it's money and the truth of the matter is that few people use Jasper's backcountry trails. Jasper is not Banff, that's for sure. They are using caribou as an excuse for the Maligne Pass decommissioning.
There are only two backcountry wardens left in Jasper, one for the North and one for the South boundaries.
What bullsh. I got the distinct feeling last year when I applied for a backcountry permit at Beauty Lakes that I was not welcome there. I'm quite surprised that a jewel like Maligne Pass would be decommissioned. How can Jasper generate $$ if people can't get into its premier terrain? It will remain Banff's ugly stepsister, when it has so much more potential than that. |
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Jasper, ab
Canada
1029 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2011 : 3:51 PM
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| I was in the trail office to get my permit for the north boundary. I was going up Blue creek for a week, but the river levels are high and a horse got washed downstream at Rock Creek on June 1st. Rock creek used to have a bridge. Willow creek used to have a bridge. All gone, plus they took the suspension bridge out as well. So I've decided to wait until the fall for that trip and I'm heading up Alexandra River again, another decommissioned trail in Banff. To get a permit for Banff while in Jasper, they phone the trail office in Banff and you have to talk with the trail guy there. What a douche he was, but i got my random permit. Not without a lot of debate. |
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Finally stopping that crazy suffering that is ice, climbing to concentrate on great ski tours!
3506 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2011 : 4:33 PM
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Maligne Pass is no longer maintained? Well, that's a shame. The Glacier Trail route is one of the finest longer backpacks in the world. 200km from Saskatchewan River Crossing to the Jasper townsite.
Though, as a plus, I won't have to pay for a backcountry pass anymore. No trail maintenance? I don't pay. |
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Jasper, ab
Canada
1029 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2011 : 4:52 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by johngenx
Maligne Pass is no longer maintained? Well, that's a shame. The Glacier Trail route is one of the finest longer backpacks in the world. 200km from Saskatchewan River Crossing to the Jasper townsite.
Though, as a plus, I won't have to pay for a backcountry pass anymore. No trail maintenance? I don't pay.
That's what pisses me off about all this. Backcountry users are the only people in the parks that pay an extra fee. You can day hike anywhere and not pay. You can mountain bike anywhere and not pay. You can climb a peak and if done in a day, not pay. You can put a canoe or kayak in any river and not pay anything. Back in 1994 when the pay system was started they did put some money into backcountry camps. They built a few picnic tables, put up a few bear poles, put in a few of those green toilets, but only on the more popular trails. They have not replaced any of those things since '94. They had two complete trail crews back then, now they have a group of four guys and they have been reclassified and given a different title and are making less money than last year.
But, if you want to legally go into the backcountry overnight, you still need a permit. $75.00, which is still cheap and is good for the season and also good for all the national parks in Canada |
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Clairmont, Alberta
Canada
134 Posts |
Posted - 06/05/2011 : 12:57 PM
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| Has anyone been up the Jasper Tram, im wondering about the snow conditions at the top to Indian Ridge? planning on going there June 25. The Jasper trail report still indicating avalanch danger on the upper part of the trail to the Tram. |
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Calgary, Alberta
Canada
34 Posts |
Posted - 06/05/2011 : 2:19 PM
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Was up Mt. Baldy on Sat. June 4 and it was dry with the exception of snow on the north face of the south summit and plenty of snow at the col below. Also took some photos from the highway of a few K country peaks which I thought I would share...
Mt. Kidd
Fisher Peak
The Wedge
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Finally stopping that crazy suffering that is ice, climbing to concentrate on great ski tours!
3506 Posts |
Posted - 06/05/2011 : 2:57 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by lobo
But, if you want to legally go into the backcountry overnight, you still need a permit. $75.00, which is still cheap and is good for the season and also good for all the national parks in Canada
Legally. But, why should I keep buying annual b-c passes? If they're not going to maintain the trails, screw it. They're pocketing the dough and I'm just subsidizing the Brewster-bus tourists. |
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41 Posts |
Posted - 06/06/2011 : 10:47 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by lobo
To me it's simple, they don't want people in the backcountry. How better to do that than take out bridges and stop clearing the trails. I've seen this coming for a few years now. There are no backcountry trail crews this year, although there will be some work done on some trails. The ACC hut Outpost Lake trail will have it's bridge replaced. They say that it's money and the truth of the matter is that few people use Jasper's backcountry trails. Jasper is not Banff, that's for sure. They are using caribou as an excuse for the Maligne Pass decommissioning.
There are only two backcountry wardens left in Jasper, one for the North and one for the South boundaries.
Here is my problem with this.. If there is no money for trail crewss fine...but why decommission the bridges ?
Secondly if there is a big push on to bring more visitors to the Parks especially new Canadians , then why reduce the number of functioning trails ?
Letters to you MP and the Minister are in order. |
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Calgary, Alberta
Andorra
3796 Posts |
Posted - 06/06/2011 : 2:34 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by McLeod99
Secondly if there is a big push on to bring more visitors to the Parks especially new Canadians, then why reduce the number of functioning trails ?
Because those people won't go a week into the backcountry. There are more users every year, but every year those users venture less and less far from the pavement. The majority of users are dayhikers, and the majority of new users are short dayhikers.
Meaning there's no incentive to maintain anything more than 10km from a road.
But as long as they're charging to use the park and charging for overnighting, I expect trail maintenance. |
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737 Posts |
Posted - 06/06/2011 : 3:21 PM
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quote:
[i]but why decommission the bridges ?
My thought is that there may be legal issues in having unmaintained bridges on the trail...
HairyEyebrow: Thanks for posting those photos...will this snow EVER go? |
Edited by - Granticulus on 06/06/2011 3:23 PM |
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calgary, ab
Canada
122 Posts |
Posted - 06/06/2011 : 3:34 PM
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Saturday June 4: Gooseberry on Tunnel wasn't as bad as the MCR suggested. There was some loose rubble, and 1 notable large (size of a computer tower?) loose rock sitting on an edge. More as we got higher, but I was told it wasn't much different than most years. That said, I wouldn't follow another party on the route.
Sunday June 5: Back of the Lake was busy. There's snow at the base of the routes in Outhouse Area Left. Lots of rocks/slides coming off Fairview in the afternoon heat/sun. Made lots of noise, and surely pleased the tourists. There was a new 13+ route put up on Air Voyage wall while we were there. |
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Alberta-based choss climbin', flame throwin', rappel lovin', ass talkin' hater who doesn't like "Gumby" for a descriptor
6302 Posts |
Posted - 06/06/2011 : 5:51 PM
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quote:
There was some loose rubble, and 1 notable large (size of a computer tower?) loose rock sitting on an edge. More as we got higher, but I was told it wasn't much different than most years. That said, I wouldn't follow another party on the route.
It's pretty safe to assume this for Rockies climbing in general... |
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481 Posts |
Posted - 06/06/2011 : 8:35 PM
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| EEOR June 5th. Good shape! |
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Alberta-based choss climbin', flame throwin', rappel lovin', ass talkin' hater who doesn't like "Gumby" for a descriptor
6302 Posts |
Posted - 06/06/2011 : 8:45 PM
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| EEOR June 6th....soaking wet. Should dry out really quick now though once the stupid rain stops. |
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Calgary, AB
55 Posts |
Posted - 06/10/2011 : 10:03 AM
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| Nahahi ridge has some snow patches that can be avoided. Made it to the knob above the notch on thursday. |
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206 Posts |
Posted - 06/10/2011 : 10:27 AM
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The back of Yam looks pretty nice; there were lots of hikers/scramblers/climbers up there on Thursday.
 
I was climbing on the Lost Relics wall, there was a fair bit of traffic on the west end. The wall is pretty nice being quiet and shaded which suited our late afternoon start.
Cheers,
Dan |
Edited by - Marlboro on 06/10/2011 10:49 AM |
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Alberta Recent conditions reports
