Dear editor,
The聽51暗网聽recently published an article about聽wildland聽trails appearing on a popular mobile app. On behalf of the working group of the Jasper Trails Project (2005-2008) and more recently the聽Japer Trail Alliance (JTA), I鈥檇 like to clarify and illuminate the facts, the whys, and the rationale behind the conception and subsequent birth of聽wildland聽trails in聽Jasper National Park (JNP).
Paul Clarke wrote 鈥渄espite being adopted as official trails, Parks Canada decided it didn鈥檛 want to formally promote them and opted not to include them on maps. According to聽Loni Klettl, Parks didn鈥檛 want to publicly advertise the trails because it didn鈥檛 want to have to maintain them.鈥澛� When being interviewed for an article, one has little confidence that all your words will be printed. In this case, I forgot to include a large and important chunk of聽wildland聽history. For聽wildland聽trails鈥� sake, I鈥檓 setting the record straight.
The Jasper Trails Plan was approved in 2009. The聽wildland聽trails and subsequent management were created to define the聽wildland聽trail classification, and are unique to JNP. Wildland trails are generally narrower, provide the greatest degree of challenge or technical options, offer solitude, aid in keeping users happy on the official trail system, provide a unique trail experience and contribute to trail system connectivity. Use is to be kept low to maintain the character of the trail and to protect high quality wildlife habitat, which several聽wildland聽trails bisect (Ganges, Whistler Shoulder). They are to be maintained by certified JTA and Jasper Park Cycling Association (JPCA) volunteers, and, back then, the community requested that the trails not be publicized. These are the terms that sealed the deal, meaning official, but not on maps.
Fast forward to 2016. Time and technology instigated Google Maps,聽Strava, and聽Trailforks, which dominate a user鈥檚 conscience, motivates and influences trail choices and decisions. From the side of a trail one can find the route, order pizza, check the weather and order from Amazon. Gone are the days of bribing the bartender, cajoling the bike mechanic or sweet-talking the waitress for a hand drawn map of the 鈥渟ecret trails.鈥�
Parks Canada has the final say, but it will be up to us, the users, to appreciate and respect the history, which influenced the rationale. Discover your own wild spirit whether its technology or dabbling with exploration and sweet-talking. Either way, strive to preserve aspects of the original premise, while grasping the realization that there is also an inevitable evolution. Wildland trails, as they are, are a really good thing.
Loni Klettl
Jasper Trail Alliance
