It鈥檚 been nearly nine years in the making, but the Jasper Trail Alliance (JTA) finally got approval to begin improving trails outside of the Three Valley Confluence.
Last week the volunteer group announced Parks Canada had given it the green light to begin clearing sightlines along the trail to the first Geraldine Lake and the access trail from the Whirlpool fire road to Moab Lake.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really exciting because we鈥檝e worked really hard and done a lot of work to get to this point,鈥� said Loni Klettl, leader of the JTA.
鈥淧arks Canada trusts us and we鈥檝e proven that we can do really good work.鈥�
According to Klettl, the group has been itching to tackle trails out of the valley bottom since 2009.
鈥淩ight now we鈥檙e just allowed to do sightline clearing in a couple day use areas outside the Three Valley Confluence, so we鈥檙e hoping next year we鈥檒l be able to put in a few things like drainage fixes, but we want to make sure this works out first.鈥�
The group also got approval to work on a five-kilometre section of the Skyline Trail from Maligne Lake to the Evelyn Creek bridge, but Klettl determined it would require machinery, which they are not allowed to use.
鈥淲e actually had to give some things up,鈥� said Klettl. 鈥淪ince we gave up the Maligne to Skyline Trail we鈥檙e hoping to help with Opal Hills.鈥�
Parks Canada recently introduced a priority matrix using a scale from one to five to prioritize trails and day use areas, with one being the highest priority.
To help Parks with the workload, the JTA put together a work plan that included trails outside of the valley bottom that were of lower priority for Parks, such as the access trail to Moab Lake.
Besides the projects outside of the Three Valley Confluence, the trail alliance has also been busy closer to town improving trails such as Andretti鈥檚, the access trail to Pyramid Bench, and refiguring trail 2d.
鈥淧eople can now follow a nice path with beautiful views from the stables right to Pyramid Lake,鈥� Klettl said, in reference to trail 2d.
The group also spent some time building a raised tread on trail 15 and fixed a low lying section of trail from Old Fort Point to the Valley of the Five Lakes with the Jasper Park Cycling Association.
Beyond fixing trails, Klettl said the non-profit group is also an advocacy group for recreational enthusiasts that includes cross country skiers, cyclists, and hikers.
鈥淲hile keeping in mind wildlife needs and ecological impacts we also pass on Parks messages, give trail conditions and answer many trail related questions,鈥� said Klettl.
If you want to get involved, the JTA hosts volunteer days three times a month called High Five Trail Days. The volunteer outing takes place on the 5th, 15th and 25th of every month.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a lot of fun and it鈥檚 not a huge commitment,鈥� said Klettl.
For more information visit the JTA鈥檚 Facebook page or The Friends of Jasper National Park.
Paul Clarke
[email protected]
