It can be easy to take the park鈥檚 trails for granted.
There are, after all, 250 kilometres of multi-use trails winding through each corner of Jasper National Park and they seemingly take care of themselves.
So, as we head out on our adventures鈥攑ulling up to a trailhead and tightening our hiking shoes as we check out the map鈥攚e often forget that each of Jasper鈥檚 trails is built and maintained by someone.
That someone might be a member of Parks Canada鈥檚 trail crew, a volunteer from the Jasper Park Cycling Association or from the Jasper Trail Alliance.
There鈥檚 a face, or two or three, behind every trail in Jasper and along with that face are hours upon hours of hard labour and great forethought.
Here鈥檚 some perspective: it can take as many as 300 volunteer hours for the trail alliance to complete half a kilometre of trail. That鈥檚 what it estimates it will need for the work currently being completed on a wildland trail off of the Marjorie Lake Loop.
The trail is eroding on one steep hill, making it a dangerous spot to navigate.
To remedy the situation, volunteers got to work last week with the help of Igor Hoogerdoorn of the International Mountain Biking Association and together they came up with a solution: rebuild the eroding line, creating a long oxbow with a built-up 鈥渟witchberm鈥� turn.
Although gibberish to some, switchberms and oxbows are common terms for Jasper鈥檚 intrepid trail builders.
They know better than anyone that trail building isn鈥檛 as simple as cutting a line through the bush: it鈥檚 a science.
It takes into account the safety of all users by marking out safe sight lines that create fair warning for cyclists and hikers motoring along on the trail. It also considers the trail鈥檚 grade, ensuring that rain and meltwater don鈥檛 wash it out. And it considers fun, by creating features that will heighten a cyclist or hiker's experience on the trail.
There are many considerations that go into the creation and maintenance of a safe and enjoyable trail, and fortunately for those of us who live and play in Jasper, there are people with the know-how and the passion to do the work.
Without those dedicated folks, our trails would deteriorate and so would our adventures.
