South Chilcotin Mountain Park...comments required

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/planning/mgmtplns/lillooet/lillooet_mp.html

Lillooet Protected Areas Management Planning

BC Parks is preparing management plans for nine protected areas in the Lillooet area. The provincial parks in the area were newly designated or enlarged. The location of each of these parks is shown on this map.

South Chilcotin Mountains Park (previously named Spruce Lake Protected Area)
Big Creek Park.
Bridge River Delta Park.
Yalakom Park.
Fred Antoine Park.
French Bar Park.
Marble Canyon Park.
Skihist Park.
Gwyneth Lake Park.

Management Planning Schedule

Initial planning and Terms of Reference Approval (complete)
Initial Public Input (closes Jan 31, 2012) and Development of the Draft Management Plans (in progress)
Draft Management Plans Open for Public Review and Comment (2012)
Development of the final approved management plans (2012)

What are Your Views?

At this stage in the management planning process you have an opportunity to provide information and express your opinion on how the protected areas will be managed.
Your help is very much appreciated!

Comments required by Jan 31st - get writing!!!!

Done.

Responding to this would be well worth it as there is a lot of negative feedback about the activities of mountain bikers in this area by the Federation of Mountain Clubs of BC. I have never been up there but I suspect it is the actions of few creating a bad impression. Air drops are certainly a big issue as they have increased in number over the last few years.

Responding to this would be well worth it as there is a lot of negative feedback about the activities of mountain bikers in this area by the Federation of Mountain Clubs of BC. I have never been up there but I suspect it is the actions of few creating a bad impression. Air drops are certainly a big issue as they have increased in number over the last few years.

Is there a source for the FMBC negative feedback? Not trying to challenge you but wondering where you've heard about it

Is there a source for the FMBC negative feedback? Not trying to challenge you but wondering where you've heard about it

here are their comments on SCMP:

http://wiki.mountainclubs.org/trails_projects/south-chilcotin-mountains-provincial-park-planning

here are their comments on SCMP:

http://wiki.mountainclubs.org/trails_projects/south-chilcotin-mountains-provincial-park-planning

pretty general comments not backed up by much evidence or research. and to be honest, in all my years of riding up there, I'm not sure I've ever seen any hikers…that doesn't mean they don't exist, just that they're pretty few and far between, in my experience…

done

pretty general comments not backed up by much evidence or research. and to be honest, in all my years of riding up there, I'm not sure I've ever seen any hikers…that doesn't mean they don't exist, just that they're pretty few and far between, in my experience…

When we used the float plane to get to Warner last year Dale was using the return trip to pick up a load of backpackers/hikers that had spent the week in the area bagging peaks.

I know another serious hiker that also used the float plane to get him and his group back there.

I've ran into WAY more people on horse back than hiking once you get past Spruce Lake.

FMBC newspaper called Cloudburst had an article in this winters issue talking about trying to limit the number of commercial flights into Spruce lake park. The article has tales of free ride mountain bikers ripping up the delicate alpine in increasing numbers.

After getting dropped off by Dale on to Warner lake, we had a great time .
Riding the alpine with my son and friends,finishing off at our chalet. (Hot Tub yes…)
Tyax resort was great ,we spent a lot of money.
Dining while expensive at the resort ,the food warranted the cost.
Riding the trails while totally fun here's what I noticed.
The resort would love more mtbikers horsepeople came and filled their rooms.
The trails imo
would not stand up to a heavy traffic,very sandy and in the few wet area's where the horse's had been
litterally bogs. This is not to say if the lodge and other business's put in some $$ in the form of hiring a good trailbuilder, could be made more sustainable.
The scariest part of the whole trip,was not the first time on a float plane,but the road from Lilloett.
I am not kidding,looking up in those skinny section's of road and seeing the giant boulders hanging by a thread and occcassionally coming down.
Lots of promise for this area, but whether bikers or horses, some one needs to put in more work to make it better ,if they want more traffic.'
Gary

FMBC newspaper called Cloudburst had an article in this winters issue talking about trying to limit the number of commercial flights into Spruce lake park. The article has tales of free ride mountain bikers ripping up the delicate alpine in increasing numbers.

http://www.mountainclubs.org/Cloudburst/2011/Fall11.pdf

done

We were just thinking about the actual possible numbers of bikers that can be dropped off by float plane to Spruce/Lorna and Warner Lakes.

The season to do this is June MAYBE, so lets say July/Aug/Sept. The busiest days would be on Fri/Sat/Sun. He can't start flying until 8:00am. He has to stop by 12-1:00 due to winds on those days.

His turnaround is probably 45min to Spruce, 1.5hrs to Lorna, something in between to Warner. He can only carry 5 bikes/people on each trip.

So the MAX he could carry if he only dropped on Spruce would be 6-7 trips = 30-35 people
Lorna he's done four in one day so 20 people. That is only on the nice weekends.

Sure its more people, but they do spread out and you're not going to do these drops in nasty weather so the trails should be able to accommodate. Horses do a lot more damage when its wet.

As Gary mentioned, people who come here spend money in the area on camping, lodging and food.

Is there a source for the FMBC negative feedback? Not trying to challenge you but wondering where you've heard about it

I read cloudburst, I guess the weakness is that there is no NSMBA, SORCA WORCA etc to put forward a positive view of mountain biking in the Chilcotin