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climbingjunky
Aug 29, 2003, 6:45 PM
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I saw this note regarding The Chief, not sure if it will affect any climbers.
As of August 29, 2003: the park campground and/or day use area are still open; public access to all other areas of the park including the Backside Trail are closed.
http://wlapwww.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/stawamus.htm
:roll:
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mattm
Aug 29, 2003, 7:09 PM
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Registered: May 20, 2003
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Gripped.com has some info on this as well. http://gripped.com/forum/toast.asp?sub=show&action=posts&fid=8&tid=2297
looks like things are getting shut down or soon will be. I know the FS road to the squaw was closed last weekend. $10,000 means they're serious
http://wlapwww.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/recreation/campfire_bans.htm
for more
i'm supposed to go there this weekend - would suck if everything was closed
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peas
Aug 29, 2003, 9:09 PM
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Registered: Mar 30, 2002
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An update just came out from CASBC. Most of the specific closures are listed towards the bottom.
CASBC has obtained such current information as is available about how the closures will affect climbers and mountaineers. Our sources:
a) the government website (www.gov.bc.ca) - the main page includes the announcement of the closure, and the Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection and Ministry of Forests sections have much more detail, though they are being updated;
b) Vancouver papers;
c) Vicki Haberl at MWLAP (Parks) in Squamish, and Bev Goodwin of the District of Squamish Parks & Recreation.
CASBC is attempting here to provide a summary of the closures, and how they affect climbers and mountaineers. We make no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of the information provided, or its currency. The situation is changing very quickly, and we suggest that you directly consult the relevant body, or its website, for updates. Local and provincial government staff are understandably somewhat overwhelmed by the situation, which is not an easy one for them. The Provincial Emergency Program website (www.pep.bc.ca) also appears to be a reasonable and current summary of developments, and includes key links.
About 90% of B.C. is provincially owned/managed land. It is safest to assume that all land off public highways, and outside urban areas, is closed to all forms of recreation, except privately-owned land; most cities and municipalities have also imposed closures and limitations on forested and other park areas.
The closure affects the southern 1/3 of B.C., the only exception apparently being the Powell River area. It also affects the southern and western 1/3 of Vancouver Island.
The following provincial parks are closed to climbing and mountaineering: Bugaboo; Mt. Seymour; Cypress (all sides); Tantalus; Callaghan; Joffre. (These are those which seem of most interest to climbers and mountaineers. Many others are closed in part or fully.) Other parks are open on a limited basis, usually only to supervised camping and day use. Details:
Murrin: the park is open and there is no restriction on climbing, but the situation is being monitored.
Stawamus Chief: as of 10 AM today, the backside trail is closed. Climbing on the Chief and satellite cliffs in the park is permitted, but again the situation is being closely monitored. Climbers are asked not to do climbs that lead to the top of the Chief i.e. that would require use of the backside trail for descent.
Garibaldi: closed, with the sole exception of the Garibaldi Lake trail and area. Camping is permitted at Garibaldi Lake and Taylor Meadows, but new campers will not be allowed up the trail until there are confirmed spaces. Hiking up the Black Tusk and Panorama Ridge is also permitted. The Helm Creek, Singing Pass, Wedgemount, and Elfin Lakes trails, huts and camping areas are all closed, as is the rest of the park.
CalChek: This area, partly reached from a provincial park, is closed.
Brandywine, Nairn Falls: open for day use.
Virtually all the cliffs in Whistler Rockclimbs (Cheakamus Canyon north) are on forest or park land, and it is safest to assume they are closed.
Little Smoke Bluffs: the Bluffs, and many hiking and cycling trails on District of Squamish land, were closed late this morning.
Second-hand information indicates that Glacier National Park (Roger's Pass) and Pacific Rim National Park may not be affected at present. Again, check first! Likewise, North Cascades National Park, and adjoining national and state forests, parks, and recreation areas hadn't been closed as of Thursday morning. Call the offices in Marblemount or Glacier for updates, though.
It appears that Kelowna Crags burnt over during the Kelowna fire, but no one has been there yet to confirm this. Skaha is closed.
CASBC encourages all climbers and mountainers to behave responsibly. Don't climb in an area unless you're certain it is open. The closures are an infernal nuisance. But losing a week or two of climbing every twenty years (the last such closure was in 1985) is hardly life or death, and in the larger perspective is reasonable. Even if the closures, their implementation, and communication about them will be less than perfect, they're a not unreasonable sacrifice.
Last but not least, be exceedingly careful with any possible source of fire - essentially, eliminate all of them, and closely monitor all those that can't be eliminated e.g. hot car parked over dry grass; rocks or gear sparking off each other; cigarettes, bits of glass that might magnify sunlight, etc. Thanks!
Anders I. Ourom (director, CASBC)
Vancouver, B.C.
(604) 228-1798
ps Note that the maximum penalties under the Forest Practices Code for contravening the closure are $10,000 fine and six months in prison. And its not hard for enforcement personnel to find, and ticket, illicitly parked vehicles or their owners.
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flying_dutchman
Aug 29, 2003, 10:04 PM
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Registered: Nov 20, 2002
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can't climb, can't hike, five days till classes begin, what a bloody way to end summer.
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peas
Aug 29, 2003, 10:57 PM
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Registered: Mar 30, 2002
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No kidding. Lucky I'm going North this weekend.
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jerryw
Aug 30, 2003, 12:21 AM
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Registered: Aug 2, 2003
Posts: 156
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In reply to: be exceedingly careful with any possible source of fire - {...} rocks or gear sparking off each other |
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squamish
Aug 30, 2003, 3:18 AM
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Registered: Aug 25, 2003
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What about Senior Centre in Deep Cove? Anyone knows if it's closed or not?
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peas
Sep 3, 2003, 6:49 PM
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Registered: Mar 30, 2002
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Here is a recent mailout from the CASBC. Please volunteer for a trail patrol so that you can continue climbing in Squamish. It's not a huge time commitment
This message is with regard to further limitations on climbing in the Squamish area, due to forest fire hazard, and to call for volunteers to help patrol open climbing areas, and keep them open.
(CASBC sent a broadcast e-mail last Friday, 29th August, about the B.C. government's closure of most forest and park land in southern B.C., and how this affected climbers and mountaineers. A supplement was sent on Saturday, with further details. Please e-mail if you need copies. This message is a further supplement.)
The closure of most climbing areas and mountaineering destinations in southern B.C. continues. There is some new information about climbing areas near Squamish, as follows:
- All areas outside Stawamus Chief, Shannon Falls and Murrin Provincial Parks remain closed
- The Little Smoke Bluffs remain closed
- The Stawamus River Road is blocked at the Apron, so climbs within the park past that point are de facto closed. This includes the Sheriff's Badge area, Angel's Crest, North Walls, and "Squaw".
- The Papoose and Shannon Falls Wall will be closed effective Wednesday 3rd September.
B.C. Parks has been patrolling the open areas in the parks, to encourage responsible behaviour and enforce the prohibition on smoking. Unfortunately, due to the end of seasonal contracts, and perhaps also to government cutbacks, they no longer have enough staff to do this. They have asked the Squamish Rockclimbers' Association, with help from CASBC, to take on regular walk-throughs of trails in open climbing areas in Stawamus Chief, Shannon Falls, and Murrin Provincial Parks, particularly to ensure compliance with the prohibition on smoking (all types).
If climbers cannot provide enough volunteers to patrol the open areas, these parks will be closed to climbing.
The general closure of forests and parks will continue until 14th September, or until there is significant rain, when the government will review it. If the Chief and area are now closed to climbing, they may not re-open for some time.
If you plan on climbing at Squamish any time in the next two weeks, please do your bit and volunteer to help with patrols!!
Volunteers can sign up at the Valhalla Pure Outfitters and Climb On Equipment stores in Squamish. Parks wants at least four patrols/day of each area and trail, starting Wednesday 3rd September, and hopes for more. If there are enough volunteers, there is some chance of re-opening Shannon Falls Wall and the Papoose.
Contact information as follows:
Valhalla Pure Outfitters
#805 - 1200 Hunter Place (Squamish Station)
(604) 892-9092
squamish@vpo.ca
Climb On Equipment
1355 Pemberton Avenue
(604) 892-2243
You can call, e-mail, or go to each store in person to sign up for a pleasant walk in the forest, maybe a bit of socializing, and to help your fellow climbers.
Thanks to everyone for their co-operation so far. And thanks to Parks for its helpful approach, despite limited resources, and Murray Sovereign for his work on this.
Hopefully the situation won't last too much longer - a friend noted that its not every decade that there's a bunch of climbers hanging around B.C., or Squamish, hoping for some rain. It may be a story to tell the grandchildren.
We hope Adopt-a-Crag, this Saturday 6th September in the Grand Wall boulders at Squamish, will go ahead as planned, and are well prepared for it. CASBC will circulate an e-mail no later than Thursday to confirm whether it will happen on the 6th, or be postponed, and with full details of the event.
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