Rescuing MacBeth

Yesterday was a work-in-the-woods day. The idea developed last summer when we hiked the MacBeth Icefields trail. A substantial section of the trail was covered with deadfall. I think Catherine counted over 100 logs that she had to scramble over, between or under. Since then, a few of us have been talking about doing something about the state of that trail.

The MacBeth Icefields trail is (or was) a BC Forest Service Recreation Trail, but I believe such trails are looked after by BC Tourism these days. Whoever has jurisdiction, important work isn't getting done. It's just one more example of how valuable natural resources and recreational opportunities are being neglected and allowed to fall into very sad shape. Apparently, the whole of the West Kootenays and perhaps beyond, is "looked after" by one person, who, until a short time ago, had no budget to do anything, not even to maintain a website about trail conditions. I'm sure this one person means well, but with those resources, any pretense of maintaining hiking trails in this part of BC is a joke.

Late last summer, a fire crew that wasn't busy was sent in to do some trail clearing, but they didn't get close to the worst part of the trail where logs were lying on top of each other several layers high, reminiscent of that childhood game "pick-up-sticks". For the money that it must have cost, they might as well not have bothered.

Yesterday, four of us armed with 3 chainsaws hiked the trail, cleared the deadfall and made the trail at least walkable again. There were fallen trees across steep stair sections and multiple trees over the path on many parts of the trail. We started hiking at 7 am, began cutting and clearing by 8:30 am and by lunch, we were done, all but the hike out.

To my mind, this is a much more efficient way to get things done. Forget the government on this one. The only role they might play would be to contribute a small operating budget to cover basic expenses, but otherwise, they might as well stay in their offices and push paper. In under 4 hours, 4 volunteers cleared a trail that was nearly impassable, a trail to one more of BC's natural wonders. Maybe it's time for a new approach to keeping our trails in hiking condition.