By Abigail Popple, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, RMG
In preparation for drafting a new visitor use management plan, BC Parks is circulating a survey on how visitors use the Berg Lake Corridor – which includes Berg Lake Trail, Mumm Basin, Whitehorn Mountain, Mount Robson, and Snowbird Pass. The plan will outline how many visitors can access the corridor and what kinds of activities it can support.
To this end, the survey asks respondents about what they did during their most recent visit to the corridor, how often they visit, and how crowded the corridor was during their last visit, among other questions about their use of the corridor.
The current plan, adopted in 2000, expires in 2025. The new plan will also span a 25-year period, so it will be in place until 2050. In an email statement to The Goat, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change – which oversees BC Parks – said the new plan will be an update of the one adopted in 2000.
“In the last 25 years, we have seen some increased use [of the corridor] and want to refine the goals and strategies to focus more on current trends and use,” the statement reads. “Some of the major gaps in the original plan were around topics like climate change, climbing, and providing a more fulsome connection to traditional uses in the area.”
The previous plan did not address the topic of climate change, but the new plan will reference climate change, according to the Ministry’s statement. A flash flood in the summer of 2021 led to the destruction of infrastructure such as bridges, prompting the closure of the trail. The trail has since been partially reopened, but is still closed beyond the Whitehorn campground. New infrastructure is being built with climate resiliency in mind, and the entirety of the trail is expected to open in 2025, according to the BC Parks website.
It is too early in the drafting process to determine what climate resiliency strategies will be proposed, but the plan can be amended as needed after implementation, the statement says.
The plan is an important part of balancing BC Parks’ dual mandates of providing opportunities for outdoor recreation and conserving natural areas, the Ministry said. For example, the original plan established a reservation system for overnight hikers, helping to manage the number of people on trails each day.
“We hope that with thorough engagement we will be clear on what steps need to be taken to adequately and efficiently manage the Berg Lake Corridor,” the statement reads. “BC Parks would love to hear from all folks who have or would like to visit the Berg Lake Corridor.”
The survey is open until September 6th, and results will be used to inform the initial draft plan. BC Parks does not have an exact timeline for the plan, but updates will be posted throughout the next year on the BC Parks website.
