Clarification about the Ghost River Drainage Access as of October 2006

Bulletin for CMC Members

Clarification about the Ghost River Drainage Access as of October 2006: A Bulletin for Climbers

  By: Eric Hoogstraten for the Climbers Access Society of Alberta

Acronyms:

CASA -            Climbers Access Society of Alberta

SRD -              Ministry of Sustainable Resource and Development

GWOAMP -     Ghost Waiparous Operational Access Management Plan

DFO -              Department of Fisheries and Oceans

GAMP-            Ghost Access Management plan – now superseded by GWOAMP

FLUZ -             Forest Land Use Zone – provides jurisdictional legislation for SRD to manage an area. Also known as FLU zone

SC -                Stewardship Committee – an invited selection of Ghost user groups who will make recommendations to SRD with respect to management issues in the Ghost Waiparous FLU zone. CASA has an invited representative at the SC

Many of you are aware that as of May 2006 the government has established by order in council a Forest Land Use Zone in the Ghost Waiparous region of the Rocky Mountains that will be administered by the Ghost Waiparous Operational Access Management Plan. We (climbers) affectionately refer to the whole area simply as the Ghost. While vehicular restrictions are now in place for the entire FLU Zone, this article specifically addresses SRD motorized access changes to the area upstream of and including GBU in the Ghost River drainage proper (note that this area has been referred to in some quarters as the North Ghost).  

  If you have been into the Ghost River drainage of late you will have noticed that SRD has installed small orange markers that are numbered. The one at the bottom of the big hill indicates 23 and it marks the approved crossing point of the overflow channel en-route to the Devils Gap (At the moment this portion of the trail is not navigable due to erosion from the spring 2006 freshet. It is our sense that Trans Alta is / will be responsible for repairs to the track). However, if you continue north (right), crossing the flood channel then the Trans Alta diversion bridge, you will eventually come to a marker numbered 39 – near where the first unobstructed views of STD crag, north across the river, are to be had (before the point where road swings left on the flood plain). This sign is just past the new(er) trail to Sentinel Bluffs and is on the south bank of a small flood channel approximately 1 kilometre from the first main Ghost River crossing. The channel, while occasionally dry, has been identified by the Ministry of the Environment as bull trout habitat.

  Consequently SRD has mandated under the Access Management Plan that this stream is off limits as a vehicle crossing point and Marker 39 is the FLU zone designated end of the motorized public access at this time. For the interim if you are going climbing at GBU, Valley of the Birds, THOS and points beyond you should park here. CASA brought to the attention of SRD that space is limited at this locale and it will not accommodate many vehicles.  Turn arounds also may be problematic. A quick fix for this winter may involve brushing the area out to make more room – SRD would have to approve this. This style of access “ownership” seems to be developing into the norm – the government puts the onus on the user group to facilitate it own solutions to logistical conundrums such as this.

If you choose to drive past this point not only will you be risking a ticket, ~$250.00, we have been told that persistent violation of the Operational Access Management Plan by motorized users will simply lead to permanent motorized closure of the area. There currently is no, and probably will be no further government signage indicating that this location is the end of the public vehicular access into the Ghost River Drainage. Rightly or wrongly SRD had decided that it is the responsibility of Ghost recreational users to glean this information preemptively from the SRD website or the SRD kiosks that are located at the main entry points to the Ghost and Waiparous watercourses.

  For the time being please choose to participate as a responsible element of the climbing community and park at Junction 39. On foot it is possible to skirt the first 2 fords of the river on the left via old trails. As of present it isn’t possible to get to STD crag or GBU / Valley of the Birds without wading / walking through the Ghost River. CASA is working to get approval from SRD on some sort of foot bridge to access the GBU area, temporary or otherwise, for this winter (no promises though, as SRD may opt to deny any construction until the Ghost SC is “operationalized” –see below).

  It is entirely likely that you will see constituents of other user groups drive right on by this junction for a while. There is nothing that we can, or should do about miscreant mechanized users as confrontation may likely lead to unfortunate outcomes (our vehicles are left parked and unattended for long periods of time and are easy targets for vandalism).  The best tactic is probably to photograph the offending vehicle /dirt bike / quad and email it to SRD. Essentially it becomes a case of being part of the solution opposed to being part of the problem.

  Is there an eventual solution to our access concerns? The answer is a qualified yes at this point. The GWOAMP mandates that the Ghost FLU Zone will be managed by a stewardship committee that is comprised of user groups and other interested parties. There are 26 representatives on the SC ranging from recreational users to industry to NGOs / conservation groups to the City of Calgary.

  Once established as a functioning work group the SC will be able to deal with requests for changes to the motorized access plan that has currently been set forth by SRD and legislated by GWOAMP in the Ghost FLU Zone. If we can provide plans / options for sustainable and environmentally sensible motorized access past marker 39 that meets the SRD, DFO and Ministry of the Environment criteria the SC may elect to recommend to SRD to allow such an application.

While any changes to the Ghost Waiparous operational plan must be vetted through the stewardship committee and consequently will be scrutinized by all representatives, we may or may not be able to effect positive change. Nonetheless, it is my sense of the situation is that many members of the SC are very open to modifying the current vehicular boundaries. The climbing community is represented on the SC with a delegate from the CASA board of directors (currently me). The government has been surprisingly clear about indicating that if an access proposal is approved or recommended by the SC, SRD will abide by the findings of the SC –which is a buoying declaration from our point of view. It is important to bear in mind however, that the other user groups are currently strategizing to re-establish traditional access patterns as well.

  Right now, CASA is working on several proposals for eventual submission to SRD (via the SC), the Ministry of the Environment and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to remove the FLU zone imposed restrictions on vehicular travel to our traditional climbing areas. We  are preparing to submit an application for single span bridging of several crossings of the Ghost River just as soon as the Operational Management Plan mandated Stewardship Committee is functional (~April 2007 - at the most optimistically earliest) and able to receive such documentation. On a parallel tack CASA is also investigating the viability of establishing approved fords of the Ghost River. This option will entail this commissioning a study of the aquatic and riparian environment in and around the ford(s). 

While we are moving forward with our planning and have amassed /strong-armed several qualified individuals into volunteering their services, many hands do indeed make light work and keeps costs down. If anyone has expertise in EFRs, biological sciences and or water management or has access to a track hoe or other heavy equipment or can simply lend a hand at a work party and is interested in helping in the aforementioned endeavors CASA would be more than happy to hear from you. For more information please check www.climbersaccess.ab.ca

Want the GWOAMP FLU ZONE map that indicates the existent motorized access boundaries and designated motorized “random” camping spots? Check the SRD website at http://www.srd.gov.ab.ca/regions/southwest/ghost/maps.html