Heli-slinging camp into a remote section of Upper Goat River Trail. (Credit: Roy Howard)
Despite endless days of torrential rain, the Fraser Headwaters Alliance has nearly completed the work required to fully open both the Upper and Lower Goat River Trails. The trails comprise the historic Goat River Trail section of the National Hiking Trail, which is set to become a 10,000 km footpath from coast to coast.
Volunteers spent approximately 182 hours on the project, which was funded in part by an FMCBC Member Club Grant. The work included:
- Brushing and deadfall removal for 13 km in a wilderness, fly-in area
- Another 4 km of brushing in heavy willow and alder growth on a deactivated road
- Installing Garden Throne toilets and cable bear caches at two permanent campsites.
Brushed section of deactivated road in NE corner of Bowron Lake Provincial Park. (Credit: Tim Cushman)
It took multiple crews to get the work done (some fly-in, some ATV), but volunteers were able to completely clear the Lower Goat River Trail and a portion of the Upper Goat River Trail near the Milk River (eastern) Trailhead. All that’s left is brush removal on an approximately 1.4 km stretch of deactivated road. It wasn’t cleared due to weather, timing, and contractor issues, but will be finished up this summer.
