Improved signage of the backcountry corridor (Feb. 25, 2017)
Cypress Provincial Park is a popular winter destination for snowshoers, hikers and backcountry skiers from Greater Vancouver. Park visitors wishing to access the winter trails and backcountry areas of Cypress Provincial Park are required to travel on a corridor through the controlled recreation area (CRA), which is operated by Cypress Mountain Resorts (Cypress Mountain) under a Park Use Permit. The lack of information, misinformation and poor signage was creating much frustration and confusion for park visitors.
Since the Federation of Mountain Clubs of British Columbia believes much more could be done to improve visitor information and signage for backcountry access, benefitting both park visitors and Cypress Mountain, the FMCBC submitted a report to BC Parks with recommendations that the FMCBC believes would allow visitors to travel safely and efficiently through the CRA to access the trails and backcountry of Cypress Provincial Park.
More improved signage (Feb. 25, 2017)
According to Dylan Eyers, Section Head, Lower Mainland Section of Parks and Protected Areas, BC Parks is in the process of developing an improved signage package and the FMCBC report will help guide BC Parks’ planning through the process. Mr. Eyers hoped to have new signs ordered by mid-February if everything went according to plan.
Recent visits to Cypress Provincial Park have shown some significant efforts have been made with improved visible marking of the backcountry access corridor and a designated hiking trail, which leads snowshoers and backcountry users to the winter trailhead. Once the new signs are posted, the FMCBC will assess whether further recommendations are warranted to allow safe and efficient access to the backcountry and trails outside of the CRA.
