Talk:Brew Hut Trail Upgrade
Some Questions that need to be answered by consensus
What sort of trail do we want
- Wide or narrow?
- Should we clear more than the minimum number of trees for better skiing?
- Should it be gently graded or steep?
- Should steep sections have switchbacks?
- Should it be built for summer use, or only for skiing & showshoeing?
- Do we want to put up a big sign at the trailhead?
Sign would be good so more people use the trail, and snowmobiles are less likely to win over the Brew Lake area.
I think that the new route is best suited to be just a winter route for now. There are some sections that may be boggy or swampy which would make build a good summer trail more difficult. This strategy will also require less trailbuilding work in the near term, allowing the construction of the new hut to take priority. Summer access can continue to be from the existing Brew Lake Trail, although I think hiking that route would take longer than the new route.
Scott Nelson 16:42, 10 Feb 2005 (EST)
I take it that snowmobiles are barred from the area? i.e. if we build a wide trail will we attract snowmobiles? I would say potential areas for switchbacks are from the road to the ridge (possibly needed), and then from the talus area to Brew Lake (probably needed).
MattBrown 01:51, 14 Feb 2005 (EST)
The area is offically non-motorize according to the Winter Forum, and the snowcat skiing operation discourages snowmobilers from going up that way (no idea how they do this). Also, I don't think snowmobiles would be able to get past the short section of steep sidehilling just before the start of the meadows. Well, maybe really hardcore snowmobilers could do this, especially if they shoveled out a path, but I think it's unlikely.
As for switchbacks, the route we flagged on Feb 5-6 uses switchbacks on Roe Creek FSR to bypass the ridge section entirely. The part from the Talus slope to the meadows, and the top of the open basin at 1150m-1200m could use some switchbacks, but do we want to bother building them?
Scott Nelson 14:52, 14 Feb 2005 (EST)
What is to be done about marking a route from Brew Lake to the hut
- Should this route be marked at all?
- Stone cairns are good in summer, but useless in winter
What do we do about access from the existing Trails
- Should they be fixed up, maintained in their current condition or abandoned?
- Should the Brandywine route be upgraded to a proper trail for the section that is presently a bushwack. If this is done, will people actually use it?
How many trails do we want?
- 1 trail - Roe Creek winter/summer
- 2 trails - Roe Creek winter, BC Rail trail summer
- 3 trails - Roe Creek, BC Rail and Brandywine
I would suggest that building 3 trails is overkill. It seems that Roe Creek will become the winter route of choice (over Brandywine). There is an argument for keeping the BC Rail trail though. It is well established, accessible by people with guidebooks, and may be served by a new overpass.
MattBrown 01:51, 14 Feb 2005 (EST)
What is the best way to access the Brew Hut during construction?
Western Forest Products has offered us a key to the gate on their road for the construction of the hut. However, it's hard to say if this access route would be faster than coming up from Brandywine.
Trail permit and regulations
I suspect that the club doesn't have a trail permit. Under the Forest Practices Code there is a clear distinction between a trail and a route. What we want to build is a route. The MOF has already been after us once (Phelix) when we were talking about building a trail to the cabin and threated a lawsuit. After reading the regulations we realized that we were building a route. Difference? A trail entails moving dirt, cutting live trees (I believe greater than 10 cm in diameter at breast height) and building bridges. These are things the club cannot do when building the route.
It seems that the sections of the Forest Practices Code regarding trail building regulation, authorization and enforcement have all been repealled by the government. Does this mean that we can just go ahead and start working on any trails we want?
Scott Nelson 12:57, 11 Mar 2005 (EST)
