East Kootenay Outdoor Section:

Horsethief FSR Welsh Lakes Thunderwater Rd

Closed Aug 30 to Sept 17, approx. for bridge replacement.

• Horsethief-Forster FSR (Welsh Lakes; Thunderwater Lake; Catamount Glacier) at approximately 21km from August 30, 2010 until September 17, 2010
  
• To facilitate bridge removal and replacement these roads will be closed to all traffic while this activity takes place. As these roads are quite narrow with limited turn-around space, roadside parking will not be allowed in order to accommodate transportation and operation of large trucks and heavy equipment. Closure dates are approximate.
  
  
• Trail notes: Forster FSR in good condition, dry, ruts at km 19, 28; they are dry but have to be careful if low clearance. Camped near km 39 in pull out on south side of road, 536018 5611508; bridge across Forster creek about 50 meters west. Drove up to Thunderwater Lk parking area (as usual, rough and steep) attempted to make Thunderwater, could not cross drainage flowing north from Catamount glacier, level too high and fast, turned back. Beautiful area however. Today hiked up to Lower Welsh lake, trail in good condition, no problems following it. Another amazing area, will be back to explore more.

BCFS








and trail notes by CH

Horsethief FS Rd Closed
Lake of the Hanging Glacier

Aug 23, Sept 3 for bridge repair/replacements

• Horsethief FSR (Lake of the Hanging Glacier access) at approximately 41.5 km from August 23, 2010 until September 3, 2010
  
  
• Trail notes: Horsethief FSR in good condition, dry, dusty in spots. Camped at Stockdale FRS, km 38.5, access sign on south side of road. Road bikes to Lake of Hanging Glacier trail; trail in good condition, except trail is covered with avalanche debris about 1.0 km before the lake, extends for about 250 meters, pink ribbon marks route.

BCFS

and trail notes

CH

Kootenay River Road
Closed Aug 23-27

• TEMBEC will be closing the Kootenay River bridge located at ±33 km on the Kootenay FSR from August 23 to August 27, 2010.
• This closure is required to complete repairs to the deck.
• They will be posting the road with notices.
  
• Alternate access routes to the area are via the Ravenshead, Palliser and White-Rock FSR’s. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
• If you have any questions in this regard please contact me or Adrian Messerli at TEMBEC Canal Flats.

See this link for the map
Kootenay 33 km bridge.pdf

BCFS

Tanglefoot Lake -- Terrific hiking area. went to both passes, (I think). Quite a few vehicles at the trail head(s). Very nice people from the area. Many children and dogs!
The road is horrible! Maybe ditch the vehicle and MTN bike the road. what to do with dogs and little children? An honor to be in such a place!

Janice Strong notes: Road is definately 4x4 high clearance it is getting very rocky, but the tread is still drivable, but very slowly. There is a huge rough spot just before the Fisher Peak Trailhead that may need extra care as to not gouge the base of your truck.

Bear Lake and Wildhorse Creek

• BEAR LAKE CLOSED FOR TWO WEEKS --
• There is a dead bear at the north end of Bear Lake. Hikers be aware because the carrion may attract other grizzly bears feeding on the smelly carcass.

Also just in from the BCFS

There was a grizzly bear shot up at Bear Lake last week and the carcass is still there (self defence). The CO’s and the Ministry of sorts arts and tourism the ones who take care of our rec trails have agred to a 2 week closure of the trail until the carcass is gone.

The Wildhorse has been signed at the beginning of the road and also at 20km where the access road takes off of the Wildhorse. Could you please put this on your website, thanks.

Wildhorse Creek FSR has a few narrow spots where a potential wash out may occur.

Damage in 2 spots between 17-19 km markers.

LT

BCFS

Wildhorse Creek Upper Raod and Trail access

• Three of us with a chainsaw and one of the MTCA brush saws, cleared out the mess of alders and brush for the last 1.6 km of the Wildhorse, from the oufitter`s cabin to the campsite before the stream crossing. The brush was making it impossible to get through that section without scratching any vehicle that tried to push through the vegetation. Yesterday, I went back with a couple of people to do the Nine Basins hike and found the road had deteriorated badly in that time due to the heavy rains. A high clearance vehicle, preferably 4X4, is now required to navigate that section.
  
  As for the trail, we put up some flagging and some orange trail markers to help people find the trail to the stream and then up to Nine Basins. The section up the creek bed is wet and very muddy but worth the trip up to the ridge.

DD

Here is the road update from the BC Forest Service

Cranbrook Area

• ** Phillips Creek Road (Baldy Lake trail) is in very good shape.
• ** Wildhorse is open to the back end
• ** Lakit Lookout road is open bit of snow at the top but passable
• ** Bear Lake road should be open
• ** Mause Creek rd open to the Mause Creek trailhead-snow on the trail
• ** Rd open past Fisher Peak
• ** Dewar Creek open to Hot Springs parking lot
• ** Meachen Creek open and side road leading up to White Boar Lake is open and Meachen Creek FS Rd is open past Hourglass Lake trailhead.
• All our roads seem to be in good shape also.
• ** Grading is ongoing for FFT to Storm Creek on the Ram
• ** Elk River Rd open to the park-1st 36km is very fast so be careful.

Here is the road update from the BC Forest Service

Invermere Area

• ** Jumbo – wet, rutted sections especially in the first couple km.
• ** Delphine – deactivated, culverts removed at 2km (Mt Nelson trailhead), ATV accessible.
• ** Horsethief (Lake of the Hanging Glacier) – rough in spots, maintenance work being conducted over the next week or so to improve. *Note: Farnham access is Road Permit road, blocked at this time by an avalanche at 43km, currently no plans to clear/maintain.
• ** Horsethief (0-42km) – generally good condition, graded 0-13km last week.
• ** Forster (Welsh Lakes; Catamount etc) – wet, rutted sections, spot grading to take place during the summer.
• ** Frances (Tiger Pass; Septet; McLain Lake) – good condition to trailhead parking lot.
• ** Bugaboo (Chalice; Septet; Bugaboos; Cobalt Lake etc) – wet, rutted sections, some maintenance to take place during the summer.
• ** Cross (32km and beyond; Whiteman Pass; Miller Pass etc) – generally good condition, holes in bridge decks.
• ** Albert (Ralph Lake; Lehman Lake) – good condition, washout repaired at 56km.
• ** Palliser (Queen Mary; Joffre) – good condition, washout repaired at 50km.

More Info on Roads from the BC Forest Service

Invermere Area

• Access maintenance has and/or is being completed in the following areas to allow for ‘Forests For Tomorrow’ (FFT) activities:
• · Harrogate fire
• · Moscow fire
• · Queen Mary fire
• · Middle-Fork White River fire (Seeta Creek area)
• · Lussier fires
• · Magnesite fire
• · Mutton Creek fire

We will be performing maintenance work on many roads in the area throughout the summer as conditions allow.

** BRIDGE REPLACEMENT activities may take place on the Spillimacheen FSR at Parson crossing, and replacement of 4 down-rated (5 tonne) structures on the Horsethief and Forster FSR’s are planned for later in the season.

The bridges in the Horsethief and Forster will be replaced between August 15th and September30th.

There may be some delays or closures depending on the crossing.

Templeton Lake Road is very overgrown with alders and your truck needs to really push to get up the last 2 km of road.

The first part of the trail is now a creek /gully but hike able and the bridge at 400m has now its end underwater. It is fordable.

Conor Lake trail has many blow downs when hiking from the White River /Canal Flats side.     

The burn through the area in 2005 is still evident with burned sticks of trees and not much sun cover on the route.