Mt. Macpherson Logging Update - May 2016

Representatives from the RCA Board had a very positive meeting with the manager of the logging company that BC Timber Sales (BCTS) has hired to conduct the planned logging in the Mt Macpherson area later this summer. Please note that both BCTS and their logging contractor have been working with the RCA Board to minimize damage to the trails from the planned logging, or re-establish them post logging, and to keep the trails open as much as it is safe to do so during the logging. The area that BCTS is planning to log is around the upper part of TNT and Ridgewalk trails. The attached map shows the details of the planned area. Some of the highlights of the meeting are:What trails are affected by the logging:

• Ridgewalk will not be directly affected by the logging.
• As the RCA reported last fall a buffer trees will be left on either side of TNT to maintain the character of the existing trail.
• The trees around the connector trail, Mad Man’s Step, will be logged but BCTS has specified that those trees must be hand logged to reduce damage to the trail. The trail will be re-established after the logging. (The RCA Board requested that a buffer of trees not be left around Mad Man’s Step but the equivalent of those trees be moved to the buffer around TNT.)
• The old skid road/bike trail, Mad Man’s Leap, will be removed and planted after the logging but a connector trail will be built to connect TNT to Mad Man’s Step.

When will the logging take place?

• The logging company is planning to start logging at the end of August or the beginning of September.
• The logging will take 3 to 4 weeks.

Will the trails be open during the logging?

• For the safety of the public and the workers the area around the active logging will be closed but the logging company is hoping to only have the trails closed during work hours. Therefore, Ridgewalk, Mad Man’s Leap and TNT will be closed Monday to Friday 4 am to 5 pm depending on mill hours, fire restrictions, equipment breakdowns, weather conditions, etc. There will be no logging on weekends so regular riding and race events can happen as usual on weekends.
• The logging road/nordic trail leading to the logging area will not be closed to bikers and hikers but recreational users will be requested to stop before crossing the road and to stop if they encounter a logging truck on the road.