Logging activity is about to pick up along the Balmoral Trail near Blind Bay.
The Shuswap Trail Alliance says that the new operations will only affect the trail’s feel not its operation.
Shuswap Trail Alliance Executive Director Phil McIntyre-Paul, said that the trail is not closed, but an advisory about the logging has been issued.
There will be no logging directly on the trail, but there will be greater traffic in the areas where the trail crosses the forestry road.
However, the crossings will be well- signed McIntyre-Paul said. Increased forestry-related traffic has been planned for since the trail was planned 9 years ago he said.
The roadwork being performed on the logging road could be finished any day, but harvesting of trees near the trail is not expected to begin until the fall,.
McIntyre-Paul says trail-users should remain vigilant.
“When there hasn’t been activity in the area for a while, people don’t pay as much attention,” McIntyre-Paul said.
“The reality for all of our backcountry wilderness trails is that they traverse through forestry harvested areas. It does change peoples’ experience on the trail,” he said.
The Shuswap Trail Alliance published a comprehensive trail guide last year, which is available at the visitor centre and the Columbia Shuswap Regional District office.
Updates about trail activity and conditions, are available online at shuswaptrails.com or shuswaptourism.com.
“We also have a call-out for volunteers,” laughs McIntyre-Paul, who invites people to a big clean-up event at South Canoe Trails Sunday, May 1 at 8:30 a.m.
Meet at the trailhead at the end of 10th Avenue SE and bring work gloves and water.
A barbecue hosted by Skookum Cycle will follow at 1 p.m.
This year’s White Lake, yellow flag iris weed pull hosted by the Little White Lake Stewardship Society is scheduled for sometime in June.
McIntyre-Paul reminds trail-users to be aware when they travel the trails and report any problems or issues they encounter by sending an email to report@shuswaptrails.com or call 250-832-0102.
For more information on the alliance, visit www.shuswaptrail.com.
