The Canadian Backcountry Trails Preservation Society was incorporated in 2024 to preserve and protect safe access to remote wilderness areas in Canada’s National Parks and other public land use areas through private partnerships and positive, productive advocacy.
We hope you will join us on this path and get involved with our work.
About
We deeply appreciate Nature and wish to help other people experience the beauty and peace of the backcountry of Canada’s iconic National Parks.
Through our advocacy, we work to partner with all stakeholders to ensure safe, sustainable and ecologically beneficial access to some of the most remote and awe inspiring areas in Canada.
Current Projects
Simon Creek Bridge, Athabasca Pass Trail, Jasper National Park Of Canada
The Problem:
Simon Creek is typically dangerously impassible during the summer months due to glacial melt and its steep drop toward the Whirlpool River. This is what a human/horse bridge has been in place for as long as anyone can remember.
Even when water is low late in the season, it presents a clear and present danger to all who attempt to cross it, even those backpackers and horse parties with high levels of backcountry experience.
As a result, visitors to Jasper National Park of Canada are being denied safe access to the Athabasca Pass Trail and to the Athabasca Pass National Historic Site.
Overview:
ALL documentation regarding the proposals and rejections and other background referenced by the Park, including various studies and backcountry Trail Maintenance Matrix criteria, are available for you on our Documents And Maps page.
After completing trail clearing work and bridge building on the western side of Athabasca Pass in British Columbia, the organizations involved, including the Alpine Club Of Canada, requested that Jasper National Park commit to replacing the bridge over Simon Creek and maintenance of the trail to keep it clear of obstructions.
This request was denied by the Superintendent, citing financial costs.
The group, then came up with a very lengthy proposal to offer a FULLY funded bridge, completely installed at no charge to Jasper national Park.
This was again rejected, citing many financial concerns, including not having the budget for end of life removal but ALSO no funding to EVEN ASSESS THE PROPOSAL.
The group once again found the funding to reimburse the Park for the assessment AND secured a commitment from a Benefactor that end of life removal funding for this bridge would be part of that Benefactor’s last will and testament.
After solving ALL previously cited issues by Jasper National Park management, a third rejection was given, this time by an Acting Superintendent, citing “environmental impact” of having people in this area.
Reviewing the facts shows:
A. – that the Park first cited the lower numbers of users in this area as a reason for not replacing a bridge that had been across this particular waterway for as long as memory serves.
B. – that the Park then suggested the replacing of this bridge would somehow lead to an increase in visitations and presented this a a negative outcome.
C. – that the Park itself sets visitation quotas based on the number of “campsites” and “tent pads” available on any given trail (and we use both “terms” loosely in remote areas) available for reservation. (This is not a random camping zone. All campsites must be reserved) Therefore, the Park itself controls the number of visitors that can traverse an area at any given time, yet cites this as a reason for not investing in a replacement bridge, and then cites it again as a reason not to replace the bridge due to higher usage fears?
Even a casual observer will be able to note the obvious contradictions.
Background:
David Thompson first crossed and mapped Athabasca Pass in 1811, to expand the fur trade west of the Rocky Mountains. This pass and the trail to it became the main route between the Columbia and Athabasca River watersheds. It was the main route between what is now Alberta and British Columbia, before the era of roads and railways.
The Métis First Nation, now living east of Jasper National Park, have a long history of using the Athabasca Pass Trail. They have hunted, fished and guided explorers in what is now Jasper National Park, for over 200 years. Their ancestor, Thomas the Iroquois, led David Thompson over Athabasca Pass in 1811.
In a spirit of reconciliation between the Métis and Parks Canada, the Métis propose that this bridge be named “Thomas the Iroquois Bridge”. This will commemorate Thomas’ extensive knowledge of the land and crucial role in guiding Thompson over this pass. David Thompson is well known, but Thomas the Iroquois deserves much more recognition for his significant contribution to the history and development of Alberta.
In 2018, the Columbia-Shuswap Regional District commissioned the Golden and Area A Trail Strategy, which includes the Athabasca Pass Heritage Trail. After extensive community consultation and stakeholder engagement, at the top of the list of Key Findingswas the public’s request for the restoration of cultural and historic trails.
The lack of Simon Creek Bridge prevents trail users from using the Athabasca Pass Trail until there is snow on the ground. The creek is glacially fed, very fast, 3 to 4 ft deep and about 80 ft wide.
The Solution:
Full private funding has been arranged for the replacement, maintenance and eventual end of life removal of this bridge.
No funds and no investment in time, manpower or money are required from Parks Canada, only permits. Professional engineer drawings, logistical planning and project management will be provided by experienced engineers. Proven, experienced volunteers are available to complete all the work.
The planned bridge is a 100 ft fibreglass equestrian bridge, resting on gabions (wire cages around local rocks), 6 ft above the high water level. Previous bridges at this site were only 2.5 ft above water level, had gabions in the creek and were washed away. Timber ramps will be provided down to the ground on both sides for pack horses and hikers. This bridge will have a 50+ year design life.
A high quality 96 ft log bridge was built in 2022 across Jeffrey Creek near the Jeffrey Creek Campground, 1.3 km from the west Trailhead.
The full traverse of Athabasca Pass Heritage Trail is 73 km long, and can be completed in about 6 days, including vehicle shuttling. A charter boat service is available to take hikers from Sprague Bay / Boat Encampment to the Wood River Bridge. Hikers walk 8 km from this Bridge on good logging road to the Athabasca Pass Heritage Trailhead.
In 2023, Japer National Park of Canada Managers refused this gifted bridge on three separate occasions, citing different reasons each time. Managers kept “moving the goalposts” after the group was able to address all cited concerns. It is therefore, fair to speculate that for some unstated reason, Managers simply do not want to allow safe access to this trail and to the Athabasca Pass National Historic Site.
News / Blog
Our group is not the only one to recognize the deteriorating conditions in some of the most beautiful areas of our mountain National Parks. Please take some time to read their stories, as well as reporting on our initial project, Simon Creek Bridge.
We've added two more documents to our Documents and Maps page! The first document is the response from the Superintendent of Jasper National Park to the Alberta Equestrian Federation with regard to backcountry trail maintenance. (North Boundary Trail specifically)
And because the Superintendent likes to quote the "Trail Matrix as often as he can, we've uploaded that as well.
One thing to remember about the "Trail Matrix" is that it was CREATED by Jasper National Park Managers. It fall inline with the 2010 CUTS.
And now, they refer to this matrix as if it is the Holy Bible.
The irony, if it were not so important for access, would be humorous. Unfortunately, they have created a self fulfilling prophecy of backcountry neglect.
Also, the "ecological integrity" priority is something that none of us can argue with. That is why it is used so many times. That said, Parks Canada has a dual mandate that also includes access. Otherwise it's not a park. It's some sort of inaccessible "preserve". Recognize this point when reading this current Superintendent's comments about "ecological integrity", because that is used as the "excuse" for funnelling all backpackers onto three trails. One could easily question the damage being done in those valleys, and whether or not the preservation of ecological integrity is being managed properly by such heavy use.
One final note, is that the North Boundary Trail is now all but inaccessible for two legged visitors. Twintree bridge will NOT be replaced because horse parties will be able to cross Twin Tree Creek - meaning patrols can still complete the trail to assess "ecological integrity" So, for most backpackers, the magnificent NBT is lost as a complete trip. ... See MoreSee Less
As is our aim here, it is encouraging to see groups coming together for a common goal. We have just uploaded a letter signed by the Presidents of The Alberta Equestrian Federation, Alberta Trail Riders Association, Back Country Horsemen of British Columbia, Cottonwood Corrals Association and Great Divide Trail Association all signed this letter in April 2023.
We have uploaded the entire document to our Documents and Maps page on savethetrails.ca
It's nice to see that it's not just backpackers who believe that the backcountry deserves safe access for future generations, is invaluable and not simply some line on a budget spreadsheet. ... See MoreSee Less
We have just uploaded three very important documents at savethetrails.ca that will help connect the dots from the drastic reductions in backcountry services in Jasper National Park through the present days. Rejection of Simon Creek Bridge.
Even a casual reader will see that Park management was trying to find a way to manipulate public opinion to justify these cuts. Things like using the "Caribou Strategy" as an excuse, leveraging Wildlife Protection Groups for their support, even though the documents themselves in the whole recognize that human impact in the areas being cut was negligible AND funnelling more people to just a few trails would INCREASE pressure on the ecology of these areas.
Present day managers continue to tow this line of thinking, refusing to reverse thinking that has become ingrained for the past 14 - 15 years. ... See MoreSee Less
We had just uploaded the Parks Canada 2023 Values and Ethics Code PDF for Employees and Managers to savethetrails.ca . Do note in this document , the continued referencing of transparency, communication and MUCH more. Keep this all I mind as we continue to share our ATIP documentation with you. ... See MoreSee Less
A snippet from a PDF we will be uploading shortly on the Documents and Maps page. These were obtained via Access to Information requests and they show discussion within Jasper National Park Management about the proposed gutting backcountry financial commitments around 2010.
The memo is called: “Implementation Strategy Backcountry Services Reductions - Budget 08 Strategic Review Jasper National Park July, 2010”
Keen observers will notice that there is an admission that without certain bridges, backcountry access will be rendered nearly impossible.
Also note the recommendation that certain trails in these areas should be random camping. That still has not occurred, but many bridges noted here are missing.
Coming Soon - ATIP information obtained freely online under the Access To Information Act. You are not going to want to miss these. ... See MoreSee Less