Minding the trail: Volunteers happily see their efforts trampled
by Amanda Follett
Every Friday morning, the Trailminders meet in a Canmore parking lot. This handful of dedicated volunteers surveys the skies and, weather permitting, heads out to toil all day in the hot summer sun — just so people will come and walk all over their hard work.
But that’s okay. In fact, that’s kind of the point.
When we go hiking, with our head in the clouds and our eyes on the surrounding peaks, it’s easy to take for granted what lies beneath our feet: the established trails in the area that take us off the beaten track. While seasonal trail crews are responsible for a large part of trail maintenance within national parks and protected areas, the bulk is undertaken by volunteer user groups as a labour of love.
The development of established trails in the Canmore area began with hiking pioneer Lawrence Grassi. In the 1920s, Grassi developed a trail from his home in what is now the Peaks of Grassi subdivision to “Twin Lakes”, later renamed Grassi Lakes in honour of his hard work. Today, the Grassi Lakes Trail remains a favourite and one of the most well-trodden half-day hikes in the area. If you follow the path as it leads from the foot of Mount Rundle to where the lakes lie just below White Man’s Pass, the remains of old benches Grassi constructed to enjoy the view still exist.
It’s this legacy that Bow Valley Trailminders seek to continue, dubbing themselves “the Ghosts of Grassi” in their quest to provide safe and sustainable hiking trails in the area. The informal group has 120 members, with 20 to 25 active volunteers who come out whenever possible to offer a hand working on the trails. On any given Friday, roughly a half dozen Trailminders can be found putting their backs into maintaining the trails they so enjoy.
Their motivation is twofold: “Our main thrust is to encourage hiking, and we need trails for that, but certainly our first project was vegetation considerations on (Mount) Lady MacDonald,” explains Trailminders president and one of its founding members, Doug Campbell. The concept of developing trails to save the environment may seem self-defeating, but a carefully planned route is not only self-sustaining but protects the vegetation that surrounds it. Trailminders puts its efforts into developing, or redeveloping if need be, trails with as little environmental impact as possible.
With 1,200 kilometres of established trails in Kananaskis Country and only a dozen government-employed trail crew members, volunteer efforts are imperative to keeping hiking in the area accessible. Every second Saturday from May to September, non-profit group the Friends of Kananaskis coordinates a volunteer work day that attracts hiking clubs and individuals looking to put something back into the backcountry. The most important thing that comes out of volunteer work days, says volunteer coordinator Erika Jensen, is the education and awareness that comes with seeing what goes into developing a trail system.
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A strong core of volunteer trail maintenance workers gather on a Canmore-area trail to carry on the tradition of hiking pioneer Lawrence Grassi. In the 1920s, Grassi was known for establishing some popular trails, such as the one to Grassi Lakes, named in his honour.
While it’s true that the shortest distance between two points is a line, the shortest distance between the trailhead and the summit does not make the ideal trail. Many trails that ascend peaks in the Canmore area were forged by hikers looking for the fastest route to the summit, but this lack of planning can have harsh effects on the environment and make for a slog for the average hiker. Today’s trails are methodically thought out, incorporating gentle switchbacks that follow the line of least resistance. They have a gentle, outward-leaning slope to allow for easy water runoff and reduce erosion. They also provide a well-worn path that encourages hikers to stay on the trail and off the nearby vegetation.
“When people have been involved in trail maintenance,” she says, “they are far more likely to pick a log up that’s lying across the trail instead of just stepping over it.”
Even if your schedule doesn’t allow you to get out and do trail work, there are simple ways to contribute. For one, stick to the established trail. Shortcutting a switchback encourages others to do so, destroys vegetation and leads to erosion. Do your part to keep trails tidy by packing out what you pack in. Most importantly: go hiking! The more people who trample a new trail, the more established the trail becomes.
How to Get Involved:
A two-year membership with Trailminders is $5, with all proceeds going back into trail maintenance. The group meets every Friday during summer months. Anyone interested in volunteering can contact Doug Campbell at 403.678.5551.
To volunteer with the Friends of Kananaskis, contact Erika Jensen at 403.678.5500, ext. 279, or email GeneralVolunteer.Account@gov.ab.ca. Volunteer workdays take place every second Saturday during summer months.
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