Squamish Access Society

As mentioned in our previous update below, the District of Squamish enlisted a consultancy firm to assess the actual number of trees that had been felled on the Malamute in contravention to a site alteration bylaw. This would lay down part of the factual groundwork to move forward on when fines were considered. That report was completed and the official document is dated April 16th 2007, and was prepared by N&R Forest Management Ltd. In contrast to earlier estimations of 500 trees, the on-the-ground assessment counted 1,413 trees as having been felled. An area of 2.7 hectares was affected.

As the bylaw states the potential fines as varying between $1,000 and $10,000 per tree, the theoretical fine range is $1,413,000 to $14,130,000.

The ball is now in the District’s court vis-à-vis next steps. There is a council meeting on May 1st, which may deal with the matter. It is the position of the SAS that the long term issue around the Malamute and its preservation for recreation is a parallel issue of provincial concern and importance (and climbers’ concern internationally) and we have hope that irrespective of the fines issue, a solution can be reached which reflects this. We are meeting and communicating with all levels of government and other stakeholders toward this end.

Over the winter, the massive tree which stood at the base of Golden Beard split in half and the top toppled down the boulder slope toward the highway, finally resting across the climbers trail just uphill and south from Road Warrior crag. This massive trunk and a tangle of branches now needs to be dealt with to gain access to the main Rogues areas. We hope to organize a quick solution to the matter sometime this Spring; most likely an innovative set of stairs up and over the trunk, as the neighbouring slopes of scree and boulders are difficult to navigate. Base work at Hoods in the Woods might be undertaken at the same time, to mitigate the rapid erosion and unfriendly belay stances.

The closure of the Papoose has been extended beyond the earlier anticipated opening time frame of mid-May. Because of the amount of rainfall in February and March, concern over sediment discharge levels into Howe Sound led to highway work interruptions. The actual entrance into Shannon Falls Provincial Park should be completed in May, and Peter Kiewit Sons has asked for an on-site meeting with the SAS to discuss the future access connection to the trail head, which is now cut off due to excavations. The tentative date for a green light to climbing at the Papoose is mid June. We have asked that the signage in the area be updated accordingly.

On Sunday April 1st, the SAS organized a work party to improve the base of Foundation Wall up at Chek. As many of you will know, it had deteriorated heavily over the years with a lot of erosion. Prior to the work undertaken, the base was essentially a steep clay slope with no area to throw on shoes and throw down a rope tarp, let alone belay comfortably and safely from.

Eight people put in 6 hours of work with picks, shovels and a lot of back power to establish platforms and even out the slope. The SAS would like to thank ClimbOn in Squamish in particular for the miraculous appearance of the required cedar planking.

On a few of the climbs, we are considering moving the first bolts downward or adding another, to adjust them back to their original style before the base erosion and recent base work. We are also considering some gravel coverage for the platforms.

Worth noting are the developments at our sister crag Skaha. Many of you will have been kept informed by regular CASBC updates regarding a funding drive to ensure future access is secured. Mountain Equipment Coop has generously announced its largest land acquisition grant ever of $250,000, along with a matching program (for MEC member contributions, go to www.conservancy.bc.ca/MEC-skaha; for others, see www.conservancy.bc.ca). The SAS would like to thank MEC, The Land Conservancy, Skaha Climbers and the Climbers’ Access Society of BC (who contributed $10,000 ) for their commitment and hard work on this front. We encourage everyone to support this worthwhile cause.

This exciting week of clinics, speakers, films, parties, comps, trail work days and more is scheduled for July 13th to the 21st. For up-to-date information including a speakers list see www.squamishmountainfestival.com.

Many of you will have heard about the TLC in the context of the most recent Skaha initiative or know of them from their pivotal involvement in the Gondola saga in Squamish (they secured the gravel pit land against future similar development). Because of the great work they are doing, we encourage you to learn more, become a member, and make a contribution. Please see www.conservancy.bc.ca.

The Annual General Meeting of the Squamish Access Society will be held on June 3rd, 2007. This will be our first AGM. It will take place at 5pm in the Garibaldi Room at the Howe Sound Inn and Brewing Co, 37801 Cleveland Ave. Squamish. See you there!

SAS is happy to report that one of our directors, Brian Moorhead, has been elected to chair the newly minted Smoke Bluffs Park Development Committee of Council. Brian will have the benefit of serving with an extremely able and informed committee as listed below. Thanks are due to the SB Planning Group who created the Development Plan for the guidance of the new governing body. The formalization of the Park by council brings with it an ongoing, if modest budget, and assistance from DOS staff. That said, Brian expresses the hope, that the long tradition of user input and volunteerism, will continue to flourish at the Bluffs.

Committee Members:

• Matt Parker, at large
• Todd Gerhart, at large
• Brian Moorhead. Squamish Access Society
• Bob Brant, Squamish Trails Society
• Peter Winter, Climbers’ Access Society of B.C.
• John Harvey, at large
• Joe Turley, at large
• Glenn Woloski, at large
• Helen Habgood, Federation of Mountain Clubs
• Raj Kahlon, Squamish Municipal Council
• Bob Kusch, Squamish District staff support

On a related note, many will have noticed already the new stairs at Pixie corner and new trail, with impressive drainage, leading up to them.

Pixie Corner Stairs

Trail to Pixie

Many of you have been following developments on our website regarding the Malamute. Since the clear cutting occurred during the last week of March, the SAS has been busy working on this issue, meeting with the Ministry of Transportation, the District, and several other stakeholders as well as engaging with the media.

The most recent development was a special meeting of Council on April 10th to approve the hiring by the District of a third party to assess the logging on the property. The assessment should be completed by the end of April, in time for Council to consider its next moves on May 1st. Read more on this from the April 13th edition of The Chief.

Due to the assessment work in progress, and because of the unstable nature of the terrain, covered with recently felled trees as it is, we encourage climbers to avoid the Malamute for the time being.

There has been extensive media coverage surrounding the Malamute, and while the illegal logging and the potential fines that could be levied have grabbed the headlines, the need for the preservation of the Malamute and a permanent access solution has never been more pressing and it is on this that the SAS has been focusing its efforts. We hold high hopes that a long term solution in the public’s best interest can be achieved.

For more media coverage, see the Vancouver Sun article, April 4th, 2007.