The brown and white signs marking recreation sites and trails are an iconic part of BC’s backcountry legacy. In the Columbia Basin, they welcome campers to quiet sites and mark the start of adventures at trailheads.

For the crews who maintain trails and campsites, repairing and replacing these signs is just one part of the job. Their work ensures the backcountry remains safe and accessible for residents and visitors alike.

For Recreation Technician Aaron Canuel, and Seasonal Crew Lead Justin Wade of Rocky Mountain District South, Recreation Sites and Trails BC (RSTBC), the job includes a wide range of tasks. From May to August, crews based in Cranbrook, Revelstoke and Nelson clear trails, build outhouses and kiosks, repair tables, and maintain boardwalks and bridges.

This work is supported through a partnership between Columbia Basin Trust and RSTBC, which creates jobs for Basin residents while maintaining and improving trails and recreation sites in the region. Since 2019, the program has created more that 80 jobs and given crew members hands-on training in trail building, carpentry, wildfire safety, chainsaw operations, first aid and teamwork. In 2024 alone, crews oversaw 83 sites and walked hundreds of kilometers to ensure trails and campsites were ready to welcome visitors.

“We’ve had a trail crew for five seasons thanks to the Trust,” said Canuel. “Without this partnership, we wouldn’t be able to do these projects that benefit residents of the Basin. It’s a real win/win with huge value.”

One project stood out this season: replacing the washed-out footbridge on the Mause Creek/Tanglefoot Recreation Trail, 20 km northeast of Fort Steele. The trail winds through forests and meadows to Tanglefoot Lake and is a favourite with hikers. But replacing a bridge over a braided stream was no small task. The creek had shifted since the washout over a decade ago, requiring a double-span bridge instead of a single-span one.

“Having a safe bridge across a braided creek like Mause Creek is really needed,” said Canuel. “People don’t have to wade across, and it helps protect the creek and its surrounding ecosystem.”

“This was probably the biggest project for the crew this year,” said Wade. “It required careful planning and the right skills. This year, we had the people, experience and capacity to get it done.”

A double-span bridge needs additional support in the middle to span the creek safely. Each span was 30 feet long, making a total of 60 feet, with large timbers weighing 900 pounds each. While a rough 11-kilometre road allowed materials to reach the site, much of the work—carrying beams, installing decking, and laying rip-rap—had to be done by hand.

Alongside the three-person seasonal crew, Canuel brought together volunteers from Rocky Mountain District South staff to carry and position the heavy timbers across boulders, brush and the creek bed. Days of careful planning ensured the beams, stairs and decking were installed precisely.

“This project used everything we’d learned,” said Wade. “A small mistake at one end could have caused big problems at the other. But our crew worked together, solved problems, and got it done successfully.”

Canuel added: “We focus on problem-solving and learning from each other. Everyone brings their strengths, and together we make a great crew.”

This year, the crew visited 40 sites and worked on seven bridges, completing every project with care, teamwork and pride.

“This work is rewarding,” said Canuel. “We all love the outdoors, and it feels good knowing we’ve helped more people access the backcountry. Thanks to the partnership with the Trust, the Basin’s backcountry is safer, more accessible, and ready to welcome residents and visitors alike.”