The Coal Discovery trail (Sparwood – Fernie) has been closed to the TransRockies, or any other commercial event, by the new owners of a small piece ( 4 kms ) of the trail outside Hosmer. The new owner is the Nature Conservancy of Canada.
The new cut blocks are on Tembec’s land, the old owner of the land.
Their reason for the closure is the potential impact on the migration of Grizzly bears. The TransRockies is held in August when bears are in the Alpine. The trail is on the valley floor. The NCC is allowing farming, a open gravel pit and other commercial activities on the parcel but not the TransRockies. The parcel is crossed by a very active railway and the #3 Hwy.
Local government spend over $250,000 building the trail for community events. The NCC has stated that they will not reverse their decision and that it is based on a sound wildlife strategy.
The opinion expressed by the NCC and Wildsight is that mountain biking is out of control is the valley. This is their effort to contain the perceived problem. I thought that hunters, trains and road vehicles killed bears.
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