After quite a few years of trail development, Sun Peaks Recreational Trail Association (SPRTA) is focusing on maintaining and perfecting their vast trail networks in their 10th year.
As a volunteer-led organization, SPRTA is also finalizing their first-ever employee hire, president Sam Loxton told SPIN.
“This year, we’re able to hire a paid trail crew lead position for the first time,” he said. “So SPRTA will be working full time, from May through October, as a paid trail maintainer.”
This will help boost the amount of maintenance and trail building days, creating more areas to explore.
In addition to staffing, SPRTA is working on finalizing the consultation process to build a new trail between Morrisey and McGillivray.
“There’s some existing trails there, but they’re more double-track, road styles,” Loxton explained. “We’re hoping to add more of a single track, multi-use trail for people to get out there and enjoy.”
Other developments in planning include small projects on Morrisey, but for the most part this summer is focused on maintaining those trails already established.
Maintaining Trails
There are a few key stages in maintaining trials, with one of the busiest times being in May and June as the ground is drying up after the winter snow.
“That’s the real key time or we’re sort of assessing if any damage has happened over the winter or during the spring and fall,” Loxton said.
Damage includes drainage, water erosion and downed trees.
“We like to give the trails a nice rake, first early in the spring to get rid of any leaves and other debris and make it a nice, smooth, fun, easy surface,” he added.
Next comes trying to keep people off wet trails, as Loxton said riding trails while they are wet increases ruts and causes other damage.
Once the trails are clean, dry and ready for tires it’s open season, with ongoing general maintenance such as adjusting areas to work better, weed whacking and branch trimming.
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