Category: Blog

Well it has been a busy winter for us at the GDTA, and I am sure everyone is happy that we made it through February. We hope you had a chance to take in one of our great outreach events. Our Outreach Committee certainty has been hard at work, the Dan Durston GDT Yo-Yo presentation at Trolley 5 Brewpub was sold out and standing room only. Then Chasing Sunsets, a panel discussion on transitioning from a hiker to backpacker was another great event, and upcoming in May another sold out event called Backcountry Emergencies. With the goal of reaching out to different demographics and giving back to our members, I have to say well done Outreach Committee!

The Trail Building & Maintenance committee has been hard at work too. Organizing 11 trail building and maintenance trips with more than 150 volunteers involved is a huge task, so much so we are going to hire our first paid temporary worker to handle some of the logistics. If you have not signed up for a trip yet you better get on it as they are filling up fast.

We have also started up a Fundraising Committee too, all of this trail building takes money and we want to make sure our revenue stream is both enhanced and more predictable. We are also applying for charitable status so keep your fingers crossed.

Of course, your Board of Directors is working on improvements as well. It always seems hard enough just to get through our regular business during our meetings, but we have dedicated one hour each meeting to work on the GDTA 3-year Strategic Plan. We hope this will give us an even clearer purpose and direction moving forward. On a more somber note, one of our board members had a serious accident and we are all thinking of him and hoping for a full recovery.

As this will be the last newsletter before our AGM, I wanted to let everyone know that I am stepping down as president. I have been on the board for 7 years and have enjoyed my time immensely. I’ve had the pleasure of working with many outstanding volunteers and have seen real progress in the building, maintenance and recognition of the Great Divide Trail. Above all else, it is the team of volunteers that has made the experience so fantastic. The GDTA is moving forward with lots of momentum and I wish the organization all the best in the future!

I hope everyone can take a little time this summer and get a few steps on the GDT and enjoy our trail and some well-deserved warmth.

Happy trails!

Dave Hockey

With less than four months until summer, it’s time to start making plans! This edition of the GDTA Pathfinder Newsletter has some important information for hiking and volunteering on the trail this year. Or if you are still undecided and are looking for inspiration, check out the articles written by David Higgins; the Feature Article about the trail work completed last summer on the David Thompson Heritage Trail or the Member Feature to commemorate an avid GDT enthusiast and section hiker, Bruce Parkin.  

• Message from GDTA President: Is it time for you to step into a leadership role on one of our maintenance trips? What does it take?
• Member Feature: Bruce Parkin, In Memoriam – an article to commemorate an avid enthusiast and section hiker of the GDT
• Feature Article: The Vanishing Trail – Part 2: Mission Accomplished
• 2019 Trail Building & Maintenance Trips – Call for Volunteers: Trip dates for 2019 are now available and we need you!
• Hiking the Trail: Check out the significantly improved Section D, from Field to Saskatchewan River Crossing
• Backcountry Trip Planning: National park campground reservations for this summer are open!
• Upcoming Events: Dan Durston’s yoyo of the GDT 
• Opportunities to Get Involved:  Please check out a great volunteer opportunity for a marketing enthusiast

The Great Divide Trail Association is an active organization with significant growth in 2018 and we are looking for an individual to take on the responsibilities of marketing and outreach. Some of our key accomplishments in 2018 include:

• Membership grew by about +30%.
• Significant work going into the planning, designing, constructing and maintaining the new 50 km High Rock Trail section of the GDT, located north of Crowsnest Pass.
• Major trail projects on the David Thompson Heritage Trail and in Jasper National Park.
• 112 volunteers on 8 trips in 2018 (11 trips planned for 2019!)
• Annual major fundraising event to raise awareness for the GDT held in Calgary with Brian Keating.
• New chapter established in the Crowsnest Pass.
• Formal recognition of the trail in the Castle Management Plan.
• The GDT was featured in in Backpacker Magazine’s article awarding the GDT the title of ‘’wildest long distance trail”.

Marketing Position

The Marketing Position is a volunteer position and ideally, the individual will serve on the GDTA Board. The GDTA Board meets monthly and all members are expected to chair or participate in at least one committee.

Responsibilities: 

• Serve as Chair of the Outreach, Engagement & Education committee, striving to strengthen and expand opportunities that benefit the Trail with targeted messaging and attention to diverse and imaginative partnerships
• Develop and implement a communication and PR plan to increase awareness of the Great Divide Trail and the Great Divide Trail Association
• Increase the social media presence of the GDTA
• Lead the events and outreach programming to ensure that we are engaging potential and current members
• Public relations activities including writing articles for local and national press to increase awareness of the GDT or promote local events
• Lead the development of the GDTA quarterly newsletter, website and other key communication channels to engage current members

Requirements:

1. Personal commitment to devote the time necessary to perform the responsibilities of the Marketing Position
2. Background and experience with marketing, PR or event planning
3. Leadership and management skills to attract and engage other volunteers to support the activities of the Outreach, Education and Engagement committee
4. An interest in promoting, protecting and maintaining the Great Divide Trail

If you are interested in this opportunity or have any questions, contact us.

Thanks!

By David Higgins

Oddly, for someone who’s been closely involved with the Great Divide Trail for 45 of his 65 years, section-hiking the entire GDT – let alone thru-hiking it, where you knock the whole thing off in one go – is a notion that has never come into my head. I suppose I’m one of those peculiar people who’d rather build a trail than walk it. But it’s now firmly in my bucket-list. Let me explain why.

In the summer of 2018 we lost a good friend and supporter of the GDTA, Bruce Parkin. To me, Bruce was actually more of an acquaintance – our kids were friends and attended the same school, and I volunteered with his wife Lynn on fundraising events – but he always struck me as a thoroughly agreeable person and a true gentleman. Not to mention a guy blessed with movie-star good looks! Of course, like most of us, Bruce was a lot more than his personality and appearance. He was many things to many people: a dedicated husband and father, teacher, coach, youth leader, Christian role model, and loyal friend. And, I have to state, an inspiration to many … including me!

Bruce was also a very physically active person. From Friday morning hockey to triathlons to skiing, he relished sports he could personally engage in, particularly if they involved the great outdoors. Hiking, perhaps unsurprisingly, was his passion. Over the course of several summers, he section-hiked the GDT, beginning in Waterton Lakes National Park and working his way north toward his ultimate goal of Kakwa Provincial Park, a distance of almost 1200 km. And as we know only too well, trail conditions on the GDT range from well-defined and marked to virtually non-existent and nearly impassable. A major challenge for a solo hiker, which describes Bruce whenever one of his sons, his brother, or a friend was unavailable. Which was all too often, I’m told. On the plus side, he’d say, when alone in the magnificent surroundings he felt much closer to God.

In fact, what would prove to be Bruce’s final section hike on the GDT was unaccompanied, when he couldn’t recruit a companion but was determined to get his 2018 section in the bag. He set off from Natural Bridge in Yoho in mid-July, heading north up the blowdown-choked Amiskwi trail, then crossing the pass of the same name before descending into the notorious Blaeberry Valley. There, a little over a month before our GDTA trail crew arrived to begin reopening the David Thompson Heritage Trail, he became frustratingly bogged down in the tangled mess left by the 2013 floods and decades of neglect. Having previously been made aware of the challenges facing him in the Blaeberry and Howse River valleys, Bruce made the difficult but wise decision to abandon his trek in the interest of personal safety, and he exited the valley to the south via the old forest service road.

A month later Bruce passed away suddenly and unexpectedly from an aortic dissection. He was vacationing with his wife and some friends at Windermere, BC.  Bruce was 57 years young. I heard the shocking news as I was preparing for our David Thompson Heritage Trail restoration trip (see “The Vanishing Trail – Part 2” in this edition of The Pathfinder), and learned about his last hike and the remarkable coincidence that it ended precisely where we were about to begin our work. Later, on the same date (Sept. 2^nd) as his official memorial service in Calgary, I held a small observance of our own at our Cairnes Creek base camp, and dedicated our efforts to Bruce’s memory.

Why commemorate someone like Bruce? Well, one good reason is that he’d developed such an infectious passion for the Great Divide Trail that he made many others aware of it; as well, his family felt that an appropriate way to honour him (and what they believed his final wishes would have been) was to request that donations in his memory go to two causes close to his heart, Christian relief organization Samaritan’s Purse, and the Great Divide Trail Association.

But I also think it’s worth noting that Bruce represents a class of trail user that we don’t consider often enough, with the more high-profile international thru-hikers always grabbing our attention. These mostly local western Canadians, who hike the Trail more sporadically, derive a huge amount of pleasure and satisfaction from their treks and quite often become committed volunteers and leaders, thus ensuring the long-term sustainability of both the GDTA organization and its mission. Sadly, Bruce will never be in that latter category but the funds we have received in his memory will go a long way to advancing our cause.

Finally, he reminds us of the old maxim: Life is precious, make the most of it. Having had a health scare of my own recently, I’m inclined to agree! My goal is now to finish hiking the GDT north from where Bruce left off (most of which, by coincidence, I have yet to set foot on).

Besides his wife Lynn, Bruce is survived by his two sons Ben and Jordan, four siblings, his father, and numerous other relatives. He also leaves behind a great many friends and colleagues, many of whom have donated to the GDTA in his memory. These include:

• Stephen and Lori Brink
• Arlene Jackson
• Carol Jackson
• Foundations for the Future Charter Academy (FFCA)
• FFCA Board and Superintendent
• FFCA High School Staff
• Rundle College
• Deirdre Shannon
• The Ward Family
• 5 Anonymous Donors

Thank you all!

By Dave Hockey

In this issue of our newsletter I would like to chat about all the people it takes to put on a safe and successful trail building or maintenance trip.

The GDTA prides itself on the quality of our trail building & maintenance trips but few people know how much work and how many people it takes to pull it off. It all starts with our Trip Communication Manager, getting the list of trips together (this year 11!) and sending out the call for volunteers. Now it gets busy, with over 112 volunteers last year, each with a few questions and the usual forms to fill out, we are talking hundreds of emails.

As the trips fill and the spreadsheets populate, some of the trip organization gets handed over to the Trip Leaders, responsible for planning the trip, getting everyone organized, trip transportation and making sure it all comes together. This is a busy position but comes with lots of rewards. Now we are developing Assistant Trip Leaders, to take the load off and learn how it’s done. This position is a learning role and lots of fun.  

Safety has always been our number one priority and with the revision of the Occupational Health & Safety rules last year, our organization has an even greater responsibility to ensure the safety of our volunteers. With the Trip Leader having their hands full overseeing the crews, keeping the equipment working and day to day logistics on location, it’s hard to focus on all areas and that is why we are developing a new position, Trip Safety Officer. The Safety Officer will have the time to focus on fostering a safety culture, safety tailgate meetings and paperwork.

Next up are the Equipment Manager and Assistant roles. If you have been on a GDTA trip you have seen one or both of our trailers full of tools and equipment. Well it all has to be readied for the new year, maintained throughout the season, check and fixed at the end of the year, then prepared for winter storage. Lots to do for our Equipment Manager and Assistant!

Once out on the trip, our Crew Leaders assist the Trip Leader by supervising 5-6 volunteer crew members out on the trail when carrying out trail building and maintenance activities. They ensure our trail building is being performed to our standards and that the crews are working safely and having fun. Some lame jokes come in handy with this role.

What about the Cook? This role is specific to our Signature Trips and some would say this is the most important role. The army figured this out decades ago, but luckily, we are just fighting back against mother nature and her weeds. Cooking for 20 hungry volunteers is a lot of work so we are also developing a Cook Assistant role to learn the ropes.

I can’t wait to be the Camp Manager and or Camp Attendant. You camp in a beautiful part of Alberta, watch the crew leave camp for a good day of work and then what? You mosey around filling the solar showers, purifying the water, cut some wood and make tea and coffee for the crews return and bam you are a hero! Actually, there is a fair amount of work that goes on while the crews are away, but it is enjoyable and rewarding.

Lastly, we have a City Contact to ensure any last-minute details are handled while crews are out in the field, coordinating with Trip Leaders and handling any emergency communication in town.  

Now you are asking, how did we find all these people? Well, we haven’t yet. We have been tasking the same people for a few years now but as our volunteer base keeps growing, our trip numbers keep increasing and our commitment to running the best trips keeps building, we need to recruit more people to take on these roles. Some people look at our trips and think to themselves, well I can’t swing a Pulaski for 5 days and assume they can’t contribute to our trips. I think you can see with all the roles we are looking for that there is something for everyone who would like to contribute. So, what we are saying is “We Need You”!

GDTA Trail Crew Positions:

1. Trip Leader
2. Assistant Trip Leader
3. Trip Communication Manager
4. Trip Safety Officer
5. Equipment Manager
6. Assistant Equipment Manager
7. Crew Leader
8. Cook
9. Assistant Cook
10. Camp Manager
11. Camp Attendant
12. City Contact

Please consider these roles and joining one of our trips as one of the learning or assistant positions. If you have questions, you can email us for more information including a complete breakdown of each position including their duties and expectations. Help us put on the best trail trips in Canada. Thanks!

By David Higgins

In “The Vanishing Trail – Part 1” in last fall’s edition of the Pathfinder, I shared some background on the historic route traversing the Blaeberry River valley in British Columbia and the Howse River valley in Alberta. Known today as the David Thompson Heritage Trail, the backcountry path constitutes an essential link in the Great Divide Trail between Yoho and Banff National Parks. Or at least it should – if it were possible to follow it! For many years the trail has been completely overgrown, blocked by innumerable fallen trees, and washed away in places by flooding.

In early 2018, however, our organization signed a partnership agreement with Recreation Sites and Trails BC, under which the GDTA assumes stewardship of this important route. Although the agreement covers only 13 km on the western side of the Divide, this portion of the David Thompson Heritage Trail has been arguably the most challenging and frustrating for hikers. With the “wheels” thus set in motion, the proverbial i’s dotted and the t’s crossed, an official work trip was scheduled for late summer, the author’s arm having been firmly twisted to serve as crew leader.

Vehicle access to the trailhead at Cairnes Creek, 65 road kilometres north of Golden, has been cut off for several years by washouts along the Blaeberry River, adding a tedious and often treacherous slog of 14 km for anyone hoping to reach the trail. In mid-summer, though, forest company Canfor began repairing the road, bypassing washed-out sections with new construction and installing bridges. This enabled me and my son Andrew, riding dual-sport motorcycles, to reach Cairnes Creek on the weekend of August 20-22^nd to carry out reconnaissance ahead of the upcoming work trip – and answer the most important question: could we get four-wheeled vehicles all the way to the trailhead, over the partially-repaired road? The answer, we concluded, was yes – provided it didn’t rain and turn the construction zones into a quagmire! We also hiked – or more accurately thrashed our way – along the entire 13 km to Howse Pass and return, taking sober note of the sheer volume of work facing the incoming GDTA crew in just over a week’s time.

Fast-forward to the early afternoon of August 30^th; seven sturdy vehicles loaded with gear and 14 eager people from Alberta, BC and California were making their way up the Blaeberry valley in – you guessed it – a light but steady rain. Reaching the first of 3 washout bypasses, we were greeted by what can only be described of a sea of deep, gooey muck coating the entire unfinished right-of-way for the next 2 kilometers. After determining that only 4WD had any prospect of success, two vehicles were parked and five proceeded without incident. The next bypass featured a steep, slick down-and-up crossing of a temporary bridge, which by some miracle combined with superhuman driving skill, slowed but failed to halt our progress. But the final detour began with an abrupt, nasty uphill that in another setting might have sported a sign with a black diamond symbol and a name like “Widowmaker Gulch.” This, and the thick mud, proved too much for another of our mounts, so now we had the gear and passengers of 7 vehicles crammed into four, for the final 6 km to our objective.

But the fun wasn’t over yet. Ahead, beyond the end of construction, the roadway was buried by two long-ish sections of rock-and-gravel alluvial wash, forcing us to invest a few hours of pick-and-shovel work to smooth the high and low spots and allow safe passage.

All with no letup in the rain! Our soggy caravan finally splashed into the long-abandoned Cairnes Creek forest recreation site at 7 pm, with only an hour of poor light left to set up tents and our big, much-needed camp shelter. Everyone felt the next 3 days of trail work would be a piece of cake after dealing with the road! Later that evening another volunteer, John Courtney of Quesnel, magically appeared in camp, to be followed the next day by Doug Borthwick from the Okanagan, making for a nice even 16-strong crew.

And what an amazing crew it proved to be! The lofty goal set out for us was complete rehabilitation of the first 8 km of the David Thompson Heritage Trail from Cairnes to Lambe Creek. To make this happen we had to reroute the trail in no less than 8 places where the river had washed it away, cut through literally hundreds of blowdowns, build new tread, and most significantly, remove the vast amount of undergrowth choking the trail throughout.

It was extremely fortunate that we’d brought gas-powered brushers and especially people like Robert Armstrong, Julien Cossette and Doug Borthwick who knew how to use them, not to mention swamper extraordinaire Debbie Yanchula who must have dragged a ton of cuttings off into the bush to preserve the aesthetics of the trail.

Jenny Feick, an original GDTA founder, and Ian Hatter, both of Victoria, were invaluable not only for their attention to detail but also their extensive knowledge of the flora and fauna. Jenny recognized the unique character of the Blaeberry valley: it contains many plants and trees not normally found in the Rockies, rather in the Columbia or coastal mountain ranges, such as Western Red Cedar, Western Yew, and the diabolical Devil’s Club. And speaking of expertise, new volunteer David Crowe’s photographic skills were highly prized – but perhaps not as immediately as his familiarity with wild berries, the downside being very few were left behind for the resident bear population!

Huge thanks also to our new friend John Courtney, our one-and-only chainsaw operator without whose equipment, skills, energy and hard work we would never have come close to accomplishing our task.

Prize for the longest commute to the work site goes hands-down to Joan Pendleton from the bay area in California (OK, so she was also doing some hiking in Jasper!). A great addition to the team nonetheless.

Rounding out the balance of the crew (in alpha order), we had Bert Barlaan, Jeremy Bateson, Gail and Alistair Des Moulins and George Springer; all talented, positive, and highly motivated volunteers who were able to identify needs and very capably deal with them.

Finally, a big appreciative salute to GDTA veteran Lani Smith, who not only expertly stick-handled latrine setup and camp management, but single-handedly filtered hundreds of litres of river water for everyone’s use. And his eternally cheerful disposition will always be a welcome addition to our camps.

Happily as well, the weather mostly cooperated for our three work days, with only very light intermittent showers but cool (+10C) daytime temperatures. Preferable, everyone agreed, to the sweltering heat we’re often treated to on our July signature trips! And the only injury sustained, not counting Julien’s minor avocado-hand incident (if you don’t know what that is, just ask any millennial), was a wasp sting – to the trip leader of all people, who inadvertently disturbed a nest in a rotted log while dragging alder cuttings off the trail.

At the end of the last day’s toil, after a short break to admire the scenic Lambe Creek canyon, the crew began making their way back along the newly-restored trail. It was immensely satisfying to experience the results of our efforts first-hand, not only from the perspective of hikers who would no longer have to laboriously route-find their way through the valley, but also in the knowledge that we accomplished the task set out for us in a first-rate manner, and a nationally significant historic resource was now well on the way to being fully restored. There was much discussion in favour of returning in 2019 to complete the restoration on the final 5 km to Howse Pass.

After dinner, a succinct text message went out from our Spot device to the GDTA leadership: “Mission Accomplished!” Then, as if unwilling to allow us any further consideration, the sky clouded over and a steady rain began to fall, continuing through the night and causing the trip leader to lose no small amount of sleep over the ability of our vehicles to make it through what would likely be an even worse sea of mud at the road construction sites. But the rain stopped during breakfast, allowing camp to be struck and packed up by 10 am, and we set off in convoy. As it turned out, travelling generally downhill made all the difference and no one got stuck. The remainder of our journey home was without incident, although minor repairs and major cleaning were in store for all the vehicles!

I’m sure I speak for everyone involved when I say it was a great privilege and an honour to be invited to participate in the rehabilitation of this very special trail. We all look forward to not only completing the job on the BC side of Howse Pass but hopefully to be able to work with Parks Canada to re-open their portion of the extraordinary, no longer vanishing, David Thompson Heritage Trail.

By Brad Vaillancourt and Dan Durston

Every family has its black sheep and the GDT is no different. Section D – Field to the Crossing – has an infamous and long-standing reputation of being the worst section of the GDT, demanding blood, sweat and tears from thru-hikers while providing very little reward in return. Section D offers the experience of overgrown trail that hasn’t been maintained in decades; hundreds of deadfall and blowdown trees creating a jungle gym of obstacles for hikers to navigate; and fast flowing glacial fed creeks that must be forded, so powerful they have washed away all attempts to build bridges across them. But that is all about to change.

This year, Section D has undergone a “facelift” with the re-routing of the main route onto the Howse Floodplain, the restoration of the David Thompson Heritage Trail and the introduction of the new Kiwetinok Alternate. While Section D will always be a remote and wild section of the GDT, requiring some route-finding, challenging creek fords, and increased physical and mental effort, GDT hikers can now look forward to more rewards for their efforts and a significantly improved hiking experience in 2019. 

The new Howse Floodplain route follows the Conway Creek and Howse River floodplains wherever possible, avoiding crossing the main channel of the Howse River. The floodplain is wide and exceptionally scenic, offering a route quite similar to that of the original explorers to Howse Pass centuries ago. There are several shallow fords of smaller channels on the floodplain so hikers must be prepared to have wet feet while enjoying a significantly better hiking experience than the old overgrown trail strewn with literally hundreds of fallen trees. In June and early July, the Howse River may be in flood making some sections of the floodplain difficult or impassable in which case hikers should consider using the old trail (now marked as an alternate route). Conversely, in late August and September when the river is low, hikers may be able to ford the main river channel and completely avoid any bushwhacking along the river’s edge. See below for a more detailed route description.

Last summer work began to restore the David Thompson Heritage Trail, including clearing brush, removing deadfall, building tread around washed out sections, and constructing a new log bridge over Lambe Creek. Our goal was to keep any new trail constructed as close as practicable to the location of the original, and to maintain the character and “feel” of the original historic trail to the greatest extent possible. GDTA volunteers agreed that it was immensely satisfying to experience the results of their work first-hand, not only from the perspective of hikers who would no longer have to laboriously route-find their way through the valley, but also in the knowledge that this nationally significant trail was now restored (at least partially) to its historic glory. We will be returning to the David Thompson Heritage Trail this summer to complete the restoration of the final 5 km to Howse Pass. 

The Kiwetinok Alternate allows hikers to skip most of the overgrown Amiswki Trail and avoid the most difficult ford of the Amiskwi River. Beginning in Field, the first 25 km of this alternate are on spectacular trail over 3 alpine passes in Yoho National Park: Burgess Pass, Yoho Pass and Kiwetinok Pass. Two national park campgrounds along the way provide convenient layover locations: Yoho Lake and Little Yoho campgrounds. From Kiwetinok Pass, the final 7 km are off trail and involve some scrambling on steep slopes but with saavy route-finding, hikers shouldn’t find the route too difficult. Note that due to the presence of a cornice on the north side of Kiwetinok Gap early in the season, this route is not recommended until after mid-July. See below for a more detailed route description.

These new routes are reflected in the GDTA map and the GDT App.

Howse Floodplain Route Description:

2.8 km north of Howse Pass, ford a tributary of Conway Creek to reach a trail junction (d12). At this junction ignore the old trail to the right and head left/west down the better trail as it follows the north bank of Conway Creek. The evident trail ends on the Conway Creek floodplain about 200 metres before hikers should look to ford to the south side of Conway Creek where the floodplain is open and easy walking. Ford Conway Creek and continue heading west on the floodplain on the south side of the creek toward its confluence with the Howse River. If Conway Creek is in flood and too difficult to cross here, you can stay on the north side of the creek and follow the non-ford alternate route through the forest that will involve a little bushwhacking and route-finding to reach the Howse floodplain.

In 800 metres, reach the Howse River floodplain and ford Conway Creek (again) to the north side. The creek here is braided and shallow which should allow for an easy crossing. From here the Howse floodplain is wide open, easy walking and very scenic. Head north on the east side of the Howse floodplain for about 2 km until you reach a forested outcrop that from a distance appears to block your way but upon closer look is easy to walk through/around. Walk through the less dense trees to the east/right side of the outcrop to return to the open floodplain in 400 metres where you will find an old horse trail. Follow the horse trail north through grassy meadows on a section of the floodplain that hasn’t flooded in years. The horse trail ends in 1.5 km at an old horse camp located on the west side of the trail near the edge of the floodplain. A UFO-looking weather station can be seen a short distance to the east. At the floodplain’s edge, turn sharply right/northeast, sticking to the eastern bank of the Howse River.

In 500 metres the main channel of the Howse River forces hikers into the forest but rather than bushwhacking east to the old trail, ford a small tributary (that offers better water than the silty Howse River) and follow a game trail next to the river, scrambling up a small cliff to avoid the river’s edge. The game trail is strewn with deadfall and brush but is a slightly better option than the overgrown trail. Equestrians should ford the Howse River here rather than taking the game trail. Late in the summer when the river is low, hikers may also be able to ford the river here. 

Follow the game trail for 750 metres until the main river channel turns northwest allowing hikers to return to the floodplain. Head NNW staying on the east side of the floodplain. Early in the summer, the Howse River might be in flood making the floodplain difficult or impassable beyond this point; if so hikers should consider using the old trail which is 150 metres bushwhack east of the river’s edge.

Enjoy 1.8 km of scenic walking on the floodplain which is mostly dry with a few shallow fords of minor channels until the main channel of the Howse River flows against a steep cliff on the eastern side of the floodplain forcing hikers into the forest again. Follow a well defined game trail that starts right next to the river at the south end of the cliff. Equestrians should ford the Howse River here rather than taking the game trail. The game trail becomes brushy and less distinct as it heads north on the edge of the cliff overlooking the river. In 300 metres just before the cliff edge veers northeast away from the river, descend a very steep trail down to the floodplain. Back on the floodplain, head north staying on the east side of the floodplain which is mostly dry and easy walking for the next 1.6 km. 

When the main channel of the Howse River forces hikers off the floodplain for a third time, follow the old trail which lies just inside the forest at the edge of the river for 1 km. The old trail here is quite overgrown with sections of washed out tread and blowdown, allowing you to contemplate how nice walking on the floodplain is in comparison. The trail briefly heads out onto the open floodplain for about 1 km before darting back into the forest for another tedious 400 metres before the the main river channel moves west allowing hikers to return to the floodplain.

Walking is relatively easy with some route-finding required to navigate around a forested outcrop and boggy terrain as hikers head north on the floodplain. In 2.6 km reach a signed junction with the Glacier Lake Trail (d14), marking the end of the floodplain route and the beginning of maintained trail. Leave the floodplain and return to the trail which improves significantly north of this point, 9.1 km from the Mistaya Canyon trailhead on Highway 93 (d16).

Kiwetinok Alternate Route Description:

The Kiwetinok alternate runs 32 km from the town of Field to where it rejoins the GDT deep in the Amiskwi Valley. This distance is similar to the bypassed portion of the GDT (31.3 km). Each option has its pros and cons, as the regular route runs along a low elevation valley bottom which is largely flat but often overgrown and lacking in alpine scenery, while the Kiwetinok Alternate heads into spectacular alpine on mostly good trail, but also includes much more elevation change and a necessary final 7 km of off-trail route finding involving some scrambling on steep slopes.

Starting in the town of Field, follow a short connector trail to intercept the trail to Burgess Pass (which otherwise starts 500 metres down the highway). This connector trail leaves from the NE corner of the Yoho Trading Post parking lot and almost immediately crosses to the north side of the Trans-Canada Highway. Across the highway, good single-track winds through sparse trees before entering the forest and joining with the Burgess Pass trail after 300 metres.

From the junction with the Burgess Pass trail, turn left to begin a stout 950m climb over 5.8 km to the pass. Once at Burgess Pass (2208m), you will reach a junction where the Burgess Pass Trail descends down the north side to Emerald Lake, but northbound hikers should turn right onto the Wapta Highline Trail which runs a spectacular 6.6 km through the alpine to Yoho Pass.

This Wapta Highline Trail contours along at 2150m, forming a path above treeline and below Mount Field and then Wapta Mountain. Just above the trail on the flanks of Mount Field lies the famous Burgess Shale Walcott fossil quarry, which is emphatically closed to unaccompanied parties and this is enforced with cameras, serious fines for entry and even more serious fines for anyone caught with a stolen fossil. Continue onward as you gently descend 300m to Yoho Pass at 1850m.

At Yoho Pass, another trail rising from Emerald Lake joins on the left so stay right to descend the east side of the pass. Only a few hundred metres after Yoho Pass, you will arrive at Yoho Lake Campground and trail junction. This campground is 12.7 km from the town of Field and makes for a good stop if you’re hiking a shorter day out of town. At this campground, a trail to the right descends to Yoho Valley Road but hikers bound for Kiwetinok should turn left. Over the next 9.5 km you will encounter three more similar junctions, where all of the right forks descend to the Yoho Valley, while all of the left forks lead you towards Kiwetinok Pass. 

The first junction is 2.1 km after Yoho Lake (14.8 km from Field). Here, you intercept the Iceline Trail which has climbed steeply up from the Yoho Valley alongside Whisky-Jack Creek. At the junction go left and gently ascend to 2200m as you trek below the terminal moraines of retreating glaciers as the Iceline Trail contours through austere alpine below the high peaks of the Presidents Range. Takakkaw Falls can be seen across the valley to the east; at 384m, the falls are one of the highest in Canada.

After another 3.3 km (18.1 km from Field) you arrive at the second junction. This time the Highline Trail descends to your right down to the Yoho Valley. Stay left and continue past the Emerald Glacier along the Iceline Trail for a further 4.1 km. Soon you begin a gentle descent to 2050m and reach the third junction in the Little Yoho Valley (22.2 km from Field). Here, weary travelers can turn right and walk 300 metres off-route to the Little Yoho Campground and adjacent Stanley Mitchell Hut (if possessing ACC reservations). To continue onward, stay left at this final junction and climb steadily (400m over 3 km) to Kiwetinok Pass at a lofty 2470m, 25 km from Field.

From Kiwetinok Pass only 7 km remain until rejoining the GDT in the Amiskwi Valley. However, the remainder of the route is off trail involving challenging route-finding with significant elevation loss and gain, and thus substantially more rugged than the good trail you have enjoyed up to the pass. Allow several hours.

Your next objective is “Kiwetinok Gap”, which is a modest break in the north wall of the Kiwetinok valley about 3 km away. Rather than contour along the north wall of the valley to the gap (which involves steep sidehilling on often slick vegetation and loose scree) the best route is to descend steeply to the valley bottom until you reach treed terrain at 2050m, 1.7 km from Kiwetinok Pass. At this elevation you can begin to ascend along a forested bench which provides more stable footing. Continue moving west as you climb the forested north wall, aiming to ascend as steeply as you were descending from the pass. After 0.7 km of walking through the trees, you will emerge from the forest at 2180m and intercept a small stream bed which runs down slope from Kiwetinok Gap. Ascend alongside the stream bed as you climb nearly due north for the final half kilometre to Kiwetinok Gap at 2355m.

Once at Kiwetinok Gap you will crest to stunning views of the Amiskwi Valley and peaks beyond. Be aware that a cornice may be present on the north side of Kiwetinok Gap early in the season so this route is not recommended until after mid-July. Use caution as you approach the edge and look to descend around the cornice to one side or the other. If you are too early in the season and the cornice is large, you may have to retrace your steps.

From Kiwetinok Gap the GDT lies about 4 km away including a substantial 730m descent. Previous parties have used a variety of descent routes including following the creek bed, but the best route is likely to stay to the left (west) of a forested mound that lies 500 metres away in the centre of the alpine bowl in front of you. As you descend to the west side of this hill, you will see a forested expanse below you with a narrow ribbon of meadows and loosely spaced trees running through it. Aim to follow this more open terrain as you continue to descend northwest below treeline.

When you have descended 2.1 km in a northwest direction from Kiwetinok Gap to 1900m elevation, the slope becomes noticeably steeper as it descends to the creek a few hundred metres away. While you could continue descending to walk in or alongside the creek, the easiest footing is likely attained by angling more to the west here (to WNW from NNW) such that you move parallel to the creek but staying above the deeper creek valley. A few hundred metres further you will emerge from the forest into a burn zone, where you will be able to see the remaining kilometre of terrain between you and the GDT in the valley bottom. Below you, the GDT runs along the close (east) side of the Amiskwi River and veers even further east towards you after it crosses to the north side of the creek you are following. Thus, you should also cross to the north side of this creek at around 1650m as the creek valley mellows out. Once across the creek, continue NW for a final 600 metres to intercept the old road that the GDT follows. The terrain over the last 1.5 km is an old burn zone with many fallen trees, but it is relatively sparsely vegetated so good route-finding will make for tolerable travel until the GDT is reached about 2 km north of the first ford of the Amiskwi River (d3).

Summer of 2018 was very busy for the GDTA, with more trail building and maintenance trips than ever before! Despite another bad wildfire season, the GDT was as busy as ever with record numbers of thru-hikers on the trail.

Read more about our recent events and activities in this edition of the Pathfinder Newsletter:

• 2018 AGM: President’s Report – it’s amazing what we’ve achieved in a year!
• Volunteer Appreciation – a big shout out to our 2018 Volunteer Recognition Award winners.
• Trail Building & Maintenance Trips – a roundup of this year’s trips.
• Tales from the Trail: The Six Passes Alternate Route – a high point of our hike on the GDT this summer!
• Feature Article: The Vanishing Trail by David Higgins
• Opportunities to Get Involved – yes there are still opportunities to get involved!