The snow is flying and hopefully we will get a deep winter pack. As it was this past season, pretty much every bit of snow had melted off the mountain by fall time. Only the Main Gully had an ice cube left and that was smaller than a VW Bug. This is a record low and something, I personally, have never seen in the thirty five years that I have been hiking on Arrowsmith. Fortunately there has been sufficient rain to keep the rivers full enough for returning salmon. The usual August and September snow melt contribute greatly to the Englishman and Little Qualicum Rivers systems in dry years. If we have a low snowpack year like this past winter, in combination with a super dry summer/fall like we experienced in the previous two years, the rivers and maybe even the aquifers that we humans rely on may be compromised.
The initiative to gain protective park status for Mount Arrowsmith is gaining ground.
We, as representatives of the Federation of Mountain Clubs and the Alpine Club, have teamed up with the Regional District of Nanaimo and presented our proposal to the Province and have had meetings with the Ministry of the Environment, Senior Staff, Dick Heath (Regional Manager) and Sharon Erickson (Planning Section Head).
Provincial Staff seem to favor a partnership, which could possibly see Mount Arrowsmith becoming a Provincial Park, administered by the RDN’s Parks and stewarded by the FMCBC and the ACC.
This means that Arrowsmith could eventually get Class A Provincial Park status, with the RDN providing the infrastructure (staff to organize, provide funding for signage, etc.) and the clubs as stewards, maintaining the trails (Which we already do).
Our ad hoc committee has processed and submitted to the Ministry of Environment, a Land Evaluation and Acquisition Framework (LEAF) form. As a short explanation of the LEAF study, it is a way to rate or grade a parcel of land, private or crown, with the intention for possibly making it into a provincial park. Each category, such as, Ecological Integrity, Management Efficiency, Recreational Opportunities, etc., has a one to ten point rating. At ten being best, I think we will rate fairly high in most categories.
As well, we are setting up meetings with the three new MLA’s from the ridings that touch upon the Massif, as we did with the past three MLA's. We met with Leonard Krog, Nanaimo South (NDP) and Scott Fraser, Alberni/ Qualicum (NDP), on October 31st, at the Legislature in Victoria and have their support. We have yet not received a response from the letters sent to Ron Cantelon, Nanaimo/ Parksville (Liberal).
At any rate, we are further ahead towards gaining Arrowsmith park status than ever before. A tip of the hat to Jeff Ainge & Tom Osborne (RDN), Don Cameron & Harriet Ruggeberg (ACC) and Evan Loveless (FMCBC), for being front line people. Also thanks to Cedric Zala, Martin Hofmann, Sandy Briggs & Barb Baker (ACC), Ralph Hutchinson & Bill Perry (IMR) and Judy & Harold Carlson (AVOC) for carrying an equally important load, behind the scenes.
It appears that the former Weyerhaeuser, now Island Timberlands, is holding off on their logging plans on the Judges Route. While this may seem like good news, it may mean that another very valuable, more sensitive wilderness, area will get the axe. My last communications with the timber companies was quite a while ago. Our greatest fear now, is that the valley leading up from the last switchback on Pass Main, to the cirques below the Main Gully, will be slated to be logged in trade for the Judges Route. If this happened, it would ruin one of the most aesthetic approaches to the alpine, that this mountain has to offer.
The Alberni/Clayoquot Regional District, that owns the defunct ski area on the north slopes of Mt. Cokely, have committed to cleaning up the area over a three year period and putting over $100,000 into the effort. The ACRD has awarded the clean up contract to Denis Francoeur, with his bid of $82,510. and they are allowing another $40,000. for unexpected findings.
Meanwhile, the upper road through the ski park has been reactivated by a logging company, Dorman Timber, so that they can access some of their property east of the park. The road access, in general, on Cameron and Pass Mainlines has improved. It also may mean that logging trucks may be encountered, possibly even on weekends.
Fellow Alpine Club Member, Harriet Rueggerberg and I have been appointed to the Regional District of Nanaimo Parks & Trails Advisory Committee. Harriet brings a wealth of park planning experience with her and I’m looking forward to learning more about park infrastructure.
Since the Arrowsmith Massif is wholly within the Regional District of Nanaimo, I am pleased to be part of the committee that will help form Regional Park policy.