Written by Paul Kubik

Created: 17 July 2016

Hits: 4560

Glacier change in Garibaldi Provincial Park, southern Coast Mountains, British Columbia, since the Little Ice Age

Authors: Johannes Koch a, Brian Menounos b, John J. Clague a

a Department of Earth Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5A 1S6

b Geography Program and Natural Resources Environmental Studies Institute, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC, Canada V2N 4Z9

GlacierChangeInGaribaldiProvincialParkSinceLittleIceAge.pdf

Dr. Johannes Koch's personal website and research can be accessed using the following link:

http://facultyweb.kpu.ca/~jkoch/research/glacier/millennium.htm#a

Written by Chris Ludwig

Created: 17 July 2016

Hits: 11597

Report on the historical use and development of Garibaldi Provincial Park with emphasis on the Black Tusk and Diamond Head areas, by Katie Bell in 1984.

GaribaldiParkCulturalHistory1984.pdf

Of interest is a paragraph on page 2 that summarizes First Nations use.

The local Indian tribes did not establish any known camps or set up any structures in the Black Tusk and Diamond Head areas of Garibaldi Provincial Park. The only known use of the park area by Indians was for obsidian which they may have gathered in the Ring Creek area of Diamond Head. A few legends about Mount Garibaldi and Garibaldi Lake have been documented. Evidence appears to indicate that the Indians had little else to do with the area.

References for the above paragraph are cited from Parks and Outdoor Recreation Division, Ministry of Lands, Parks and Housing Collection of Obsidian from Ring Creek, October 5, 1976 and Vancouver Art, Scientific and Historical Association, Museum Notes, Vol VI, No. 3, September 1931.

Written by Chris Ludwig

Created: 04 March 2016

Hits: 5704

The following are documents from 1915- 1925 from the park founders petitioning the BC Government for the creation of Garibaldi Park (over 40 years before the creation of BC Parks).  Apparantly the words of the founders of Garibaldi Provincial Park in 1915 "...preserved unimpaired for the instruction and recreation of the people of Western Canada." have been long forgotten by the B.C. Parks and the B.C. Government.  B.C. Park's current policy of restricting public access to the park and threatening prison terms and huge fines to volunteer trailbuilders is the ultimate betrayal of the founders and citizens of British Columbia.

Historical Document Gallery Pre-1926

Written by Chris Ludwig

Created: 15 February 2016

Hits: 4614

Garibaldi Park 1990 Master Plan

GaribaldiPark1990MasterPlan.pdf Garibaldi Park 1990 Master Plan, BC Parks, 1990.

This should need no introduction. This is the plan that expired in 1995 and we want updated for 2020.

Selected Quotes

Page 2

The purpose of this master plan is to guide the expansion of backcountry recreational opportunities and the protection of the Lower Mainland's most important wilderness.

Page 19

Hiking/Backpacking Objectives: To encourage a range of hiking opportunities from short level interpretive trails through to high elevation routes. In an effort to maximize the wilderness atmosphere many of these routes will not be designated trails.

Page 22

Other Activities: Park policy throughout British Columbia's park system provides for a variety of socially constructive recreation activities. However, not all of these activities are necessarily in keeping with the wilderness role of Garibaldi Park. Given that and the fact that other opportunities are available in close proximity to the park, heli-hiking, snowmobiling, and hunting are not deemed acceptable activities for Garibaldi Park.

Page 25

The complexity and size of Garibaldi Park necessitates a phased program for implementing the number of resource and visitor management proposals over the five year term of the plan.

Appendix I, Page 22

Garibaldi Provincial Park provides a wide range of alpine backcountry recreational opportunities from day hiking to multi-day backpacking excursions. Access is achieved from five trailhead parking areas; Diamond Head, Black Tusk, Cheakamus Lake, Singing Pass and Wedgemount Lake.

Appendix IV, Page 3

Given the strong support for the wilderness role, it is understandable that there would also be strong support for a large nature conservancy area. The proposal to have most of the park as a nature conservancy and the concerns to have the flexibility in the future to add trails are not mutually exclusive. Although the boundaries of a nature conservancy area are intended to be permanent, they could be altered in the future to accommodate trails, for example, if it is determined that this would best meet the needs of British Columbians.

2020 Commentary

From page 2, the plan envisages expansion of backcountry recreation opportunities. Contrast that purpose statement with BC Parks actions to limit park access to five trailheads. They obstruct access but do it in such a manner that they are not identified. Instead, they use the proxy services of Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations to deactivate logging roads that have historically been used for recreation access. They enjoin compliance and enforcment officers to pursue and harass park users maintaining heritage trails along lawfully established recreation corridors.

From page 22, heli-hiking is an unacceptable activity. Why then, is heli-skiing acceptable?

From page 25, it is clear that the 1990 Master Plan has a five year term. That term expired in 1995. The park has been operating without a valid master plan for the last twenty years.

From Appendix I, page 22, the plan states there are five trailhead parking areas. Somehow, current park managers have taken the specious interpretation that the park cannot be accessed from anywhere except the five trailheads. That interpretation clearly violates the intent of the Park Act, namely The Class A parks named and described in Schedules C and D of the Protected Areas of British Columbia Act are dedicated to the preservation of their natural environments for the inspiration, use and enjoyment of the public.

From Appendix IV, page 3, it is clear that BC Parks recognizes that trail development properly done poses no risk to wilderness values in the wilderness conservancy zone. It is even more puzzling why Parks continues to pursue its reckless policy of denying access to Darling Lake and Mamquam Icefield along the lawfully recognized backcountry recreation corridor and pursues a policy of obstruction and harassment of trail volunteers maintaining the heritage Darling Lake Trail.

Spearhead Amendment to Garibaldi Park 1990 Master Plan

SpearheadGaribaldi1990MasterPlanAmendmentApprovedFeb2014.pdf Garibaldi Park, Management Plan Amendment for the Spearhead Area, BC Parks, February 2014. 35 pp.

The Spearhead amendment is primarily to permit the construction of huts in the Spearhead Range of Garibaldi Park.