I thought the purpose of the day pass system and the seemingly arbitrary, inconsistent and vague application/imposition of the term "Carrying Capacity" was to prevent the spread of Covid. Or was it? Seems to be restricting user numbers to a 'cherry picked' set of trails was the intention all along, and Covid was just an excuse and afterthought. And then there is the 70% user displacement, which we front line volunteer trail builders are experiencing the full effect and wrath of. I want to...

Direction on Day-use Pass Pilot Program Regional director for the South Coast of BC Parks recently wrote to Backcountry BC to clarify some points on the day pass system. To recap, on July 22nd this summer, the minister of environment, George Heyman issued a press release. He said frequent park users have an important role in protecting parks that's why he introduced the day-use pass pilot program. He said it will help keep people active and safe, presumably by keeping large numbers...

We wrote the BC Environment Ministry asking for the methodology and data behind the BC Parks Daypass System, and the scientific rationale and definitions behind their ongoing employment of the term "carrying capacity" which has been used as the basis for backcountry recreation management decisions including caps and limits. We were assured that the information would be forthcoming from staff. Weeks later, after no further communication, we subsequently Emailed a friendly reminder asking for a...

CARRYING CAPACITY—NEW MANAGEMENT TOOL FOR DAY PASS HAS NO EXPLANATION IN AFFECTED PARK MASTER PLANS According to the BC Parks website, it has determined the carrying capacity of the trails and parking lots of the parks covered in the day pass system. See the graphic below from its day-use pass general information page. A cursory search of the park master plans for Garibaldi and Cypress for the term "carrying capacity" did not find any relevant hits related to non-commercial park operations...

PARKING CAPACITY — MANAGEMENT TOOL FOR DAY PASS UNDER THE MICROSCOPE BC Parks uses parking capacity as a factor to determine how many day passes to allow. See my earlier post on the topic of Carrying Capacity that explains it. I did some quantitative analysis to see how germane parking capacity is to the carrying capacity. I only looked at the South Coast region excluding Golden Ears because it uses vehicle passes. Cypress, Seymour and Stawamus Chief have virtually unlimited parking options....

CROSS-OVER TRAILS SEEMINGLY EXEMPT FROM DAY PASS According to the BC Parks website, access along day pass-administered trails from other trail heads or access points is permitted with parks staff discretion. See the graphic below from its day-use pass general information page. I am presuming the Lions, Baden Powell and Trans Canada trails are examples where this might be the case for Cypress Provincial Park. Alice Ridge, Brohm Ridge and Black Tusk microwave road for Garibaldi Provincial Park.

Time for some answers and some digging on the part of Backcountry BC.    Below is today's inquiry to the ministry with the second being the critical ask.   Hello xxxx,   I have some questions pertaining to the BC Parks Day Pass program. Could you provide me with the following information?   What is the philosophy and rationale behind the present limiting of user numbers to the affected parks and trails listed in the subsequent paragraph.   Secondly,...

Chris Ludwig, president of the B.C. Mountaineering Club, says the only feedback he has heard from his 1,200 members is frustration. "I haven't heard one positive review of this, sadly," he said. He says he supports limiting trail use but has problems with how it's been executed. Ludwig says hikers are frustrated by the Discover Camping booking portal, citing a cumbersome website that often crashes as passes sell out within minutes of opening. Multiple hikers told CBC News...

PHOTO: MOUNT SEYMOUR "GATE" FROM FIRST DAY OF DAY PASS OPERATIONS LAST WEEK. A calculation supplied by A.W. of the fed goes like this. They have had at least three PFO staff people (sometimes five) standing around checking passes. By rough calculation, if you took the funds expended to have three people x 10 hr days who are going to be working 7 days a week, (ski area PFO staff, paid by the taxpayer) they could instead have a trail crew of five people working 8 hours for the normal 5 days a...

An Editorial in the Pique Magazine discussing the problems of displacement and the BC Parks day pass system. Extracted quotes:"...the amount of people paled in comparison to places like Lake Lovely Water and Watersprite. Advocates for both locations have painted a nightmare picture saying recent weekends have seen dozens of tents squeezed into every nook and cranny. Now, they’re asking people to stay away—or at minimum, follow backcountry protocols like pack in what you pack out, leave your...

I was on the CBC Morning Show today discussing some of the current challenges of BC Parks's new Day Pass system and the state of overcrowding on our trails and the Backcountry. "Trail boss Chris Ludwig walks host Stephen Quinn through some of the issues around a new day-use park pass program on the CBC Radio Morning Show." Listen at the follow link: https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-91/clip/15789153?fbclid=IwAR0s0vqUI6Zd-uOSB1zYGfZ0oDF6ALB0fiu_85Ea3TMofZj1IG4jD9EBaYo

The following News 1130 article features the thoughts and opinions of both Steve Jones and myself (representing Backcountry BC) on the current BC Parks Day Pass issue (and other issues as well). I received additional media requests as well on this issue. https://www.citynews1130.com/2020/07/23/bc-parks-day-pass-damage-other-trails/?fbclid=IwAR3cWXjJHqQ3esgKit0EXVi2SZ_RWszVG0Nzu7z7GT9LFaPye7grMSCRmhs#.XxnXTILDxrE.facebook  

The idea of day-use passes for provincial parks is something I am keeping an open mind to and am interesting in seeing how this will work in practice. One thing that drew my attention is that day-use passes are being applied to only Diamond Head, Rubble Creek and Cheakamus in Garibaldi Park. But why are not day-use passes being required and implemented for Vail/Whistler Blackcomb's lift access to the park (the musical bumps and their trails in the park)? Why the different...