Mount Robson trails still not fully fixed after raging 2021 flood - Action News
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British Columbia

Mount Robson trails still not fully fixed after raging 2021 flood

Repairs to the hugely popular park are still underway after extensive damage swept away bridges and eroded trails three years ago, but bookings are open for the portions that have been fixed.

Heat dome-induced flooding wiped out bridges and campgrounds, repairs still underway

A rocky dirt trail is pictured next to a bright blue river. An evergreen forest and mountains are pictured in the background on a summer day.
A section of the Berg Lake Trail, looking toward the trailhead from the Kinney Lake campground, is pictured on Aug. 24, 2022. (Rhianna Schmunk/CBC)

The wait continues for work to be fully completed on the Berg Lake Trail in British Columbia's Mount Robson Provincial Park.

Three years ago, extreme flooding forced the closure of three popular hiking trails at Berg Lake, Mount Fitzwilliam and Moose River.

While the latter two have since reopened, the Berg Lake Trail is still a work in progress. It was a total washout as a result of what was then described as a "raging Robson River."

The extensive damage included some bridges completely covered in rock, some that were swept away, and some that essentially became elevated pathways over dry riverbeds due to the dramatic shift of the river. Some campsites were flooded, facilities were damaged, and sections of the trail were badly eroded and slumping.

Trail and infrastructure repairs, however, were expected to be completed last summer.

WATCH | How B.C. Parks is rebuilding its trails to withstand climate disaster:

How B.C. Parks is rebuilding a world-famous hiking trail to survive climate change

2 years ago
Duration 6:02
B.C. Parks is in the midst of repairing Mount Robson Provincial Park's Berg Lake Trail ruined by extreme flooding caused by 2021's heat dome. The time-consuming, complicated work is intended to protect the park from the damaging effects of climate change.

Work on the Berg Lake Trail Trail between Kinney Lake Campground and Whitehorn Campground is underway, according to the B.C. Ministry of Environment.

"The trail between Kinney and Whitehorn and Whitehorn Campground will be open by July 2, 2024, with no access past Whitehorn Campground," read a statement emailed to the Jasper-based newspaper TheFitzhugh.

Reservations will be open on Monday, June 24. Visitors can access the Kinney Lake campground's online reservation system by visitingcamping.bcparks.ca.

The destructiveweather event was the result of a combination of 2021's heat dome event in B.C., rapid snowmelt, and excessive precipitation, which flooded an extensive area of the trail system.

B.C. Parks has completed significant work on the Berg Lake Trail since it was damaged in 2021.

The project was split into three phases to help manage the rebuilding effort on the 23-kilometre trail. Phase 1 was a seven-kilometre stretch from the trailhead (and the parking lot) to the Kinney Lake Campground. That work was completed late last June, and the trail partially reopened.

WATCH | A survey of the damage done to Mount Robson trails:

Can hiking trails become climate-proof?

2 years ago
Duration 7:52
Record flooding obliterated the world-renowned Berg Lake Trail at Mount Robson Provincial Park in British Columbia. It will take years to rebuild, but industry leaders say the project could become a blueprint for parks across Canada looking to protect themselves from climate disasters. Rhianna Schmunk takes a ride to the Rockies to get some answers.

Phase 2 extended four kilometres from the Kinney Lake Campground to the Whitehorn Campground. Work on that section continued into the fall and included replacing two large bridges damaged during the flood.

The first bridge north of Kinney Lake Campground was realigned and reconstructed to be more flood-resistant. The second was the suspension bridge leading to Whitehorn Campground. It was replaced with a more fire-resistant steel structure.

"In the summer of 2023, B.C. Parks also conducted the assessments needed to plan for and design the improvements along the remaining extent of the trail to Berg Lake," the statement read.

"Construction for these improvements is taking place this summer, and the trail is planned to be fully reopened in the 2025 hiking season."

Phase 3 involves the remaining 12 kilometres from Whitehorn all the way up to Berg Lake.

B.C. Parks has managed to use the opportunity to conduct some upgrades in the midst of the repairs. The Kinney Lake campgrounds now have new tent pads, toilets and picnic spots. The trailhead bridge was also fully replaced, and the parking lot was updated and expanded.

The Berg Lake Trail Reservations website can be accessed atbcparks.ca/reservations/backcountry-camping/berg-lake-trail. Prior to the 2021 event, B.C. Parks reported more than 30,000 overnight users and hundreds of day hikers on the trail per season.


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