PLEASE READ: Important Announcement – Mt Tzouhalem: Trail Closures for Blowdown Salvage Operation
Representatives of the CTSS met with Municipality of North Cowichan Forestry and Trails staff on Friday to discuss the blowdown salvage operation which will be starting on Mt. Tzouhalem THIS Thursday September 26th. The geographic location of the actual salvage area is in the center of the mid-mountain trail network meaning a selection of high use trail corridors will be closed for 2 weeks; including: a section of Old M/L, a section of Tzouhalem Main, sections of YBA Roadie, Middle Double D, Fluid and Showtime.
What to Expect?
The main area of harvest activity will be on the road Old M/L, with the landing site (where logs will be stacked and loaded) at the junction of Old M/L and Tzouhalem main (also where Double D crosses the road). The extent of trail damage will be the impact caused by trees being skidded across trails. We have been assured that removal is limited to trees on the ground, danger trees and those that impede the safe removal of the material.
The large area of closure is because many trails lead to the work site including Double D, YBA Roadie, Fluid, Showtime (Old Upper T) and Tzouhalem Main. Riders/hikers could be put in significant danger if they follow these trails into the worksite.
What does this mean for Trail Access?
This means that a main travel corridor will be closed for two weeks. Access to the summit for bike traffic will be affected. There will be mountain access, but the up trails are challenging (finality/twist and shout, D-Road and Chicken run). The CTSS has created new climbing routes and descending routes on trailforks to assist bikers to avoid the work site.
(See FB Post below)
Flagging and barricades will be present on the mountain to ensure that the public can safely continue to access the mountain while the salvage operation is completed. The actual harvest area is quite small and the Municipality is conscious of their impact. The unfortunate aspect is: the wind storm dictated where the trees fell and the Municipality of North Cowichan is only harvesting those areas where access is plausible.
What can the public do to help?
PLEASE respect posted trail closure barricades to ensure a safe and swift harvest operation so that we can get the trails back open as soon as possible.
Please see the link below for the official MNC Municipality of North Cowichan closure notice:
(See FB Post below)
Please see page 15 of this document for detailed harvest plans – note that the maps are North arrow up (closure map is south up)
(See FB Post below)
