Cypress closures force backcountry users to make alternate plans during the Games

At least two well-known backcountry users are advising recreationists to begin making alternate plans as parts of Cypress Provincial Park are set to close on Dec. 1.

Starting next month trails to Black Mountain, Bowen Lookout and a part of the Hollyburn Hikers Access Trail, will be closed in the lead up to the 2010 Winter Games. Additional closures at Hollyburn commence Feb. 1, 2010.

Coupled with the Sea-to-Sky Highway closures, parking changes at Whistler and backcountry closures in the Callaghan Valley, Matt Gunn, author of the popular hiking book Scrambles in Southwest B.C., is predicting a major impact on backcountry skiers this winter.

"Heading north of Vancouver to go winter recreating for the duration (of the Games), I think pretty much everybody I know is going to stay away," he said.

Gunn added he plans on making forays to Mount Baker in Washington State, or to the Coquihalla region northeast of Hope.

In an email to The Outlook, Suntanu Dalal, spokesperson for the Ministry of Environment, said the province can close park trails at any time for public safety reasons. Additionally, BC Parks have in the past closed trails to the public during special events.

"All of these are managed through Park Use Permits (as is VANOC)," Dalal wrote. "In the case of a special event, such as the Olympic Games, BC Parks is working closely with VANOC and security forces to ensure visitors to the games venues located in Cypress Park are as safe as possible."

Dalal added the typical compliment of park rangers won't in the closed off areas conducting enforcement, "but will be working with security forces to ensure these areas are not travelled into by the public..."

Alex Wallace, a member of the Federation of Mountain Clubs and former chair of Friends of Cypress, said, "We've known the closures were coming for about five years now."

Wallace reasoned with the Olympics comes the security issues, and added people should pick other areas to recreate as the closures come into play.

"The public doesn't quite realize the extent of the security issues," he said. "People have to be aware its better for them to pick another area."

The Cypress closures to Black Mountain and Bowen Lookout will be listed April 1, 2010. The trail to Hollyburn Mountain will open March 8, 2010.

The Vancouver 2010 Integrated Security Unit, which will be in charge of closures, could not be reached for comment.

dpi@northshoreoutlook.com

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