Recreation Site Development

Development of recreation sites is not considered to be necessary at this time with the current levels of recreational use. Any future recreation site development in the backcountry will incorporate the following to provide a primitive, rustic atmosphere:

  • Develop sites only where required to prevent unacceptable environmental damage.
  • Screen sites from the trail by foliage wherever possible.
  • Erect no tables unless necessary.
  • Install outhouses only where necessary.
  • Install rock fire rings to reduce forest fire potential and to help identify suitable campsites – no metal fire rings.
  • Use the “minimum tool” required for all site work.
  • Use natural, rustic materials wherever possible.

Recreation Destination Points

The following list was prepared by the Recreation Subcommittee. An asterisk * denotes tourism operation destination.

  • Fish Lake in Hungry Valley*
  • Swartz Lake adjacent to the Lillooet Forest District*
  • Lone (Beaver) Valley Cabin at the mouth of Panlos Creek
  • Prentice Lake north of Relay Creek
  • Dash (Lost) Valley Cabins and the Upper Dash Meadows*
  • Hunting camps at the upper end of West Churn Creek
  • Roaster Lakes north of Red Mountain
  • Clear Lake adjacent to Churn Protected Area
  • Koster Lake
  • Base of French Mountain on the south fork of Lone Cabin Creek*
  • Big Basin/Little Basin
  • Junction of Lone, Dash and Prentice Trails
  • Campsite in the vicinity of the Swartz lake trail crossing of Lone Valley Creek

Recreational Corridors

Definition

These are connectivity corridors along trails or roads. Most of these are within the Backcountry Area.

Recreation Corridor Objectives and Strategies

The goal of recreation corridors is to provide a continual backcountry experience while moving between areas of high recreational and backcountry value, including Big Creek Park and Churn Creek Protected Area.

The Table has identified the primary recreation corridors. These are a combination of motorized and non-motorized routes. The corridor width along the 4WD roads will be a minimum of 60 metres. For all other trails, the total width of the trail corridor will generally be 200 metres. For management options within the management corridor, see objectives and strategies below. This corridor width may be altered to fit site specific circumstances. The majority of the trails were originally cleared for livestock movement purposes and it is recognized that this traditional use will continue.

Some specified “Recreation Corridor Segments” will be managed to achieve a retention visual quality objective.  These guidelines apply to logging, mining and other industrial activities that may impact on the historical and recreational values of the designated recreation trails.

Recreation Corridor Identification

Trails Map Reference Length (km) Non-Motorized Inventoried Viewpoint #
Priority 1
Hungry Valley – Big Creek 3 – 4 – 6 – 7 10 No No Fish Lake, Mud Lake, 28
*Lone (Beaver) Valley 13 – 15 10.5 No Yes 6,24,27
Prentice Lake 13 – 14 6 No Yes 6,22,11
*Upper Dash 10 – 9 – 11 13.1 Yes Yes 1,5,4,3,25
*Dash (Lost) – Lone (Beaver) Valley 11 – 13 8.8 No Yes 3,6
Dash – West Churn 8 – 11 17 No Yes 26,7,8,9,10,25,3
Sky Ranch – Scallon Meadows 1 – 2 14 No No Not inventoried
*Lower Lone Cabin 19 – 21 11 Yes Yes 17,20,19,18
*Red Mountain 18 – 19 13.8 Yes Yes 12,13,14,15,16,17
Swan Lake 19 – 20 5.5 Yes Yes 17,21
Dash (Lost) Cabin – Dash Hill 11 – 12 10 Yes No 3
Priority 2
Mud Lake – Big Creek 4 – 5 9 No No Mud Lake
Little Churn Creek – Big Basin 22-23 26 Yes & No No Not inventoried
Churn Creek – Quartz Mountain 16 – 17 4 No No Not inventoried

* Indicates the recreation corridors which link Churn Creek Protected Area to Big Creek Park

4WD Roads Map Reference Length (km) Non-Motorized Inventoried Viewpoint #
Priority 1
Gaspard Lake – Hungry Valley A – B 15 No No Not inventoried
Swartz Lake – Poinson Mountain C – D – E 10 No No Not inventoried
Yodel Cabin H – I 15 No No Not inventoried
Priority 2
Windy Ridge D – H 9 No No Not inventoried
Poison Mountain – Churn Creeks E – F 6 No No Not inventoried
Koster – Clear Lakes J – K 16 No No Not inventoried

Non-Designated Trails Objectives and Strategies

Not all existing trails within the sub-regional planning area have been designated as recreation corridors. Some of these are stock trails, others may be old, indistinct trails not generally known or used by recreationalists. Existing trails, which are not designated as recreation corridors, will not be subject to the management guidelines for recreation corridors.

Non-Designated Trail Objectives Non-Designated Trail Strategies
1. Accommodate the traditional users of non-designated trails. 1.1 Non-designated trails must be cleaned off after harvest.
1.2 If possible, log only one side of a trail at one time (i.e. Cutblock boundary runs along the trail).
1.3 If an industrial road must cross a trail, the sight distance along the industrial road should be minimized. For example; design a small jog in the industrial road where it crosses the trail.
1.4 When spur roads are no longer required for industrial access, a small earth mound may be made where the trail is crossed.
1.5 If a cutblock does cross a trail, the trail location within the cutblock should be marked for the convenience and safety of traditional users. Non-designated trails that traverse cutblocks shall be identified by stubbing trees to a height <5 metres on both sides of the trail at a distance of approximately 50 metres between trees.

Tourism and Recreation

Objectives Management Direction/Strategies Measures of Success/Targets Intent
1. Maintain the opportunities for the traditional recreational, ranching, hunting and commercial tourism activities.
2. Provide for a range of recreational activities from 4WD access to nonmotorized experiences. 2.1 Retention levels adjacent to the trail may be higher
2.2 The recreation corridors will be managed using modified harvesting techniques. The preferred silvicultural systems within the recreation corridors in the backcountry area (Montane Spruce Zone and Engelmann Spruce Subalpine Fir Zone) are small group selection or small patch cutting. Partial cutting is also an option.
2.3 Small group selection means harvesting in small, irregular openings of one to two tree lengths in size, depending on the aspect. This silvicultural system is designed to manage the area as an uneven-aged stand. These openings would be unevenly distributed within the corridor so that they appear more natural from high elevation viewpoints.
3. Minimize conflicts between users by encouraging the separation of uses into different areas.
4. Ensure that traditional cattle access is not compromised on existing trails.
5. Minimize the impact of resource development on recreation corridors.
6. Minimize the impact of recreation corridors on resource development by developing a strategy that can achieve the objective within one rotation using modified harvesting techniques. 6.1 Small patch cutting is designed to manage the area as an even aged stand. The maximum patch size should be up to 0.5 ha. (i.e. 50 m. x 100 m.). Patch cutting could be done in narrow, sinuous and irregular strips with varying widths. The strips could be tapered in width where they intersect the trail. Patches should be placed at irregular intervals along the trail.
6.2 Recreation corridors within the Interior Douglas-fir biogeoclimatic zone (i.e. Little Churn Creek corridor) may be managed under a single tree selection or shelterwood system, or according to the objectives outlined in the Handbook for Timber and Mule Deer Management Co-ordination on Winter Ranges in the Cariboo Forest Region.
6.3 For aesthetic purposes, old trees (i.e. open grown veterans, or trees of unusual form) should be retained along trail margins, wherever possible.
6.4 Where appropriate, use placement of WTP, alteration of road locations and block boundaries as other methods of achieving objectives of minimizing the impact on the trail corridor.
6.5 A priority will be placed on clean logging practices
6.6 Leave large diameter trees along the trail where possible
6.7 If possible, log only on one side of a trail at one time (i.e. small opening boundary runs along the trail). The other side of trail should not be logged until green-up of previously logged side is visually acceptable.
6.8 No haul roads or landings will be constructed within the recreation corridors unless where no other option is feasible.
Harvested timber will be removed to locations outside of the corridors.
6.9 Harvesting trails between openings will be as narrow as possible.
6.10 Orientation of skid trails will be parallel to the trail where possible.
6.11 Limit trail crossings by equipment so that the trails and vegetation are damaged as little as possible. These crossings should be located where the least amount of damage will occur to the trails and to vegetation. Trail crossings must be cleaned up as soon as possible after logging.
6.12 Where an industrial road must cross a trail, the grade in the trail must be restored. The sight distance along the industrial road must be minimized by crossing the trail at an angle or by designing a small jog in the industrial road where it crosses the trail. Timely (off-site) slash disposal and early grass seeding are required along industrial road right-of-ways where they intersect recreation corridors.
6.13 Deactivate any short-term resource roads once the use is complete. When the roads are deactivated, trail crossings should be restored to their original condition before the next operating season.
6.14 Exempt 3 metre pine sanitation adjacent to recreation corridors where possible, with approval of District Manager.
6.15 Silvicultural and other post-logging activities should respect the integrity of the trail and the trail corridor.
6.16 Harvested areas within recreation corridors should be planted as soon as possible.
7. Maintain forest health 7.1 Where identified as a priority for resource management harvesting will be directed toward early control of any insect infestations, and clean up of blowdown patches. Control measures should be sensitive to recreation and visual values.
8. Maintain a natural appearance for the recreation corridors when viewed from high elevations. 8.1 The outer boundaries of the recreation corridors should be irregular to avoid a narrow ribbon appearance from high elevation viewpoints.
9. Minimize the impact on the viewshed along the recreation corridors. 9.1 Maintain some screening of broad, expansive views.
10. Inform the public of access restrictions, road/trail locations etc. 10.1 A Recreation Brochure should be prepared for the SC Plan area and be available at the Williams Lake District office.