Whipsaw Run Report

[gofast]

Hi All,

Me and a buddy just finished our first trip through Whipsaw and both of us took our trucks. I've had six trucks and three cruisers but I've never been through the alpine like this trip. Unbelievably beautiful. Better yet, there were no other groups or trucks.

We came in through Lodestone Lake and then went to Wells Lake. Lodestone was an incredible site. No mess, beautiful views and we were impressed with how the site was maintained. Both my buddy and I believe in the tread lightly concept.

The trail to Wells was not so impressive. After filling a full size garbage bag on the way with numerous cans of Kokanee and Bud, smoked oysters and other trash we had a full bag by the time we got to the lake. On the way we passed the Scout that looks like its been there a long time and a ford bronco that looked fresher. In fact it looked like it was recently dragged off the trail. It had been dismantled on the spot. We tidied up but there was no way to fit all the trash into our trucks.

This was not so impressive. Not to mention the numerous bog holes and other destructive use of the land where other trucks had destroyed the habitat. Makes me wonder why people don't stick to the trail. At that altitude, it takes up to 100 years for Lichen to grow 1 square cm.

We had plans to camp at Wells which we abandoned because of the s*** wipe, food garbage, tarps, clothing, and washing machine laying around. Wonderful new trail there where some guy drove on the lake shore and sunk to his diffs. I really liked the once Living Balsam that had been hand felled into the lake.

We carried on and still enjoyed the trip and I really feel priviledged to have seen it. I doubt it will be available in the future if people continue to treat the area this way.

I'd like to suggest that if you're going through Whipsaw, do what you can to carry out the trash.

Cheers,

John

 

[canucksafari]

Sorry to say but that is what happens when a trail becomes famous and people have easy access. I first use to post a few things about trails around Pinceton on BC4x4 but I don't give out much information now. Just look at the size of their Whipsaw thread and you will understand. You are right, soon it will be shut down. If the mine goes in, you can expect a big gate. Of course, if the mine goes in, you won't be worrying about how long it takes the grass to grow back in the meadows.

 

[Rod McD]

I just don't understand whats so hard about keepin the litter in your truck till you get home.Even if you don't have a garbage bag,you have a back seat,cargo space,or nooks and cranies that can contain afew empties and or wrappers.

 

[kim]

There is nothing hard about it. JUst lazy selfish little pricks who are too good to worry about garbage.

I just don't understand whats so hard about keepin the litter in your truck till you get home.Even if you don't have a garbage bag,you have a back seat,cargo space,or nooks and cranies that can contain afew empties and or wrappers.

 

[canucksafari]

There is nothing hard about it. JUst lazy selfish little pricks who are too good to worry about garbage.

Ya forgot the "C" word too. I have also see certain womens' personal items spead all over the place in the bush. Yuk! Ladies if you aren't going to carry it out, at least burn it.

Beyond that, some people just like to destroy things. A friend and mine spent weeks fixing up an old trappers cabin off of Lamount Creek at Hudson Bay Meadows. Then it was a 30 min hike in from the road. We even hauled in cast iron bunk beds and matreeses through thick alder. Two years later they push a road to the meadows for logging. The next year our cabin was partially torched and the area surrounding it was one big garbage dump. They were too lazy to even dig a pit and just s*** behind the cabin.

 

[Glenn-BJ74]

Those people simply do not realize or care -- that gates, berms, trenches and access restrictions are surely to follow, from the actions of a few that will impact the responsible majority.

 

[Hovenator]

If the mine goes in

They are mining up there already. We took a few pics of the open pit where they are working. This is on the Coalmont side... and oddly enough it's coal that they're after. When the oil runs out I guess we can all drive around in coal fired steam trucks!

It's quite ironic; mine exploration makes the trail, "destroying" the environment, they abandon it, we use it and try not to make it worse, then they come back and make it worse.

 

[canucksafari]

Lodestone is iron ore. Another company has been drilling up there as reported on Minfile BC:

In 2003, Sargold Resource Corp optioned the Lodestone property from 21st Century Energy Corp. Sargold drilled 1069 metres in 15 holes. All 15 holes of the were reported to have encountered medium to coarse grained magnetite-bearing hornblende clinopyroxenite throughout their length. Good core recoveries were achieved, only two holes returned recoveries below 90%. Visual estimates of magnetite content ranged from 10 to 25%, with occasional short sections of up to 50 per cent. No significant amounts of pyrite or pyrrhotite were noted in the clinopyroxenite. A revised resource calculation compliant with National Instrument 43-101 given as 2,835,000 tonnes grading 24.33 per cent magnetite was defined by the drilling program (Assessment Report 27520). The resource is reported to be in the measured mineral resource category based on the close drill hole spacing, the relatively uniform distribution of the magnetite within the clinopyroxenite and the much larger, surrounding extent of similar mineralization encountered in historic drilling.

People in Princeton tell me this mine will be a go; although it has been talked about since I was a kid growing up there.

In addition to this, there are also some decent placer and gold claims over on the Whipsaw side.

The gates will go up regardless of the idiots. It all depends on the commodity prices as to when. The "new" Whipsaw trail will then have to go over Lamount Creek and down into Granite Creek.

 

[Enigma]

So the mine companies can actually destroy the existing trail? Isn't the Whipsaw some kind of official heritage thingamajig?

 

[canucksafari]

So the mine companies can actually destroy the existing trail? Isn't the Whipsaw some kind of official heritage thingamajig?

The Whipsaw road is just a FSR but also has the designation by BFG as an "Outstanding Trail" (CanadianDriver: Feature - BF Goodrich "Outstanding Trails" program honours the Whipsaw Trail). The Hudson Bay, the Brigade and the Engineers trails are all hiking trails based on historical foot, mule and horse routes from Hope. They may have heritage status. But that won't stop them from cutting an industrial road across them. After all, much of these trail sytems have clear cuts and roads ove them. 4WDABC has a contract with the prov governement like they do with Hale and Sunrise to maintain the trail and the rec sites. As club members, the Rover Landers of BC do this work for 4WDABC.