A friend and I hiked up Sumas Mountain to Chadsey Lake recently. There were others also hiking this trail, which is a historic trail, built 46 years ago to celebrate Canada’s Centennial year. It is lovely, not difficult for even children to hike. Until we reached the two-km mark where we were informed by a large sign “Trail closed. Danger”. The reason? The trail skirts and then crosses a section of logging (a disappointing and ugly interlude) and since last year when I last hiked it, the logging company has pushed their roadway so close to the trail that the debris from the road has fallen right over the trail, creating an ankle breaking section of deadfall.
Do you not think that you could have put up a notice on the notice board at the trailhead? Do you not think that you have a responsibility to clean up after yourself and remove your debris from the trail instead of posting a big sign? Put your chainsaws to use and clean up your mess. You are desecrating a historical trail and creating a dangerous path for people who want to continue on to enjoy the rest of it. A large sign does not clear you of responsibility.
This summer I venture to guess that hundreds of people will come up that trail for a lunch and swim at the lake and a trip to the summit lookout. There are those who go up to the lake to party. The rest of us don’t want to hike through your mess.
The Centennial Trail up to Chadsey Lake and the Sumas Peak is one of Abbotsford’s nicest hikes. It should be something our city and the FVRD protects, maintains and encourages people to use responsibly.
Christine Dahl