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Trails around Jasper may look slightly worse for wear this spring.
During the COVID-19 outbreak, Parks Canada is suspending all visitor services, including trail monitoring and reporting.
Trail sweeping, which would have usually started earlier in the year, has just begun.
And volunteer clear-up days with Jasper Trails Alliance, which would usually start mid-May, are yet to start up.
Heather Aussant Roy, manager of Friends of Jasper National Park, said: 鈥淭here's a lot that goes on behind the scenes to get those volunteers on the trails and we are working to ensure everything will be in place for when we can start to do trail work again.聽
鈥淪taff and volunteer safety comes first. Trails are really important but we are keeping up with protocols to keep a proper balance between needs of trails and the safety of our volunteers.鈥�
Once the trails alliance is back out there, they are likely to be working under public health restrictions. They could be working in smaller groups with physical distancing, additional PPE and more cleaning between tools.
鈥淲e want the best of both worlds and don鈥檛 want our staff or volunteers in harm's way,鈥� said Aussant Roy.
鈥淲e are hoping it gets up and running and we see some familiar faces. We will be out there and we are looking forward to getting people back out on the trails.鈥�
Right now, many of Jasper鈥檚 trails are waterlogged due to the snow melt, logging, a rainy summer in 2019 and more active trail users this spring.
Trail enthusiast Loni Klettl said: 鈥淣ormally the ski hill would have only closed last week and people would be slowly getting into the trail stuff, but because of all this everyone is going outside and the trails aren鈥檛 ready for it all yet.鈥�
Hikers and bikers are coming across huge puddles in some sections of trails - but are advised to walk through them not around, as that can lead to trails braiding.
鈥淚t does matter. Trails are important,鈥� said Klettl.
鈥淚t all costs money and they are really important to a lot of us. Please be aware and do your part.鈥�
Klettl said south-facing trails are drier and that this is a good opportunity to explore trails that are typically busier, like the Valley of Five Lakes.
鈥淐heck out those places you don鈥檛 really get to go to because there鈥檚 usually people,鈥� she said.
鈥淚f you get to a squishy spot, think about where you鈥檙e going and be aware of what you鈥檙e doing.鈥�
If you are interested in signing up for Jasper Trails Alliance when work begins this year, email [email protected].
