Comments on: Here we go again — in the Ghost

By: Dave Duncan

Dave Duncan — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 01:43:30 +0000

K-country is not a park, and it too has been and will be logged eventually. People tend to forget this, especially in K-country and now in the Ghost. Good point though! K-country is a prime example of a forest reserve that has had laws laid down to stop OHVs running wild. People now assume it is a park. It works! MacLean creek has become the designated “off-road area” however it closes down for winter and this pushes all the off roaders into the Ghost.
The Ghost is also the source of power for Banff. The water was diverted into a dammed valley (Minnawanka) and when you think about it, it’s a clean power source for Banff, thus “Ghost” (no water) River. If it was not for Trans Alta building the road into the Ghost, we would not even be having these discussions. If Trans Alta where trying to do the same thing now, there would be a lot more arms up in the air.
The Ghost is an awesome area that has world class climbing. I personally think the “Ghost” is the bottom of the “Big Hill” and above that is forest reserve. I think of the logged area as just access to the Ghost. I myself climb (ice and rock), hunt, and off-road (to access all these activities). I hunt above the “big hill” and I climb, obviously west of that. I see two worlds and sometimes three when you include dirt bikers. I’ve been on the “Ridge” having a picnic with my family and I’ve gotten into a fight with a dirt biker after he almost smoked my 2 year old with his bike. I’ve rolled into the Ghost on a Monday morning to witness all the trashed left behind from long week-end parties. I’ve sat on the Ridge and watched half a dozen “off-roaders” driving up (in) the river. I’ve also led some of the best ice pitches of my life in the Ghost. I’ve had my truck charged by a Grizzly sow with a couple of cubs above the big hill.
The Ghost is an amazing place that has all impacted us (good and bad). We need to appreciate it at this time, in this decade. Someday there might be a highway going up the guts of it with an interpretive centre, a restaurant and a Grey Hound full of tourists. I feel that we need to look further into the future to protect the Ghost. I would love to see my son one day go out and buy a “good” 4×4 so he can access an ice climb or rock route. I also agree with David Wagner, that we need to look at the big picture as well. The Ghost is one small area. We are blessed to have a “wilderness” area of this calibre so close to the city. We need to protect that, however as Calgary grows, we might have to travel further for a wilderness experience. I wish that someone in particular had all the answers to make everyone happy. The fact is that everything is changing. Change is part of growth and growth is inevitable.
I apologize for not always doing my part.
Just my thoughts, not yours!

By: colin

colin — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 05:34:06 +0000

This stuff is all missing the point. The Ghost should be a park, K country North.
What the logging is doing to the Ghost is unbelievable, they are screwing up the area for all our lifetimes, and huge damage to water ecology and everything else. How can anyone in their right mind worry about a few dirt bikes, and then let logging companies clear cut huge areas and build roads all over.
Its criminal.
Everyone who cares about the Ghost should be fighting the logging, that’s the real issue here.

By: Dustin Ring

Dustin Ring — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 20:52:27 +0000

Ok, Dirt Bikes do less damage to the environment than cars in the city do driving to work every day. I agree that in some ways it makes a footprint in the wilderness, much less than hiking. But dirt biking is a great way for family and friends to get along and just have a good time without the pressures of city life working. I’m Fifteen years old and I have been riding since I was Three. Dirtbiking is my life and I will not let the goverment take it away from me. So if the people involved in the Ghost Access Management Plan decide to take away more decent trails in Alberta we will find more, thus causing more damage than needed to the environment.

Dirtbiking is fun, we have clubs and many different organizations that clean up many of the trails and create bridges aross rivers to better protect the environment. These people who work long hard weekends out in the Mountians such as Waiparous and McLean Creek would be verry pissed if the government overlooked their efforts, and so would I.

By: Bob dyilan

Bob dyilan — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:54:44 +0000

i agree with david

By: Bob

Bob — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:53:28 +0000

i change my stance to agreeing with david

i cant spell

By: Bob

Bob — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:46:02 +0000

I have not read any thing on this web but i think mike is right.

By: Lesueur Ridge « MMhikes.com

Lesueur Ridge « MMhikes.com — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 03:41:19 +0000

[...] great spring hike in the off-highway vehicle area near Waiparous. According to the article posted on Kananaskis Trails, there are plans to have a new ATV trail that will be crossing and [...]

By: Kim

Kim — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 23:23:03 +0000

I am wondering if I can post a picture of a shot up, burned up, beat up, garbage dump of a truck which has been left at an access point by some ill and demented Ghost River users. Apparently Alberta SRD has contacted the Cochrane RCMP who have yet to come and remove the pathetic demonstration of our society’s illness. For someone, “Stuart”, this sickening act was “a good time”. Also “Aaron”, I wonder who sits on the GSMG. As a stakeholder in the area myself, I wonder how many people are at the table who represent my interests of learning to connect with, respect and learn from Mother Nature rather than “ride” her everyway and everywhere they can. I think in a democracy, those who don’t agree with the majority, still have every right to express their concerns…at no time should they be shamed into silence. EVER.
While I agree with “David” about the powers which be creating squabbles between the little folks so that the big ones can go on doing their raping and pillaging, I am concerned about the wildlife and fauna who have just as much right to this land we now call Alberta. Who speaks for them? Motorized vehicles increase accessibility tremendously and easily and their use should be limited in order to preserve the lands and its natural ways for the creatures who NEED the space to survive. While I agree we all NEED Nature recreationally, I wonder if it might also be important to ask ourselves if something else might NEED it more than our WANT for how we enjoy the space.
As someone who works at the Rediscovery camp in the summer, lives and makes a living as a teacher in a National Park and whose partner is a motorcrosser, it breaks my heart to read some of these posts beetween those of us who are hopefully all interested in being Stewards of this land which serves us so unconditionally. For Anonymous, I truly hope the above post by “mike” is indeed Mike Lickers, for you would be liable for slander if it is not. I personally have never heard him use the language used in the post by “mike”, so I have my doubts. And whoever it may be, “mike” sounds as though he is someone who is angry about the continued abuses of the land (even some which fall under the auspices of “sustainable”) and the apparent apathy of the Alberta government to lay some money down for protection of the land which so generously feeds it. At least “mike” has the guts to put his name on his opinion…of which we are all entitled to while living in Canada.
Additionally, I can tell you that if it is Mike Lickers, he would be extremely concerned (and rightly so) for the safety of the children who participate in the camps out of Ghost River Rediscovery. Yes, concerned for those children who are connecting with the land and water which nourishes us, the children learning to respect the Earth and to listen to it in a gentle way which many of us have forgotten. There is nothing more disturbing and fearful which could occur during this rediscovery process than the sound of speeding, drunk Yahoos through the area where the camp is, the close explosion of gunfire, the sound of chainsaws cutting down green trees at 9pm for fire wood (huh?!) or cooking tripods, the sight of ATV and motorcross tracks through where we get our drinking water or along the trails in the National Park upon which we walk gently, and the sight of fire pits the size of my backyard.
I just received a response to a letter I wrote her from Cindy Ady, the Minister of Tourism, Parks and Rec who assured me that the government doesn’t condone the actions of which I see evidence for each time I walk down the road to the Ghost from the top of the hill. Due to the beaten up, shot and burned truck full of garbage, the garbage in the sites below and the sporadic campfire pits with tin and garbage left within, I am certain that the letter she wrote is another piece of rhetoric and I can understand where “mike” is coming from.
Regardless, I hope we are all most interested in Stewardship and treating our Mother the way which She deserves to be treated. And some of us get a little angry at times (don’t you get angry when you see your family members being treated disrespectfully?) However, I think it is in all of our interest to work together to help to educate users and the children of these users and their children too, to rally the government for more support especially concerning enforcement (wouldn’t it be nice if we didn’t need enforcement and people were simply respectful of their environment?!)
OR, what if we create a backcountry User Test where at least one member of a group must have passed it in order to use a wild area in Alberta? A User’s Test, similar to a Driver’s License, would highlight a person’s knowledge and understanding of respectful backcountry use and minimal impact whether one is hunting, biking, hiking, climbing, or whatever. This person would then be liable for anybody they brought into the area. This exists for people carrying guns and driving cars, so why not for using wild spaces?
in partnership for our lives on this planet,
kim

By: stuart

stuart — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:04:05 +0000

maybe you should think about the bikers that are trying to have a good time.

By: David Wagner

David Wagner — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 15:49:29 +0000

First of all, I must say that I am not as familiar with all the various organizations and government groups people have mentioned in their various comments. Second, I am a hiker, mountain biker, and a responsible dirt bike (motorized) rider. I moved to Alberta a little over ten years ago from the Yukon, where I did all of the above mentioned activities.

What I find really BEWILDERING here in Alberta is the controversy and fighting over small sections of land used by OHV users! I realize that pristine wilderness is a treasure, and in Alberta it is limited as compared to let say the Yukon. However, instead of everyone fighting over little sections of land (i.e. McLean Creek, Ghost, etc.) used by non-commercial interested parties, efforts should be focused on those activities approved and carried out by commercially motivated groups, i.e. Government, Oil, Logging, etc. Through my travels here in Alberta, I find more disturbing and inexplicable damage caused by private and public industry, than that of any recreational users.

Focus on the big picture here, and do not let the Government bureaucrats and committees have us quibble over little sections of land. There is a place for everyone here in Alberta to have their recreational uses!