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One of northern B.C.’s most popular parks is fully reopening for the first time since being destroyed by flooding nearly four years ago.
Starting April 2, B.C. Parks will take reservations for campgrounds on Mount Robson’s Berg Lake trail, approximately 280 kilometres southeast of Prince George, near the entrance to Jasper National Park in Alberta.
The highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, parts of the Mount Robson trail were closed in the summer of 2021 after a record-breaking heat wave rapidly melted snow and ice, sending water cascading down the mountain, destroying bridges and infrastructure along the way.
Dozens of hikers were evacuated from the park, which is immensely popular, with camping spots typically selling out over the summer within a few hours of reservations opening.
B.C. Parks is in the midst of repairing Mount Robson Provincial Park’s Berg Lake Trail — ruined by extreme flooding caused by 2021’s heat dome. The time-consuming, complicated work is intended to protect the park from the damaging effects of climate change.
“Mount Robson Park is a special place, drawing thousands of people from across Canada and the world to experience the natural beauty,” Tamara Davidson, Minister of Environment and Parks, said in a release. “Having undergone repairs to help withstand the impacts of climate change, we’re thrilled to welcome families and friends back to the entire Berg Lake Trail.”
The province says roughly 20,000 hikers and campers visit the 23 kilometre, multi-day trail annually. As of last year, about 11 kilometres of the trail had reopened. But this summer the entire trail will be open for hikers.
Reservations for the park’s seven backcountry campgrounds are required between its full opening on June 26 until Sept. 29.
Day use hikers are already able to use the lower levels of the trail and from May 15 until June 25, the lower levels Kinney Lake and Whitehorn campgrounds will be open on a first come, first served basis.
Reopening a boost to nearby communities
The park has been rebuilt in phases and with an eye to making it better able to handle future climate crises.
The renovations range from rebuilding broken bridges to reinforcing eroding riverbanks and elevating or rerouting vulnerable trail sections.
Owen Torgenson, mayor of the nearby community of Valemount, welcomed the news. Visitors to Mount Robson account for roughly 25 per cent of the local economy, he said.
Those visitors will be especially important to the community as it continues to recover from the impacts of the nearby Jasper wildfires last year. Hundreds of residents sheltered in the community following that disaster. And tourism decreased in the aftermath of the fires, putting many of the village’s businesses at risk of shutting down permanently, according to a report conducted by the municipality.
“I encourage everyone to plan a trip to experience the beauty of Berg Lake, and I appreciate the extensive work that has gone into restoring this beloved trail,” Torgenson said in a written statement.
New alpine cabin also planned
Meanwhile, the Alpine Club of Canada has announced it will begin construction this summer on a new 12-person alpine hut near the Berg Lake trail.
The $1.2 million project has been on the books since 2002, but has been put on hold for reasons ranging from the pandemic to flooding.
Located at Robson Pass, 24 kilometres along the trail from the park’s information centre, the two-storey building will include a sleeping space and kitchen, with an “airlock” system to prevent cold air from getting in and solar panels to provide electricity, the club says.
The Alpine Club says it established its first exploratory camp at Mount Robson in 1913 — the same year the area was designated a provincial park.
