We’re grateful for the cooler temps and rains we received in June. With fire hazard low and the dirt damp, June gave us some ideal conditions for trail work and the FVMBA Trail Crew has been busy!

Staying on top of the blackberries and other foliage encroaching on the trails at Heritage is a big task and crew is working hard so that riders and runners and walkers and our four legged friends don’t get snagged by prickle bushes or surprised by foraging bears around a corner. Our goal is to keep the trails clear from overgrowth throughout the whole year.

Crew took a break from from the trails for a few days to get trained in Remote First Aid to ensure we have the knowledge to safely manage any accidents or injuries that might occur on trail. Training was over three days with Ridge First Aid.

Work has also begun to prep for some bridge replacements on Squid Line at Sumas. A big thank you to Siobhan, Anne, and Danika from the RST summer trail crew who joined us for the day, splitting slats and transporting them to the bridge location.

We also have the incredible opportunity to work with FVRD Parks to do some upgrades on the hiking trail at Elk Mountain. First up is building more stairs near the summit. It’s a much longer hike in to the work site compared to most of the trails we work on, especially carrying tools up the steep grade. But the effort is rewarded with spectacular views. It’s also the season for the Western Toad migration and we encountered quite a few of them on trail.

And a big shout out to Wentings Cycle and Mountain Shop. They’ve adopted Jolly Rancher at Bear and joined the FVMBA trail crew to begin work revitalizing the trail. First up was a trim and a rake. Next steps will be to restore and improve drainage on the trail to help reduce erosion. Look for more work to come over the rest of the year, including replacement of some of aging woodwork.