Cranbrook to Baynes Lake, BC TCT Route Proposal

Photo Study of a Proposed Revised Trans Canada Trail

Route between Cranbrook and Baynes Lake

by Al SkucasTrails BC Director

Rockies/East Kootenay Nov 14 2005

REV 2.0

Cranbrook

Wardner

Kikomun Creek Park

Baynes Lake

Cranbrook to Wardner- The Rail Trail Route- Part 1

Isadore Canyon Trail

KM Mileposts Indicated

Current TCT route to Fort Steele

Registered TCT only to 5.5 km point as City of Cranbrook utility corridor

New Route would immediately use 6 km more of the rail grade

0 km

Trailhead of the Isadore Canyon Rail Trail with interpretive display

3.5 kmThis short section is the only TCT registered outside any community in the East Kootenays

Isadore Canyon Rail Grade -Cranbrook City owned for 5.5 km as utility corridor

4 km

Combined with a new Rails to Trail Route from Cranbrook to Kimberley would provide for a rail trail of 40 km of total length

4.5 km

Corridor currently actively used by recreational cyclists

5 km

Fort Steele Junction –Here the existing TCT route turns off the rail grade

7.5 km

8.5 km

Trail attributes are excellent along this stretch of the route

9.5 km

The current TCT route through Fort Steele and Jaffary would be 97 km from Cranbrook to Baynes Lake.

10.5 km

The new route proposal via Wardner would be 66 km and 30 km shorter.

11.5 km

Opportunities for cross country skiing along this section

13 km

At 13 km this section ends at Pritchard Road

Rail grade runs into private lands that have taken over the grade

7.5 km stretch of private lands would have to routed around

13 km

Highway 3 to be utilized as an interim road link until a potential bypass trail to be developed around the private property or across the highway on crown land

Wide shoulders are adequate for safety considerations

Cranbrook to Wardner- The Rail Trail Route- Part 2

From 14 km to 21 km the rail grade has been taken over by private interests

Between km 24 & 25 km rail grade utilized for Highway ROW

7 km later the Eastern boundary of private property. From this point east the rail grade reappears on crown land

21 km

Access to this section of rail grade at Ferguson Road

21 km

This isolated section of rail grade towards Wardner is getting grown over from lack of use

21.5 km

Access to the rail grade at the Ha Ha Creek Paved Road intersection

23.5 km

While other sections remain clear

24 km

Looking West

Recent Hwy upgrade took up 700 meters of the rail grade here. Short Bypass on crown land would be required

24 km

Looking East

Short Bypass would actually add a scenic vista

24.3 km

24.6 km Parts of this bypass would be within the trees

Railgrade reappears 700 meters after the new highway 3 Re-alignment

25 km

Near Wardner paralleling Highway 3

26 km

30 km

The last two kms. of the rail grade ROW before Wardner is undetermined if on or off private property

Wardner- 31 km from Cranbrook

Cranbrook to Wardner- The Rail Trail Route- Part 2

From 14 km to 21 km the rail grade has been taken over by private interests

West Side Option that routes around

private property

East Side Option Requires 2 Hwy

Crossings

Interim Road Option HaHa Paved Road

Bypass and Interim Options

West Side Bypass Option

First 3.5 km would utilize Baker Mtn. Forest Road

This option would climb 400 ft. to avoid the private property

Approx 2 km of new trail to be constructed to connect the logging resource roads together

This bypass route option would be 13.5 km long

One of three creeks requiring small bridges to be constructed

For 4 km the HaHa Creek Forestry Road would be used

East Side Highway 3 Off Road Option

For 1 km the route follows this lush creek draw down Mayook Creek

This option would be 9 km in length

Culvert Crossing of Mayook Creek

After 3.5 km on crown land the route winds up on the east side of Highway 3 ROW

The east side option would have considerable less development to make work as a trail route

16.5 km

On this side of the highway 3 the ROW measures 50 meters across. ATVers currently use a route along the fence line here

16.5 km

Parts of this ROW measure 100 meters in width and trees add some separation to the highway. This ROW as such could be used for 2.0 km.

17.5 km

Crossing of Hwy 3 back to the West side would be required here. For the last 1.5 km of this option, hwy shoulder could be utilized or trail built within the narrower ROW.

19 km

HaHa Creek Paved Road- Interim Road Option

During development of the last section of rail grade into Wardner, this rural road route would be a pleasant alternative for cyclists

A pretty rural scene to take a couple of photos of…

This road option would be 11 km long

Existing TCT Route on East side of Lake

Koocanusa

Wardner Kikomun Secondary Road

West Side Route in Yellow with KM mileposts added

Wardner to Baynes Lake Part 1

Rock Creek Forest Road would be used for 13 km

Wardner- Where the Kootenay River flows into Lake Koocanusa

1 km

Picnic Site- Potential to develop as a tenting site

Wardner Kikomun Secondary Road already marked as a road accommodating equestrian traffic

2 km

Rural and Idyllic Road

4 km

Easy grade to gain elevation of 150m over 6 km

6 km

Wardner Kikomun Road ends and Rock Creek Forestry Road begins

7 km

Reduces the amount of vehicular traffic

Start of Road, has natural trail attributes

Rock Creek Road would be utilized for entire length of 13+ kms

8 km

Gentle/moderate grade down to Lake Koocanusa

9 km

For 4 km parallels Lake Koocanusa

Potential wilderness camping sites along this scenic section

14 km

Eastern end of Rock Creek Forestry Road and junction with the Teepee Forestry Road

20 km

Current TCT Route to Baynes Lake

Wardner to Baynes Lake- Part 2

New route with KM’s indicated

At this junction the trail routes merge and use the existing trail route to Elko and Fernie

The route in blue is the Kikomun Park & Great Northern Railway Trail Option

ELKO

BAYNES LAKE

Teepee Road- active and heavy haul logging road

An access to abandoned and old parallel road alongside the main Teepee Road

22 km

This abandoned road This old road allows the traveller to avoid using the Teepee Road for over 5km

24 km

Entering Lake Koocanusa Recreation Region

27 km

High Use Recreation Area

One Lane Bailey Bridge over Lake Koocanusa

Problematic for Recreation Users

27.5 km

Approaches to Bridge Require Cautious Use by recreation travelers

New Two Lane Bridge to be completed Dec 05.

The bridge will have a 1 meter shoulder width on both sides to accommodate cyclists and pedestrians.

Main Access into Kikomun Provincial Park

31 km

32 km

Kikomun Creek Park

One of the Kootenays most popular Provincial Parks

To make this option workable a new connector trail would have to be constructed from the east side of the Lake Koocanusa bridge into the park for 500 meters

28.5 km

The Kikomun Park & Great Northern Rail Trail Option

This rail line hauled coal from the Elk Valley mines to the USA, was abandoned in 1932

The Great Northern Rail Trail

Set up as an historic interpretive rail trail by the Park Service in 1980

Winds through Kikomun Park for 3 km

Opportunity to integrate historic and interpretive rail grade into the Trans Canada Trail

Maintained trail through rock cut section

Rail Grade at the eastern boundary of Kikomun Park

Available Rail Grade continues for a further 1 km east of Park

Rail Grade skirts alongside Baynes Lake past interpretive display on a nesting site of Painted Turtles

Approaching community of Baynes Lake on GN Rail Grade

35 km

Baynes Lake Junction

Where the east and west side routes converge to continue eastbound to Elko and Fernie

The End

Moving forward in Renewing and Improving the Trans Canada Trail

Route Options in the Rockies/East Kootenays