Too bad is is so full of half truths and miss information. If Wayne Crocker, is in fact a 26-year public lands staffer for the province, is backcountry co-ordinator for Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP) and isn't aware of the activity that's been taking place there then he should be fired for incompetence.
I was first introduced to the area In 2009, by a Red Deer Local that knew the area. We went quadding up to the base line fire look out tower then went across 752, down the fall creek road. We took a trail that ran along side the road about half way down. We then headed down the fall creek corridor. I was rather shocked at how much of that trail was in and out of the creek. When I expressed my concern and asked about another route I was assured that this is the trail that everyone has been using for years. He said he and others have been coming in here with jeeps and 4x4.We stopped off that a cold water sulfur spring that had board walks and fencing and signs. We seen memorial bronze plaques pinned to the rocks at the falls. And sure enough there were 3 jeeps pass by during our time at the falls. This was the one and only time I rode this trail past the falls but It was apparent to me that this trail has been used by many people for quite some time.
Don claims that it is the fishermen then put in the bridges. I would like to know which ones were installed by what group and where. I would like the gps coordinates for those bridges and the pictures of those bridges. Or is he referring to the bridges put in by several interest groups along with the Fall Creek Conservation Society that was active for a few years.
ATV Bridge building on the trails
The Fall Creek Conservation and its members have began installing OHV engineered bridges to improve multi-use access and rider safety. The material was donated to several ATV organizations in Central Alberta which the FCCS was on of the candidates. The material may have been donated but so is the labor. All the work is done by volunteers and FCCS members.
Here is the now defunct web site
http://web.archive.org/web/200702042....com/index.htm
The Fall Creek Conservation Society was started out of necessity to keep the Fall Creek area open to traditional access.
In 2003 an organization named Alberta Stream Watch attempted to close the area based on the principle that users of the area were destroying the fish breading habitat and the trout population was in a steep decline.
The Alberta Off-Highway Vehicle Association (AOHVA) learned of the proposed closure and became involved in the political end of things to prevent it. By attending meetings, discussions and field trips with the Rocky Sustainable Resources Development (SRD), the Alberta Trappers Association, Sunpine forest products (Westfraser) and Alberta Stream Watch the proposal of closure was put to rest.
In 2004 Wes Hansen became interested in ATV trail maintenance and contacted the AOHVA to see if they knew where to get information on how to become a "Trail Steward" for the Fall Creek area ... what a coincidence. During the next 1 1/2 years Wes and friends worked along side of the Alberta Stream Watch to repair the recognized ecological areas to satisfy the Alberta Stream Watch concerns.
In 2005 Wes Hansen's group was given approximately $17,500 in services, material and manpower to rebuild the Fall Creek staging area. Thanks to the generous donation there are now 17 traditional camp sites available at no cost to the users.
In 2006 the Fall Creek Conservation Society was formed and registered as a legal non-profit society solely as the Trail Steward club for the Fall Creek water shed.
Today we are moving forward to repair the trails, install ATV bridges and protect the ecologically sensitive areas. This is done though volunteer effort and volunteer donations and user education.
The society site shows that they also fixed up the camping area and put the board walk in at the spring. The Advocate article would have you believe that all this activity took place without government knowledge. Seems like a stretch to me.
Crocker has been going into the Fall Creek area for some time. “I was horrified 20 years ago."
Oh so he is aware of the activities, but yet he's done nothing about it? I wonder by what means he was going into the area. Foot, atv, jeep or unicorn?
I like this statement
They were once in 60 Alberta watersheds but are in only seven now.
Although true, who's fault is that? The way the article is written, they would have you believe that the quadders cause this decimation. The reality is that it was the fishermen with what it would appear, the acceptance of fish and wildlife.
In 2011 I took my wife for a drive down the fall creek road to the campsite at the end so we could see what is was like. It was an enjoyable drive other then the delay of dealing with all the free range cattle roaming the road, meadow and creek. Some time over the fall of 2011 and spring of 2012 the road was closed to public use for logging activity. it is now 2015. The only evidence that that road is close is the signage at the beginning of the road at 752. Ive been told that there is also a sign at the other end at the campsite. No where on the ESRD site can I find any information that the area is close. So that is it? Two signs and we are all supposed to be aware that the area is closed. Like wtf!!
If anyone has a link to any information about the closure of this are I would really like to see it. I would certainly pass it on the the quadding community. I did however come across a map showing the closed area but suprisingly is only shaded in the road and the fall creek corridor. For the life of me I can't seem to locate the map again. Anyone?
I have to wonder if that picture is actually of the fall creek trail or is it was some file photo they pulled out of their data base.
Don is just envious that the quadding fisherman is getting to more remote pristine less visited waters. Well that and he has to wade through their pee
One thing is for certain. This site has its fair share of low information blow hards
