When the Senior Park Ranger for Golden Ears Park at the time, mentioned the Menzies Trail washout after the last atmospheric river, none of us quite grasped the scale of the damage. We had seen pictures of the Parkway, but what the force of water did to the little Viking Creek crossing on Menzies was truly astonishing.
Trail reps from the BCHBC Aldergrove Chapter and the Haney Horsemen met on-site. What was once a 20-foot creek bed had become a debris field stretching several hundred feet.
Menzies Trail Washout
The original creek bed was completely blocked by large tree trunks, forcing the water to carve a new path farther south. Sand, rocks, and boulders now covered the area, and the new creek banks were much steeper than before.
Finding the trail on the other side was difficult, but establishing a new route would be the goal of the next workbee. A wise person reminded us to work smarter, not harder, so we looked for the path of least resistance!
The easiest path was not straight. It dropped below the original trail, crossed the creek at a more gradual spot, then climbed to reconnect near a large pile of tree trunks. The pile looked daunting, but we all agreed it was doable, so we started planning.
Twelve volunteers came out to our April workbee, which was coordinated by BCHBC and included members from both the Aldergrove Chapter and the Haney Horsemen. We divided into teams. Some started at the south end, brushing and raking where debris was light. Others used tall crowbars to pry loose large rocks and logs. Our chainsaw team tackled the large pile of tree trunks farther up the trail.
Brian and Cole loading Stubby at the Cascade Rec. Site.
In under half a day, we had a new trail cleared through the washout. Just a bit of touch-up work to improve visibility and some flagging in less obvious spots remained for after lunch. We felt proud of what we had accomplished and happily tucked into the doughnuts that Kim had so kindly brought up the trail for everyone. Thank you, Kim!
A few weeks later, ten members from the Aldergrove and Yarrow chapters came together on the Dewdney Trail, starting from the Cascade Recreation Site in Manning Park. The goal: remove an old, rotting boardwalk bridge that had become a nerve-wracking crossing for many.
We dismantled the planks and replaced them with rock gathered from a dry creek bed nearby. The job took a lot of elbow grease, but the results were worth it. Helping with the job were Kim Hensen’s mules, Huggy and Stubby. Stubby, her pack mule, carried loads of rock from the dry creek bed to the site of the old log bridge. The mules also hauled chainsaw equipment, which was used to clear fallen trees blocking the trail on the way to the bridge.
Kim and her mules on the Dewdney Trail.
Farther up the trail, Val Owens and Brian Harder tackled a tricky cluster of already fallen trees that were lying horizontally, stacked across each other and suspended off the ground. These needed to be cleared to allow safe passage for riders later in the season. With careful planning, each cut brought the trees down just as intended – exactly how theFirst Aid and Safety person likes it.
We are so grateful to everyone who comes out to these workbees. Volunteers like you make it possible to keep these trails open, safe, and accessible for all riders.
If you are looking for more information about equestrian-friendly trails across BC, the HCBC Trails Database is a great resource.
Happy trails!
by Amelie Zunk – Aldergrove Chapter
Wonderful volunteers on the job!
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