City of Maple Ridge seeks your input on Thornhill
New Affiliations with Trails BC and Outdoor Recreation Council
NOTICE: Rainbow Ridge Trail Reopened
The damaged bridge that had caused the closure of Rainbow Ridge Trail was replaced this week by the City of Maple Ridge. The trail is once again open for riding!
NOTICE: New Connector Trail to Fern Crescent
Last year, HHA notified the City that the gravel shoulder along 128th Ave, near Fern Crescent, is unstable and dangerous for equestrians. This segment was Trans-Ridge Trail on the old maps, but has been repurposed by the City for traffic heading to Golden Ears Provincial Park. The gravel shoulder is especially unstable at the east corner, across from the trail entrance to the South Alouette River (aka “Killer Crossing”).
HHA was recently notified that, since the gravel shoulder will never be stabilized to support horses safely, the municipality has created a new trail segment to divert horse traffic along a safer route. This new north-south connector starts near the intersection of 128 Ave with Mill Street and runs south to 127B Ave. See the satellite view map (new trail marked in yellow).
Horse crossing signs have been installed on 128 Avenue, on either side of the intersection with Mill Street, as well.
NOTICE: Golden Ears Provincial Park Update
The spring cleanup of all the trails is almost finished. However, watch out for winter debris in the form of thick branches that point out towards the trail at rider’s knee-height. Most of these are hidden by lush new foliage of perennial plants. Many instances were encountered on the narrower sections of Menzies Trail and Scout Bay Trail, where the surface is rocky and the horses prefer to travel on the edge of the trail for softer footing.
Last year’s washout near the northern end of Alouette Valley Trail has been resolved with a re-route, so it is open once again. Be cautious approaching the re-route from the south — the trail that was once straight now takes a 90-degree turn to the left and there is no fence at the edge of the drop-off to the rocky creek below.
Note that there is also a persistent sinkhole on Menzies Trail, along the section around the 3km mark. Watch out for this hazard; it can be bypassed, but use caution.
Scout Bay Trail has a new sinkhole on the flat narrow, section.
With the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions only partially eased on other recreational facilities, spending time at Golden Ears is a VERY popular activity. Furthermore, with the park management limiting day-use parking to approximately 50% usual capacity, finding sufficient parking for all users will be a challenge.
If you plan to haul a horse trailer to Golden Ears, whether to park at Main Corral, Gold Creek or Park Headquarters (next to Menzies south trailhead), get a very early start for the best chance of finding a parking spot. This strategy applies to weekdays as well. The park’s open hours are now 7am-11pm.
NOTICE: Update on Kanaka Creek Crossing
The repair to the east water crossing on Kanaka Creek Crossing trail, near 112 Avenue and Ferguson Avenue, is still pending. This crossing has been closed due to a log jam since winter.
This section of trail is maintained by Metro Parks, not the City of Maple Ridge. Metro Parks will be changing the route from the existing one to cross the creek on the other side of the large log, which will be removed.
A temporary detour has been created by local trail users, in the interim; it has been reported to HHA as serviceable. 🙂
Take Steps to Make a Difference
Join the Haney Horsemen in its goal to protect, maintain and enhance the horse trail network in Maple Ridge. Meet other equestrians who love being outdoors on the trails, enjoying nature with their horses.
Active membership is encouraged! We invite you to attend a meeting or contact us via email. Learn what steps you can take, both as an individual rider and as a Haney Horseman, to have a lasting impact, so that we can preserve these trails for future generations while enjoying them today.
HHA NEEDS YOU!
Call for Nominations: HHA members can nominate or volunteer for club executive positions BY EMAIL this year to Karl (karl_lutsch@outlook.com). Please submit nominations by Friday, May 15th. Positions to be voted upon:
President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Directors
Members for Trails Committees
We will set up a Zoom meeting to elect our board of directors. (Goal is to do this during the week of May 18-22.)
Unauthorized Trail Building during COVID-19 Pandemic
In addition to contacting City of Maple Ridge Bylaws Department (see contact details on the Trail Concerns page), HHA also encourages the reporting of concerns about unauthorized trail building to City officials through direct email.
Please report issues of unauthorized trail building with photos, if possible, to:
Valoree Richmond, Acting Director of Parks & Facilities
or call Valoree Richmond at 604-467-7346
Dave Boag, General Manager Parks, Recreation & Culture
or call Dave Boag at 604-467-7344
When you contact the Bylaws Department or City staff, provide:
the date, the trail area or trail name, as specific a location as possible (such as its proximity to a trailhead/street or intersection with other trails), and a photo of damage/alteration/concern.
Update from HHA Executive
Due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns, HHA is suspending all interactive activities for the group.
What is affected:
- As Planet Ice is closed, we will not have an in-person group meeting in April, May or June. Our AGM is usually held in May, but could be rescheduled and held instead as an video conference. Details will be emailed to members about the AGM format/date/time.
- All work parties are on hold.
- Decisions that need to be made will be voted on by the executive via telephone or email, until it is once again safe to get together in person.
If you have any questions, please contact us via email.