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Recreational trail monitoring in the Bighorn Backcountry
Products
- Recreational Trail Monitoring – Bighorn Access Management Plan
Alberta Environment and Parks' trail monitoring program, based on recommendations from the Bighorn Advisory Group. - Monitoring Group Terms of Reference
Monitoring Group
The Monitoring Group comprises a Standing Committee and a Steering Committee. The Standing Committee members were chosen by the user group to represent their user group as well as other user types and the community as a whole. The Steering Committee consists of provincial government members.
- Standing Committee (PDF, 74 KB)
- Steering Committee (PDF, 30 KB)
Meeting summaries
Summaries from Bighorn Backcountry Monitoring Group meetings are listed below.
2021
- Bighorn Backcountry Standing Committee – Meeting Summary January 2021 (PDF, 155 KB)
- Bikepacking in the Bighorn (PDF, 2.3 MB)
- The Great Divide Trail (PDF, 2.5 MB)
2020
- Bighorn Standing Committee – Meeting Summary October 2020 (PDF, 152 KB)
- Bighorn Standing Committee – Meeting Summary June 2020 (PDF, 115 KB)
- Bighorn Standing Committee – Meeting Summary January 2020 (PDF, 481 KB)
- Recreation Management Report RDNSR – 2019 (PDF, 32 KB)
- Project Priorities – 2020 Season (PDF, 29 KB)
- Presentation – Trout Unlimited Canada (PDF, 5.0 MB)
2019
- Bighorn Standing Committee – Meeting Summary October 2019 (PDF, 680 KB)
- Bighorn Backcountry Public Land Use Zones (PDF, 302 KB)
- Presentation – Eagle Lake / James Pass Trail Project (PDF, 1.7 MB)
- Presentation – Public Land Use Zones (PDF, 493 KB)
- Bighorn Standing Committee – Meeting Summary June 2019 (PDF, 145 KB)
- AEP and Voluntary Sector Workers (PDF, 564 KB)
- May Long Weekend Enforcement Statistics (PDF, 393 KB)
- Project Priorities – 2019 Season (PDF, 133 KB)
- Terms of Reference – Revisions (PDF, 148 KB)
- Bighorn Backcountry Monitoring Standing Committee – Meeting Summary January 2019 (PDF, 187 KB)
2018
- Bighorn Backcountry Monitoring Standing Committee – Meeting Summary June 2018 (PDF, 308 KB)
- May Long Weekend Enforcement Statistics (PDF, 237 KB)
- Bighorn Backcountry Monitoring Standing Committee – Meeting Summary January 2018 (PDF, 432 KB)
2017
- Bighorn Backcountry Monitoring Standing Committee – Meeting Summary October 2017 (PDF, 412 KB)
- Bighorn Backcountry Monitoring Standing Committee – Meeting Summary June 2017 (PDF, 326 KB)
- Bighorn Backcountry Monitoring Standing Committee – Meeting Summary February 2017 (PDF, 437 KB)
2016
- Bighorn Backcountry Monitoring Standing Committee – Meeting Summary October 2016 (PDF, 351 KB)
- Bighorn Backcountry Monitoring Standing Committee – Meeting Summary June 2016 (PDF, 347 KB)
- Bighorn Backcountry Monitoring Standing Committee – Meeting Summary February 2016 (PDF, 282 KB)
2015
- Bighorn Backcountry Monitoring Standing Committee – Meeting Summary October 2015 (PDF, 303 KB)
- Bighorn Backcountry Monitoring Standing Committee – Meeting Summary June 2015 (PDF, 423 KB)
- May Long Weekend Enforcement Statistics (PDF, 240 KB)
- Bighorn Backcountry Monitoring Standing Committee – Meeting Summary February 2015 (PDF, 105 KB)
2014
- Bighorn Backcountry Monitoring Standing Committee – Meeting Summary June 2014 (PDF, 129 KB)
- Bighorn Backcountry Monitoring Standing Committee – Meeting Summary February 2014 (PDF, 97 KB)
2013
- Bighorn Backcountry Monitoring Standing Committee – Meeting Summary October 3, 2013 (PDF, 224 KB)
- Baldy Solution 1 (JPEG, 576 KB)
- Baldy Solution 2 (JPEG, 645 KB)
- Planned Prescribed Burn Areas (PDF, 2.9 MB)
- Friends of the Eastern Slopes Association – Summary of Projects and Maintenance (PDF, 243 KB)
- Bighorn Backcountry Monitoring Standing Committee – Meeting Summary June 6, 2013 (PDF, 107 KB)
- May Long Weekend – Hospital Emergency Room Visits Chart (PDF, 200 KB)
- May Long Weekend – Ticket Numbers Chart (PDF, 231 KB)
- Bighorn Backcountry Monitoring Standing Committee – Meeting Summary January 31, 2013 (PDF, 93 KB)
2012
- Friends of the Eastern Slopes Association – Summary of Projects and Maintenance December 2012 (PDF, 840 KB)
- Bighorn Backcountry Monitoring Standing Committee – Meeting Summary October 4, 2012 (PDF, 53 KB)
- Bighorn Backcountry Monitoring Standing Committee – Meeting Summary June 7, 2012 (PDF, 70 KB)
- Nordegg Area Trail Concept Plan (PDF, 3.9 MB)
- Bighorn Backcountry Monitoring Standing Committee – Meeting Summary February 6, 2012 (PDF, 65 KB)
- OHV Fence Example (PDF, 760 KB)
For meeting summaries from prior years, download the zip file:
Trail usage counter graphs
The following graphs show the general trail use in the Bighorn Backcountry. The raw data on these graphs are only baseline and preliminary data for considering the overall impact on trails within the Bighorn Backcountry.
The number of users on a trail is only one factor of many used for evaluating trail conditions and future maintenance or timing restrictions. More than one graph may be shown for the same trail.
Generally, the calendar year is divided into:
- summer season (July and August)
- fall hunting season (September through and including November)
- snow vehicle season (December through and including April)
Adverse weather and frozen ground conditions may affect the date or gathering of data from trail counters.
Two types of counters are being used to measure the usage:
- Infrared Trail Counters – These counters measure warm objects passing through an emitted beam. The counter cannot distinguish between a human or an animal.
- Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Counters – OHV counters make use of the magnetic field when a metallic object passes through the field.
Infrared Trail Counters
The graphs below indicate the average number of non-motorized detections (hikers, equestrian, mountain bikes).
- Coliseum Trail – Jun to Oct 2017 (PDF, 408 KB)
- Coral Creek Trail – May to Oct 2017 (PDF, 411 KB)
- Kinglet Lake Trail – May to Sep 2017 (PDF, 409 KB)
- Landslide Lake (South) – May to Aug 2017 (PDF, 396 KB)
- Pinto Lake Trail – May to Sep 2017 (PDF, 405 KB)
For prior year infrared detection graphs, download the zip file:
- Infrared Trail Counter Graphs – 2003 to 2011 (ZIP, 884 KB)
Off-Highway Vehicle Counters
The graphs below indicate the average number of off-highway vehicle detections.
- Bighorn Dam – 2010 to 2016 (PDF, 387 KB)
- Hummingbird Trail – 2011 to 2017 (PDF, 387 KB)
- Onion Lake – 2010 to 2017 (PDF, 387 KB)
For prior year off-highway vehicle detection graphs of additional trails, download the zip file:
- Off-Highway Vehicle Detection Graphs – 2003 to 2015 (ZIP, 3.6 MB)