"Ohv Trail Correspondence"

Below is a letter to the Environment Ministers and
the premier of Alberta from a fellow wheeler.
Right now, I feel he has the right approach.

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Honorable Ralph Klein

Environment Minister Lorne Taylor

First I'd like to give you a brief history of my four wheeling days. I
purchased a 1974 CJ5 as my first vehicle when I was 18 instead of a fast car
because I enjoy the outdoors and getting into the mountains as much as I
possibly can. The year of that purchase was 1975 or maybe it was 1976.
At that time Kananaskis was still open for off-road use and that's where I ended
up going a lot of the time. Although I did do some trails in the Waiporous area
as well. Kananaskis drew me out there because of the mountain trails. In 1977
I was married and for about a one year time period I would be without a four wheel
drive because it was time to save up for a house. After the purchase of a house we
met some people that were into racing four-wheel drives and following quite a circuit
of rallies around Alberta and British Columbia. That introduction to four
wheeling again was enough to get us back into the sport and have never
looked back since. We purchased a 1947 CJ2A with a Buick v6 after only a
couple of years of marriage then a Ford 3/4 ton to haul it with and added a
camper. Next we purchased a 1976 CJ7 for strictly trail use and the odd fun
rally. Now we have a 1984 CJ7 purchased in 1985 and a 1986 Ford 3/4 ton for
the camper and hauling. Our second vehicles that people need now a days were
a Bronco II, Ford Explorer, and now a Ford Expedition. As you can see our
interests have always been four-wheel drives and what they can do.
Now, to the reason I'm writing this letter to you. Three weeks before the
September clean-up in the Waiparous area I receive an e-mail from the
A.U.R.S. indicating there is a land closure in the area we like to think of
as crown land. The people's land. They tell us the closure is in effect
immediately and is closed to motorized vehicles. If the government is
supposedly working with us on our interests then why were we blind-sided by
this closure? This plan for a park in this area was implemented a number of
years ago and with the response that the government got at that time by the
user groups they put it into dormancy till a further date. Now that we let
our guard down a little they figure they can just slide this one in without
a rebuttal from those who may have other projects on the go. We think we're
getting along with the forestry and a few politicians and all of sudden we
get sucker punched.
I will not stop using this area on a voluntary basis until I see some
type of official closure in effect. I have always respected posted areas or
stayed off trails that are clearly rehabilitated, but again I will not stay
out voluntarily. How is it that with all the claimed cut backs that the
government can afford to either send a cat out to demolish the trail or
spend the money into having signs made up for that purpose. Could it
possibly be that the government is actually turning the area into their own
hunting reserve, that would certainly get a lot of money flowing through
their system. If this proposed (and I do call it proposed) Don Getty Park
is a wilderness park or what have you, then explain to me why there's no
fishing or motorized vehicles but they do allow hunting. Maybe there's just
that much money in guided sheep or other big game hunting that they're
willing to steal an area from us and set it aside for the tourists.
After the closure of Kananaskis area and the development of Peter Lougheed
provincial park I learned that Peter had a family cabin on the shores of
Lower Kananaskis Lakes which makes me wonder where Don Getty may have his
private little resort or interests.
I talked to a forestry official about the implementation of this new park
and he said that we have to give a little bit in order to keep what we have.
Let me give you a list or the areas that we given in the last 27 years of my
four wheeling days. These are all areas that have directly affected me
because these are areas I have gotten to know very well by spending precious
time on the trails.
I am sure many people could make their own list of trails that have
affected them, like Crownest area, Rocky Mountain House area. You may think that's rather selfish,
well you're damned right it is. I'm sick and tired of losing public land to more and more closures.
1. Starting with Kananaskis area right from highway1 to the Hump road
crossing the area west of Indian Graves.
2. Livingstone range area, which has recently been reclaimed and made into
some kind of Natural area
3.Bob 's Creek and the Whaleback. Same story
4. Beehive Natural area off the headwaters of the Old man River.
5. Panther Valley and the Ya-Ha Tinda ranch area.
6. And the countless number of trails that mysteriously get destroyed by
cats
Now it's time for the government to give a little, how about giving us
back the trails south of Highwood Junction. All the roads in that area are
in descent shape and will remain that way for another 50 or more years,
because most are hard surfaced roads. Cataract Creek, Etherington, Plateau
Mountain, Baril Creek just to mention a few. Unfortunately I haven't got
the money or the government grants to do the studies for these areas but I
do know I'm losing trails to all these land grabbing environmentalists and
the people they may influence.
When meeting with a gentleman from one such environmental group I was told
they only wish to preserve the pristine areas for the future generations. I
guess that means that the present generations don't get to enjoy all there
is to enjoy about the mountains. I chose to use a 4x4 for my sport because
you can enjoy many more places in a shorter period of time. (My lifetime)
I'm being denied the pleasure of seeing some of these places because I don't
have the time to walk everywhere. I'm assuming the environmental groups
leave their vehicles in the city when they walk on the highways to their
favorite place in front of the computer and throw in a simulated hike of the
pristine place they'd really like to see. Their idea of enjoying the
outdoors must be looking out their office building. We can't all walk to the
mountains folks, the trails would be too crowded. I'm glad that everyone has
different interests but leave the existing trails to those who chose to use
them.
The same forestry official mentioned that the forestry is in the process of
looking for a new bog to introduce for those who choose to play in mud. He
mentioned when they come up with a new spot they'd close the Johnson bog to
people. I asked what would happen to the trail coming from Meadow Creek to the
bog, which is a great trail. His answer that it would also be closed. There
goes access to another group of trails. Where will the closures really stop?
I sure hope I'm dead and buried before I'm shut out of the only area I
truly enjoy, the mountains.
It would be very interesting to do a study and cost comparison on the
dollar figure spent between environmental groups and motorized vehicles user
groups. Sure because of the great number of people joining environmental
groups compared to motorized user groups the difference is probably
in their favor. Economically when motorized vehicle user groups initially
buy their rig they also put thousands of upgrades and aftermarket parts into
them so they have a more capable rig. eg: lockers, taller tires, gear
swaps, lift kits, etc. adding thousands of dollars to the value of there
equipment not to mention the shops they support. Additionally the camping
gear, hiking gear, photo equipment, and what have you also makes a lot of
businesses thankful we're willing to spend that hard earned dollar.
Mr. Ralph Klein, I admire and respect what you have done for the province of
Alberta and hope you continue to take the same trails you've been taking for
this many years but I due urge you to leave our trails alone and let us
enjoy them the way we have for years.
At this time I would like to invite you and your family and Lorne Taylor
and his family out for a day of our type of trails so you can see first hand
the relaxation and therapy that "wheeling" provides after a week in the rat
race. Just let me now how many so we can arrange the right number of
vehicles for the outing. All you need to bring is a sense of humor, an open
mind, a day's lunch and a pair of leather gloves so you can hook up the winch
line (passengers duties). Just kidding, I'll supply the gloves.

Yours truly
Gunther Delong

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And the government response