The Alberta Hiking Association’s ongoing trail improvement project at Crowsnest Pass is nearing completion for the year, with significant progress made on the Star Creek Trail.

According to Jenice Smith, the project’s volunteer co-ordinator, the 1.95-kilometre trail, which features a 100-metre elevation gain, has been upgraded to enhance sustainability. The improvements include minimizing steep grades and implementing measures to reduce water erosion, which will ultimately result in a more durable and user-friendly path.

Earlier this year, the Alberta Hiking Association received a provincial grant to improve trails in the Crowsnest Pass area. “Last fall, local hikers, local business and Government of Alberta staff researched hiking trails in the Crowsnest Pass and identified a number of them that could use trail improvements. All of these trails are on public lands and the Alberta Hiking Association received a grant from the provincial government called the Public Land Trails Grant Program,” Smith told Shootin’ the Breeze.

“The grant is $98,000 and it’s for two years.”

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With this grant, the AHA focuses on three priorities: improving the Star Creek Falls Loop, enhancing the Allison Falls Trail and identifying sustainable access and parking for Turtle Mountain Trail. “I was hired in June as a volunteer co-ordinator to follow through on these three objectives,” Smith said.

This year, the project has seen 79 volunteers contributing 550 hours to trail improvements, with participants ranging from school children to a 75-year-old community member. “Many volunteers who are working on the trail are new to trail building. These are people who are wanting to give back to the hiking trails and Crowsnest Pass,” she said.

The volunteers receive training under Smith. “We took training from the International Mountain Bike Association, so we are following their guidelines for trail development. At each trail build session, volunteers receive training, and we provide the tools on-site,” she said. “It has been amazing to see new trail builders out there working and learning new skills.”

So far, the efforts have yielded visible results on the Star Creek Falls Loop. The improvements, including new signage donated by Crowsnest Conservation Society, will enhance wayfinding and create a safer, more enjoyable experience for hikers.

Smith said Star Creek is a popular destination for both residents and visitors, and the enhanced wayfinding will help hikers explore viewpoints from above the falls and through the canyon.

“The signages are going to direct people so they know how to get onto the loop trail and also provide them opportunity to enjoy a trail with viewpoints of the falls,” she explained.

The improvement measures also align with the association’s broader goal of making the trails resilient to weather and environmental factors.

“We have been developing the trail with managing water movement in mind,” Smith noted.

The trail design incorporates specific grades to manage water movement, reducing erosion and creating switchbacks that both improve trail resilience and make it easier for hikers, she added.

Besides sustainability, the association has also focused on accessibility. The grade has been kept below 15 per cent in some sections, but due to the existing trail width and other factors, Star Creek Falls is still classified as a difficult trail.

Looking ahead, the association has two more volunteer sessions scheduled for the coming week, and is assessing what more can be accomplished before winter sets in.

“It has been an incredible fall so far. So, we’ll wait to see what happens with the weather and what we can continue to do,” Smith said.

“It has been so great working with so many volunteers in the community that are passionate about trails,” she added. “This has been a great season of giving back to the land and building something for the community and for visitors.”