During the David Pacey versus Parks Canada trial earlier this month, Mr. Pacey alleged that the parks agency is considering closing the Kindersley Pass trail an assertion that turns out to be untrue.
Parks Canada public relations and communications officer Lindsay McPherson said in an email to the Pioneer that at this time there are no plans to close or decommission the trail.
The Kindersley is a 10-kilometre hike navigating through switchbacks while climbing an uphill terrain. The trail begins eight and a half kilometres from the park gate in the Village of Radium Hot Springs. Hikers often combine it with the Sinclair Creek trail into a single big loop trail. It is often billed as the most popular day hike in Kootenay National Park (although the internationally famous Rockwall is undoubtedly the most popular in the park, it is roughly 50 kilometre length typically results in it being classified as a multi-day trail rather than a day hike).
The Kindersley Trail is one of many trails within the park that will have a group-of-four restriction placed on the trail, meaning all hikers must be in groups of four or more.
Evidence show that bears are less likely to have a negative contact encounter if a hiking party is in a group of at least four people, said Ms. McPherson.
The restriction is put in place every year, during periods of high bear activity along the trail, usually from May to October, for the safety of hikers and bears.
