Fall has arrived! There’s still time to get out and enjoy our hiking trails for a few more weeks—especially at the lower elevations. The colours are spectacular at this time of year, and WNMS volunteers have made some recent improvements to trails and campgrounds to help you make the most of the scenery and the season.

This summer was a milestone one for WNMS as we celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Emperor’s Challenge mountain race. Over 850 people registered for this year’s event, which included a lively Emperor’s Village at the TR Fairgrounds. The Board of Directors is now exploring ideas and options to continue the race in 2026 and beyond.

We also built a brand-new 9-basket disc golf course on land leased beside the TR Saddle Club. Thanks to generous support from the Northern Development Initiative Trust (NDIT), the WNMS purchased 10 professional-quality baskets and hired a local contractor to dig post holes and clear fairways. Volunteers then installed the baskets, signage, and 18 tee pads. The course officially opened in July and already has a growing community of players. Visitors from Dawson Creek, Grande Prairie, and Fort St. John have praised the design and playability—especially for novice and intermediate disc golfers. If you haven’t tried it yet, stop by! Loaner discs are available at the Visitor Information Centre.

At Bootski and Windfall Lakes, the new tent pads installed last fall were put to the test as the snow melted this spring. Some damage occurred when heavy snow loads stressed the suspended pads. After securing a permit from RecSites and Trails BC for minor excavation and reinforcement, volunteers returned in September to reattach components with heavy-duty fasteners and level the pad areas. These upgrades will provide the strength needed to withstand future winters.

As always, WNMS volunteers dedicated many hours this summer to maintaining our incredible trail network. Recent improvements included upgrades to muddy sections on the Windfall Lake and Holzworth Meadows trails. We also brought in a professional contractor for a day to help clear dangerous fallen trees and improve drainage by ditching water across the trails.

Other work this season included:

• Brushing and clearing trail corridors
• Installing and rebuilding boardwalks
• Removing deadfall and windfall
• Installing new Green Benches (thanks John Hoult!)
• Updating and improving signage

Special thanks to RecSites and Trails BC for their support this year, including funding and work crews to repair vandalism, install new outhouses, and reinforce tent pads at Bootski Lake.

💪 We Need Your Help!
Trail maintenance is ongoing, and once again we’re appealing to our members to join work bees or volunteer their time in other ways. Memberships also make a big difference—fees help us purchase and maintain brush cutters, chainsaws, hand tools, snow grooming equipment and building materials, as well as pay for professional contractors and helicopter support for alpine campground maintenance.

Please encourage your friends, family, and fellow outdoor enthusiasts to become WNMS members—together, we can keep our trails in top shape for everyone to enjoy.

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