Work is well underway on a new biking and hiking route just north of town.
Work on the Steinhoe trail, adjacent to Terrace Mountain, started three weeks ago, and Neil Kolterman, one of the trail’s builders, says they are ahead of schedule with 1 km of trail already completed.
The 7 km multi-use trail will accommodate both mountain bikers and hikers, and is one path which loops at the end before reconnects with itself.
The entrance to the Steinhoe trail sits almost directly across from the T2 trail on Terrace Mountain, separated only by the Kitselas Road, allowing bikers to directly connect with the existing trail system on Terrace Mountain. “It’s amazing to see this done in this amount of time,” Kolterman said, adding the crew has some really hard workers involved.
He says they are now moving on to the harder terrain as they take on steep pitches and deal with moving rocks.
He thinks the completed trail will be more technically difficult for users than expected because of steep parts as it climbs up and then back down over a mountain ridge.
“It’s going to be a really good ride,” Kolterman said.
Money for the trail came from a provincial job creation program, which supplied the $120,000 to the Terrace Off Road Cycling Association (TORCA), who went after the grant and supplied additional money and guidance for the project.
Tom Brand is the trail supervisor and says the crew is learning leadership skills as well as first aid certification and a transportation endorsement certification.
Working with Brand and the crew is the provincial government’s area recreations officer Carl Johansen who works in Terrace for the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations.
“I feel like once this trail is built it is going to be pretty popular,” Johansen said.
He added that there is the possibility of securing additional money in the future to add to the Steinhoe trail.
Once the trail is completed it will be co-managed by the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources and TORCA.