Mount Benson Trail Project

Call Out

Project Manager Wanted; contact president @ islandmountainramblers.com

For more information or to get involved, contact bensonproject@islandmountainramblers.com


The Project

The Mount Benson Regional Trail needs is falling apart. Poor trail routing, trail braiding, water erosion and pooling water, have combined to create numerous issues that mean the trail can’t sustain the growing traffic. It’s time to do something about it!

The primary purpose of this project is to prevent erosion and environmental damage from foot traffic along the Witchcraft Lake Regional Trail to the peak of Mount Benson. The Island Mountain Ramblers mountaineering club wishes to provide community service to the citizens of Nanaimo by creating a legacy of trail stewardship and sustainable enjoyment of nature. We are offering to provide management and volunteer labour to a trail upgrade project between Witchcraft Lake and Mount Benson.

As you may know, the route from Witchcraft Lake to Mount Benson suffers from overuse drainage issues, trail braiding and shortcutting on unofficial trails. We have an agreement in place with the Regional District of Nanaimo to improve specific sections of the trail.

Witchcraft Lake to Mount Benson trail upgrade project

Progress Updates:

Each work party documents the site before and after each day of work, to document the progress. Read the reports here.

Mount Benson Trail Project –PROPOSED Schedule

Prepared by Matthew Lettington for Regional District of Nanaimo on 30 April 2019. Please confirm with Crew Chief about dates.

List of Dates with Crew Chief and Work Areas:

Date Crew Chief Section Contact info
May 25, 2019 Matthew Lettington Bridge & Watercourse below the washout, clearing windfall 250-797-5388; lettingtonm@hotmail.com
June 1 Matthew Lettington Bridge & Watercourse below the washout 250-797-5388; lettingtonm@hotmail.com
July 6 Matthew Lettington Create more retaining walls on eroding bank, build retaining box to support large stone, create final two steps, move large rocks to gank at the steps, till upper sections of bank and seed with alder/grass, create a channel for water on the landing below the eroding bank. 250-797-5388; lettingtonm@hotmail.com
July 20 Matthew Lettington clip trail below the eroding bank section, establish step stable steps up between the landings, sweep debris from slabs or rock 250-797-5388; lettingtonm@hotmail.com
September 14 Matthew Lettington building steps at the lower road. We will move rock and soild to create steps up this section. clear lots of rock and debris from the route leading to the upper section. 250-797-5388; lettingtonm@hotmail.com
September 28 Matthew Lettington 250-797-5388; lettingtonm@hotmail.com