Directions
editThe lower lake is located off of the main trail, and is a 5-minute walk on flat terrain from the trail base.[1] The main trail leads to the middle and upper lakes and passes through a Moraine about 1.5 km into the trail.[1] The middle lake is located another 1.5 km from this point, and most of the elevation gain (1535 m) has been attained by then. Trail users are then met by a waterfall located a short distance up the trail from the middle lake. The terrain following the waterfall is less maintained for the remaining distance up to the upper lake.[1]
Maintenance
editThe trail at Joffre Lakes has been the site of maintenance and upgrades since 2013.[1] The first part of the trail leading to the second lake, is a maintained dirt path. It has been supplemented with steps in some of the steeper areas to reduce the trail grade.[1] The trail has also been slightly rerouted during the upgrade, and is now slightly shorter than before.[1]
Trails designed to minimize soil erosion are more sustainable long term. [2] Soil erosion is irreversible and can enter nearby water sources, impacting the quality of water, and the organisms inhabiting it.[2] A sustainable trail is one that reduces water flow pathways; so that soil isn't displaced during heavy rain. A preferred method of doing this is grade reversal - trails comprised of alternating short sections of ascending and descending trails.[2] The slope and grade of trails has an impact on the amount of soil loss that occurs during rain and traffic. Trail grades of more than 10% result in significantly more soil erosion than trails with smaller slopes.[2] However, grades of more than 10% are sustainable long term if the distance of the trail is short and if there is a strong rock base to it.[2]
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- ^ a b c d e f "Joffre Lakes Trail Hike near Pemberton | How to Hike Joffre Lakes". Outdoor Vancouver. 2010-08-26. Retrieved 2017-03-07.
- ^ a b c d e Marion, Jeffrey L.; Wimpey, Jeremy. "Assessing the influence of sustainable trail design and maintenance on soil loss". Journal of Environmental Management. 189: 46–57. doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2016.11.074.