Some trails at Kouchibouguac National Park reopen after ice storm damage

Two weeks afterice-storm damage closed all of the trails atKouchibouguac National Park, visitors were welcomed back to make use of three of the park's 25 winter trails.

An ice storm that hit on Jan. 24 and 25 left trails covered in broken trees and branches. As well, freezing rain and ice pellets left a thick coating of ice and caused extensive power outages in New Brunswick.

Field unit superintendent GraldineArsenaultsaid the park was without power for nine days.

• New Brunswick ice storm knocks out power to more than 100,000 customers

Shesaid a lot of the birch, spruce and fir trees were affected.

"There's been quite a bit of damage throughout the forest ofKouchibouguac," said Arsenault."You just have to look around."

Safety first

She said the trails were closed so that park staff could clean them up and ensure people wouldn't be in danger of being hit by falling branches.

After a lot of work by staff and assistance from some seasonal workers, the parkwas able to open one ski trail, one snowshoe trail and a fat bikingtrail,Arsenaultsaid.

However, trails leading to the campground remain closed and reservations for rustic shelters for winter camping have been cancelled.

"We're diligently working on those and we're hoping thatthis week we'll be able to be open that trail that brings them to the campground area, as well as along all the walking trails used in the summertime," said Arsenault.

She said efforts to clear the trails are labour-intensive because ofthe added weight of the ice on branches.

"A tree branch that normally weighs five pounds when it's loaded with ice might weigh 20 pounds," she said. "For the workers, it's certainly a lot more work."

More work in spring

Adding to the work is the challenge of getting to the trails in the remote areas of the parks. Arsenault said the road to access the campground is closed each winter and staff have to use snowmobiles to access the areas.

However, that'll become a problem as more snow accumulates.Arsenault said crews will keep working for another week or two until the deep snow will prevent them from working safely.

"With the storms coming it, it makes it more and more difficult to access the sites that we have to be working in," she said.

Arsenault said when that happens, work will begin in early spring to get the remainder of the damaged trails cleared.