important information for all visitors - alberta.ca · • designated trails are available for use...

• Noopenfiresareallowed.

• Ifyouusewoodburningcampstoves,ensuresparkarrestersareonthechimney.

• Planandprepareyourmealswell.Avoidunnecessarypackaging,repackintoziplockbags;takeonlywhatyouwillneed.

• Ifyoupackitin,packitout!Garbagemustbepackedout,neverburiedorburned.Wildlifethatfindanddigupgarbagebecomeaccustomedtohumanfoodandbecomeproblemwildlife.Feedingwildlifecreatessimilarproblems.Pleasehelpusoutbypackingoutanygarbagethatyoumaycomeacrossfrompreviousvisitors.

• Themaximumstayforcampsis16days.Allcampsmustbecompletelyremovedattheendofyourstay.AnyabandoneditemswillberemovedanddisposedofbyConservationOfficers.

Respect the Rights of Others:

• OHVsshouldyieldtohikers,cyclistsandequestrianusers.

• Pleasebeconsiderateofneighbouringprivateland.Obtainpermissionfromallleaseholdersorlandownerspriortoaccessingorcrossinganylandsotherthanthewildlandpark.Accesstotheheritagerangelandcanberestrictedbytheleaseholderoftheareaformanagementpurposes.

• Neverparkyourvehiclesoitblocksaccesstoacattleguard,loadingramps,othervehiclesorroadways.

• Leavegatesasyoufindthem.

• Wildlifeandlivestockneedspace,quietandtimetofeed.Respecttheseneeds.

• Reportvandalismorotherillegalbehavior.

Important Information for All VisitorsSafety in the Backcountry

• Knowthebasicsofnavigation,firstaidandminimumimpactcamping.

• Knowyourrouteandthearea;obtainpropermapsandkeeptrackofwhereyouareatalltimesbymapandcompass,GPS,orboth.CarryextrabatteriesandhaveacompassavailableincasetheGPSfails.ConsiderapersonalSPOTGPSdeviceforemergencycommunications.

• Informfamily,friendsorauthoritiesofyourrouteandyourexpectedreturntimeandleaveanoteinyourvehicle.

• Bringsufficientsuppliesandgearsuchasfood,matches,firstaidkitandemergencyblanket,evenondaytrips.

• Bringextraclothingandsafetysupplies,BobCreekWildlandisaremotelocationandtheweathercanchangequickly.

• Checkweatherconditionsbeforeyougo.Bepreparedforweatherchanges.Dressinlayers.Bringclothingandequipmentthatwillkeepyouwarm,dryandcomfortable.

• Usecautionwhenfordingstreams-theycanbedangerous,especiallywhenstreamflowsarehigh.Travelinagroup.

• Ifyougetlost,stayput.Keepwarmanddry.

• Inanemergency,thinkfirst…thenact.Thiswillincreaseyourchancesofsurvival.

• Familiarizeyourselfwithwildlifesafetytechniques.

• Whenheadingintobearcountry:

Welcome to Bob Creek Wildland and Black Creek Heritage Rangeland.

LocatedinSWAlberta,betweentheLivingstoneRangeoftheRockyMountainFront,theOldmanRiverandHighway22,theseprotectedwildlandssurroundoneofAlberta’suniqueecologicalareasknownas“TheWhaleback”.TogetherBobCreekWildlandandBlackCreekRangelandprotectthelargestintactexpanseofmontanelandscapeinAlberta.Theuniquefeaturesofthisnaturalregionsupportelkherds,grizzlybearsandwolves,speciesatriskwhileatthesametimecontinuingthehistoricusesoftheland.Pleaseberespectfulofthegrassland,wildlife,cattleandtheotherusersofthisarea.

Beneaththiswildprairieissedimentaryrock,foldedandfaulted,withridgesthatfollowmajorfaultlines.Severaliceagesoverthelast100,000yearserodedthisunderlyingrockandcombinedwiththeuniqueweatherpatternsofSWAlbertatocreatethelandscape.Today,thelandischaracterizedbyrollingfescuegrasslands,steepforestedandgrassyridges,withmanyspringsandsmallcreeksalongthevalleybottoms.

All users are reminded that compliance checks may be performed by conservation officers at any time.Whenyouareintheareapleaseensurethatyouarecompliantwithallprovincialandfederalregulationsincluding,butnotlimitedto,possessingvalidhuntinglicenses,aswellasvalidinsuranceandregistrationforyourOHVs.

ContactAlberta Parks OfficePhone:(403)382–4097Tollfree:310–0000Web:albertaparks.ca

Emergency (Police, Fire, Ambulance)Phone:911

Conservation OfficerPhone:(403)382–4097

Forest Fires310–FIRE(3473)

Report-A-PoacherPhone:1–800–642–3800

Recommended Resources

Alberta Guide to Sport Fishing Regulations Publishedannually,availablewhereyoupurchasefishingpermitsandonlineatwww.srd.alberta.ca

Alberta Guide to Hunting RegulationsPublishedannually,availablewhereyoupickuphuntingpermitsandonlineatwww.srd.alberta.ca

Parks Brochuresonlineatalbertaparks.ca:

• BearSmart

• LivingWithCougars

• Regulationsbrochure

• Research&CollectionPermits

• Filming&PhotographyinAlbertaParks

AnglersPlease Review the Section “Important Information for All Visitors”

WorldClassFishingisjustoutsidethewildland,atMaycroftProvincialRecreationArea.ThereyoucanparkindesignateddayuseparkingandcarefullyaccesstheOldmanRiver.Beextremelycautiousofhighwaterandcliffswhennavigatingtotheedgeoftheriver.

Pleasefollowthefishingregulationsfromthesportfishingguide,availablewhereveryoupurchasedyourfishinglicense.

ISBN:978–1–4601–0504–7

PrintedAugust2013

• Warnbearsofyourpresencebymakingnoise.

• Avoidanykillsitesyoumaycomeacross.

• Beawareofbearsignssuchastracks,droppings,diggingsandfoodsourcessuchascarcassesandberrypatches.

• Ifyouseeabear,orfreshbearsigns,leavetheareaandnotifyConservationOfficersorAlbertaParksstaff.

• Fordetailedinformationaboutsafetyinbearcountry,readourBearSmartbrochure,downloadablefromwww.albertaparks.ca.

• Don’tforget,otherwildlifelikemoose,canalsobedangerous.Stayalertandawaretoavoiddangerouscloseencounters.

Minimize Your Impact

• BackcountrycampingispermittedinBobCreekWildland.ItisnotpermittedintheHeritageRangelandatanytime.

• Inthewildland,backcountrycampingisnotpermittedwithin1kmoftheCampCreekAccessPoint.

• CampingisalsonotpermittedwithintheconfinesoftheBobCreekStagingAreaortheCampCreekAccessPoint.

• Beawareofyoureffectontheenvironmentandactresponsibly.

• Familiarizeyourselfwithallregulationsineffect.

• Chooselightweightequipmentthatisdurableandsafe.

• Parkyourvehicleinadesignatedparkingarea.

• DoNotparkonroadsidemeadowsorothersensitiveareas.

• Washandrelieveyourselfataminimumof50metres(150feet)fromanywatersource.

• Buryhumanwasteandtoiletpaper.

Equestrian UsersPlease Review the Section “Important Information for All Visitors”

Enjoyyourrideandpleaseshowrespecttothenaturalenvironmentinthefollowingways:

• Parkyourhorsetraileronlyindesignatedparkinglocationandneverblockcattleguards,othervehicles,loadingrampsorroadways.

• Useprocessed(cubesorpellets)orcertifiedweedfreehay.Donotleaveunusedfeedbehind.

• Donotcleanoutyourhorsetrailerintheparkinglot.

• Whenaroundwater,stayonhardgroundsurfacesandavoidsoftgroundconditionstopreventsteambankerosionandpossibleboggingofyourhorse.Beextremelycarefularoundsprings,wetlandsandsmallmuddystreamcrossings.

• Donottieorhighlineyourhorsestoevergreentreesorcottonwoodsornearcreeksorsprings.Aspenareatreespeciesthatistakingoverthefescuegrasslandandcanworkwellfortyingyourhorses.

HikersPlease Review the Section “Important Information for All Visitors”

• Whenhiking,keepyourgroupstoamaximumof10andberespectfulofthegrassland,wildlife,cattleandotherusers.Thefollowingguidelineswillhelpyouenjoyyourhike.

• Avoidlowwetareas;whenthisisnotpossible,takecaretominimizeyourdisturbanceofvegetation.

• BobCreekWildlandandBlackCreekHeritageRangelandisawildernessarea.Allvisitorsmustbepreparedforbackcountryconditions.Ensureyouhaveenoughgearandsafetyequipmentshouldyouneeditduetochangingweatherconditionsandenoughexperiencetosafelytravelinthearea.

• Keeplitterinyourpocketsorbringalongabagtoputitin.

• ThebestwaytoaccessBobCreekWildlandandBlackCreekHeritageRangelandisfromthesouthend.

CyclersPlease Review the Section “Important Information for All Visitors”

Pleaseshowrespecttothenaturalenvironmentinthefollowingways:

• Whencomingupbehindothertrailusersandwhenapproachingblindcorners,useyourbelltowarnothersofyourpresence

• Stayalert!Remember,youaretravelingfastandyoucouldstartlebearsorotherwildlifeifyoumovetooquietlyalongtrails;beextracautious.

• Whenapproachinghorses,sayhellototheridertoletthehorseknowthatyouarehuman.Moveyourbikeoffthetrailandkeepitbetweenyouandthehorse.Thiswillfacilitatepassingandwillputyouinasaferpositionasthehorseispassing.Followtheinstructionsoftherider.

• Stayontrails.

HuntersPlease Review the Section “Important Information for All Visitors”

HuntingispermittedinBobCreekWildlandandsubjecttowildliferegulationspertinentforWildlifeManagementUnit(WMU)308andWMU402.

Off-Highway Vehicle (OHVs) UsersPlease Review the Section “Important Information for All Visitors”

OHV use (snowmobiles and quads only) is permitted on designated trails only. Off trail use is prohibited.

Beresponsiblewhenusingyourquadorsnowmobilebycomplyingwiththefollowing:

• OHVoperatorswillberequiredtoproducevalidregistrationandinsurance.

• OnlysnowmobilesandquadmotorizedvehiclesarepermittedondesignatedtrailsintheBobCreekWildland.

• Youcanuseasnowmobileandquadtoaccessacampingareawithin100metresofthedesignatedtrails,solongasthereisanestablishedtrailtoit.

• Aquadhasbeendefinedasafour-wheeled,(butalsoincludesthree-wheeled)vehiclethat:

• haslowground-pressuretires,(10psiorless)

• hasavehicleweightnotexceeding386kilograms

• hasnotracks

• hasawheelbaseof1.55metresorless,andwidthof1.22metresorless

• issteeredbychangingthehorizontalalignmentoffrontwheels

• mustbeequippedwithfunctionalheadlights,tail-lights,andsparkarrestor.

• Quadsandsnowmobilesmustmeetcurrentprovincialregulationstandards.TheseOHVstandardsexisttoensureridersafetyandtominimizeenvironmentalimpacts.

• Stayondesignatedtrailsatalltimes(designatedtrailsareshownonthemap).

• DesignatedtrailsareavailableforusefromMay1throughDecember20.

• Don’tdrinkandride.

• Useoflow-pressuretiresismandatorytoreduceimpacts(i.e.,scarring).

• Avoidspinningquadtiresinmudoronsofttrails.Minimizegrounddisturbancewhenentering,crossing,andexitingcreeksthatarepartofthedesignatedtrailsystem.Sedimentsareharmfultofishandhabitat.

• BeawareofthepotentialnegativeeffectsofrecreationalOHVuse(wildlifedisruption,soilandwatercontamination,lossofvegetationcover,soilerosion,noise).

• Obeyalllawfullypostedsigns.

• Formoreinformationaboutrecreationalaccessonleasedlandsvisitmywildalberta.com.

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