June 27, 2007

Senior Land Officer
Integrated Land Management Bureau
200- 10428 153rd Street
Surrey, B.C.
V3R 1E1

Dear Sir or Madam,

Re: Westcoast Freeride Guides Ltd. Licence of Occupation- motorized commercial recreation, Heli Biking File: #2409410

I am submitting this letter on behalf of the Association of Whistler Area Residents for the Environment (AWARE) regarding Westcoast Freeride Guides Ltd. application for a proposed heli biking operation in the Rainbow Mountain and Cougar Mountain areas, Whistler, B.C.

The ILBM website indicates that Westcoast Freeride Guides Ltd. has applied for a Licence of Occupation for a heli biking operation covering Rainbow and Cougar Mountains. AWARE strongly opposes any heli biking in this or any other area. The area to the south and east of Rainbow Mountain drains into the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) watershed. As such any motorized activity should be permanently prohibited in this area to ensure that groundwater, melt water, and run off is not impaired by any oil or fuel contaminants. This would ensure the drinking water quality is maintained to the highest possible standards.

This area is heavily used by both local and non-resident tourist backcountry hikers who specifically enjoy an environment that is free from motorized uses. The area is quickly accessed by municipal trails and then through a sub-alpine forest into beautiful flower meadows. Any motorized activity, especially helicopter traffic, in the area will compromise the quiet enjoyment of the many current, non-motorized users of the area. This is especially critical at a time when one of the aims of the current B.C. government is to increase tourism, especially environmentally friendly, sustainable tourism. If this Licence of Occupation for a Heli biking operation is granted, it will displace many of the current tourist visitors who come to the area to enjoy its natural unspoiled environment.

The area is also heavily used by wildlife. Larger mammals including deer, goats, black and grizzly bears make use of the area. While helicopter noise has a negative impact on the resident wildlife population, groups of mountain bikers, descending at free-ride speeds, will startle and possibly injure many of these animals in a way that hikers and mountaineers cannot. Any detrimental impact on the wildlife population would result in reduced enjoyment for the current users of the area, many of whom visit the area because of the wildlife.

Trail erosion caused by mountain bike descents was first noticed some five years ago, when the “rogue” trails first appeared above the Rainbow section of the Flank trail. More frequent use of the trail would only increase this erosion. When trails are built to be used as both uphill and downhill bike routes, the potential for erosion is not such a large issue as they are designed to be ridden up and down and the need for sliding downhill with the brakes on is minimized.
Additionally, it should be noted that while the Westcoast Freeride Guides Ltd. application states that the bike trail they propose to use down Rainbow Mountain to the Flank trail is an existing bike trail, the trail does not show on any of the local bike trail maps or in bike guide books, including the “Whistler Bikeguide” published by Grant Lamont, a prominent Whistler Off-Road Cycling Association (WORCA) member, in June 2007. This “rogue” trail has continued to show serious erosion in sensitive meadow complexes and between sections of exposed bedrock in the alpine.

The Sea-to-Sky Backcountry Sharing Forum has designated the Rainbow Mountain area as a non-motorized area. The Westcoast Freeride Guides Ltd. motorized commercial recreation heli biking proposal violates this agreement.
As the 2010 Winter Olympics are rapidly approaching, Whistler is poised to showcase to the world its 2020 vision of a more sustainable way of life, we believe granting a new helicopter access would be extremely counter productive. AWARE regards preservation of our natural environment as one of the fundamental principles of maintaining and increasing our outdoor recreation tourism opportunities. As such, it is vital that these areas remain free from the consistent intrusion that a motorized tenure would bring.

At a time when the B.C. government has undertaken a campaign to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by encouraging us to drive less, take the bus, commute by bike, or to buy a more fuel-efficient vehicle, we consider granting permission for a heli biking operation, or any other motorized operation, as an action which will drastically increase our greenhouse gas emissions, and further global warming. AWARE hopes ILMB sees the situation similarly, and not allow a further increase in such unsustainable tourism.

Sincerely,

Joel Allen
Director, AWARE