CAMBA Powerline Connector Fully Adaptive Single Track Trail

The Cause

CAMBA has approval from land managers to build 3.5km of fully adaptive single-track in the utility corridor on the south side of Canmore. The project is shovel-ready and scheduled to be built in 2025. This project, dubbed the ‘Powerline Connector’, will replace a 750m piece of the popular Loki trail, which is a crucial trail connection that links popular trails like Highline, Cloudline and Guy Lafleur to the Canmore Nordic Centre and the Legacy Trail. Loki is also one of the few sustained green-level trails in the Canmore trail network. A section of Loki must be realigned to accommodate development and the project partners have worked together to design a new trail to improve long-term trail sustainability. This section of trail currently winds through a wildlife corridor, and its realignment is intended to protect wildlife habitat and reduce human-wildlife interactions.
The new trail will continue for an additional 2750m to link several other popular provincial single-track trails in the Canmore area. Since the Powerline Connector will be in the existing utility corridor, it will be protected from development and become a long term asset for the community for generations to come. The utility corridor terrain offers a great opportunity to make the trail accessible to all riders, including those requiring adaptive equipment.
CAMBA has worked closely with Three Sisters Mountain Village Development (land developer in the area of the existing Loki trail); Alberta Parks and the Town of Canmore to establish the needs and optimize the benefits of the Powerline Connector trail project. CAMBA has also received support from Alberta Public Lands, Altalink (utility operator) and Rocky Mountain Adaptive (local adaptive sports charitable organization).
The Powerline Connector will be designed and built to the width, terrain and grade requirements of the Kootenay Adaptive Trail Standards. The trail will be bi-directional with passing bays, resulting in good visibility and optimum accessibility. Located in an existing utility corridor, it minimizes new environmental disturbance and optimizes land use in an important wildlife habitat. It is located close to the Quarry Lake parking lot, which is ideal for parking and offloading of users’ riding equipment.

Who Will it Benefit?

As the Bow Vally’s first fully-adaptive mountain bike trail, the Powerline Connector will provide new opportunities for riders with physical disabilities. It will also open up riding opportunities for the much wider community of riders and trail users, such as those with invisible or temporary disabilities, children, active elderly, people aging out of mountain biking and families.