By Don Urquhart, Times Chronicle
Work on the Trail of the Okanagan international cycling network continues, despite the ongoing problems created by the new American presidency, with a recent virtual meeting held at the end of February.
Myers Bennett, a director of Trail of the Okanagans, said the meeting included interested parties from North-Central Washington, including Arnie Marchand from Oroville and Member of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and Commissioner Andy Hover from Okanagan County. He noted that the number of participants has reduced in part because of the cuts to government departments being undertaken in the US.
The ongoing efforts of the organization are aimed at creating a single 370 km long hiking and cycling trail from Sicamous, BC in the north to Brewster, WA in the south – spanning the length of the Okanagan Valley lake and river system.
“The route traces traditional trading routes of the Okanagan First Nations, skirts lake edges, wanders through forests and hillsides, borders vineyards, fruit orchards, witnesses unique landscapes and connects all our valley communities,” the organization says.
Progress is slow, but headway continues to be made with approximately 75 per cent of the route being cyclable now and a third of that being suitable for all ages and all abilities.
The Feb. 28 meeting updated work on the international trail and “to continue the good relationship we have along the US-Canada border and continue to find a way to extend the Trail of the Okanagans trail into Washington State to develop an international trail between the two countries.”
Talks went from the development of the trail following the Okanagon River in Washington to ideas about potential cycling routes from Osoyoos down through Brewster, over to Grand Coulee Dam, up to Republic and then back up through the border at Midway and returning to Osoyoos, as one potential loop trail.
Bennett said that discussions continued around a potential trial ride this fall to promote the concept. “This would create a similar bike journey as is offered currently with the International Selkirk Crossing Loop,” he said.
He also noted that Commissioner Hover is from Methow, in Washington State, which is located up in the foothills close to Twisp and Winthrop, which is well known for its cross-country biking and x-country ski trails.
He has a keen interest in the Similkameen Valley and the potential to join up with the Pacific Northwest Trail, according to Bennett. He also felt that as long as the railway system is operating between Brewster and Oroville the trail may end up as an extension of the shoulder on Highway 97.
The BC-based Trail of the Okanagans Society is an advocacy group focused on trail sections between the Bennett Bridge and the Canada / US Border and supports the work of the Okanagan Rail Trail, and Shuswap North Okanagan Rail Trail.
