Retallack and the Lower Kootenay Band and have partnered on a new adventure tourism project in the South Purcell Mountains. The partners have jointly submitted an application for the east side of Kootenay Lake that includes 177, 000 acres. It will allow for summer and winter guided actives such as hiking, horseback riding, climbing and mountain biking in summer and guided ski touring, heliskiing, mountaineering, snowshoeing and dogsledding in winter.
Lower Kootenay Band Chief Jason Louie says they’re interested in developing a sustainable adventure tourism economy for the long term well being of the Ktunaxa people and sites Retallack’s proven track record of operational excellence and environmental leadership.
Retallack CEO Chris McNamara says they are open to public consultation for suggestions and improvements to their application.
Most of the land would be left as is except for the construction of a number of mountain biking trails. There would be no new roads and old growth forest would be protected, according to the applicants.
The proposed tenure area is not in current or recently proposed Federal or Provincial Caribou habitat, however, the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative has expressed concerns in light of the South Selkirk caribou herd’s further population decline to three members.
Click here for a link to the Management Plan.
To submit additional comments and suggestions, you can e-mail [email protected].