What’s Covered in Our Road Maintenance Agreement?
Our forest service road maintenance agreement is a legal agreement between the Revelstoke Snowmobile Club and the Provincial Ministry of Forests. It authorizes specific types of maintenance and “Other Works” to be carried out in accordance with current legislation and regulations and as they may be amended over time.;
Our maintenance responsibilities.
- Brushing of the Forest Service Road clearing width, with all brush material cuttings being removed from inlets of drainage structures and ditches
- Grading of the road surface to restore and maintain the road’s shape, so water is shed off. Grading activity shall not result in removal of surfacing material from the road, or the creation of berms along the shoulders of the road
- Snow plowing operations are not to result in the removal of surface material from the road. Plowing shall provide sufficient widening to facilitate the passing of expected vehicle traffic
- Cross ditches and water bars to be maintained, or re-established upon completion of operations unless otherwise approved by the District Manager
- Drainage system – maintain drainage system to be fully functional. i.e. Replacement of any structures such as culverts or bridges require the prior approval of the District Manager and a Works Permit.
Our “other works” Responsibilities
A) Protection of the Jordan FSR bridge – During periods of snowmobile and snow grooming equipment operation, the bridge deck and approaches must remain snow covered. When the bridge deck is free of snow cover, snowmobile and grooming equipment traffic should be avoided. The bridge deck is to be maintained free from debris, and no materials shall be discarded into the Jordan River.
B) Protection of Jordan FSR – Stop operations before road degradation is occurring. This includes, but is not limited to, excessive rut formation, the development of substantial potholes, and the displacement of road materials into drainage ditches. Such preventative action is crucial for the preservation of the road subgrade.
C) Damages to Subgrade – Revelstoke Snowmobile Club has the responsibility to involve a professional geotechnical engineer to conduct a field review of the FSR to determine specific road repairs beyond regular maintenance. A Significant Works Permit and approval from the District Manager will be required outside any works beyond regular maintenance.
D) Revelstoke Snowmobile Club must contact the Ministry immediately when road damages may be occurring. Every year from November 14 to April 16 inclusive, the Jordan FSR will be used as a groomed snowmobile trail. Outside that time, Revelstoke Sand & Gravel’s equipment (i.e. pickup truck, dump truck, loaders, excavators, etc.) will be industrially active on the Jordan FSR.
We must also maintain adequate insurance to cover potential liabilities arising from its work and ensure our staff and the Ministry is directly protected under that insurance.
The difference between an RMA, an RUP, and the Ministry
In simple terms, a Road Maintenance Agreement (RMA) is third in the hierarchy of road oversight. At the top, the Ministry of Forests has full authority over all Forest Service Roads (FSRs) and makes the final decisions on their use and maintenance. Next, Road Use Permit (RUP) holders, such as industrial operators like gravel pits, are responsible for the primary maintenance of the road.
An RMA allows the end user — in our case, us — to perform routine maintenance on the FSR at no cost to the Ministry to ensure the road is sufficient for their usage activities. The maintenance is intended to keep the road safe and functional.
For more details, see the province’s resources on Forest Roads permits, authorizations and access agreements.
What has been the situation in the past?
Historically, we have operated out of the 3 km lot without an RMA. More recently, the Jordan FSR has been under intense scrutiny due to several geotechnical events. Because of this, once the road was snow-free, the ministry would assess whether the road was fit for travel and if snowmobiles were damaging the surface. In the past, they have used their legal authority to close access to all vehicle traffic when they determined it necessary for road or environmental protection.
What have we done up until now.
In short, we were advised not to pursue an RMA due to perceived liability issues. At the end of last season, we learned from the ministry that an RMA was required to have any input on road maintenance or plowing. Our membership and riders also made it very clear that pursuing an RMA was of great interest and importance to the club.
What we did this spring.
We attended various meetings, collaborated with local road use permit holders (Jake-Jay Construction Ltd. & Terus Construction), and worked with the ministry to obtain a five year road maintenance agreement with the necessary insurance coverage.
What does this mean moving forward?
This agreement gives us the ability to conduct maintenance and plowing while we ensure the integrity of the road from November 14th to April 16th inclusive. In the past, many of the concerns raised by the Ministry stemmed from a saturated road surface due to our lack of an agreement to perform maintenance such as plowing, ditching, or snow removal. With this agreement now in place, we can now actively manage these conditions, reducing the risk of damage and improving overall access and safety throughout the season.
How will this affect our early-season operations?
Our early-season operations will heavily rely on weather conditions and assessments made by staff.
Once feasible, our machines will begin the season by setting a trail. Once a sufficient snowpack is established, grooming will begin from the 3 km gravel pit, with all public parking directed to this area. Parking on the Jordan FSR will not be permitted at this time. We recommend using sled decks or small trailers. We highly suggest carrying a radio and calling kilometers on channel RR18 while using the Jordan Mainline FSR. For more information, please consult the Forest Service Road Use Regulations page. Booth staff at the Boulder lot will collect trail fees with our grooming team and operations manager monitoring conditions daily.
As snow levels increase, we will not be plowing the road to enable operations to eventually shift to the main Boulder staging area. At the beginning of this transition, it is up to you to make smart driving condition decisions. If you put your truck in the ditch or jackknife your trailer, the club is not liable for your rescue. As snow on the road increases, only sled decks will be permitted to drive and park. All visitors pulling a trailer will be required to park at the main boulder lot so as to not risk the operation of the road for all. Please be respectful of staff guidance during this period. Eventually all operations will be shifted to the main boulder lot and travel on short stretches of gravel may be necessary, however the RSC will work to minimize this to protect the road surface.
How will this affect our spring operations?
Our late-season operations will also heavily rely on weather conditions and assessments made by staff.
When the snow levels are no longer sustainable at lower altitudes, and the forecasts anticipate either no new snowfall or a continued warming period, we will coordinate the plowing of the road back up to the 3km mark. Again, it is up to you to make smart driving condition decisions. If you put your truck in the ditch or jackknife your trailer, the club is not liable for your rescue. Please be respectful of staff guidance during this period. Parking and staging at the 3 km lot will continue until feasible or permissible.
This is our first year with an RMA so it will take us sometime to figure out how best to go about early and late season operations. Please be respectful of the work we’re putting into this.
Can the road still close?
Yes! If our maintenance efforts are not sufficient to keep the road surface dry and stable or something catastrophic occurs, the Ministry retains the authority to temporarily close access. This measure is in place to protect riders, staff, Ministry personnel, the environment, and the integrity of the road, its subgrade, and bridges. These decisions will be based on assessments; however, under this new agreement, we’ll have greater input and maintenance coordination with the Ministry, helping us minimize disruptions and reduce the duration of any closures.
What can you do to prevent this?
This is our first season operating under a Road Maintenance Agreement (RMA), and we want to make a good first impression. That means working together, respecting decisions made by the Club, and driving responsibly. Please avoid burnouts, drifting corners, or any driving that damages the road surface. It might be fun in the moment, but it puts everyone’s access at risk. Don’t be that person!
If you notice any road issues, such as eroded ditches or water bars, blocked drains, deep ruts, or pooling water, please report them right away. Quick repairs are essential to keeping the road safe and open. Unaddressed damage could lead to closures, so your help makes a real difference!
We finally have an RMA!
This is great news so let’s do our best to be respectful road users and ensure that this relationship lasts. Big shoutout to our membership who’s commitment to the club helped drive this process. Get ready for a great season!
