MAINTAINING ACCESS

EAGLE MOUNTAIN KEY PROGRAM

IMPORTANT INFO ABOUT FORTIS WORK AND EAGLE ACCESS THROUGH 2024

Fortis BC is working this summer to expand their gas pipeline from Eagle Mountain to Woodfibre near Squamish. Part of the construction zone crosses the Eagle trail just below the second gate, leading to restricted access to the trail.

At this time, the lower gate will be locked and manned from 7 AM to 7 PM Monday to Saturday, with access possible from 7 PM to 7 AM, and all day Sundays.

There is a planned opening during the extended Easter long weekend, during which work will be paused and trails will be open March 28 – April 2, 2024.

Moving forward, crews will be working the Sunday before most long weekends to make up for the additional day off during the long weekend. In those instances, the trails will be closed the Sunday prior, and open for the full duration of the long weekend. As this is an active worksite, security is on site 24/7.

We will try to keep this link updated as changes are related to us.

More information on the project timeline is available on Fortis’ website.

Eagle Mountain – Urban Wheeling

For decades, the Eagle Mountain trail (aka Cypress Lake FSR) has been a popular off-roading route in the middle of an urban area, with challenging obstacles and a spectacular view at the end. In 2002, vehicle access to Eagle Mountain was closed by the Province. In 2009, the 4WDABC helped to negotiate a key program, managed by the City of Coquitlam, whereby wheelers could pay a deposit and receive a key to the lock. In 2018, that changed to a Bluetooth lock that allowed the city to track and more readily control access.

Today, Eagle represents the only wheeling to be had between Squamish and Stave Lake.

In late 2020, the City handed management of that program over to the 4WDABC, and in March of 2021, we signed a new Section 57 agreement with Rec Sites and Trails BC to take over the ongoing management of the trail and other facilities in the area, in exchange for keeping the trail open for the enjoyment of our members.

Read more about the history of the Eagle Mountain Key Program here!

Planned and ongoing projects include upgraded signage, trail maintenance, hardening of creek crossings to reduce sedimentation, installation of one or more fire pits at the lookout, construction of a new footbridge for hikers… and operation, maintenance, and upgrades to the Cypress Lake dam under the direction of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (yes, we’re now helping out at a federal level!)

There are a number of other stakeholders in this area, including the Cities of Coquitlam and Port Moody, Rec Sites and Trails BC, Fortis BC, BC Hydro, BC Parks, Department of Fisheries and Oceans (including three downstream hatcheries), Metro Vancouver Water Services, and numerous other recreation groups who enjoy the trails. Accordingly, under our agreement with RSTBC, there are a few requirements we need to enforce to help minimize our impact:

  • Applicants must be paid Individual Members of the 4WDABC in good standing.
  • Applicants’ vehicles must have a minimum 33” or equivalent tire size, or 12″ (30.5cm) ground clearance (see diagram).
  • Approved applicants will pay an annual maintenance fee (currently $53+GST), with all funds going toward ongoing maintenance and infrastructure projects.
  • All gate accesses will be logged and tracked via the Bluetooth key.
  • Keyholders are required to re-lock the gate after passing through. Do not allow tailgaters!
  • Keyholders may take guests along but will be responsible for their conduct.
  • Keyholders must not share their Vault login or temporary codes if not present.
  • Keyholders must ensure accompanying vehicles meet the build and clearance requirements.
  • Groups must be restricted to five vehicles or fewer.
  • Surveillance cameras are in use to monitor traffic levels.
  • All visitors must obey all laws, including fire bans.
  • Pack out what you pack in… or more.
FAILURE TO ABIDE BY THESE REQUIREMENTS MAY RESULT IN YOUR ACCESS BEING REVOKED.

Urban wildfire being a major concern, we strongly recommend trail users carry suitable fire suppression equipment at all times:
shovel, minimum 8L of water, and fire extinguisher should be part of your regular trail pack.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS AN INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL TRAIL AND NOT SUITABLE FOR NEW WHEELERS. IF YOU ARE NOT EXPERIENCED, TURN BACK NOW.

Apply for Access

Our Eagle Mountain Key Application is only available for members of the 4WDABC.

To apply, please fill out the form below. If you do not see the form, check that you’re logged in and that your membership is active.

Please allow up to a week for applications to be processed. Once your application is approved, you’ll be sent an invoice for the maintenance fee, and once that’s paid, we’ll send the invitation.

Do not sent payment until you have received your invoice, and please send the proper amount or we may not see it and your key will be delayed!

You can download the Master Lock Vault Enterprise app to your phone in advance.

Special thanks to:

And these three who tend to shun the spotlight but deserve massive recognition for all the time and effort spent to make and keep this a reality:

  • Morgan McMillan
  • David King
  • Kim Reeves

Setup and Use of the App

Once your invoice payment is processed, your invitation will come in the form of an email containing a link to set up your account and set your password.

Download and install the Enterprise version of the Master Lock Vault Enterprise app (Apple and Android versions available), and log in to it with that account.
The Organization ID is “4WDABC”.

You may see multiple locks listed – all are for Eagle, but only one is in use at any given time.

To activate the lock, make sure Bluetooth is enabled on your phone.

When you are at the lock, open the app, press any button on the lock, and in the app you’ll see a blue key next to one of the locks.

Press the blue key icon, and the lock will show green on the Enter button to indicate it’s unlocked and ready to open.

There is a time limit on how long it stays green, so if you wait too long before opening it, it will re-lock itself.

If Bluetooth access isn’t working, the app can also give you a temporary code to open the lock.

If you have any problems or questions, please email eagle@4wdabc.ca

If you don’t see the form below, please log in and ensure your membership is active.

IMPORTANT: Once your application has been successfully submitted, you’ll see a
confirmation message, and you’ll receive an email with a copy of your responses.
If you don’t see these, your application was not completed.

You do not have permission to view this form.