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Rossland, British Columbia (June 23, 2022) – Tourism Rossland is excited to announce the Mxiɬp Trail development, opening later this summer and expanding the 200-kilometre singletrack trail network. Named in consultation with representatives of the Sinixt, the Mxiɬp Trail means Cedar in their traditional language and speaks to the towering cedars that mark the beginning of the trail.
“As you walk the beginning of this trail, the trees can begin feeling you, feeling that you have some love in your heart,” said Sinixt Elder and Matriarch, Marilyn James. “This place is beautiful, it’s easy to love because it is so beautiful.”
The creation of the trail was done in such a way that it protects the trees and the land it was being built on. Where conventional trail building methods may dig down, this trail was created by building on top of the tree roots so as not to disturb them.
“We worked with the contractor to modify trail construction techniques to protect the trees,” said Stewart Spooner, operations manager with the Kootenay Columbia Trail Society and a Rossland city counselor. “We’re trying to highlight these beautiful old growth trees, and to protect the root system, we built the trail up and over the roots rather than digging down and potentially harming them.”
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