The sense in trail safety

Tents were set up along a popular Penticton biking trail on Sunday to promote trail safety.

Search and rescue prevention group AdventureSmart was perched along the Kettle Valley Rail Trail, along with Penticton Search and Rescue and others, with pamphlets and gear to inform bikers on how to stay safe on trails in the area.

AdventureSmart Kelowna team member Melissa Goertzen said the group was there primarily to promote what it calls the “three Ts.”

“Today is Trail Sense Day in Penticton,” she said. “We are here educating the public on our three Ts, which is trip planning, taking the essentials, making sure they’re trained for the activity they’re doing.”

She said it is meant to reduce the amount of calls for PenSAR and to ensure people know what to do when they get lost, through various preparations.

“The basic side of (trip planning) is to make sure you tell someone where you’re going, making sure that you take your essentials with you,” she said. “Because it’s bike and trails day, today, enough water, proper nutrition, the equipment they need, so helmets, pumps, layers, things that they might need to make sure they are safe on the trails.”

Goertzen also said it is important for people to research the area that they are in. She said issues that often come up are a result of a lack of planning.

“Some of the big issues are [trail users] not telling people where they’re going and then ending up getting lost because they didn’t plan,” she said.

Those looking for more information about AdventureSmart and its programs are encouraged to visit its Twitter page.

Photo: AdventureSmart