'It is quite unusual': Fallen trees from heavy snowfall close Shuswap park and popular trail

Heavy snow in B.C.'s southern Interior Shuswap region has closed Tsútswecw Provincial Park — the site of the famous Adams River Salmon Run — and the Margaret Falls Trail in Herald Provincial Park.

Dozens of trees are down and two crashed onto the roof of an interpretive centre at Tsútswecw, formerly known as Roderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park.

"Because the snow is so heavy, it's knocked down a lot of trees," said David Askew, president of the Adams River Salmon Society, which owns the cabin.

"It is quite unusual. I mean there's heavy snowfall, but the snow isn't normally as heavy as it is this time."

The province closed the park on Monday and there is no date yet for when it will reopen, however Askew expects they will be able to fix the damage before the centre opens again in the spring.

Two out of the three trees near the cabin fell on top of it.

"That was pretty startling," said Askew.

Local Jim Cooperman, author of Everything Shuswap, said he did a short tour of Tsútswecw park and found the viewing platform was blocked by trees.

"It was a really ominous start to our New Year and new decade."

Meanwhile, the province will be overseeing the cleanup of fallen trees across the rest of the park. 

More damage

The provincial park isn't the only spot with downed trees.

The popular Margret Falls Trail in Herald Provincial Park, north of Salmon Arm, which was just reopened in October after being closed for two-and-a-half years due to flood damage in 2017, is closed once again because of fallen trees. There is no date yet for reopening.