Rossland's rich gold mining heritage created a network of miner's and horse trails, rail grades and wagon roads that surround the community, which served as the foundation to what has expanded into one of the finest regional trail networks in North America. The Society's brief history, is as follows:

1990 - 1995

• Rossland hosts multiple high profile mountain bike races and self proclaims as Canada’s Mountain Biking Capital. Guidebooks and maps of the trails are published.
• The selling off of sections of the Railgrade and closure of the established access to Kootenay Columbia alerts trail users to the fragility of public access to the trails.
• The concept for a formal trail network is included in Rossland’s Official Community Plan.
• Trails Master Plan for Rossland is prepared by Highland Planning.
• Landowners react negatively to increasing unauthorized trail use on private property.

1996 - 1999

• Following a public process to review issues related to trails, The Trails for Rossland Society is established.
• The first official map (1997) includes only one trail (Centennial).
• Hanne Smith Heinz is contracted to research and obtain land access from private landowners.
• A land access agreement template developed.
• Liability insurance for the Society and landowners is sourced.

2000

• A land access agreement is signed with Cominco (now Teck Metals).
• Stewart Spooner is employed to develop and maintain trails.
• A new trail map includes 12 trails.

2001

• A new trail map includes 18 trails.
• Trails within the Red Mountain Mines area are added to the trail network.

2002

• The Society’s funding and focus expand regionally. To reflect this, the name of the Society is changed to the Kootenay Columbia Trails Society.
• Larry’s trail (now Moe’s) is extended along the Star Gulch Reservoir.
• A new trail constructed to the summit of Kootenay Columbia Mountain.
• The Centennial trail is resurfaced.
• The Society creates a website.

2003

• A new trail map includes 37 trails.
• A land access agreement is signed with Beaumont Timber Company.
• Rossland hosts a BC Cup mountain bike competition.
• Whiskey, Crown Point, Lakeside Park, and Crown Royal trails are all closed due to extensive logging activity.
• Full Monte and Iron Colt trails are constructed.

2004

• With funding from the SICEA program and other sources, a first iteration of the Seven Summits is constructed over a single summer.
• The KCTS assumes responsibility for the Old Glory and Plewman trails from the Provincial government.
• Following extended closures, Whiskey, Crown Point and Flume trails are re-built on modified alignments.
• Full Monte trail is extended. Major sections of Doukhobor Draw and Techno Grind trails are re-routed.

2005

• Major upgrades and re-routes to the Seven Summits trail (Lepsoe and Kirkup climbs).
• Major re-routes to Milky Way, Doukhobor Draw and Snake trails.
• The Antenna trail (Montrose) is added to the trail network.
• The Seven Summits trail is designated an Epic Ride by the International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA).

2006

• A new trail map includes 39 trails.
• Teck closes public access to trails within the Red Mountain Mines Area, and funds construction of Curly’s (now part of Larry’s) and Moe’s trails to provide alternatives.
• JCP funding enables expansion of the trail crew to seven.
• Major upgrades and re-routes to the Seven Summits trail (Unnecessary Ridge, and Lepsoe Basin)
• The Seven Summits trail is lauded as Bike Magazine’s inaugural “Trail of the Year”.
• Construction of Cherry Poppins trail.

2007

• The Seven Summits trail is extended (North end singletrack)
• Cherry Poppins trail is extended, KC Ridge trail is upgraded.
• Major re-routing of Redhead trail.
• Oasis trail is re-routed to address community concerns.
• Management of multiple issues as rural land is proposed for real-estate development.

2008

• With funding from Red Mountain Resort, Redtop trail is constructed.
• Re-routes on the Seven Summits trail (50’s Ski Movie Peak bypass).
• Construction of Tamarack trail.

2009

• Drakes trail is re-routed to address a land access issue.
• Miral Heights, Raven’s Rock and Elder trails (City of Trail) are added to the network.
• JOP funding for unemployed forestry workers enables major re-routes and improvements to the Seven Summits (Saddleback Peak bypass, Unnecessary Ridge re-route, Rino’s Run bypass) and Plewman trails.
• The City of Trail funds major trail development at Violin Lake (currently closed due to access issues).

2010

• A new trail map includes 43 trails.
• JOP funded workers complete construction of the Larch Ridge trail network (Larch Ridge, Monticola, and Cog trails), re-routes to the Seven Summits trail (Plewman and Record Ridge), and development of trails at Camp Tweedsmuir (Fruitvale).
• Sections of Miners trail, and Milky Way trails are re-routed.
• Dewdney Backside (Sheep Creek) trail is upgraded and added to the network.

2011

• A new trail map includes 51 trails.
• Funding from the CBT, the Waneta Expansion Project, and others enables construction of the Bluffs trail (City of Trail).
• Major upgrades to the Dewdney trail.
• Construction of Rossland “Urban trails” complement the KCTS trail network.

2012

• The Society launches a new website.
• Planning for the new Sunningdale trail (City of Trail).
• Sections of Crown Point are re-routed due to flooding.
• Sections of Kootenay Columbia trail are re-routed to eliminate straight doubletrack.

2013

• Sunningdale trail constructed.
• Old Orchard trail (Montrose) constructed.
• New extension to Upper Redhead started with the help of volunteers.