Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Refreshments will be available
North Shore Hikers is your club! We are an inclusive organization. We believe in diversity, mentorship and a sense of belonging. Come to the AGM and show your support. The business session will be concise and informative. We hope to engage you all in a round table discussion about international hikes planned for the future and about increasing the number of hike leaders.
You'll receive a detailed agenda before the meeting
Feature Presentation: by Ye Chu Switzerland in 21 days: a NSH group trip to the famous Haute Walker route and more
Mark your calendars! Our club’s AGM this year will convene on Thursday, November 9, at Sunrise Community Hall. An agenda and more details will be sent to all two weeks before the meeting. Everybody is welcome, and please attend. The AGM is an excellent opportunity to meet the volunteers who make the club work and learn about next year’s “big trips” planned. The meeting has two distinct parts: a business session followed by a slide presentation of a recent adventure. As in previous years, trip leaders will have the chance to win a $50 gift certificate drawn randomly.
Carpooling or Taking Transit?
By Cristina Jacob,
This write-up is meant for those of us who do not have a car or do not want to drive to club activities. While I have a car, I have been taking transit to Grouse and Lynn Valley lately, and the experience was very positive. I avoid congestion and long delays on First and Second Narrows bridges, which more than compensates for the longer bus ride. Google Maps has excellent information on transit connections, and the bus service on the North Shore is well connected to the Vancouver downtown core or Lonsdale Quay. And when was the last time that I drove to Horseshoe Bay to take the ferry for a hike on Bowen Island? Honestly, I do not remember; it was so long ago. Last month, I also bused with my bike to Tswasswen for a free ferry ride to Victoria for seniors (Monday to Thursday).
If you want to carpool, please remember that the trip leaders’ primary role is coordinating and leading the trip, not arranging rides. However, if you mention early enough in your communication with the leader that you need a ride and give details on your location, you have an excellent chance to be connected with a car driver. The leader also appreciates if participants express interest in offering rides to others.
As a leader, I usually arrange only for carpooling from a common meeting point to the trailhead. However, I could do more if given more information on participants’ transportation needs and offers. I could connect people and facilitate carpooling arrangements between them. Remember that you can also post a request in the general forum. I cannot see anything wrong in requesting a ride to enable one to participate in a particular activity.
We have now opened registration for our 2023 Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Saturday, October 21, 2023, at the University of British Columbia (UBC) campus.
We will be providing Zoom access to the AGM, also. Registration is limited and required – please register promptly to ensure participation.
We are excited to welcome several guest speakers, including the Outdoor Recreation Council of BC (ORCBC), who will keep us updated on the new $10 million outdoor recreation fund for BC. The BC Back Country Horsemen of BC will join us for a presentation, and we welcome special guest Ardath Paxton-Mann to speak on diversity and inclusion in our clubs.
Blair Rifle Range: North Shore Trails Closed for Bomb Search
Starting in mid-October, department of defence workers will be searching with metal detectors to look for military remnants 30 to 45 centimetres below the surface. This stretch of unexploded ordinance (UXO) work is expected to last until May of 2024, with a likely return to the Blair Rifle Range lands next fall and into 2025. This next phase of work will require full closures of the popular hiking, mountain biking and dog walking trails in the areas where crews are working, often for months at a time. The purpose is to give workers a 50-metre buffer when dealing with UXO. Any closed trail will have signs warning people to choose a different route. Get more info here
This was a five-star hiking trip to where no one goes: Gin and Tonic Lakes up at Whistler. There are no trails, just wonderful meandering in alpine and subalpine meadows. A real treat for the eyes as we could see Black Tusk and Overlord glacier ( Russet Lake) in the same view! We wandered amid fragrant flowers for hours, crossing creeks, boulder fields and swampy meadows. Pure panacea. We should make this into an official trail with markers. Thank you, Brent (Erhl) for introducing me to a new hike. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it. I hope it becomes an annual trip. Next time, we should bring some flagging tape and reinstate Alan Banwell’s trail.
Stats:
Duration: 9+ hours ( we finished at different times as some hikers got slower), elevation gain: 1100+ m, distance: 24.5+ km. Air temperature: 30+C ( three litres of water min. and bring water filter ).
photo: Ye Chu
photo: Ye Chu
Trailhead Closures
Lions Bay
Lions Bay has closed the trailheads to Tunnel Bluffs and the Howe Sound Trail. Their web site says they will consider the closures at the Tuesday council meeting after the long weekend. They have now decided to maintain the closure until Sept 19th.
Joffre Lakes
Access to Joffre Lakes Provincial Park closed again on Tuesday, September 5th as negotiations between the provincial government and the Líl̓wat and N’Quatqua First Nations continue, the B.C. government says. According to the government, Líl̓wat and B.C. Parks have been working on park and visitor-use management since 2018 due to a growing number of park visitors and developed a “collaborative relationship” with the government to develop the Joffre Lakes Park 2019 visitor-use management plan. No re-opening date has been set, although the original date was September 30th.
Don't forget that anyone who leads a trip gets their name automatically included in a draw for a $50 gift card at the club AGM. Those who lead two or more trips get their names automatically submitted in a second draw. Five or more trips, a third draw. Ten or more trips (wow), a fourth draw.
Seven hikers assembled at the Porteau Rd parking lot and walked about 100m south to the trail entrance. We proceeded up the logging road after a while, taking a left turn to arrive at the Howe Sound viewpoint eventually. We saw a commemoration plaque for Mary Tainish and spent a little while remembering her. We then proceeded upwards to the lake past the magnificent waterfalls. It is fair to say many of us were happy to be done with the gruelling last few hundred meters to arrive at the beautiful snow-surrounded lake. We found a lovely lakefront spot to have lunch and soak up the rays. We were back at the cars after taking some pics for a total time of just under seven hours.
Thanks to all for a great day, Maurice.
Wilderness First Aid Course 50/50
The club is offering to subsidize the 2-day ‘Intro to Wilderness First Aid’ course from Canada West Mountain School (https://themountainschool.com/program/intro-wilderness-first-aid-2021/) for trip leaders. To qualify, one must lead two (2) club trips, of any type or level, between July 1-December 30, 2023. You must pay for the course yourself ($295+tax), and after you have led two trips, the club will reimburse you 50% of the total cost of the course. For more information, contact Ramona at ramona_muljar@hotmail.com’
January 16- 21, 2024 --Torres Del Paine - W Trek 6 days $2500. includes food and tenting accommodation with guide. We are looking for a few others to join us. We are Susan A, Dana D, Lori W
In 2020, North Shore Hikers were going to Patagonia on a club-organized trip. And then the pandemic cancelled international travel, affecting both Patagonia and the North Cascades summer camp. As you already know, Diane Whiteley has revived the North Cascades summer camp. Susan Allen is reviving the Patagonia trip. Contact her for more details susan.allen881@gmail.com.
Have a Hikes Bucket List?
Maybe we can help. Let us know which hikes you would like to join in on.
Here's a list that might spark your imagination:
B trips (5-7 hours at a moderate pace)
Runner Pk (behind Mt Seymour)
Forks Pk (behind Goat Mtn – N Shore)
Mt Liddell - Gambier Island
Tricouni Pk (past Squamish)
Garibaldi Lake (Garibaldi Park)
Lookout Ridge, Elk/Thurston/Mercer crossover (south of Chilliwack)
The Needle (Coquihalla)
Yak Pk (Coquihalla)
Llama Pk (Coquihalla)
Mt Frosty (larches in fall) (Manning Park)
Skyline Trail (Manning Park)
Mt Baker (Artists Point) (USA)
Goat Mtn (USA)
C trips (> 7 hours at a moderate pace)
The Needles (North Vancouver)
West Lion (Howe Sound)
Mt Hanover (Howe Sound)
Anvil Island – Leading Pk (Howe Sound)
Skypilot (Howe Sound)
Tetrahedron (Sechelt)
Black Tusk (Garibaldi Park)
Panorama Ridge (Garibaldi Park)
Mt Price (Garibaldi Park)
Mt Marriot (Duffey Lake Road)
International Ridge (south of Chilliwack)
Illusion Pks, South (Chilliwack River)
Williams Pk (Chilliwack River)
Goat Pk (Chilliwack Lk)
Mt Daly (Chilliwack Lk)
Macdonald Pk (Chilliwack Lk)
Grant Pk (Silverhope Creek/Skagit Road)
Mt Rideout (Silverhope Creek/Skagit Road)
Coquihalla Mtn (Coquihalla)
Tomyhoi (USA)
D trips
D hikes tend to be more challenging in some way than a straightforward > 7- hour hike. There could be a fair amount of bushwhacking, exposed scrambling or mixed mountaineering.
Lake Lovely Water area (Alpha, Niobe, Omega)
Little Ring Mtn (upper Squamish River) loose class 3
Abandoned Pk (Elaho River)
Castle Towers (Garibaldi Park) loose class 3
Tigger Pk (Duffey Lk road)
Nraiteskel (Duffey Lk road)
Mt Sloan (ne ridge) low class 4
Canadian Border Pk (Chilliwack River) low class 4
American Border Pk (Chilliwack River) low class 4
Devil’s Tongue (Ross Lake) class 3
Lead a C Hike and Get Into Some Free Gear
The club received a generous donation of used (but good) mountaineering gear that we will give to the first people to lead C hikes that want an item. The main items are:
Two ice axes
A down sleeping bag good to about -25c
A 40L backpack
The main reason to lead a C hike is that it is fun, of course. That said, this is good gear. Please get in touch with Ramona about any C hike you wish to lead. First come, first served.
Anyone Who Leads Can Win!
Don't forget that anyone who leads a trip gets their name automatically included in a draw for a $50 gift card at the club AGM. Those who lead two or more trips get their names automatically submitted in a second draw. Five or more trips, a third draw. Ten or more trips (wow), a fourth draw.
Help Stop Invasives from Spreading:
The Sea to Sky Invasives Council is advising outdoor users to clean all mud, seeds, and plant fragments from themselves and gear before moving to new areas to prevent the spread of invasive species. This is particularly important for hikers, climbers and trail runners in the Sea to Sky since many of us travel between different trail networks within and beyond the region. Often without realizing it, seeds, burs, and plant parts can get caught in clothing, hiking boots and trail shoes and transported from one trailhead to the next. This ‘hitchhiking’ is a major cause of invasive species spread, causing harm to the biodiversity of the habitat they are introduced to. Find out more at ‘Play, Clean, Go’
Did you know that Bull Thistle is invasive species? Check out this list of more invasives:
After a three-year pause due to the pandemic, our annual summer camp is back. The camp will take place in the cascades from August 15th to 21st.
Save the dates! In a few days, we will send more information about this year’s summer camp including the camp dates, a list of daily hikes, recommended accommodations and registration details.
Gain the freedom to post your own trips
Post Your Own Trips!
Experienced leaders can now post a trip directly to the schedule without obtaining approval. To qualify, you must have been a member for at least one year, and have led at least six trips. To add yourself to the list of people who can post directly, please get in touch with the planner for the trip class (A, B, C, D, Ski or Bike planner) you are most likely to lead. They will make sure you qualify and get you set up.
Eagle Bluffs Exploration
Trip Report: Eagle Bluffs Exploratory
By Katy Poon
This is a special spring snowshoe trip in the forest, making our own trails. There were no designated snowshoe trails… but it is very safe as we ensured everyone was comfortable at their own pace. The spring snow conditions make going up and down more challenging but we all had a lot of fun pushing our own limits…. a big thank you to our encouraging leader, Martin.
The return trip (car to car) just took over 4 hours with “many” stop ’n go… no one needed a real break until we arrived at the top of Hollyburn Mountain. We then had a well deserved long and leisure lunch break bathing in the sunshine. We had the entire peak to ourselves except a few whisky jack trying to “share” our lunches….
I learned from my last Eagle Bluffs hike that I need to guard my foodALL THE TIMES…. I lost my plastic box of trail mix when a crow scooped it out of my backpack as soon as I walked away from it. Both this Cypress scramble and the Eagle Bluffs exploratory hikes are safe, fun and out-of-the-ordinary trails.
Our booth at the recent ‘Wilderness at your doorstep’ in Lynn Headwaters regional park. Members participated in this event to promote the club - hopefully we’ll see some interested new members join!
Trip Schedule
Check the trip schedule during the month. We add new trips regularly. Want to join in on a trip? Not a member? Then come along as a guest. But, hey why not just join?
June 2023
DATE/TIME
CATEGORY
EVENT
Sat 3 Jun, 2023
B Hike
B2c - Moderate
Deeks Lake
Sat 3 Jun, 2023 - Mon 12 Jun, 2023
A Hike
A/B - Relaxed
Hiking in the Amalfi Coast, Italy
Sat 10 Jun, 2023
10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Moderate - Moderate
Squamish bike and hike
Sun 11 Jun, 2023
8:00 am - 2:00 pm
B Hike
B - Moderate
Erin Moore Trail, Lions Bay
Tue 13 Jun, 2023 - Wed 14 Jun, 2023
Cycling
Easy pace - Relaxed
Saltspring Island bike camp
Sat 17 Jun, 2023
10:00 am - 3:00 pm
A Hike
Moderate - Moderate
Squamish hike
Sun 25 Jun, 2023
9:00 am
A Hike
A2b - Relaxed
Fishermans’ Trail in Seymour Demonstration Forest
Get to terminals early enough to find parking, or you will miss your boat!
Early Birds Don't Miss the Boat!
Summer is here, and the ferries are busy. Our advice? Get up early!
Please get to ferry terminals early enough to figure out parking. Too often leaders get texts at the last minute saying "can't find parking." Make sure you get to your meeting place on time, by considering this extra step. Better yet, instead of driving, take a bus to Horseshoe Bay or Tsawwassen and forgeddaboutit (the parking that is). Also, beware that BC Ferries are cancelling ferries due to lack of staff - so be prepared to take a water taxi or to make a reservation -- even as a foot passenger.
Thud, thud, thud - the ominous sound of a North Shore Rescue Talon heli booms off the mountains. Don't you always look up when you hear them and wonder "Uh-oh, I wonder what's going down up there" ?
Photo: Alexa Smith
Saturday, May 13th 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. @ Ecole Argyle
On Saturday, May 13, North Vancouver School District is hosting its second annual Outdoor Safety and Emergency Preparedness Open House at École Argyle Secondary in North Vancouver. The event features first responders and local emergency management experts, who will showcase their expertise. Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue, North Shore Emergency Management, North Vancouver RCMP, and both North Vancouver fire departments will be there along with North Shore Rescue, BC AdventureSmart, and the BC Earthquake Alliance. All are welcome. This is a family-friendly event. You might even get to board a Talon : )
North Shore Hikers will be attending this event with a display
Come see our display and learn about the trails, history, flora and fauna in Lynn Headwaters park.
Trip Schedule
Check the trip schedule during the month. We add new trips regularly. Want to join in on a trip? Not a member? Then come along as a guest. But, hey why not just join?
Experienced leaders can now post a trip directly to the schedule without obtaining approval. To qualify, you must have been a member for at least one year, and have led at least six trips. To add yourself to the list of people who can post directly, please contact the planner for the trip class (A, B, C, D, Ski or Bike planner) you are most likely to lead. They will make sure you qualify and get you set up.
Random Spring Encounter
I can has blackberry shoots?
Your Club Needs You: Trip Mentors
If we all agreed to lead just one hike per year, we’d have a lively program full of choices in no time.Most of us don’t just hike with our club, but also with other groups and personal friends. We invite you to share some of the hikes you’ve learned about and enjoyed, by proposing them on the schedule and leading them. We really need more A, B and C trip leaders. Worried about how to lead? We can pair you with a "trip mentor" - someone with experience that will help you figure it all out and join you on the trip. Please contact Ramona to learn more.
Whoa, Fuel Costs are Ridonculous, Right?
If you carpool, remember to reimburse the driver for carpooling costs at the end of the day. We suggest that drivers be compensated .30 per kilometre divided by the number of people in the vehicle, including the driver.For example, if it was a 100km round trip and there was one passenger, the passenger would get charged 100 x .30 = $30 divided by 2 = $15. If there were three passengers, each would be charged: $30 divided by 4 = $7.50. This is just rough guidance, and it's up to the driver to ask for what they think is reasonable.
Thanks for reading and happy trails!
One of our beautiful new display boards. Thanks to Ye Chu for creating them.
March can be undecided. Is it warm? Or will it snow? New snow on the mountains means an extended ski and snowshoe season. Get up there in the snow while you still can, the crocuses are in bloom!
This Weekend is Social!
Join us on a multi-day activity-filled weekend, including a social get-together at Cristina’s house in Squamish starting Saturday at 6 pm. Members are invited to spend Saturday and Sunday nights at her house and participate in downhill, cross-country and snowshoeing activities Sat, Sun, and Mon. Saturday night social is a potluck style party featuring your best power bar among other yummy food and drinks you decide to share with your fellow hikers. Contact Cristina for more details and to register
There is plenty of snow up here.
Photo from Scutt peak hike
April Trip Schedule
Check the trip schedule during the month. We add new trips regularly. Want to join in on a trip? Not a member? Then come along as a guest. But, hey why not just join?
As the number of visitors to Mount Seymour Provincial Park continues to rise, there is growing pressure on the park’s facilities and resources. BC Parks is working to identify what facilities and services are needed to:
Provide a range of enjoyable, high-quality and safe outdoor recreation opportunities for visitors, and
Help manage the increasing number of visitors to protect the environmental and cultural integrity of the park.
We invite your organization to participate in a multi-stakeholder virtual workshop to discuss the project. We will talk about Mount Seymour Provincial Park’s strengths and challenges, and your suggestions for objectives and ideas to consider in the Recreation Facility Plan. To register for the workshop, please visit https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/590753358197
Eleven hikers decided to take on the Bluffs and Mt. Galiano Loop hike on a beautiful, sunny Saturday. And guess what? Every single one of them made it to the finish line, despite the fact they were huffing a puffing like a steam engine.
Special thanks to Dave, who led some of the hikers on a five-minute detour to the old Galiano cemetery. Because you know, nothing SCREAMS “fun Hike” like a quick trip to the graveyard. But hey, at least they got to pay their respects to some long-gone Galiano residents.
Up on top of Galiano, everyone was treated to some stunning views of the surrounding scenery. And what better way to enjoy the view than by discussing the local ant and beetle population? Riveting conversations, folks, and riveting stuff.
The Galiano Soap Works Store continues to make a killing selling Epson and Bath Salts to some of the North Shore Hikers. I guess sore muscles are the price you pay for a day of hiking and bug talk. All in all it was a great time with great company.
Some of the hikers, in case you were wondering, were Galiano newbies, but they handled the challenge like pros. Thanks to everyone that joined in on the fun!
PS. When the conversation came up about the roses and thorns of the day. It was concluded that it was a day of gorgeous roses, with few thorns!
On Jan 28 nine of us attempted Scutt Pk (also known as Scuff Pk), 2238m, immediately north west of D’arcy. The 1600m bushwack was occasionally thrashy, and it took nearly seven hours to reach alpine at 2,000m, where three participants stayed. The somewhat imposing summit was easier than it looked. Except it wasn’t the summit. The true summit was a bit higher and a bit beyond. And the final 5 metres of it took almost 2hrs. As we first tried to find a safe way up powder snow on icy granite slabs; and then once a route was found; took turns going up and back. By the time we all summited, one member was too frozen to be able to remove his crampons. Fortunately, we had extra clothes, and once lower and out of the wind, he warmed up.
False summit - Whaaa?Summit - Scutt Peak
March Trip Schedule
Check the trip schedule during the month. We add new trips regularly. Want to join in on a trip? Not a member? Then come along as a guest. But, hey why not just join?
Our Social Convener, Donna Nyberg and friends have devised a preliminary schedule for our club socials for this year. You may already know that we are not using the Sunrise Community hall anymore, as their rental rates have quadrupled over the past two years( $40/night in 2021, $90/night in 2022 and $150/night in 2023).
Our new socials will add a fun/twist. If you have additional ideas, contact Donna. She'll add it to the preliminary schedule. All club socials will be posted on our Schedule as the dates are firmed up. Here's what we have so far:
April “Goodbye Winter“ SOCIAL - Date TBA
One night in Squamish at Cristina’s place: potluck dinner featuring your favourite power bar! Two days of snowshoeing and cross-country skiing at Callaghan - if snow conditions are not good, there will be two hikes in Squamish.
May “ Hello Spring” SOCIAL - Date TBA
Cycling and hiking trip in Victoria
Two nights in Victoria at a resort or hotel/motel of your choice
Galloping Goose cycle
East Sook Regional Park hike
Potluck dinner featuring your favourite drink!
Summer Social Sunday, July 16th
Derby Reach Regional Park -Serene park offers riverfront trails, picnic areas, camping & picturesque mountain & forest views. Folks can walk or cycle into Fort Langley, stopping along the way at the Heritage Museum, enjoying the small village's unique favourite or even kayak from Fort Langley down to Derby Reach. There is something for everyone to enjoy and if the picnic tables are all taken, we can pull a lawn chair from our car, sit along the Fraser River banks, and enjoy the potluck.
Cycling/hiking trail from Derby Reach Regional Park to Fort Langley
FALL SOCIAL - Harvest Festival - last week of September - exact dates TBA
Cycle San Juan, Lopez and maybe Orcas Island - kayak out of Friday Harbour, day hike Mount Constitution in Moran State Park and enjoy all that the San Juan Island have to offer. We will drive down to Anacortes and take the ferry to Friday Harbour - a fun boat ride to enjoy even before the fun starts.
North Shore Hikers supports BCMC proposal for Blackwall backcountry access in Manning Park
Thank you for circulating your proposal for a new backcountry access to Blackwall Peak
in Manning Park to our club. We are fully supportive of your proposal. The new access trail will serve the backcountry community and will create a new winter snowshoe opportunity in Manning Provincial Park, providing simple-moderate terrain to the alpine. The route will not interfere with the cross-country trails and will not traverse a high-value wilderness area.
We welcome your club’s efforts in expanding the trail system in our Province.
Cristina Jacob,
North Shore Hikers Society President
The explanation behind February’s full Moon name is straightforward: it’s known as the Snow Moon due to the typically heavy snowfall that occurs in February. On average, February is Vancouver's snowiest month. Bring on those flakes! February 5th is the full moon for those of you who like to plan an evening snowshoe.
February Trip Schedule
Check the trip schedule during the month. We add new trips regularly. Want to join in on a trip? Not a member? Then come along as a guest. But, hey why not just join?
We need someone to help out with the website. It's super important because that's how we all get to become members, post hikes and learn which hikes are available. There are currently two volunteers who work on the front end to add or change content. We really need someone with back-end skills to help keep our site healthy overall. The site is in WordPress. Typical tasks: scheduling back-ups, managing WordPress updates, keeping plug-ins up to date, database updates, email lists and more. Please let cristina.jacob03@gmail.com know if you are interested.
Re-thinking Club Social Events
by Donna Nyberg
I have taken on the position of the Social Committee, and although over my 40 years of membership, I have helped out many times throughout those years, I would like to take a different approach and see how it works. For a very long time we have had slide shows etc. at the Sunrise Community Hall, however, I think the time has come to say goodbye for a while to Sunrise Slide Shows and try more exciting events.
North Shore Hikers is an outdoor club, and I would not want anyone to think it was going to become strictly a social club as that is definitely not the intent. I would like to develop a team of creative minds who want to plan and organize fun social events. It can be interesting and fun to get to know others not strictly in our hiking boots, on bikes or skis.
Some ideas I have in mind would be a weekend trip to Chatterbox falls, a theatre night, going to the Spaghetti House or a favourite restaurant to try new food. As well, there could be a summer party, picnic and hike at Buntzen Lake or a trip to the Britannia Mine Museum along with a short hike in the area.
It would be wonderful and fun to learn about some other areas of the Lower Mainland - there is a Farm Cycle Tour out in the valley, a Lavender Farm and the Tulip Festival as well as many flower shows.
I would like to know how people feel about this idea and would anyone like to take on organizing or helping to organize an event. If there is enough interest, we could have a meeting and come up with a few exciting adventures around the Lower Mainland.
Let HappyCyclist@shaw.ca know if there is any interest in this idea, any comments or suggestions would be most welcome. Looking forward to some fun times!
Urban hike: New Brighton Park to the Fraser River
by Mariken Van Nimwegen
What I enjoy most from guiding this sort of walk, is that I can show people areas they didn’t know existed in the city because usually, we drive right by. While on foot we can see everything so much better and explore in detail. A completely sunny, blue-sky day in between all the rain was an added bonus!
Thinking About Organizing a Multi-Day Trip?
Always wanted to hike Patagonia's Torres del Paines? Or discover lesser-travelled backpacking trails in the Kootenays? Travel the Annapurna circuit? Whatever your dream multi-day trip, you can organize it with other North Shore Hikers. Below is a description of a trip to Italy that Ye Chu has organized for this year. You can organize one too! Just submit your idea to our multi-day trip coordinator, Diane Whitely, diane_whitely@telus.net for advice and approval in principle to advertise the trip on the NSH website.
Spring in Italy
by Ye Chu
A new year and new dreams of travelling abroad, now that the pandemic restrictions have subsided. May 24 to June 16, will be the first NSH self-guided bike and hike tour in Italy. I lived in Italy in the 80s and 90s studying art and architecture in Venice and Florence with excursions to the south of Italy, including Sicily. For me, Italy is the most wonderful country to visit as the people, the history, the sunny Mediterranean climate, and the food are to die for.
Vieste in Puglia
This adventure was advertised on our website back in May 2022 and we had 26 interested parties. We had monthly information meetings and when it came time to pay our deposits in September, we had 10 for the bike trip and 11 for the hiking trip.
Since finalizing our numbers, I have been hosting monthly meetings. It has been great fun getting to know everyone better, and I think we have a wonderful group of like-minded people.
The 8-day, self-guided bike trip is in the heel of Italy in a region called Puglia. It is steeped in a rich history of Syrian, Turkish, Greek and Spanish invasions, leaving behind the most unique white architecture and acropolis-style town planning. Several of the towns we will be visiting are UNESCO world heritage sites. We will be biking along the Gulf of Taranto, the Ionian Sea and the Adriatic Sea. I have been YouTubing this area, and some YouTubers have said the seas are equal in beauty to the Maldives. And in this region of Puglia, there are very few tourists, so we will have the towns and beaches to ourselves!
Between our bike and hike trips, we will have a relaxing three-day break in the town of Matera. The last James Bond movie “NO TIME TO DIE” opening motorcycle scene is filmed in this most picturesque town. This 9000-year-old UNESCO world heritage site is world renowned for its continual inhabitation of familial caves called Sassi. We have booked a thermal spa experience underneath our cave hotel, which promises to be a special trip highlight, according to Trip Advisor.
The 8-day self-guided hiking trip will start in Amalfi and end in Positano with day visits to the Isle of Capri, Sorento, Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius. The longest hiking trail will be the Path of the Gods. We understand there will be lots and lots of stairs involved to get to our hotels and on the cliffside trails. We have discussed bringing only carry-on backpacks and no roller suitcases. Which may mean we have to hike and sleep in our bike clothes!
In the next few months, I will be offering training bike rides (with some pizza eating) to get us all ready for our Italian trip. However, everyone is welcome to join us. Ciao!
Thanks for reading and happy trails!
Canada Jay on Dog Mountain - This is the "official" bird of Canada
Alpenglow on Mt. Brunswick from Hat Pass
Starting in mid-October, department of defence workers will be searching with metal detectors to look for military remnants 30 to 45 centimetres below the surface. This stretch of unexploded ordinance (UXO) work is expected to last until May of 2024, with a likely return to the Blair Rifle Range lands next fall and into 2025. This next phase of work will require full closures of the popular hiking, mountain biking and dog walking trails in the areas where crews are working, often for months at a time. The purpose is to give workers a 50-metre buffer when dealing with UXO. Any closed trail will have signs warning people to choose a different route. Get 
Wilderness First Aid Course 50/50
If you carpool, remember to reimburse the driver for carpooling costs at the end of the day. We suggest that drivers be compensated .30 per kilometre divided by the number of people in the vehicle, including the driver. For example, if it was a 100km round trip and there was one passenger, the passenger would get charged 100 x .30 = $30 divided by 2 = $15. If there were three passengers, each would be charged: $30 divided by 4 = $7.50. This is just rough guidance, and it's up to the driver to ask for what they think is reasonable.
