Category Archives: Parks and trails

Raven, November 2022

Club news, General news, Parks and trails, ,

 November 2022

Then suddenly it was fall. Soon winter? It is snowing for real, and it's only November 3rd. This year may be one for fun snowy trips up in the mountains. It is our third straight La Nina year. She can bring the white fluffy stuff and some blustery weather. Strap on your spikes!

Annual General Meeting Reminder

Tuesday, Nov 8, 2022
Sunrise Community Centre
1950 Windermere Street, Vancouver

Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Refreshments will be served
Photo Contest Winners & Gear Swap

Read the full  AGENDA here

November Trip Schedule

Evans Peak - Sat November 12th

Check the trip schedule during the month. We add new trips regularly. Want to join in on a trip? You can click here to find out more if you are a member. Not a member? Then come along as a guest. But, hey why not just join?  Contact membership@northshorehikers.org 

DATE/TIME CATEGORY EVENT
Sat 5 Nov D Hike
D3c		 Baal and/or Midian Pk
Sun 6 Nov
8:00 am		 A Hike
A2b		 Norvan Falls
Tue 8 Nov
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm		 2022 AGM
Sat 12 Nov
8 am - 5 pm		 C Hike Evan’s Peak
Sat 12 Nov
10:00 am		 A Hike
A2/3b		 Polytrichum Viewpoint, Halvor Lunden trail, Buntzen Lake,
Sat 19 Nov A Hike
A2b		 Lakeview Trail/Buntzen Lake
Tue 22 Nov
8:00 am		 Back-country Ski Yew Lake area Ski
Sun 27 Nov A Hike
A2b		 A2b Hike To Be Announced

Grouse Mountain Regional Park Closure

​Grouse Mountain Regional Park is currently CLOSED due to helicopter operations in the park from Monday to Saturday, October 31 to November 14. The Grouse Grind, BCMC and Simic Trails are all inside park boundaries. The park will only open on Sundays, weather permitting. The Grouse Mountain Skyride is also closed and will re-open on November 11th.

Renew Your Membership

Annual memberships expire on November 30th. Take a minute to renew today.

Forgot your password? Reset it here. If you've already renewed, thank you so much and see you on the trails. Note: New members who joined in October or November 2022, don't need to renew until November 2023. Thanks so much from your membership team.

Trip Report: Golden Ears East Canyon Loop

by Carol Kautz

Thanks to Katy Poon who led eleven North Shore Hikers on this wonderful, fun hike in Golden Ears Park. Due to the changing temperatures and elevation gain, we had quite a few stops going up the East Canyon Trail. We crossed the bridge to the West Canyon Trail to look down over Gold Creek where the water level was low and then our next stop was Viewpoint Beach. We turned back from Viewpoint Beach and went to the connector loop trail where seven hikers stayed just below Gold Creek Lookout.

Four hikers, led by Bengul, scrambled up to the Upper falls and were glad they did. Out of the four, one became an expert tree hugger on the way down. After the four hikers descended the upper falls, the group descended to the lower falls, had another long break, and returned via the lower falls trail. Everyone was really social, and we all enjoyed the great company and the beautiful fall/summer day. Thank you, Katy, for all your work organizing this successful outing.

Thanks for reading and happy trails!

Now gimme that sandwich.

BC Parks 2022 summer day-use program starts on June 17

Parks and trails

Starting June 17, 2022, free day-use passes are required to visit these  provincial parks:

  • Garibaldi Provincial Park at Diamond Head, Rubble Creek, and Cheakamus trailheads [vehicle pass];
  • Golden Ears Provincial Park [vehicle pass];
  • Joffre Lakes Provincial Park [hiker pass].

To book a day-use pass:

For more information, go to BC Parks.

Notes:

  • Garibaldi Provincial Park trailheads at Wedgemount Lake and Fitzsimmons Creek/Singing Pass do not require the day-use pass.
  • Cypress Provincial Park, Mt Seymour Provincial Park, and Stawamus Chief Provincial Park do not require a day-use pass to visit.

The Raven February, 2022

Club news, Event, General news, Parks and trails, Trail work,

Year of the Tiger

Happy Lunar New Year

According to the Interwebs, in order to navigate Tiger years, we will require bravery, courage and strength. Here are a few shots from a recent unintentional trip to Wag Peak that probably required all three! This hike didn't go exactly as planned (surprise) but ended well. Let's hope all your trips run smoothly in the Year of the Tiger.  Read the trip report here.

February Trips

Want to join in on a trip? If you are a member, you can click here to find out more. Not a member? Well, then you can't. But, hey why not just join us to find out more?  Or contact membership@northshorehikers.org. We are super awesome, brave, courageous and strong (also humble). Tigers only need apply  : )

DATE/TIME CATEGORY EVENT PACE
Sat 5 Feb
7:00 am - 5:00 pm		 C Hike
C3c		 Mount St. Benedict snowshoe hike  Moderate pace
Sat 5 Feb
9:00 am - 12:00 pm		 A Hike
A2b		 Capilano-Pacific detour Pace: medium; the equivalent of 6 km/hour on flat wide surface such as the seawall
Sun 6 Feb
11:30 am - 2:00 pm		 Cycling
 Cycle trip-easy-Vancouver route Easy cycle
Thu 10 Feb A Hike Tunnel Bluffs Mid-week hike moderate pace
Sat 12 Feb
8:45 am		 A Hike
A1a		 Minnekhada Park Loop A1a Normal  relaxed pace
Thu 17 Feb Back-country Ski Hollyburn
Sat 19 Feb C Hike
C3c		 Lookout Pk (Harrison Lake) Medium Fast Pace
Mon 21 Feb Back-country Ski Diamond Head
Mon 21 Feb Cycling
A		 Family Day Two Bridges Bike ride relaxed pace
Sat 26 Feb A Hike
A2b		 Blue Gentian Lake Loop A2b  Slow relaxed pace
Sat 26 Feb D Hike
D3d		 Lone Bear Pk long tough trip - possibly 2 days
Mon 28 Feb B Hike
B2b 		 Elk Mountain Snowshoe Hike moderate pace, not slow

Add Your Voice

Improved Outdoor Recreation Access

This quick and easy petition from the Outdoor Recreation Council of BC sends an email to your MLA to encourage them to budget for more $$ for recreation in your region. Super fast and easy to fill in.

North Shore Hikers Remove Graffiti

On a recent hike, North Shore Hikers removed graffiti from a sensitive First Nations site featuring pictographs. Tagging pictographs? Whaaaa? That's just super uncool. Thanks to member volunteers who helped out.

Instagram Account
north_shore_hikers_bc

Send us photos. Email photos from your hikes, bikes and spikes to
instagram-nsh@northshorehikers.org. Like our posts, comment, share. Tell your friends and family about the Instagram page. The more the merrier.

Thanks for reading, happy trails everyone!

Garibaldi Park trail needs your helping hands!

Event, Parks and trails, Trail work

BC Parks and the Friends of Garibaldi Park Society are calling all trail elves to help with a project on the Rubble Creek trail.

The project will replace the kiosk at the Rubble Creek and Taylor Meadows trail junction, about 6.5 km from the parking lot.

Ten volunteers are needed for September 18 and 19. The work will be labour intensive but special skills aren’t needed.

Volunteers will help:

  • Dismantle the old kiosk;
  • Dig posts for the new kiosk;
  • Build the new kiosk.

While building supplies will be flown in, you will be carrying tools and equipment from the BC Parks toolshed at Taylor Meadows. You'll also help carry water from Barrier Lake for the kiosk's new concrete posts.

Free overnight camping will be provided at the Garibaldi Lake campsite for volunteers. (Volunteers must have and bring their own overnight gear and supplies.)

Whether you're experienced with trail work or not, this is a great opportunity to give back to the trails you love!

To volunteer or for more information, email Jay (FMCBC Trails Committee) or Jagwinder (Friends of Garibaldi Park).

Whistler Alpine Trail Network Update

Parks and trails

Dear North Shore Hikers

On behalf of the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW), I am reaching about Whistler’s Skywalk Trail and Alpine Trail Network.

The municipality wishes to share important information about vehicle parking, grizzly bears, e-bikes and dogs. Please pass on this information to your colleagues and clients.

Vehicle Parking

Changes have been implemented for parking to access many of Whistler’s alpine trails.

  • Parking on Mountain View Drive and Valley Drive is extremely limited, and there are no washrooms in these locations. Additional regulatory signage has been installed and enforcement of parking bylaws is in effect.
  • Please park at the rear parking lot of Meadow Park Sports Centre, accessed from Camino Drive (see map attached). This location offers ample parking, washrooms and a spectacular park to relax in after a strenuous hike or bike.
  • Whistler Transit can get you closer to trail access points, and it’s free on weekends and holiday Mondays until September 2. Learn more at www.bctransit.com/whistler.

Trail users are reminded to be respectful of residents when accessing trails from residential neighbourhoods.

Grizzly bears

Skywalk Trail and the Alpine Trail Network was closed by the Conservation Officer Service (COS) for a portion of last season due to grizzly bear encounters. If the COS implements future closures, announcements will be shared on whistler.ca and trailforks.ca, as well as posted at trailheads. Please respect signage and all closures.

E-bikes

The RMOW will be implementing a policy for e-bike use on Whistler’s trails this summer. E-bikes will not be permitted in alpine areas, including the Sproatt/Rainbow Alpine Trail Network above Flank Trail. Learn more at whistler.ca/ebikes.

Dogs

Dogs are prohibited from the Sproatt/Rainbow Alpine Trail Network above Flank Trail.

More information

Please see this information sheet to learn more or visit whistler.ca/alpinetrails.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

 

Warm regards,

Caroline Bagnall

Community Outreach Coordinator

On behalf of the Resort Municipality of Whistler

RESORT MUNICIPALITY OF WHISTLER
4325 Blackcomb Way
Whistler, B.C. V8E 0X5

Wilderness at Your Doorstep on May 19 (Lynn Headwaters Regional Park)

Event, Parks and trails, The environment
Come and say hi to the club at Wilderness at Your Doorstep in Lynn Headwaters Regional Park on May 19. North Shore Hikers will be joining Metro Vancouver, AdventureSmart and other organizations at this event with information, history and sunshine from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m, next to the historic B.C. Mills House.

Bowen Island Takes Responsibility for the Trails on Mount Gardner

Event, Parks and trails

After three years of hiking Mount Gardner, mapping the trails, and negotiating with the Province, The Rotary Club of Bowen Island — on behalf of the community — will sign an agreement with Recreation Sites and Trails BC. The official signing will take place in Collins Hall at an event beginning at 6:30 PM, Thursday, March 17. All who are interested are invited.

Participating in the signing is Tom Blackbird, the District Recreation Officer for this region. Blackbird’s office is in Chilliwack, and Bowen Island is on the westernmost verge of his district. Also, from the Province’s Sea-To-Sky office in Squamish is Tennessee Trent, Manager - Trails, Recreation Sites and Trails, for all of the Province of British Columbia.

Blackbird and Trent have asked to see some of the trails during this visit. Interested hikers are welcome to join the group on the mountain. The initial arrangements are still tentative, but the plan is that Blackbird and Trent will arrive from the mainland on a late morning ferry sailing. Sometime later a group will hike up the mountain starting at the Kiosk at the upper end of Laura Road. Probably the destination will be the North Summit.

Those wishing to participate in the hike should watch https://twitter.com/bowenrotary for updates, including up-to-the-minutes tweets on March 17. Note: this is not an escorted mountain hike. Anyone who joins the group must be an experienced hiker who is completely responsible for her/his own route-finding, gear (including appropriate clothing, food and water), and personal safety.

The Trails Agreement expects that the community will provide routine observation and maintenance of the trails. In return, the polygon of crown lands that include the trails will becomes designated a Recreation Site under Section 56 of the Forest and Range Act.

In 2014 the Undercurrent published a well-researched article on the Rotary Trails Project that described the conditions of the trails and the reasons and advantages for this community taking control of the recreational use of the mountain. http://www.bowenislandundercurrent.com/news/bowen-rotary-maps-mount-gardner-1.915730

While the Municipality of Bowen Island is not in a position to be responsible for those trails, the trailheads, parking areas and kiosks are on municipal land. BIM Council recognized the economic benefits that result from visitors who travel to Bowen Island to hike, and the value of this resource for its citizens. Council has agreed that the municipality will continue to provide appropriate access.

The event at Collins Hall on March 17 will begin at 6:30 PM with a welcome to all visitors. There will be a short explanation of the agreement by some of the signing parties. This will be followed by the official signing. The remainder of the evening will be a potluck dinner. Visitors are most welcome!

Those interested participating in the hike, the signing, or the dinner should call Robert Ballantyne before noon on Wednesday, March 16, at 604.947.0815.

Robert Ballantyne 604 947 0815 Rotary PR Director
Denis Lynn 604 947 9806 Rotary Past President

BowenRotary

Proposed Ski Development at Brohm Ridge

Parks and trails, The environment

There is a proposal to develop a commercial ski operation at Brohm Ridge, by "Garibaldi at Squamish". On September 23, 2015, the FMCBC, of which this club is a member, held a meeting with representatives from the developer. Here are the highlights of the meeting.

  1. the maps shown (no different from the online versions, except bigger) depicted the ski runs and the "resort development", both of which run very close to Garibaldi Park (they claimed a 50-metre buffer zone, which Mike rightly said was pretty close to the Park);
  2. when challenged that "ski hills don't make money, the real estate surrounding them does", and although there is no real estate, actual or proposed, on the maps, Chris admitted that in exchange for building the ski hill, they will be able to obtain real estate "at a nominal price"; they weren't too clear on what a nominal price meant; and of course we have no real idea as to the extent of their property aspirations;
  3. the displaced snowmobilers (and there are lots using this area) were unfortunately directed by GAS to an area that is currently a non-motorized area; GAS was informed of the Sea to Sky LRMP and the sectoral distinctions between motorized and non, and could they please at least direct them to a motorized area in future;
  4. GAS was made very aware, largely through the Fellers and Monika, of the numerous frustrations FMCBC and member clubs have experienced in the past: not being consulted, not being listened to, Garibaldi Park being revised by the Government for Whistler/Blackcomb, no enforcement of the motorized activity, especially the snowmobilers, and more;
  5. in good "I feel your pain" style, responding by GAS, the 3rd member (Peter something) suggested it could be possible to have a covenant or easement up against the Park, requiring FMCBC's consent to encroach (I'll believe that when I see it, but they must be reminded of this in the future);
  6. it will be 4-5 years at least before actual construction could begin;
  7. GAS made it sound like there won't be any snowmobiles buzzing around their ski resort; it would be as much of an annoyance to hotel guests there as to anyone else;
  8. when asked why they would succeed where numerous others have not, the response seemed to be their thoroughness, aided by their "deep pockets";
  9. Monika made a great point that, in essence, we are arguing for the public's benefit (The Public's Right to Quiet Enjoyment of our Parks); every other dog in this fight has a vested interest.

Mack Skinner,
secretary of FMCBC, exec member of North Shore Hikers.

 

Hollyburn Lodge Renewal

Parks and trails

The old Hollyburn Lodge at the Cypress Mountain commercial ski area is being rebuilt. The area is hence now a construction zone and closed to the public.

Steve Williamson, Director of Operations for Cypress Mtn., has provided this map to make it easier for hikers to navigate. He also provided the following safety information about the project.

  • Burfield trail will be closed until further notice for the installation of utilities to service the new lodge.
  • Hollyburn trail is open at the present time and will have closures in effect when required. When Hollyburn trail is closed access is via Sitzmark or the trail from the end of lot 4 as marked on the map.
  • The lodge site has been delineated with fencing and access is prohibited unless authorized by Cypress personnel. Appropriate Personal Protective Equipment must be worn if access is granted including steel toed boots, hi-vis vest and a hardhat.
  • Clearly marked detours have been placed throughout the Nordic area to guide hikers and cabin owners.
  • Access to first lake picnic areas is still available outside the construction zone orange fencing.

More information about this project and on the background of the lodge can be found at the following links:

We thank Friends of Cypress Provincial Park Society for relaying this information to us.