Document type : vocene
Date : 2011-11-30
Description : VOCene #34
Content :
VOCene #34 – November 30th, 2011
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In this VOCene:
0. Welcome New Exec Members, and Thanks Old Ones!
I. Upcoming Events and Trips
1 7th Annual Jared Stanley Memorial Mountain Safety Lecture · Wednesday, November 30th
2) Beacon Practice after Jared Stanley Lecture · Wednesday, November 30th
3) Feuerzangenbowle Snowshoe/Skiing Trip to Brew Hut (Beginner Friendly) - Tentative - Sat. Dec. 3rd - Sun. Dec. 4th
4) Ski/ Snowshoe Red Heather - December 3rd · Saturday, December 3rd
5) Dec 3-4 Avanced Keith's Hut · Sat. Dec. 3rd - Sun. Dec. 4th
6) Pre-finals Paul Ridge Day Mission- Beginner Friendly · Saturday, December 3rd
7) Tentative: Beginner-friendly Day trip: Backcountry hopefully powpow skiing , Maybe Paul Ridge · Saturday, December 10th
8) Tentative: We love Brew hut (beginner friendly) · Sat. Dec. 10th - Sun. Dec. 11th
9) It's my birthday so lets Ski and Party!- Beginner Friendly Phelix Creek Dec 10-11 · Sat. Dec. 10th - Sun. Dec. 11th
10) 'Pow Pow' Sledging trip to Red Heather · Sunday, December 11th
11) AST1 - AST2 Avalanche Skills Courses- Dec 17th and on
12) New Years at Phelix Hut · Mon. Dec. 26th - Mon. Jan. 2nd
II. Trip Ideas and Partners Sought
III. This week in the VOC
1) Past trips and events
2) From the exec's desk
IV. Miscellaneous
1) Rewards and incentives for trip organizers
2) Call for VOC journal articles - 54th edition!
V. Ms. Manners
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0. Welcome New Exec Members, and Thanks Old Ones!
Please raise your glasses to our newest additions to the best-looking exec in town: Fisal Elstone on guitar/vocals (Membership Chair), Jeff-Taylor on the bass (Trips Coordinator), and Brody Granger on drums (Climbing Wall Coordinator). And put your hands together for our exec members who have served us valiantly since the spring, but are now departing to harness life's excitement in some other way: Caroline Jung, Chris Yuen, and Lee Wasilensko (audience stands and applauds).
I. Upcoming Events and Trips
1) 7th Annual Jared Stanley Memorial Mountain Safety Lecture · Wednesday, November 30th
In January 2005, Jared Stanley, a UBC student, passed away while back country skiing on Mount Seymour. Every year, the VOC hosts a memorial lecture in his name. Jared's parents will be there sharing memories of him, and this will be followed by a talk given by one of Canada West Mountain School's guides, who will be addressing their views on safety in the mountains from the perspective of someone who is responsible for managing group safety. A highly relevant subject for the VOC! Jared's folks are flying in from far away, so be sure to make it if you can.
http://www.ubc-voc.com/tripagenda/details.php?tripid=168
http://www.ubc-voc.com/phorum5/read.php?1,79294,79372#msg-79372
2) Beacon Practice after Jared Stanley Lecture · Wednesday, November 30th
Chris Y. will be running a beacon practice session in the field between the SUB and the bus loop, after the Jared Stanley Memorial lecture. Knowing how to use an avalanche beacon is an important part of winter backcountry safety. Please try to make as many of these practice sessions as you can!
http://www.ubc-voc.com/tripagenda/details.php?tripid=174
3) Feuerzangenbowle Snowshoe/Skiing Trip to Brew Hut (Beginner Friendly) - Tentative - Sat. Dec. 3rd - Sun. Dec. 4th
What is Feuerzangenbowle, you ask? Well, come on this beginner friendly trip to Brew Hut and find out! Or just Wikipedia it, but then come on the trip to taste it in a wonderful alpine hut!
http://www.ubc-voc.com/tripagenda/details.php?tripid=134
4) Ski/ Snowshoe Red Heather - December 3rd · Saturday, December 3rd
Jaime W. wants to try out her new tele boots up at Red Heather this weekend, and has space in the car:
http://www.ubc-voc.com/tripagenda/functions.php?tripid=196
5) Dec 3-4 Avanced Keith's Hut · Sat. Dec. 3rd - Sun. Dec. 4th
If you're in the market for a high-output trip that will use your non-beginner skills, this trip will be based out of Keith's Hut.
http://www.ubc-voc.com/phorum5/read.php?3,79824
http://www.ubc-voc.com/tripagenda/details.php?tripid=183
6) Pre-finals Paul Ridge Day Mission- Beginner Friendly · Saturday, December 3rd
This will be a beginner daytrip to ski up on Paul Ridge. Paul is known as a brilliant man who will help prepare you for your finals.
http://www.ubc-voc.com/tripagenda/details.php?tripid=170
7) Tentative: Maybe Beginner-friendly Day trip: Backcountry hopefully powpow skiing , Maybe Paul Ridge · Saturday, December 10th
Yoyo skiing up on Paul Ridge, but tentative.
http://www.ubc-voc.com/tripagenda/details.php?tripid=145
http://www.ubc-voc.com/phorum5/read.php?3,79528
8) Tentative: We love Brew hut (beginner friendly) · Sat. Dec. 10th - Sun. Dec. 11th
Another overnighter up to the magically place that is Brew!
http://www.ubc-voc.com/tripagenda/details.php?tripid=182
http://www.ubc-voc.com/phorum5/read.php?3,79786
9) It's my birthday so lets Ski and Party!- Beginner Friendly Phelix Creek Dec 10-11 · Sat. Dec. 10th - Sun. Dec. 11th
It's a double birthday party! Sam BM. and Kathrin L. will both be celebrating up at Phelix, and it promises to be a blast!
http://www.ubc-voc.com/phorum5/read.php?3,79827
http://www.ubc-voc.com/tripagenda/functions.php?tripid=184
10) 'Pow Pow' Sledging trip to Red Heather · Sunday, December 11th
If skiing is not exciting enough for you (or too exciting), perhaps snowshoeing up and "sledging" back down from Red Heather is more your thing! This trip promises to be playful and a lot of fun!
http://www.ubc-voc.com/tripagenda/details.php?tripid=177
11) AST1 - AST2 Avalanche Skills Courses- Dec 17th and on
Avalanche awareness and skills are essential for winter back country travel around here. VOC members are strongly encouraged to take Avalanche Skills Training (AST) courses, and every year we work out a deal with Canada West Mountain School to provide professionally tough courses. These usually combine classroom instruction and field practice at Seymour or Whistler. These courses will be run in various blocks in December and January (and an AST2 course in Feb.) More information here: http://www.ubc-voc.com/phorum5/read.php?3,79165
12) New Years at Phelix Hut · Mon. Dec. 26th - Mon. Jan. 2nd
The holidays are almost here, and it's time to start planning to bring in the New Year up at Phelix! Note that this is not a "led" trip, but will rather be a loosely coordinated bunch of groups sharing the same space and celebrating together.
http://www.ubc-voc.com/phorum5/read.php?3,77985
http://www.ubc-voc.com/tripagenda/details.php?tripid=179
II. Trip Ideas and Partners Sought
-Anna S. is looking to get out skiing on Dec 4, 5, or 6 and has a car. Read the message here: http://www.ubc-voc.com/phorum5/read.php?3,79894
-Shu Yu F. will be heading up to the Cypress Nordic area on many of the coming Wednesday's and Saturdays. Read about it here if you are interested in a ride: http://www.ubc-voc.com/phorum5/read.php?3,79960
-Some VOCer's are heading up to Cypress for night skiing on Thursday. Drivers are strongly encouraged: http://www.ubc-voc.com/phorum5/read.php?1,79765
-A formidable block of "funemployed" folk is forming to get out skiing during the week, for longer trips, etc.: http://www.ubc-voc.com/phorum5/read.php?1,79661
III. This week in the VOC
1) Past trips and events
- This isn't from the last week in the VOC, but '96 VOC ex-president Brian Waddington and two others were killed in an avalanche while on a three week traverse. Christian V. posted the accident report, and a good discussion has followed about what they did right, what they didn't, and what anyone would do differently. Definitely worth checking out: http://www.ubc-voc.com/phorum5/read.php?1,79872
- Last Wednesday the SUB didn't know what had hit it, as scores of VOCers mingled and danced the night away to Oker's fresh tracks (no, not that kind) at the Annual VOC Ugly Sweater Winter Social. We also elected three new members to the exec. Welcome to them!
-With bad avalanche conditions this past weekend, two hut trips along the Duffey were wisely cancelled. A crew headed up Hollyburn in the rain in order to still get outside, and ended up having a pleasant day of it. TR here: http://www.ubc-voc.com/phorum5/read.php?3,79509
-MEC Snowfest - the newest incarnation of the famous fall MEC Gear Swap - was this past Saturday. Sounds like lots of folks scored skis: http://www.ubc-voc.com/phorum5/read.php?1,78632
-Skyler DR. has dropped our jaws with another sweet dispatch from South America, this time from the Bolivian Andes: http://www.ubc-voc.com/phorum5/read.php?3,74718
2) From the execs desk
-Are trip organizers and leaders in the VOC doing a good job of controlling group size, composition, and dynamics in order to keep trips safe enough? Is it about maintaining a certain ratio of experienced members, keeping the group organized, or are some VOC trips just too big to be safe? Phil T. has started off a lively discussion of this on the message board, chime in if you've got something to say! http://www.ubc-voc.com/phorum5/read.php?1,79626
IV. Miscellaneous
1) Rewards and incentives for trip organizers
Woohoo, prodeals for VOC Trip organizers! In return for leading trips, you now get not only immense satisfaction, but cheap gear too!!
http://www.ubc-voc.com/wiki/Discounts_for_VOC_Trip_Organizers
2) Call for VOC journal articles - 54th edition!
Time to start writing up those crazy memories of outdoor experiences this past year, or just turning your existing TR's into journal articles! Every year, the VOC immortalizes the wonderful fun we have in the outdoors in the VOC Journal. Receiving a journal is a priveledge of membership in the VOC, and it relies completely on submissions from people like you! Check out the message board for more information about the deadline and types of things you can contribute: http://www.ubc-voc.com/phorum5/read.php?1,79263
V. Ms. Manners
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Dear Ms. Manners,
When on hut trips, I keep getting blinded by people who can't seem to remember to stop shining their headlamps in my eyes when I'm talking to them. I've also noticed a correlation between these folks and those who fail to recognize the distinction between an Outside Voice and a Hut Voice. What should I do?
Thanks,
Veteran
Hey Vet,
Thanks for your question. I've been thinking about it while I regain my night vision to pen this response in my notebook, bivouacked high on an alpine ridge.
The best thing that you can do about those pesky Shiners is remind them that they are doing it, since they are likely unaware that they are. One method to do this is to passively turn your headlamp on without missing a beat in conversation with them. Continue talking as they begin to squint and cringe, open their mouth to complain, suddenly realize that they are doing exactly the same thing, turn their headlamp off, and walk away in shame. This is best when your headlamp way outpowers theirs (like Zebra vs. Tikka).
The above approach is also beneficial if you never wanted to talk to the Shiner in the first place, but may not be a great strategy if it is someone whom you are into and are trying to chat up. In that case, you need to somehow convince them to turn off their headlamp without driving them away. I recommend "Hey, let's go outside and look at the stars", but others have tried the Division of Labour strategy: you offer to do the cooking (and all of the other things that require moving about in the hut) while the Shiner be the team "thinker". In their new role as resident philosopher, the Shiner will patiently sit with their headlamp turned off, lost in a sea of plans and platitudes.
The correlation between Shiners and people with no Hut Voice is well documented. Scholars have found that most of this correlation is explained by the fact that in both cases, the perpetrator is unaware that they are being annoying. Significant covariance has also been observed between Shiners and those who tend to sing a little too loud (Yellers), people who didn't realize that thing was supposed to be a secret (Tellers), those who spill wine all over the hut (Drink Fellers), and the folks that don't realize that their feet really stink in the car on the way home (Smellers).
Oh sorry, has my headlamp been on this whole time?
Sincerely,
Miss Manners
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