Document type : vocene
Date : 2014-08-06
Description : VOCene #8 2014
Content :
VOCene #8: August 6, 2014
In this Issue:
1. Recent trip Reports
2. A Note: Pre-trip Meetings and Last-Minute Trips
3. Upcoming Trips
4. Interesting Opportunities
5. Message Board Highlights
6. Ms. Manners
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1. Recent Trip Reports
Video Montage of Semaphore Scrambling Trip!
Want to see beautiful views near Semaphore Lakes? Check out this 8.5 minute video!
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2. A Note: Pre-trip Meetings and Last Minute Trips
Some of you may have experienced with some dismay that you will arrive at the designated pre-trip location indicated in the VOCene to discover that no one is there. You then either admit defeat and go home, or call the organizer to discover that the location had been changed since the VOCene was released. This is unfortunate, but can happen! Please check the trip page before attending a pre-trip meeting to look for changes in time and location of pre-trip meetings. This seems to happen more often in the summer, when the nice weather permits pre-trip meetings at the beach.
Others may also notice that last minute trips are posted and sometimes missed because they did not hear about it in the VOCene or check the Trip Agenda on a Thursday afternoon. Although most trips are scheduled well in advance with a pre-trip meeting on either Tuesday or Wednesday, sometimes last minute trips get organized either as a last minute thought or as a result of a splinter-group formed at the Wednesday pre-trip meeting. If you are keen for a weekend trip last minute, look at the Trip Agenda to see if any are available.
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3. Upcoming Trips
VOC BBQ at Tolmie beach · Wednesday, August 6th (TODAY!)
Summer may be passing by quickly, but it is certainly not over! Bring your favourite food and drink and we'll bring the barbeque. Come to learn more about the club, meet some other members, or run into old friends. Everyone is welcome. Slacklines and frisbees are encouraged! We'll be set up at Spanish Banks/Locarno Beach near the base of Tolmie St. Look for a large group in the field with lots of bikes around.
Sky pilot scramble + Climbing in Squamish · Sat. Aug. 9th - Sun. Aug. 10th
This trip is beginner-intermediate friendly-ish. Sky Pilot scramble has an ascent time of 6 to 8 hours (without the Gondola), so it could be quite a long day. It has two difficult exposed section, so having some experience in rock climbing would help. In addition of the summer day trip gear, we will have to bring an ice axe and a helmet. This trip is NOT instructional, and knowledge of at least Rock 1 is necessary (see Long Hike and Son of Rock description on the VOC wiki). The plan would be to leave early Saturday morning and scramble Sky Pilot. Then we would car camp (probably at the Chief), and go climbing the next day. The pre-trip meeting is at 7:00 PM, Wednesday (TODAY!) at the Beach at the bottom of Tolmie Street, at the BBQ!
Beginner-Friendly Trip to Garibaldi Lake/Panorama Ridge! · Sat. Aug. 9th - Sun. Aug. 10th
PLAN: Hike from Rubble Creek parking lot to Garibaldi Lake campground (if full, head for Taylor Meadows campground). Drop all the gear. Summit Panorama Ridge. Return to campground. Next morning, muck around (cold aka refreshing swimming in the lake!) until we want to go home, then hike back down. It's about 8km from the parking lot to the campground (3-4 hours), 14km round trip from there to Panorama Ridge (6 hours), and 8km back to parking lot the second day (2 hours). If you've never overnight hiked before, it's actually quite an easy go from the parking lot to the lake, so this is 100% beginner-friendly. This trip is currently marked as tentative due to a lack of cars! There is no designated pre-trip meeting, rather details will be sorted out via e-mail FAFF.
2014 Ride for Clean Energy · Saturday, August 9th
On December 9th, 2012, Tyler Lewis, a VOCer, passed away while backcountry skiing in Cypress/Hollyburn. Since Tyler was a PhD student working on a clean energy realted research project at UBC Chemical Engineering Deptartment, his family and friends have established the Tyler Lewis Clean Energy Research Foundation. The 2014 Ride for Clean Energy is an 83km cycle from the Harrison area to Maple Ridge. It follows the same route as last year’s ride and is accommodating to cyclists of all skill levels. See this link for more details about this noteworthy event.
Beginner friendly trip to Mt Bishop and Elsay Lake · Sat. Aug. 16th - Sun. Aug. 17th
Mt Bishop is the northernmost peak in Mt Seymour Provincial Park, and Mt Elsay is a mountain lake just south of Bishop. This will require some scrambling, but I've been told it's quite easy. Helmets are mandatory, since we'll be scrambling. I put the trip in August so that most of the snow is gone, so we hopefully won't require ice axes. The pre-trip meeting is scheduled for Thursday, August 14th at 6:00 PM, outside of the clubroom.
Glacier school G2 · Sat. Aug. 23rd - Sun. Aug. 24th
Glacier school 2 is for students with previous glacier experience that want to apply these skills by actually climbing a peak. Have a look here for more details to see if this is the trip for you! Groups and destinations will be determined at the pre-trip meeting, which will be on Tuesday, August 19th at 6:00 PM. Location to be announced.
Harrison Hut Renovation · Sat. Aug. 23rd - Mon. Sep. 1st
VOC has several projects. One project this year, is building an outhouse at Harrison, and covering the Hut in corrugated steel. Material has been purchased, trucked to the helicopter fuel cache near the Meager bridge. We will go up there last week of August to install it, probably drive up Friday 22 Aug. We will need 4-5 people who can afford to take a week off. Please e-mail Roland Burton or post on the sign up page if you are interested in joining on this trip.
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4. Interesting Opportunities
Two spaces to Nesakwatch Spires available Aug 08 - 10
Neil and Jens will go to the Nesakwatch Spires and Mt. Rexford the coming weekend. We have two spaces in the car leaving Friday at 6pm. You'd have to be a self-sufficient team with your own plan. Comment on message board thread or e-mail Jens if you are interested.
Want to participate in a water quality study?
Waterlogged: a citizen science project that looks at how different land uses affect water quality. In this, we provide participants with a sample bottle, an icepack, and instructions on how to take a sample from a stream or river. When the sample is returned to us, we analyze it for water quality (specifically organic matter). Our aims are to look at differences in water quality in the region - by involving the community, we are also aiming to provide education around how science actually works, and how different types of land uses (urbanization, logging, etc) affect water quality. All of the information collected, and the comparison between water from different areas, will be freely available on our website for the community to use. Check out this link if you want to get involved!
MEC Outdoor Nation: outdoor activity initiative
MEC is starting an initiative called 'Outdoor Nation' targeted at people ages 18-27. This is a initiative to try to encourage people to get outside. MEC is looking for partners in this venture. They are setting up 3 summits, gatherings of about 150 people to discuss how to get people outside. The first of these will be held in Squamish on September 20th-21st. They are looking for the VOC to commit to send 8-10 people to this summit. (All expenses paid). We would like to send some students to this summit, so we are opening the opportunity to you! If you would like to go, send an email to Caitlin Schneider or Artem Babaian, or post here. Please describe why you would want to go. We also need people to commit to this. Candidates will be informed ASAP if they are selected.
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5. Message Board Highlights
Remember to check out the indoor climbing FAFF and Squamish Climbing FAFF for opportunities for both indoor and outdoor climbing experience and fun! Also, remember to post pictures of your awesome adventures for others to enjoy as well!
Needed: Burly bridge-transporting capabilities: Looking for a vehicle burly enough to transport two 350 lb (i.e. 700 lbs), ~24' long, ~4' high, ~3' wide bridge segments. Something with an uber-burly roof rack, flat deck truck, or trailer. Please post on this thread if so.
Room for rent available: Located in a great neighbourhood! Only ~15 minutes (bike?) from UBC and ~15 minutes (bike?) from downtown Vancouver. Rent is $625+ utilities/month. Utilities are split equally between the house. In-suite laundry is included. A parking space in the garage is available for an extra $50/month. We have a large backyard, patio and a selection of BBQ's. We also brew our own beer and wine and you're welcome to join in. Contacts Jens for more information!
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6. Ms. Manners
Do you have a question for Ms. Manners? If so, email it to to your friendly neighbourhood VOCene Editor and it'll get forwarded Ms. Manners for review. Remember, there's no such thing as a stupid question, so ask away.
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Dear Ms. Manners,
I am feeling pain near my appendix and am concerned about going away for the weekend. What is your advice?
Sincerely,
Concerned and in Pain
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Dear Concerned and in Pain,
Depending on the degree of pain, I would recommend seeing a doctor or hospital to get checked out asap as having appendicitis on a trip can be very dangerous. Keep in mind that a number of other issues may be occurring, such as indigestion, kidney issues or unexplained pain, that only a doctor can help diagnose. If the pain is enough that you are seriously concerned and may have lack of mobility, I recommend staying in the city for the weekend.
If the pain is not too severe and you still feel encouraged to go out for the weekend, perhaps consider taking a SPOT with you or staying in areas with cell phone reception and accessible exit routes. You would not be the first hiker/outdoors enthusiast who has had to abandon a trip due to appendicitis or other unexpected issues! (e.g. Appalachian Trail, etc.).
Alternatively, you can avoid this issue in the future entirely by having appendicitis in the city and getting it removed ahead of time! And then you can be unburdened by the inconvenience of an appendix which may at ANY MOMENT decide to attack you! In the grocery store, at the top of a mountain, while scuba diving, etc., the appendix may always be out to get you if you still have one in your body. Immediate removal is likely the best option to avoid any future issues with this evil entity.
Sincerely,
Ms. Manners
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