Document type : vocene
Date : 2015-04-14
Description : VOCene #40 2015
Content :
VOCene # 40: Tuesday, April 14th, 2015
In this Issue:
Special Features
1. Call for summer volunteers at the Aviary (our new climbing gym)!
2. Annual VOC Journals Available for Pick Up or Sale
3. Son of Rock- Learn how to Rock Climb! May 9-10
The Usual Suspects
4. Recent Trip Reports
5. Upcoming Trips
6. Message Board Highlights
7. Ms. Manners
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Special Features
1. The Aviary- Call for Summer Volunteers!
Our new climbing gym (The Aviary) will likely be open in early May! This is close enough that it's time to start recruiting volunteers!
The majority of the volunteers will be what we're calling "Monitors". In this position, you'll be responsible for the following:
-Opening the gym
-New member orientation
-Renting gear
-Performing belay tests
-General supervision of climbers
-Cleaning
-Closing the gym
The gym will be open (at least initially) for two 4-hour blocks daily Monday-Friday. The times will be 11:00 to 15:00 and 18:00 to 22:00. I think the best system for staffing those slots will be two overlapping 3-hour shifts. The monitor commitment will therefore be 3 hours each week.
At this time, we are looking for people who can commit to the 4 months of May to August. The Aviary Monitor Signup
I've allowed for several people to sign up for the same slot, so that we can shift things around and figure out what is best for everyone. Having backup monitors available is also very important. With the current schedule, I'll need at least 20 people. Ideally you would have the following qualifications:
-Several years experience climbing indoors
-Some familiarity teaching top-roping to new climbers
-Lots of enthusiasm
Qualified and eager to volunteer? Indicate your availability here! The Aviary Monitor Signup.
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2. VOC Journals Available for Pick Up Or Sale
Have you received a VOC Journal for the 2014-2015 year? If you are a full member (student member paying $40/year, or community member paying $60/year), then the Annual VOC Journal is already included in your fees and comes at no additional charge! If you are an alumni/honorary member, then the journal costs $20 for yourself.
You can pick up your VOC Journal from the clubroom during gear hours, or at other times when people happen to be in the clubroom. Read all of the amazing adventures that were had this past year and feel inspired!
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3. **SON OF ROCK (Learn How to Rock Climb in Squamish!)** May 9-10, 2015
This is the annual spring learn-to-rock-climb event in Squamish. This is for people who have never before touched rock, all the way up to learning to lead trad. One day of instruction on Saturday and an OPTIONAL day of climbing on Sunday. Camping will be done up the Squamish Valley, but there are no reservations.
The pre-trip meeting on May 4th (location TBD) and is generally mandatory to arrange rides and instructors. Signup is done on the signup page on the trip listed on the Trip Agenda.
We have harnesses, shoes and helmets (yes, you absolutely need a helmet or we will not let you climb) for rent from the club, but you will need your own belay device and locking carabiner (but these can be SHARED between two people if you take the intro course, rock 1). More details can be found on the Wiki page.
Climbing levels are:
1. Learn to Rock Climb: Suitable for anyone who has never climbed or who doesn't know how to belay. Here you will learn how to belay, how to make the most important knots (esp. Figure of 8), how to check your and your partner's knot and harness and you will climb real rock. If time permits, we can also let you rappel.
2. Learn to Build Top-Rope Anchors: For those who know how to top-rope belay and tie in for top-rope climbing, but want to learn how to set-up their own top-rope anchors on bolts and trees. We will also teach you how to clean anchors and how to rappel from your anchors. You will learn some more knots and learn about anchor gear. If you already climbed a lot at climbing gyms for example then this is for you.
3. Learn to Lead Climb (Sport). Students PARTICIPATING in Rock 3 are expected to be proficient at top-rope belaying, at building and cleaning a top-rope anchor, and rappelling (Rock 2 or equivalent highly reccomended). Rock 3 is intended to introduce students to lead climbing and lead belaying. Upon completion of Rock 3, students should have the skills necessary to go single-pitch sport climbing at Chek, Area 44 or Skaha for example.
4. Learn to Trad Climb. This is for people who are experienced at top-roping, setting up top-rope anchors, rappeling, lead belaying (and preferably know how to lead sport) and want to learn how to place traditional lead protection properly.
Be sure to use the Trip Agenda for signing up and indicate your preferred rock level to take!
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The Usual Suspects
4. Recent Trip Reports
Easter climbing in Skaha Bluffs
Leaving from Vancouver early Friday morning heading towards Skaha in a little red car packed with camping equipment, a pineapple, a guitar and a happy driver pumped up on Monster energy drink me and my girlfriend Hanne didn’t really know what to expect, but we sure were excited to go climbing for no less than three days in a row! The drive to get there was about 450 k’s – a mere 100 k more than going across Denmark – of beautiful mountains and rolling hills. A sight we’re not used to seeing back home so every time we get out of Vancouver we really enjoy the astonishing scenery...
Seymour Demonstration Forest Bike-Hike
I joined a small group heading to the Seymour Demonstration Trail for my first official bike-hike. I like biking, and I like hiking, so it sounded like fun. The questionable weather forecast calling for rain left me wondering whether that would be type 1 or 2 fun. But as usual, my desire to get out into nature overpowered my mild allergy to rain. As someone who occasionally bikes 10km to UBC and back in a day, how hard could it be?
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5. Upcoming Trips
THIS WEEK
Edible Plants of BC Walk · Friday, April 17th
Saskia Wolsak has agreed to teach about edible plants in BC. Hopefully this will be a part
of a survial workshop series teaching people how to live off the land. We'll do a plant walk starting at the Museum of Anthropology and making our way up towards Beaty Biodiversity Museum. It will take about 2 hours. A cordage and fire by friction workshop and a weekend hike to test out these (and other) survival skills may happen in the fall if there is interest. This event will run from 4:00-6:00 PM Friday.
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THIS WEEKEND
No trips! :O
If you would like to go on an adventure this weekend, post what kind of trip you are interested in going on and a general plan (e.g. Hike Goat Mountain, Cycle to X), and see if you can get people who are interested in joining you!
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NEXT WEEKEND
En Plein Air - Outdoor Artsy Fartsy Hiking Trip! · Saturday, April 25th
Calling all artists and art appreciators: it's time to flex your creative muscles while working your hiking ones! This trip is for those wanting to work on their creative projects in an outdoor/backcountry setting. For those of you familiar with Makerspaces, think of it like that, but in the woods and with less tech focus. Non-artsy folk are also welcome to join! All hiking levels are welcome as are all mediums (fine arts, performing arts, experimental, none, etc.). The exact location is TBD, but visiting a hut seems like a good option. There WILL be an introductory workshop to drawing materials and techniques after the pretrip. If you'd like to come to that but not on the trip, sign up anyway and just indicate that you're only interested in the workshop (yay art!). Pre-trip meeting will be Tuesday, April 21st at 6:00 PM. Location TBD (check back to the link on the trip agenda for updates).
A Womyn's Ski Traverse: Callaghan-Brandywine · Sat. Apr. 25th - Sun. Apr. 26th
The idea is to do a spring ski traverse minus the boys. It seems that oftentimes outdoor trips end up with pretty skewed gender ratios. I'm curious to see what it would be like to join up with fellow rad mountain womyn and go on a sweet traverse-maybe you are too? I'm looking at doing the Callaghan-Brandywine Traverse-I've avoided this area for skiing for the most part, since I've heard that snowmobiles can put a bit of a damper on the wilderness experience. However, a recent trip report got me psyched to check it out anyway. (These guys did Brandywine-Callaghan, but I think it would be better if we did it in reverse (net elevation loss, logging road access, etc.)). Check out suggested skills on the trip description! Pre-trip meeting will be Tuesday, April 21st at 6:30 PM in the clubroom.
Intro To Bike Touring and Eco. Conservation (Uber Beginner Friendly) · Sat. Apr. 25th - Sun. Apr. 26th
Baffled by Bikes? Muddled by mechanics? I, Byron Wilson, masters of science candidate, will help bring clarity to all your touring woes. The VOC is partnering with the Student Environmental Centre and UBC bike coop to enjoy a pleasant trip to Wildwood Forest – one of the first sustainably managed forests in Canada. Once there, we will have a guided tour of the premise and then camp and drink with our new friends in the partnering clubs. Wildwood is located near Nanaimo, and we will be taking the ferry. SEC will be assisting in the cost of the ferry ride, but you are expected to donate some money to the eco-forest for letting us camp, giving us a tour and to help them survive. No prior camping experience required. Questions? E-mail the trip organizer (Byron Wilson).
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6. Message Board Highlights
a. Tough Tags... interest in batch order? Express interest on this thread!
b. Rooms for Rent or Sublet: here and here
c. Unclaimed treasures in the VOC clubroom! Missing items? Left overs from the gear swap? Come and check it all out!
d. For sale: G3 Ion/Atomic touring set-up and BD Quadrant Boots, boots and stuff.
e. Climbing season is here! Check out the Squamish Climbing FAFF thread and get your climbing stoke on! Or enjoy some trail running and check out the Trail Running FAFF thread!
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7. Ms. Manners
Do you have a question for Ms. Manners? If so, email it to to your friendly neighbourhood VOCene Editor (cora.skaien@gmail.com) and it'll get forwarded to Ms. Manners for review. Remember, there's no such thing as a stupid question, so ask away.
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I, Cora Skaien (the VOCene Editor) would like to thank you all for another great year in the VOC! We had our ups and downs in the club, but it is great to have each other to spend time together through good times and rough times. This will likely be my last VOCene produced for you because our new VOCene Editor, Andrew Cavers, will likely take over next week! Hopefully he will be able to introduce you all to the new exec in his first edition! I look forward to another great year in the VOC as Public Relations Rep- have a great summer everyone!
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CONTRIBUTIONS to the VOCene are welcome. Please send all inquires or additions to the VOCene Editor (Cora Skaien; cora.skaien@gmail.com).
To unsubscribe from the VOCene mailing list, sign in at http://www.ubc-voc.com/member/update.php and uncheck the "want VOCene" box. This may not succeed for a while, and if so, e-mail Cora Skaien (cora.skaien@gmail.com) to request removal from the mailing list.
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