Document type : vocene
Date : 2015-09-08
Description : VOCene #14 2015
Content :
Varsity Outdoor Club
VOCene #14, September 8, 2015
** In This Issue:
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** Special Features
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* New school year, new VOCene
** Recent Trip Reports
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** Upcoming Trips
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** Message Board Highlights
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** Ms. Manners
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** Special Features
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* New school year, new VOCene
It's September, which means the VOCene is switching over to a weekly schedule rather than a bi-weekly one. Also, it sounds like a lot of people were not receiving the VOCene because it was coming from a MailChimp address, which we've tried to correct by sending from an Alumni account. Hopefully we'll be able to keep all of the sweet formatting that made MailChimp such a good idea in the first place. So, if you're receiving a VOCene for the first time in longer than two weeks, that was probably why.
If you are receiving a VOCene, could you reply to this email so that we can tell? The exec just wants to make sure that people are now getting the newsletter.
** The Usual Suspects
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** Recent Trip Reports
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* Roland Burton recently visited Brew hut (http://www.ubc-voc.com/2015/09/05/brew-hut-expedition-sept-2-4-2015) .
** Upcoming Trips
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THIS WEEKEND
Glacier School - G1 · Sat. Sep. 12th - Sun. Sep. 13th (http://www.ubc-voc.com/tripagenda/details.php?tripid=1016)
Description:
It's about that time of year where you've worn all the skin off your fingers working on your 5.13 project, most of the snow in the big mountains has melted, and you're starting to think about winter again. Or maybe you've been eyeing peaks like Mt. Baker, Garabaldi, the Tantalus Range, etc and wondered what basic skills you'd need to travel on big mountain glaciers. Whatever your motivation, we've got you covered!! Join me, as well as many other phenomenal and experienced VOC instructors to learn the basics of glacier travel and crevasse rescue techniques.
Cirriculum will include: self-arrest, knots for mountaineering, basic hauling systems for rescue, traveling on a glacier, and much more! The full cirricullum information packet can be found here: http://www.ubc-voc.com/mediawiki/images/9/9a/2009_Glacier_School_Info_booklet.pdf.
As this is the annual introduction to glacier travel course taught in the VOC, it is VERY popular, and those who are interested should sign up as 'Committed' early. Signup for 'Committed' opens at 12:00am on Wenesday September 2nd.
***In addition, if you have taken G1 before and feel VERY competent in your skills regarding basic crevasse rescue, knots, ascending ropes with prussiks, etc, then you're in luck - there's a great place for you as an instructor for G1! Note: most instructors are just that; experienced VOC members with no professional acccrediation or certification. I.e. they are not professional guides. Sign up at the bottom of the Wiki page if you wish to instruct!***
More information can be found on the attached Wiki page found here: http://www.ubc-voc.com/wiki/Glacier_school_2015.
And if you're still not convinced, learning the skills taught on G1 will allow you to participate on VOC trips that go to places like this:
Mt. Baker Sunrise. Photo Credit: Nathan Starzynski
Beginner friendly outdoor climbing in Squamish! · Saturday, September 12th (http://www.ubc-voc.com/tripagenda/details.php?tripid=1032)
Description:
Have you been gym climbing for a while but think it would be awesome to climb outdoors? Feel like a fun day of (probably) toproping on real granite? Then this trip is for you.
Byron is going to help me lead my first official VOC trip.
The plan is to head up to Squamish for some beginner-friendly climbing.The specifics of where we go and what we do will depend on experience and interest.
The number of people who can come will depend on the experience level of participants and the availability of cars. If too many people sign up I will quasi-randomly select people at some point in the week beforehand, making sure that we have enough drivers to all get up there.
Hope to see you there!
- Brian
Heather Trail Overnighter (Beginner friendly) · Sat. Sep. 12th - Sun. Sep. 13th (http://www.ubc-voc.com/tripagenda/details.php?tripid=1033)
Description:
The heather trail is an easy 21 km hike along the three brothers mountains. Start and end point are at two different locations, ideally we'd have at least 2 cars that we can split into 2 groups, each one hiking from one side. We would meet then in the middle at Kicking Horse Lake and camp there together, maybe do a trip to one! or two!! or even three!!! of the brothers from there on..
Best time to go was until mid of August because of all the colorful flowers, but who needs flowers?!? They just stand around and look pretty, we don't need them, we'll go anyways! (if you sign up ;) )
Pretrip is Thursday, Sept. 10, at 7 PM in the clubroom.
Top-Secret Harrison Expedition · Sat. Sep. 12th - Sun. Sep. 20th (http://www.ubc-voc.com/tripagenda/details.php?tripid=1034)
Description:
We might be going up to Harrison for a week, or maybe we will go up with Jeff Mottershed on the 12th and come back on the 13th, then go up again to get Jeff on the 19th. The purpose of this is to get some hut work done, so if you are only interested in scrambling, perhaps you aren't what we need. But this will give you an opportunity to see the Harrison Hut, and if you are keen to help, we can always use help. Details are vague at this point.
We probably will not be doing pre-trip meetings, etc, but there is a sign-up page and if you sign up, we will contact you to see if you qualify for this mission. A spare driver for the trip home on the 13th would be good
NEXT WEEK
Welcome Back, Tea and Noodles Social · Wednesday, September 16th (http://www.ubc-voc.com/tripagenda/details.php?tripid=1035)
Description:
Welcome old and new members. Lets use our camp stoves to boil water and make bowl noodles and tea. Bring a resusable container and a way to heat up water. I will probably bring a bunch of bowl noodle things to share.
If possible we will meet on the Knoll. If not I will post some other meeting place. In case of rain, meet in the clubroom in the new sub.
This is a chance to meet people in the club and reconnect with old friends. Also to use up nearly empty fuel canisters not worth taking on trips.
Preparing for the Backcountry [Workshop] · Thursday, September 17th (http://www.ubc-voc.com/tripagenda/details.php?tripid=1026)
Description:
This will be an on-campus worskhop to prepare novices for their first trips into the backcountry. By completing this workshop you'll be prepared for your first VOC trips and have more fun on the trip with a lighter pack, comfy hiking boots and the right attitude.
- Choosing the right trips
- How to pack your pack
- Pacing and food
- Choosing the right boots / Managing your feet on the trail
- Staying found
- What to do in an emergency
- Protips
I'll need a few helping instructors, sign up / email me if you're interested.
NEXT WEEKEND
Black Tusk in a Day [Trail Race] · Saturday, September 19th (http://www.ubc-voc.com/tripagenda/details.php?tripid=919)
Annual Indian Arm Uber Beginner Friendly Sea Kayaking Bonanza · Sat. Sep. 19th - Sun. Sep. 20th (http://www.ubc-voc.com/tripagenda/details.php?tripid=996)
Description:
Kayaking!!!!!!!!!!!
Everyone's favorite annual September trip is back, and it's going to be better than ever. Actually, it'll probably be the exact same as last year but that's still pretty sweet.
We'll rent double kayaks from Deep Cove (about $100 per person) and paddle up to Granite Falls to spend the night. You are welcome to bring your own boat if you have one. Im also looking for 3-6 people with kayaking experience to helpout, teach, and run safety. Shoot me a message if you are interested in helping and/or have your own boat.
The boats are super stable and we arent paddling too far so this is a super beginner friendly trip (it was my first ever VOC trip). An ability so swim is necessary though!
The current plan is to leave from Deep Cove at 9am (arrive at 8), paddle to Granite Falls, stopping along the way for lunch. Then we'll set up camp, swim, relax, and explore and then have a dinner/dessert/drinks potluck. We should be back at Deep Cove around 4 or 5 on Sunday.
Let me know if you have any questions or concerns!
PSA: This trip is usually very popular and fills up quickly. I'll be opening interested/committed sign ups in late August/early September. Be sure to sign up quickly!
Black Tusk in Two Days [Beginner Friendly] · Sat. Sep. 19th - Sun. Sep. 20th (http://www.ubc-voc.com/tripagenda/details.php?tripid=1028)
Description:
Black Tusk in a Day [ Trail Race ]
It's exactly what it sounds like, this is a Trail Running (http://www.ubc-voc.com/wiki/Trail_running) team race. The objectives of the race are:
1. Everyone finishes
2. ... with style
Course
The rough outline of the course is provided below. It's 29.2 km with a gain/loss of 1973/-2250 m. Right now this is set as Chekemus Lake --> Rubble Creek direction. The top scramble section of the Black Tusk is included in the race plan below (in VOC style) but requires that you and your team take it slow for this section of loose rock and know how to scramble and bring helmets, it's optional. Strategy will be discussed leading up to the event
Logistics/ Ethic:
This is a team race, so you can form a group of upto 5 people to help and support one another, besides that there is no support/aid stations. You should have the experience to be in the backcountry and take care of each other. This trip isn't beginner friendly and you need to have experience in the back country to complete this safely. Join some VOC hikes and learn those skills!
This isn't a super-competative race, it's more of a challenge to complete, while it's possible to do this as a long days hiking, part of the 'style' is to be fast and light (and whatever else style means to you).
Sign up, train (if you need to) and have fun : )
See you on race day!
** Message Board Highlights
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-Marius Wi (http://www.ubc-voc.com/phorum5/read.php?1,112851) is looking for a place to live.
** Ms Manners
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Ms Manners is the VOC's resident expert on mountaineering and outdoors etiquette, and answers questions from VOCers once a week in her advice column, here. Do you have a question for Ms Manners? Email the VOCene editor and it will be forwarded on to Ms Manners, with a reply posted the following week.
Hi Ms Manners,
When does my membership expire? How does signing up as a VOC alumni work?
Thanks,
Confused VOCer
Hey Confused,
If you purchased your membership before May 1 of this year then your membership will expire on September 30. If you purchased your membership after May 1, then your membership will roll over into the following year and expire on September 2016.
When your membership expires, you will no longer have access to the Trip Agenda, the Message Board or gear from the clubroom, and you will no longer receive the much-anticipated weekly VOCene. Further, you are no longer covered by insurance on club trips and need to sign up again to be able to attend trips. If you are no longer in the area but still wish to be able to read the message board, you can sign up as an 'honorary' VOC member, a VOC alumnus (this does NOT include UBC alumni, only CLUB alumni). Alumni do not get to rent gear from the club, though.
We hope to see you again in the new year! Every year hosts most of the same annual trips, as well as numerous unique trips that are loved by so many members. Regardless of your skill level, we appreciate your presence on trips and hope to help you learn more in the areas that you wish to learn more!
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