A mid-month KHC digest:

• Wells Gray Park/Info Center have updated the Trail Reports page – link.
• If you are having trouble logging in or staying logged in to the website, you may need to clean out some old links off your device.   See the help widget on the bottom right side of the website for tips.
• Members are encouraged to contact hike leaders directly to discuss event details (a private communication) rather than use comments (a public communication).  Hike leaders list their email addresses with each listing.
• BC Parks has introduced a new day pass system for 5 parks – Mt. Robson, Joffre Lakes, Golden Ears, Garibaldi Park, Mt. Seymour, and Cypress Bowl.   For more information, go to this link.
• Trail/Location Update – Dunn Peak
• Trail/Location Update – Illal Meadows
• Trail/Location Update – Bailey’s Chute Loop
• Thanks to all of our hike leaders for their summer volunteer time and support!

Some Talking Points:

• From the Covid-19 pandemic, hiking clubs across BC started activities within the guidelines established by our provincial government and KHC has stuck to those limits, successfully organizing smaller group hikes.   We modified our plan to allow groups to go from 2 – 6 to allow groups of 2 -12 if two hike leaders or co-leaders are on an event, managing social distancing efficiently.   With smaller groups and less events, in theory event spaces would be at a premium, and that was the case in spring.   In the summer there has been lots of open spaces.   What will be member-registration like in the fall and winter?   What can KHC do to provide events for its members?
• Summer camps were largely successful, except where weather interfered with scheduled backpacks and basecamps.   Registration for the camps was mostly complete in late winter/early spring, then there were only spaces available through cancellations (there were lots of those).   Is there a different way to plan camps and backpacks?   What recommendations do you have?
• With the pandemic, KHC chose not to organize carpooling, partly for personal safety for its leaders, and partly for liability for the Club.   This has made going to trailheads farther away more problematic.   For routes that require high-clearance or 4WD, this has excluded many people.   Many members have organized their own carpooling to help with this challenge.   Some leaders have encouraged this and have provided email addresses to the group to facilitate the communication process.
• With a spring of rainfall, many of our mountain backroads have been eroded and have become rough.   Some of our best summer hikes are at the end of these roads.   A few of our leaders continue to do these hikes in spite of challenging access.   This has offered a few spaces for those who have a whole day to travel and hike in the backcountry, but it does not serve the larger group of members very well.   Hike leaders choose the routes they want to do based on their own interests so the solution is to have more hike leaders, especially ones who will lead local moderate hikes.   Those types of leaders have become an endangered species, though.   What can we do to recruit more leaders?
• Hike leaders are volunteers and when they step forward to lead a hike, they have to  do a number of tasks before the event, then they have communications responsibilities, then the meetup, carpooling, leading, monitoring, and follow-up.    It is a lot to take on.   Sometimes it is not as rewarding as it could be.   What can we do to make sure that events are positive experiences for our hike leaders?

Some KHC photos from our media library from January and February 2015:

[metaslider id=”21333″]

The next KHChronicles will be published in mid-September so send any info you may have to khc@kamloopshikingclub.net (DAS)

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Doug Smith

Retired now, I get into the outdoors most days to hike, paddle, camp, snowshoe, run, walk, or explore. More information can be found at: KamloopsTrails.net.

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