Always remember to take a lunch
The past week was full of outdoor recreation opportunities, from two hikes to a mountain film festival to an AGM with lots of exciting news about one of our premier cross-country ski clubs.
The Sheriff and Constant Companion Carmen finally returned to Stephens Coyote Ridge Regional Park in the Glenmore Valley area of Kelowna after the summer closure due to the extreme fire hazard.
Members of the Central Okanagan Outdoors Club planned to hike there the next day, so we took our usual single-track path to the top and down to Light Blue Lake while kicking stones and stick-flicking branches off the trail with our hiking poles in preparation for our friends. It was a beautiful sunny day and we spent about two hours there.
Surprise, surprise, COOC hike leader Devon took us up the wide trail used by ATVs even though motorized vehicles are not allowed in this park. So all the work we did the day before was wasted on them. And then, it started to drizzle.
The ATV track goes all the way to the northern summit of the Glenmore Highlands via a different route and instead of going down to Light Blue Lake, Devon continued south along this top ridge, down into a small valley and then west to the western edge of the Wilden housing development.
Excavators had been at work clearing a new roadway and after nearly four hours of hiking, we ended up in a cul-de-sac off Glenmore Road, apparently because it's near Brandt’s Creek Pub where everyone wanted to go after.
The Sheriff and CCC went directly to the Glenmore Road trailhead of Stephens Coyote Ridge opposite the Glenmore dump, not the usual COOC meeting place in town.
So we didn’t find out until we were in Wilden territory that this was in fact a oneway hike and vehicles had been left in the cul-de-sac to take drivers back to their vehicles at the Stephens Coyote Ridge trailhead.
Surprise, surprise. We thought it was going to be a two-hour hike like the one we led last year and the one we did the day before. So we didn’t bring lunch. It’s always a good idea to make sure everyone knows where you’re going and for how long.
Unfortunately, the monthly newsletter didn’t specify how long that hike would be and the Sheriff didn't insist, as he usually does, that we bring a lunch (since you have to eat lunch sometime that day wherever you are). Lesson learned. Stomach is on a schedule.
*** While we were in Stephens Coyote Ridge Regional Park, we were surprised to learn someone had gone into this beautiful public park, cut down large trees, then cut the trunks into firewood-size pieces and hauled them away leaving freshly-cut stumps and all the branches scattered around.
The regional district’s bylaw enforcement department investigated and apparently caught the culprits. The final outcome isn't known, but under the regional parks bylaw, it’s illegal to damage and remove for personal or commercial purposes anything from a regional park.
The fine: a paltry $100. So, how much is all that firewood worth?
“We’re in the process of updating the various parks bylaws and associated fine structure to bring them up-to-date,” responded Bruce Smith, the regional district's communications and intergovernmental affairs officer.
“They are over 10 years old and need to reflect changes in the time since they were adopted. The Regional Parks Bylaw was adopted in October 2006. There is, depending on the investigation, the possibility for multiple violation tickets to be issued, which is more than just one fine.
“Thankfully, situations like this are extremely rare and most people don't need any deterrent. The overwhelming majority of people enjoy our parks, have a pride in ownership, and treat them with respect in order to conserve and preserve the natural environment.”
*** Last Saturday, we attended the Best of the Fest, films from the Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival at Kelowna Community Theatre.
The films were great although there was a preponderance of rock-and ice-climbing videos. One of the highlights was The Switch about the small community of Carcross in the Yukon with its struggling economy and an uncertain future.
The answer was hiring a trail crew of local youth and teaching them to create an awesome mountain bike network on some amazing landscapes.
This amazing group of young people changed their community and changed themselves by learning new skills and through their own discovery of mountain bike adventure. The flood of mountain bike enthusiasts that the network attracted proved it was all worth the considerable, multi-year effort.
The highlight of the night, though, was the funny and serious presentation by world-class Canadian professional climber Sonnie Trotter.
Climbing the world’s most challenging peaks is not something that most of us recreational adventurers would do but it was thrilling to see his journey through his eyes. Now, the Sheriff can hardly wait to see what festival organizer Dean Urness can come up with next year. This year’s festival will be hard to top.
*** On Monday night, the Sheriff attended the annual general meeting of the Kelowna Nordic Ski and Snowshoe Club at the Environmental Education Centre for the Okanagan in Mission Creek Regional Park, Kelowna.
It was chockful of fascinating details on the off-season efforts during the worst forest fire season on record but plans for the future, including a new trail and a new cabin.
Membership fees are up slightly by $5-$10 “but are still the best value of any club for what you get,” said president/groomer Ryland Garton who was acclaimed to another one-year term. A detailed list is on the website: https://kelownanordic.com/membership/membership-rates/.
All the executive positions were filled by the same dedicated people with the exception of snowshoe director Rick Gee (after many years of laudable service maintaining trails and leading outings) who was replaced by Craig Lewis (who has already been out numerous times clearing trails).
“The usual trail work is taking place, belatedly, as we couldn’t get there in summer to do it with the fire risk. We had to replace some culverts after the spring monsoon season,” said Garton. He is seeking suggestions on how the club can celebrate its 40th anniversary this winter.
The annual Firewood Day is today with members either meeting in Kelowna for carpooling at 9 a.m. or at the main cabin at 10 a.m. Volunteers should bring a lunch and water with hot chocolate supplied. The goal was to collect the firewood from the trails on Friday and today, to split and stack it in preparation for winter heating.
Winn Rentals has donated the use of a log splitter but some may also be done by hand. Gloves to protect hands and axes would be appreciated. A trail clearing day is possible next Saturday as well as a chipping day (if it’s not raining).
A new cabin is in the works for the Backcountry/Riverside trails area, thanks to the purchase of a Pan Abode log cabin kit two years ago. More club and season information came out during the meeting but will be saved for future columns as the season begins.
*** Significant construction is planned on the 49-kilometre Okanagan Rail Trail between Kelowna and Coldstream during the next four months.
“If we can complete the fundraising, construction can continue into the spring and we can finish the trail,” say the organizers on the website.
Even though it was never really open since the former rail line was purchased, the trail is now officially closed along Kalamalka and Wood lakes, so work can begin on rock scaling, digging up the subgrade of the rail bed, widening the base and rebuilding the grade to create the new base.
“Your friendly rock scaler asks that you respect the trail-closed signs while they do their very important work on making the trail safe. Workers will also be using large equipment and digging up the trail to widen and repair the trailbed from erosion,” say organizers.
“Please respect this closure, which will be throughout the winter and into early spring as there are also erosion issues to deal with from the high water levels this past year. The trail is now an active construction site and your assistance in remaining off the trail is needed to ensure everyone’s safety and to assist with keeping construction on schedule and on budget.
“Trail construction preparation and erosion protection work along Wood Lake involves large equipment moving fast. Work along Kal Lake involves rock scaling. It looks like the trail is clear, however, hanging from ropes above are workers on ropes dislodging rocks and boulders from above. Please do not use the trail.
“Some people have been walking past the trail closed signs resulting in work having to be stopped. This will slow down construction and increase costs. Please respect the workers and their request for closing the trail. For the latest on construction, go to: okanaganrailtrail.ca."
As of Oct.1, the fundraising campaign is at $5 million, thanks to more than 4,300 donations. The goal is another $3 million. Organizers want to recognize the following businesses for their support:
* The Shuswap Coffee Company has been selling small packets of coffee for more than a year with most of the proceeds going to the trail. You will likely see them in stores again for Christmas.
* Lake Country Optometry has concluded its third initiative in support of the rail trail. This business donated $1 for every eye examination performed in the quarter ending on Sept. 1.
* Rooster’s Barber Shop in Lake Country donated $1 for each haircut performed in the last quarter ending on Sept. 15.
* Midtown Bistro and Okanagan Float in Vernon have teamed up for Date Night Dinner & Float with proceeds going to support the trail.
* Bean Scene Coffee House in Vernon continues to have Rail Trail Tuesdays with proceeds from the dark roast going to the trail. And you can have a Rail Trail Cookie anytime and support the trail.
* Car Craft Automotive in Kelowna continues to support the trail with proceeds from winter tire sales this fall.
* A charity garage sale was held last Sunday in the Kal Tire office parking lot on Kalamalka Road (to help celebrate National Waste Reduction Week). The Community Foundation of North Okanagan was on hand to accept donations.
*** To improve service, the application for new park-use permits through BC Parks will be going online, making it easier to access.
Beginning Nov. 1, an electronic application will replace the paper application form, which will no longer be available or accepted for processing by FrontCounter BC.
BC Parks issues park-use permits under the Park Act for restricted activities, such as commercial recreation services, film production, use of land in a park for private or commercial purposes, and research. Permits are also issued under the Ecological Reserve Act for research and educational activities in ecological reserves.
Park-use permits are different from permits that visitors may need for backcountry camping or moorage in provincial parks. An additional online application to amend, renew and transfer park-use permits is expected to be available by spring 2018.
FrontCounter BC is the integrated, onestop service for clients of British Columbia's natural resource ministries and agencies. For more information about parkuse permit applications, call 1-877-855-3222 toll-free or go to: frontcounterbc.gov.bc.ca
People requiring assistance with application forms can visit any FrontCounter BC location or call 1-877-855-3222 toll-free.
Learn more at: BC Parks: bcparks.ca and at Natural Resource Online Services: https://portal.nrs.gov.bc.ca/web/client/ho me
J.P. Squire, aka the Hiking, Biking, Kayaking and Horseback Riding Sheriff, is an avid outdoors enthusiast whose column appears every Saturday in The Okanagan Weekend Edition. You can contact him with your outdoor news at jp.squire@telus.net.