Good crowd, bad weather for annual hike
It was a dark and stormy night, followed by a dark and stormy day. But that didn’t stop more than 200 people from hiking up Knox Mountain in Kelowna’s North End last Saturday.
The Community Spring Climb for Health and World Peace was Kelowna-Lake Country Norm Letnick’s fourth annual spring family walk. If that wasn’t enough, there was a free draw for two tickets to any scheduled WestJet destination worldwide.
There was no official start, no timing and no placements. The focus was on good health. Participants could chose between the challenging Apex Trail or walk up closed Knox Mountain Drive starting around 10 a.m.
A group photo at 11:30 a.m. celebrated “our community’s diversity and ability to live in harmony with one another despite our differences,” said Letnick.
“The weather was cold and raining, but more than 200 people of all ages and backgrounds joined together to shake off those long winter cobwebs. Our winner, Marianne Wong, will be a great ambassador for our community as she delivers the group picture from today to the city she travels to.”
Not only was it cold and wet, but also foggy when the Sheriff and Constant Companion Carmen made it up to the Apex Lookout (not actually the summit). The spectacular panoramic view was hidden by low cloud. After we registered for the draw at the nearby pavilion, clouds started to dissipate.
It was completely different on Tuesday as members of the Central Okanagan Outdoors Club went up to the real summit and then around northward to circle Kathleen Lake to the east.
The Sheriff is sure many Kelowna residents don’t realize the immense size of the city’s largest largest wilderness park.
Check the map at knoxmountainpark.ca/ trail-guide/
****** The Sheriff also learned a lot more about kokanee (land-locked salmon) at the third annual B.C. Interior Sportsman Show last weekend. Danny Coyne from Peachland presented Kokanee 101: Targeting Tactics and Presentations, timely since the fishing season opened on April 1. The Sheriff even bought kokanee lures and flashers.
There were also demos on fly casting, game cooking, archery, skinning, drone demos and fly tying.
Show producer Rosanne Ting-Mak Brown lined up more than $8,000 in prizes, including a sport fishing trip from Rugged Point Lodge at Kyuquot on the west coast of northern Vancouver Island (where we kayaked last year), a Scotty Electric Downrigger from Atlantis Marine and an Adventure Weekend at Christina Lake.
***** Last weekend’s registration for the 20th annual Okanagan Shuswap Century Ride on May 27 set a record.
“It’s always an exciting morning. Everyone is excited about OSCR,” said founder Lisa Jaffary, noting registration opened “at the crack of 6 a.m.” on Easter Monday. “At 6:15 a.m., it was half-full with 250 riders registered. It filled up with 475 riders at 8:22 a.m. A record!”
The distances chosen: 100 km (Century Ride) by 345 people; the new 73 km: 60 people (“looks like a popular option”); 51 k: 65 people; and 14 km (family ride): three.
The age range is 10 to 82 years (former MLA Cliff Serwa is 82). with 225 women riders and 250 men. More than 250 are from the Kelowna area; 20 are from Calgary.
There is an early OSCR training ride at 9 a.m. on May 6. It is a low-key event starting at Gio Bean Coffee on Water Street in Kelowna and finishing at Tree Brewing Institute. It is an unsupported ride with two distances: 35 km and 70 km.
You can register on the day of the training ride for $30 per person. All money will be donated to the Okanagan Rail Trail, said Jaffary, “with great volunteers helping at the event.”
***** At this week’s monthly meeting of the Kelowna Canoe and Kayak Club, Brad Dahl announced the official launch of the Kelowna Paddle Trail, a string of 22 buoys between Bertram Creek Regional Park in the south and McKinley Landing in the north. Each buoy has a list of beach accesses along the 27-kilometre trail and distances between each.
The launch is 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on May 19 at the south end of City Park in Kelowna with Kelowna’s largest flotilla of kayaks, paddleboards and dragon boats on the water at 10 a.m.
The event includes races, demonstrations and tryouts of human-powered craft, information on water safety, and displays by local clubs and organizations.
An interview with Dahl will appear in next weekend’s column.
***** The Trail of the Okanagans Society has announced the following spring activities:
* Friday (April 20): 3 p.m., unveiling of the new Summerland Bike Hub in Memorial Park across from the library.
The society sponsored a cycling/hiking map display and a bike repair station. The District of Summerland provided site preparation and installation.
* May 19: 10 a.m., meet at the Summerland Bike Hub to learn about ebikes. There will be e-bikes on display and e-bike owners to explain why they chose their particular ride. Then, move on to the Municipal Hall for a bicycle tune-up clinic organized by the Summerland Bike to Work Week committee.
* May 19: 6 p.m., Meadowlark Gala Dinner at Penticton Golf and Country Club, Trail of the Okanagans’ president Henry Sielmann will talk about the vision of a 250kilometre cycling/hiking network connecting many communities and natural sites in the Okanagan Valley. Go to: meadowlarkfestival.ca/ for more details.
* June 3: 10 a.m., bike ride from the Summerland Bike Hub along the recentlyimproved Garnet Valley Road. A pleasant 11-kilometre ride along a scenic paved road with the option to continue for another seven kilometres along gravel roads to the Antlers Saddle Lookout. Check facebook.com/OKTrail for updates.
All events are open to the public. Advanced sign-up is required for the Garnet Valley bike ride.
***** A followup to last weekend’s feature on the Myra Canyon Trestle Restoration Society.
“The Myra Station photo was of great interest as I saw it while working for the B.C. Forest Service in the mid-1970s. One day we arrived at the station to see a steam engine with tender and a few railcars parked there while a scene or scenes with Pierre Berton was being filmed for the CBC’s Last Spike,” says Don Wylie of Vernon.
The society plans to work on the site of Morrissey’s work camp this summer. On March 20, 1913, Kelowna’s Courier newspaper provide some insight into this camp:
“On Wednesday, news came in from Morrissey’s Camp, No. 2, that an Italian had been frozen to death while returning to the camp from Kelowna. It seems that the man, Leonardo Capusculto by name, and about 22 years of age, walked in the 14 miles or so on Tuesday to send away some money orders for his friends and also, evidently, to bring up some firewater from town. He reached a spot about two miles from camp on his return trip and apparently lay down against a log to rest as he was carrying a dozen bottles of whisky, besides a flask which was nearly empty when the body was discovered on Wednesday morning. His money, amounting to nearly $50, was untouched and it was evident that he had simply gone to sleep under the influence of the liquor he had absorbed and gradually froze. Prov. Constable Vachon went out and brought in the body and at the time of writing, it is expected that internment will be made tomorrow in the local cemetery.”
***** There is great news from the Okanagan Rail Trail Initiative: trail construction is now 70 per cent funded.
An email newsletter this week announced: “Thanks to all the fabulous support by individuals, organizations, businesses and groups, the March 2018 campaign total is $5,309,498! Over 4,766 gifts have been made up and down our valley to contribute to this sum. Stay tuned for important announcements later this spring as the campaign gears up for the final push to finish funding. Your group, friends, business or organization can be part of this too! You can also help us kick off what we expect will be the final year of fundraising!”
Last winter, contributions came from an Ogopogo Rotary scotch-tasting, admission fees to an Artisan Market at Predator Ridge, Rail Trail Tuesdays at the Bean Scene in Vernon and a donation from Telus’s Fibre for Good program.
Even though an official opening for onehalf of the trail is planned for this spring, the trail is currently closed and still under construction, emphasizes the newsletter.
“Work is progressing on the trail in all areas and even though some of it appears to be finished, the trail is still officially closed. Much work is still required to make sure that the trail is safe and ready for use. Thanks to all who are respecting the trail closure.”
Events are being organized to support this year’s final campaign push:
— May 6: 9 a.m., Okanagan Shuswap Century Ride’s Training Ride. All proceeds to the Okanagan Rail Trail.
— May 12: MEC Kelowna, a celebration of their large donation.
— May 26: Okanagan Shuswap Century Ride.
— June 2, 3: Bike to Work Week Food Truck and Beer Garden at 1100 High Rd., Kelowna. Net proceeds to the rail trail.
— June 10: Conquer the Lake, second annual Lake Country running event.
— July 22. Vernon Rotary Ride. Net proceeds to the rail trail.
***** You can now register for the free Tracks Walking Club. The 12-week beginner graduated walking program offers a choice of location on either side of Okanagan Lake.
Each Monday and Wednesday at 9 a.m. from April 9 to June 27, participants will walk along the Mission Creek Greenway and in Mission Creek Regional Park in Kelowna (no walk on Victoria Day, May 21).
Each Tuesday at 9 a.m. from April 10 to June 26, participants will travel around the Gellatly Nut Farm Regional Park off Whitworth Road in West Kelowna.
There’s no cost to sign up, and members receive a walking journal, walking tips, seminars and motivational tips that keep them moving. People at a beginner fitness level are encouraged to take part, gradually increasing their health, stamina and walking duration to 60 minutes.
To register, drop in to the Environmental Education Centre for the Okanagan in Mission Creek Regional Park at Springfield and Durnin roads in Kelowna or email eeco@cord.bc.ca or phone 250-469-6140.
***** You can get the whole family active and celebrate the outdoors through the popular Families in Parks program.
Join regional parks staff as they provide free activities between 1 and 3 p.m. Pre-registration is required.
On April 22, learn about the world of Reptiles and Amphibians at Mission Creek Regional Park in Kelowna. Participants will set off from the kiosk and parking area outside the EECO.
To register for this or other Families in Parks events, drop in to the EECO centre in Mission Creek Regional Park in Kelowna, email eeco@cord.bc.ca or phone 250-4696140.
***** The EECO centre in Mission Creek Regional Park was closed all week as staff installed the new Nature Smarts – Okanagan Edition exhibit and made some building enhancements.
When the EECO doors re-open at 10 a.m. today, the exhibit explains the etiquette involved in enjoying nature and leaving gentle footprints.
For more information, go to regionaldistrict.com/parks, contact the EECO at 250469-6140, email eeco@cord.bc.ca or drop into the centre.
J.P. Squire, aka the Hiking, Biking, Kayaking and Horseback Riding Sheriff, is a retired Okanagan Weekend reporter and an avid outdoors enthusiast. Email: jp.squire@telus.net.