Outdoors club mourns hiking guide author
Family, friends and members of the Central Okanagan Outdoors Club gathered last weekend to celebrate the life of 64-year-old Paul Stewart Phillips, a long-time hiking club member and author of the comprehensive guide, Hiking in the Okanagan and Southern Monashees.
From an early age in Winchester, Hampshire, England, his independence, intellectual curiosity, quirky sense of humour and adventurous spirit were apparent, say family members. He spent his youth in the 1960s exploring woods and fields and developing a keen interest in natural history.
He completed a Bachelor of Science (honours chemistry) and worked as an analytical research chemist in London. However, he fell in love with the West Coast and its mountains, moving to Vancouver and completing a masters degree and doctorate in physical chemistry.
It was the Varsity Outdoors Club where he fell in love with backpacking and skiing, co-writing a guide to ski touring in the Coastal Range.
A job at Okanagan University College brought him to Kelowna where he quickly became involved in hiking and skiing, and then switched to UBC Okanagan as an associate professor of chemistry.
He courageously fought ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) until the end, living in his Lake Country home on his own terms with the invaluable assistance of family and friends.
To truly appreciate his sense of humour, you only have to pick the latest edition of his hiking guide since it is filled with his sometimes sarcastic witticisms. A favourite line in his Celebration of Life folder: “My first love of life (is) wandering free in the beauty of untouched wilderness.” He is already missed.
***** The Okanagan’s fine fall weather continued last weekend and early this week. So the Sheriff and Constant Companion Carmen joined an informal group composed of Kelowna Canoe and Kayak Club members in cycling the Okanagan Rail Trail from Oyama to Coldstream.
And then, the two of us joined cycling-hiking buddies Lawrence and Maggie on a bike ride on Lakeshore Road, south past the City of Kelowna limits into Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park.
The kayakers-turned-cyclists included one unnamed woman (Shirley you jest) who commented: “It has been many years, probably 10 or more since I was on a bike. The bum is very sore.”
Overheard was her suggesting that she was tired a half-hour before she reached Coldstream. And she still had to pedal all the way back.
It was hard to disagree with an assessment from a world traveller: “Rail trail Oyama to Coldstream. Perhaps one of the most scenic bicycle paths in the world; and right in our own back yard. Friends, sunshine and a pub lunch; life just doesn’t get any better.”
A hiking-cycling buddy (who just joined the e-bike ranks “and loving it”) checked out our Facebook photos of the rail trail jaunt and remarked: “Removing the portaloos at Oyama and other spits on the trail really sucks. I suggest the planners include a permanent loo on the isthmus or at the trail itself close to that junction. Where does one go?”
She used her new e-bike to cycle the rail trail from Oyama to Vernon last week.
Our outing south on Lakeshore Road occurred after the morning fog had lifted so we could enjoy the many city and regional parks we passed, plus panoramic views of Okanagan Lake.
It’s a favourite route for road bikers, either for a workout or training, and they just zoom down its many hills. For those with regular bikes, those hills can be a real workout. Even with e-bikes, your legs are sore afterwards.
That being said, it was curious that one Facebook followers saw several e-bikes on our Okanagan Rail Trail outing and asked: “What’s with the Ebikes? Isn’t that like cheating?” And someone else added: “E-bikes... cheaters!”
They were probably jesting, hopefully, but the Sheriff has a serious response. He is awaiting exploratory surgery on torn muscle tissue in his left leg; another ebike buddy is getting therapy on a bum knee; and his wife is a diabetic whose blood sugar has to be carefully monitored when she gets exercise. But all of us are staying active hiking, e-biking, crosscountry and downhill skiing despite our challenges. So, is it cheating to use a pedal-assist ebike to climb those killer hills and go such long distances when they might otherwise keep us away?
***** Big White Ski Club’s annual Ski, Board & Sport Swap last weekend was a big success, thanks to a significant increase in attendance leading to a 30-per-cent increase in sales over last year.
“The success of the ski swap reflects a resurgence in the popularity of skiing and snowboarding felt throughout the industry,” said Dave Willoughby, president of Big White Ski Club.
The Canadian Ski Patrol’s ski swap in September also experienced significant growth and Big White Ski Resort just finished a successful earlybird season pass campaign last weekend as residents of the Okanagan gear up for the upcoming ski season.
Olympic gold medallist Kelsey Serwa and fellow Big White Ski Resort/Canada ski cross teammate, Ned Ireland, signed posters and inspired the future generation of ski cross athletes. Both Serwa and Ireland are graduates of the Big White Ski Club program.
“The club is very happy with the support of the Okanagan community for our biggest fundraiser of the year,” said Willoughby. “The ski swap involved over 200 volunteers and we are fortunate to have help from many key areas. I’d also like to thank our sponsors and the New Life Church for allowing the club to utilize their facility every year.”
***** Halloween pumpkins, a custommade doghouse and one of the legendary retired Summit Chairs from Silver Star Mountain Resort will be available to the public today in exchange for a donation to the BC SPCA.
The fundraiser is at Bannister GM Vernon, 4703 27 St., Vernon with Silver Star representatives on-hand to accept your donations from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Local celebrities, including Global Okanagan’s Klaudia Van Emmerik, will be on location supporting the cause from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Donate any amount to the SPCA and you will receive a free pumpkin. The Summit Chair and the custom-made doghouse will be auctioned off to the highest bidder with all proceeds going to the animal shelter. Bidding can be done in person at the event, by phone at 604-902-2307 or by email to: gscott@skisilverstar.com between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.
With ski season only a month away, winter sport enthusiasts will also have a chance to purchase a Silver Star season pass at a marked-down rate during the event. Discounted Early Bird Pow Passes that bundle multi-day lift passes will also be available for purchase. All pre-season sales end on Wednesday. Current pass holders can also avoid the line-ups and drop by to pick up their passes for the upcoming season.
***** The crunch of gravel under the wheels is the only sound that gives away the presence of a new vehicle in Central Okanagan regional parks.
Regional parks staff members have nicknamed the new electric truck, the first in the parks fleet, as Casper because of its ghostlike, stealth qualities. “The quietness and no exhaust features of the electric vehicle supports one of the goals of our Regional Parks mission statement to protect the environment,” said communications officer Bruce Smith.
“The batteries can easily be recharged with a standard electrical outlet. We anticipate that we’ll see some fuel savings, since electricity is cheaper than petroleumbased fuels and the reduced cost of maintenance compared with a standard combustible vehicle.
“As well, the vehicle’s size was an important reason for purchasing it. Its 53-inch narrow width means the truck is able to cross all our bridge structures along the Mission Creek Greenway and as well as in many of our other regional parks,” added Smith.
The vehicle is licensed for regular road travel and moves at a top speed of 42 km/h.
The Might-E Truck vehicle was manufactured by Canadian Electric Vehicle Ltd. on Vancouver Island at a cost of $35,000. The Regional District of Central Okanagan received a $5,000 rebate grant from Plug-in B.C.
***** These are busy days for Phil McIntyre-Paul, executive director of the Shuswap Trail Alliance.
He just finished the Salute to the Sockeye event, the first Salmon Symposium jointly hosted by Little Shuswap Lake Band and the Adams River Salmon Society, and just hosted the Lewiston Ultra Trail Run with 750 participants from around Western Canada, northern U.S. and other points across the country.
“These are good days out on the trails,” he told the Sheriff. But there is also progress on the Sicamous-to-Armstrong rail trail that was purchased by local governments.
“Things are moving forward getting the Inter-Jurisdictional Joint Governance body in place between the Splatsin, Columbia Shuswap Regional District and Regional District of North Okanagan,” he said.
Funding applications have also gone in to put project management in place, and get the environmental and engineering design work ready, plus launch the next round of fundraising to complete construction.
Temporary signage has gone up along the rail trail corridor together with an information bulletin, he said.
“And follow-up discussions are underway with provincial and federal leadership as things get set in place, ready to launch the fundraising campaign for this section, as the Vernon-to-Kelowna rail trail is now complete.
“As well, we are all continuing to co-ordinate along the entire Shuswap-Okanagan Valley between Sicamous and Osoyoos to link everything together.”
On Dec. 15, 2017, ownership of the Canadian Pacific railway corridor which extends from Sicamous to Armstrong was transferred to the Columbia Shuswap Regional District and Regional District of North Okanagan, as joint owners, excluding sections owned by the Splatsin First Nation.
A memorandum of understanding was entered into between the CSRD, RDNO and the Splatsin to establish a rail trail from Sicamous to Armstrong.
“At this time, the corridor is closed to the public. As planning and development of the trail commences,consultation with adjacent property owners and residents will be conducted,” said regional officials.
The CSRD and the RDNO completed several projects on the rail trail this year including: weed and hazard control, construction of culverts and ditching, and signage.
“As for wider Shuswap trails, there’s lots going on. We’re right in the midst of fall projects working hard to beat the early snowline that showed up,” said McIntyre-Paul.
“Several new trails were added: additions to the Shuswap Memorial Cemetery Park Trails and Gayle Creek Trail in Salmon Arm, reroute additions at Balmoral in the South Shuswap, the Goliath EQ Trail at South Canoe, improvements to the Enderby Cliffs Tplaqin Trail, lots of incredible stewardship and care of everything created to date, and more good work planning for the next few years,” he said.
“Of particular importance are all the Secwepemc-led initiatives, including the rail trail, the West Bay Trail, and the Secwepemc Landmarks and Trailhead project. The annual Shuswap Regional Trails Roundtable leadership will regather in November to review and provide on-going direction.
“And keep your fingers crossed, as we await word on several grant applications which will allow support to complete several much anticipated new community trail projects next year.”
For more information, direction and maps on all trails within the Shuswap, go to: ShuswapTrails.com.
J.P. Squire, aka the Hiking, Biking, Kayaking and Horseback Riding Sheriff, is a retired Okanagan Weekend reporter. Email: jp.squire@telus.net.0-