Access News - August 29th 2007

Information from the Access Society.
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Access News - August 29th 2007

Post by Access Society of BC » Wed Aug 29, 2007 1:13 pm

CLIMBERS' ACCESS SOCIETY OF B.C.
ACCESS NEWS - August 29th, 2007

A. SKAHA - THE LAST LAP

SUMMARY

The deadline for raising the $1 million for the Skaha purchase is September 30th. Donations now total about $600,000, including large contributions from Mountain Equipment Co-op, Arc'Teryx, Black Diamond, The Edge Climbing Centre, Cliffhanger (Vancouver and Coquitlam), and several sections of the Alpine Club of Canada. The Access Society has pledged $10,000. The Land Conservancy of B.C. (TLC) is working hard to raise the balance, through donations, grants, and other sources, so that there is long-term access to Skaha Bluffs for climbers and the public. The climbing community has to do all it can to help with the last $400,000. There's only a month to go.

BACKGROUND

TLC has an agreement to buy 300 hectares of private land at Skaha (sublot 18 - southeast of Braesyde parking). It closes on September 30th. When/if the land is bought, and needed work done, it will provide permanent public access to Skaha. All the land, added together, will make a good-sized protected area, valuable for both recreation and conservation. Thanks to TLC’s partners, a generous donation by the current owner, and other donations, much of the needed money has been raised. (The total price is more than $1 million.)

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Make sure all your friends know what's happening, especially climbers, and that they're helping. Spread the word!
Support TLC.
Support the Access Society - join, renew your membership, make a donation. Members + resources = more effective. Memberships, renewals, and donations are all helpful - $10,000 is a lot of money to us.
SUPPORT THE LAND CONSERVANCY

For more information, to become a member, or make a Skaha donation:

Website: www.conservancy.bc.ca
Contact Information: TLC's head office is at #301 - 1195 Esquimalt Road, Victoria, B.C. V9A 3N6, phone (250) 479-8053.
DONATIONS FROM U.S. RESIDENTS

The American Alpine Club has agreed to receive donations from U.S. residents toward the Skaha purchase, issue tax receipts, and forward the money to TLC. You can make a donation:

On-line, at www.americanalpineclub.org The URL for donations is https://rs479.securehostserver.com/~ame ... netime.php - please note "Skaha Bluffs Donation" in the comments box.
By mailing a cheque to American Alpine Club, Suite 1 - 710 10th Street, Golden, Colorado, U.S.A. 80401. The cheque must be payable to "American Alpine Club" - please write "Skaha Bluffs Donation" in the comments part.
Please ensure that your donation is made by September 20th, and is marked "Skaha". Our thanks to the AAC for its generous help with this!

SKAHA THANK YOUS

Many organizations and companies have have helped a great deal with the Skaha purchase. We've worked with them in the past, and will do so again. Please take the time to personally thank them - it's well earned. All have websites, phone numbers, and an info@ e-mail address.

B. SQUAMISH MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL 2007

GENERAL

SMF 2007, over a week in mid-July, was a great success. Clinics, trade fair, speakers and films, yoga, raffles, pancake breakfasts, a dyno competition, prizes, parties, and fun. Everyone had fun, some useful things were done, and some money was raised. Our thanks to all the sponsors, the volunteers (especially the volunteers!), and attendees:

Presenting sponsor: Arc'Teryx.
Chief sponsors: Black Diamond, Mountain Equipment Co-op, Flashed, Howe Sound Inn & Brewing Company.
Bluff sponsors: La Sportiva, Maxim Ropes, Five Ten, Prana, Valhalla Pure Outfitters, Adidas, The Edge.
Media sponsors: Gripped, Climbing, Urban Climber, The Chief, KVOS television, Mountain Life.
SMF 2007 ADOPT-A-CRAGS: JULY 13th & 21st

There were two volunteer Adopt-a-Crags during SMF 2007. The first day involved about 45 volunteers - projects included a thorough clean up of the backside trails at the Chief, trail building at the Sanctuary, and trail work and clean up in the Little Smoke Bluffs. The second (rainy) day involved about 20 volunteers, who rebuilt the lower part of the central Apron approach trail. Thanks to everyone for their help, especially the young women from Passages Northwest!

C. MEMBERSHIPS & DONATIONS
We have been having difficulty with payment for on-line memberships and donations. Our apologies! We're working hard to solve the problem. We know that several people unsuccessfully attempted to join, renew or donate on-line in the last few months. Luckily, the information includes names and addresses - we'll contact each person involved, and hope to rectify things. If you're not sure whether or not we received your membership, renewal, or donation, call or send an e-mail, and we'll check our records.
For the time being, we ask that those wishing to join, renew or donate to the Access Society do so by cheque - sorry for the nuisance. Cheques should be payable and mailed to the Access Society, Box 72013 - Sasamat R.P.O., Vancouver, B.C. V6R 4P2. If you need a form, please call or send an e-mail. (We also accept cheques payable to "CASBC" or "Climbers Access Society of B.C.".) We'll let you know as soon as on-line payment functionality is restored.
D. MISCELLANEOUS
1. Nanaimo Adopt-a-Crag (September 29th & 30th)

There will be an Adopt-a-Crag at the Sunny Side climbing area, on the Nanaimo River, on September 29th & 30th. The focus will be building staging areas beneath climbs, trails and stairs, and clean-up. Meet each morning at the parking area at 9:00 AM sharp.

Bring yourself, and your friends. Please car pool!
Wear suitable clothing and sturdy footwear, and bring gloves, rainwear, sunscreen, insect repellent, lunch, a camera, and drink.
Please bring any and all useful hand tools - clippers, rakes, shovels, swede saws, pry bars, first aid kits. Make sure they're clearly marked.
There will be an informal post-event social, and some good prizes. Contact Greg Sorensen for more information, at (250) 753-6644 or outerlimits(at)shaw.ca.

2. Reel Rock Tour - September 1st, Squamish

The Reel Rock Film Tour, featuring speaker Tommy Caldwell, will be at Squamish's Eagle Eye Theatre on Saturday September 1st. The show includes two films, King Lines and Committed. King Lines is about Chris Sharma's search for the world's greatest rock climbs and boulder problems, while Committed features hard and dangerous climbing in Britain. See www.squamishfilm.com or www.reelrocktour.com Tickets $15, available at Valhalla Pure Outfitters and Climb On in Squamish, on-line, or at the door. There will also be a silent auction benefitting the Access Society and the Squamish Access Society.

The Reel Rock Film Tour will be shown across Canada during the autumn, including at the Ridge Theatre in Vancouver (September 20th).

3. Upper Malamute

There is no further public news about this, and we'll report as soon as there is. Much of the upper Malamute at Squamish was logged in March 2007. Discussions continue between the owner, the District of Squamish, and other parties as to what will now be done. Climbers are encouraged to avoid the upper Malamute for the time being, and anyone visiting the area should be aware of dangerous logging debris. The Access Society believes that the upper Malamute, at the heart of Squamish, should be protected for the benefit and use of the public, particularly for climbing, walking, nature viewing, and sightseeing. As with Skaha, the area has great value to the entire public. Climbers have been visiting the upper Malamute since the mid 1970s, very actively since the mid 1990s.

4. Sea-to-Sky Highway Improvement Project Recreation Users Bulletin

There is a monthly bulletin, with information about how various recreational sites, and access to them, are and will be affected by the highway project. At http://www.seatoskyimprovements.ca:80/r ... eation.htm, includes some climbing-specific information.

5. Caroline Cheung

Caroline Cheung, a well-known Vancouver climber and Access Society supporter, died in a rappelling accident at Skaha on June 30th. Our sympathies to her family and friends. Several have made donations to the Access Society in her memory, for which we thank them.

6. Donations - 2007 to date

Thank you! John Grant, Christopher Campbell, Doug Woods, Nadine & Perry Beckham, Kelly Franz, Drew Fullerton, Mab Oloman, Claude Tani, Jason Kruk (slideshow), Meghan Jones, Donna Bailie, John Brodie, Colleen Dixon, Gord Esplin, Liz Scremin, Sandy Briggs, Martina Metzler, Theresa Negreiff, Sheila Broughton & Dave Lane, Dave Baar, Metolius Mountain Products, Vince Beasse, Alanna Theoret, Cameron Long, Christy & Mike Cline, Heather McDonald & Paul Rydeen, Joie Seagram & Dave Jones, Matt Parker, Neil Bennett, Telus Community Engagement, Corina Acheson, Laurelyn & George Kamensek. (Skaha-related and SMF 2007 sponsors omitted.)

7. Annual General Meeting, Board

The Annual General Meeting will likely be in late October or November this year, location TBA. Rolf Rybak has stepped down as president of the Access Society, for personal reasons. We thank Rolf for all his dedicated work, and hope he can continue to contribute.

8. United States - Access Fund

See the Access Fund website for what's happening in the United States - www.accessfund.org. You can also subscribe to an e-newsletter.

9. Access News - Information and Submissions

Access News is published about once a month, or as need demands. We welcome information relating to climbers access in B.C. If there's any news in your area, please send it along! A paper edition of Access News is planned for early September, focused on Skaha. It will include membership renewal forms and donation tax receipts, where applicable.

10. Mountain Equipment Co-op - Hiring

MEC's Vancouver store (at least) is now hiring retail staff. More at http://www.mec.ca/Apps/currentPostings/ ... 621760#885

NOTES
The Access Society faces many challenges in our pursuit of public access to, and conservation of, B.C.'s cliffs and mountains. We need your support - please become a member, make a donation, or volunteer! We believe the Access Society is doing an important job, and effectively represents the entire climbing community of B.C.

We hope this message is useful. Please forward it to all your climbing friends. Our apologies if it is unwanted! If so, please let us know and we'll remove you from our list. If your e-mail has changed, please let us know. (In a few cases this message is a duplicate, due to overlapping directories.) Also, we welcome information and contributions - please send to info(at)access-society.ca.
Climbing and related activities are dangerous, and can injure or kill you. The Access Society tries to ensure that this information is accurate, but you rely on it at your own risk!

copyright (c) Climbers' Access Society of British Columbia, 2007.
Box 72013 - Sasamat R.P.O.
Vancouver, B.C.
Canada V6R 4P2
(604) 228-1798
info@access-society.ca; www.access-society.ca

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