• 31 Oct 2016 7:26 PM | Brent Nixon

    The annual Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival (VIMFF) kicks off this fall Nov 22-25. CASBC will be there Nov 24, 25 with our booth to talk about climbing safety and access, and to sign-up new members.

    Nov 22: Alpine Climbing at The Rio theater

    Nov 23: The Past, Present, and Future of BC's rain forests at The Rio theater

    Nov 24: Ski Show at The Centennial theater

    Nov 25: Rock Climbing at The Centennial theater

    https://vimff.org/program/

    Don't miss the speakers or the films!! Our very own Director, Rich Wheater, will be a presenter with Vivki Weldon while I (Brent Nixon) will be your MC on the rock climbing night.



  • 11 Oct 2016 2:14 PM | Deleted user

    Climbers planning to visit the steep walls of Box Canyon, at the south end of the Coquihalla Highway 30 km north of Hope, are advised that a major highway infrastructure improvement project is underway to expand and upgrade the chain-up / chain-off pullouts at the entrance to Box Canyon. Current construction has rendered access to the canyon impassible. Plenty of on-sight signage states "NO TRESPASSING" and the only available highway side parking would result in a tow, and security is actively patrolling the area. Climbers are advised to monitor the highways project websites for updates, but this most likely means that access to the Box Canyon ice climbs this coming winter will likely be denied. More information can be found here:

    https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2016TRAN0108-000854

  • 16 Sep 2016 5:35 PM | Deleted user

    Throughout 2016, West Vancouver developers British Pacific Properties have been moving through public presentations of their plans to develop Cypress Village, a small Whistler style village area in the immediate vicinity of the Godman Creek boulders at the base of Cypress Mountain. BPP has engaged the climbing community for input into the village as to how it might affect the bouldering, and the long range outlook is excellent!

    This summer CASBC reps attended two invitational workshops as part of a focus group discussing the existing and potential recreation opportunities surrounding the Cypress Village & Godman Creek boulders. The village development will be a long process lasting many years, but climber relations with BPP are excellent and we are excited that most of the bouldering will actually be embraced as part of the 'active lifestyle' the village hopes to endorse.

    Details about the village can be found at: http://cypressvillage.com/

  • 16 Sep 2016 4:50 PM | Deleted user

    Climbers visiting the popular Sully's Hangout sport crag (North Vancouver) should be aware that a huge tree has fallen sideways across the North Wall and is currently hung up at the top of the cliff by several smaller trees. Whilst the fallen snag impedes access to several climbs, it appears to be reasonably well anchored. This will likely change as storm season approaches and the smaller trees weaken under the load. CASBC is aware that removal of the tree is necessary before it becomes a real hazard. However, due to the delicate access situation at Sully's, we emphasize at this time that climbers should NOT attempt to remove the tree, as an appropriate strategy is currently being reviewed.   

  • 09 Aug 2016 11:58 AM | Brent Nixon

    At the last Hive TNT competition (July), Rich Wheater and I served at a booth for CASBC to raise awareness and support, and to sign-up new members. It was an entertaining competition with many climbers wearing costumes. We had the opportunity to speak to many new climbers in the community raising attention to the importance of climber stewardship in the environment and the role of CASBC as a voice of climbers to protect access to climbing areas. We would like to thank The Hive for their support of the climbing community and CASBC. Also, thank you very much to the Hive for their generous donation of some of the proceeds from the competition to CASBC. We look forward to a future working together with The Hive. 

  • 09 Aug 2016 11:06 AM | Brent Nixon

    Yesterday I replaced the trail sign for Harveys North Ramp (4th class) and Pup Buttress (10a). The old sign was a white piece of plastic impossible to read and highly deteriorated. I replaced it with a piece of pine wood with words burnt into the grain. This makes it very easy to identify the turn for climbers when coming up the main road/trail from Lions Bay :)

    Its 2.4 km from the gate to the new sign/junction, then another 2.5km to the base of Harveys Ramp. Ascent is 2900 ft. Time takes approx. 2 hrs with climbing gear to the Ramp. 

    Also, I added some orange flagging along the junction trail and a few pieces across the talus with the odd cairn to show the path up towards the Ramp. 



  • 11 Jul 2016 10:29 AM | Brent Nixon

    The planning of Cypress Village has started. On April 18th, 2016 the District of West Vancouver Council approved a report outlining a process for the planning of the Village in three phases. 

    The goal by 2018 is for council to adopt a Cypress Village Area Development Plan, setting the zoning and implementation framework for the village.

    The Vision for Cypress Village has been emerging for more than a decade.  In May 2016, the Cypress Village Planning Team began a focused campaign to build on existing policies and ideas through a comprehensive dialogue with stakeholders and the West Vancouver community (see links below).

    As part of the stakeholder group and representing CASBC, Rich Wheater and myself met with the British Properties development team (BPDT). The development is centered over an area of significant bouldering for Vancouver known as the Godman Creek Boulders (see Vancouver Climbing Guidebook). Without knowing much about what to expect, Rich and I proceeded into the prestigious meeting room of the Capilano Golf & Country Club. 

    To our delectation, the BPDT was very receptive to all recreational stakeholders at the table, including us. The lead planner requested GPS coordinates for the boulders from Rich so she could overlay them on the planning map to preserve their integrity. They were very keen to create something new, something like Whistler but, perhaps better. We left the meeting quite happy and excited to see what the BPDT creates. 

    The creation of Cypress Village can be seen as an environmental set back and opposed or it can be seen as an opportunity. British Properties owns the land and as a private land owner they can do as they please within limitations set by the district. So, why not accept their progressive approach to development (which we can not stop anyway) and work together to create a community plan that has, perhaps, never been achieved before. Where natural conservation, recreational interests, and living are integrated. 

    Rich and I left the stakeholder meeting excited for the future because it could possibly put Vancouver Climbing on the map (so to speak). To demonstrate our sport in an integrated, and natural way, within a community that does not percieve the activity as fringe, or extreme. This may open the door for future negotiations with private land owners that do not allow climbing.  

    Please click on the links below for more information.

    http://westvancouver.ca/sites/default/files/DWV-944441-v1-UPPER_LANDS_WORKING_GROUP_FINAL_REPORT_PART_ONE_RECOMMENDATIONS_06-01-2015_-_WEB_VERSION.PDF

    http://cypressvillage.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/CypressVillage_Week1_FullConsultationReportoptimizedJUNE102016.pdf


  • 05 Jul 2016 11:38 AM | Brent Nixon

    ACCESS ALERT: CASBC has been notified that the climbing at Quarry Rock is on private property owned by the Deep Cove Marina. Until this access issue is resolved, climbing at The Marina and Pirate's Landing will be considered trespassing. Please do not disregard the land owners request to NOT trespass. It will only make this sensitive issue harder to potentially resolve in future negotiations.

    CASBC Directors are hoping things will cool down after the release of the Vancouver Climbing guidebook so that potentially, in the future, we can revisit negotiations with the land owner to allow climbing. All private land owners in BC are protected from liability of unauthorized activity on their land by the Occupiers Liability Act but, it is a matter of convincing land owners that this is the case in a court of law. 

    For now, we need climbers to respect the closure at Deep Cove. In the Vancouver Climbing guidebook there are several routes listed on Quarry Rock that do not trespass on the Marina Lands and these routes are considered open for climbing.

    Have fun and be safe.

    Brent Nixon, CASBC Vancouver Director   

  • 26 Jun 2016 8:37 PM | Anonymous

    Rich Wheater's Vancouver Rock Climbing is a climber's guide to bouldering, sport, traditional, and alpine rock climbing found along Vancouver's North Shore, as well as along the eastern shores of Howe Sound as far north as Britannia Beach, just south of Squamish. The book details more than 300 routes and over 600 boulder problems, and is packed full of high-resolution topos, maps, and full colour action photographs.

Climbers' Access Society of British Columbia began in 1996 and is a registered charity. 

Direct general inquiries to: info@access-society.ca

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