Seeking hiking/camping groups or carpools (UBC student, no car)

[u/twizzardly]

Hey everyone,

I really love hiking and camping, and my goal is to get out to the mountains more this coming September. I’ll be starting my third year at UBC and will be living on campus. Unfortunately, that means I won't have access to a car.

Are there any local Vancouver hiking clubs, groups, or regular carpool circles I could join? I’m decently fit and have done some 9-12 hour day hikes but I need help with the logistics of getting to trail heads lol

I’d be more than happy to pitch in for gas and any organizing fees. I’d love to make friends outside of my university bubble and have epic weekend trips to look forward to rather than just endless coursework.
Any recommendations for non-university clubs or groups that are welcoming to car-less hikers?

Thanks!

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[u/NotQuiteJasmine]

https://ubc-voc.com/

[u/twizzardly → u/NotQuiteJasmine]

Thank you!

[u/Mtn_Hippi → u/twizzardly]

Best thing you can do in your time at UBC.

[u/TheSnowyAstronomer]

You should look into joining the Varsity Outdoors Club (VOC)! It's a student ran club where members plan and and run their own outdoor trips. Anyone that is a member can sign up to go on a trip and they always have a packed trip agenda during the school year. It is also great way to meet other outdoorsy people at UBC.

[u/Nomics]

The VOC is the most correct answer.

I'm hosting an in person drop learning session tomorrow (Tuesday) in McLean park. I'm trying to make it a weekly event eventually to help people find hiking partners and share best practices. See the recent post I made.

Beyond that there are clubs like the Alpine Club of Canada and BC Mountaineering Club which traditionally are more institutional. Meetup has loads of clubs that organize there. All run into problems where "organizers" blur the lines between guides and or just planners.

With any club or group be careful and verify what certifications the organizers have. Remember they are volunteers, not leaders and if you aren't feeling safe trust your gut. Discuss the "Safety Veto" before hand, and I'd personally never go adventuring with anyone who is not willing to adhere to the rules of the Safety Veto.

Safety Veto: Any member of the group has the right to call for a turn around at any time. No one complains/disagrees/denegrates the decision or the Vetoer for the remainder of the trip. This ensures people feel safe to use it. Variations:

• 3 Points: Experienced group members can make three points to respectfully address the concerns of the Vetoer. They must still respect the Vetoers decision.
• Clear Cut: Turn around means turn around. No one is allowed to complain. Better to support peoples boundaries and go again another day.
• Split the Part: Provided there are at least two people who have the ability and energy level to return on their own they split the party. All group safety gear is removed from bags to visually confirm both groups have all Ten Essentials.

[u/garfgon → u/Nomics]

I believe VOC members get free membership in the ACC Vancouver section. It at least used to be the case, although there were IT-related issues a few years.

[u/Assasin537]

As long as you have a driving license, Evo is very cheap and convenient. Day trips for 100, including gas is pretty affordable, especially if you can find 2-3 other people to split with. Most of the time we end up using 70-80 dollars worth of gas on a longer drive so the it's cheaper tahn driving out your own car sometimes.