“Notice of ACC – Vancouver 2020 Annual General Meeting and Election” – click on this for full details and forms

NOTICE: COVID-19 UPDATE

UPDATE Oct 7, 2020

Hi ACC Vancouver Section Members,

On behalf of the ACC Vancouver Section executive I am writing to bring you some updates.

Trips – Please consider offering to lead a trip for our schedule with a group size of 6. If trips or courses have larger numbers then please break the group up into 6 people per group. No carpooling with non-household members or people not within exclusive “social bubbles” UNLESS wearing a mask and using hand sanitizer.

Leaders and participants are expected to follow the provincial health guidelines and are to refer to our website for further advice on how to do this.

Please note that the new waiver on our website includes reference to COVID-19.
Courses and Skills – Our normally run Section courses did not run for the usual May timeframe. We are close to posting our Intro to Backcountry Skiing, Ski Touring/Glacier Travel course and the Cypress Ski Practice nights for the winter activities. AST 1, AST2, Intro to Ice Climbing courses are already up on the calendar.
ACMG guide Monte Johnson of Blacksheepadventures, along with guides Holly Walker, Daniel Robb and Marcus Wybrow gave a complementary Crevasse Rescue Refresher Course in Squamish this past weekend to some of our section leaders. This brought everyone up to date on the most current practices. A variety of gear was used to show how efficient some of the new gear can be as well as the minimal gear that can still do the trick.

The selection of courses being offered to our Vancouver membership is posted to our Calendar. The ACMG has developed best practices protocol which our National office has adapted and is following as will our Section. Please go to the website and look at the calendar for the courses being offered. http://www.accvancouver.org/

Vancouver Section Huts – Both the Haberl and Tantalus huts are now closed. The new guidelines we used to open for the summer season based around COVID can be found on the accvancouver.ca website then click on Huts. These guidelines may be carried over to the New Year for the March 1 opening of the Haberl Hut. Full details should be posted by Nov 1, 2020.
http://accvancouver.ca/huts-operated-by-the-vancouver-section/

ACC huts are for accommodation purposes. The Alpine club of Canada is not responsible for any damages, injures, or other that may occur as a result of their use.

Virtual Socials – Our Sept Social with Amber and Michael McMinn presenting on the Tantalus Traverse and Liz Scremin on the South Powell Divide was well attended and enjoyed by all.
Our October Social is John Baldwin and Linda Bily presenting on “A Life in the Wild”
November brings our AGM/elections and Presenter Dr Steve Quane on the mapping and geology of Lake Lovely Water.

Notices are coming out soon for these events.

PLEASE SEE CURRENT GUIDELINES BELOW
Thanks for all your understanding in this time of ongoing adjustments.

Anna Milino, ACC Vancouver Section Chair

RESTART GUIDELINES – ACC VANCOUVER SECTION

With the generous help of both the BCMC (BC Mountaineering Club), the NSH (North Shore Hikers), our National office, information from FMCBC, ACMG and members of the ACC Vancouver Section, this document has been written as guidance for our Vancouver Section Members. Our Members who also belong to the BCMC and NSH will find this helpful and recognizable.

The re-opening of the ACC Vancouver Section took place on June 19th, 2020. The described plan will continue to run and be updated in accordance with any changes around the Provincial Health Officer (PHO) COVID guidelines. The following requirements for all trips and activities on the ACC Vancouver calendar are applicable to all ACC Vancouver Section members and are based upon PHO guidelines and our National Office. The requirements will be updated as the BC PHO guidelines change and become available.

As provincial guidelines permit, the Vancouver Section will gradually return to as close to normal as possible, but in reality, this could take a long time.

ACC Vancouver expects all members participating in Vancouver Section trips or activities to comply with the requirements and guidelines below. Refer to the links throughout the body of this document and provided near the end of the document.

Operating Parameters

Huts have now closed for the season. The Jim Haberl Hut re-opens March 1 if the COVID situation allows. The guidelines around this should be posted by Nov 1, 2020 so please check back. Refer to the accvancouver.ca website and click on Huts for the updated guidelines and how to book once bookings are open. http://accvancouver.ca/huts-operated-by-the-vancouver-section/

Collaborative Courses with ACMG guide Monte Johnson and our Director and Co-director of courses and skills have been posted to our Calendar for the fall and winterfor our Vancouver Section members. There is an associated cost for the courses at a reduced rate. Go to http://www.accvancouver.org/ for the calendar and to sign up.

More courses are on the way so keep checking the calendar.

Trips resumed June 19^th, 2020 following the below guidelines
No interprovincial travel is recommended until further notice
No cross-border travel between Canada and the United States is recommended until further notice (border is currently closed to non-essential travel)
Indigenous communities, territories and lands that are not open to visitors – do not enter unless invited to do so by indigenous peoples
Follow the guidelines set out by BC health organizations and the BC government

Permitted Activities

Activities that can comply with the guidelines set out.

All ACC Vancouver Section activities must be conducted in a safe manner, minimizing risks to participants and others.

Trip Requirements

Maximum group size of 6 people (exception: online events)
if trip/course has larger numbers than 6, split the group into sizes of 6 participants each with their own leader
Participants must be ACC Vancouver Section members and sign up through ical – no guests
Participants must bring a pen and filled out waiver and Health declaration to be signed in front of the leader. Please be aware the leader has the right to decline your participation
http://accvancouver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/ACC-Waiver-2020.pdf
http://accvancouver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/ACC-Waiver-2020_FRENCH_.pdf
Declaration of Health
No carpooling with non-household members or people not within exclusive “social bubbles”. UNLESS wearing a mask and using hand sanitizer
activities requiring shared gear (i.e. ropes, climbing hardware etc) please follow the ACMG guidelines/National office guidelines. (unless same household or bubble groups) ACMG checklist

Please note any Club gear used (ie. ropes or other) must be cleaned between groups using them or rested for 72 hours between use.

No trips in or through closed parks
No sharing of food, beverage or serving utensils with people outside your exclusive “social bubble”
No sharing of tents with non-household members or people not within exclusive “social bubbles”
Comply with any travel restrictions from government and any community announcements
Leaders and participants must supply their own masks and hand sanitizer
Health declaration and new ACC waiver must be signed in front of the leader/organizer on day of event

Participant Requirements (Organizers and Attendees)

Must be self-reliant on trips
No unnecessary touching! No handshakes, hugs, fist or elbow bumping (share smiles, waves and hang tens)
Maintain at least 2m distance from other trip participants and other trail users. If this is not possible please use a mask and proper hand sanitizing, with exception to same household members and groups of exclusive non-household members (exclusive “social bubbles”)
Must pass all health and safety requirements to participate (reference the health and safety requirements below)
Have an exit plan in the event that you or someone becomes ill during the trip or event
If you become ill during or up to 14 days after a trip / event you must notify the trip leader and the ACC Vancouver at info@accvancouver.ca and follow the BC CDC’s instructions

Health and Safety Requirements

All trip participants must answer and pass the health and safety questions (outlined below) to be able to participate in an ACC Vancouver Section event
If you answer “yes” to any of the health and safety questions, you cannot organize or attend the trip / event
The trip / event Organizer has the right to decline sign up / attendance requests
Keep it clean! You must bring your own hand sanitizer and masks and use them when applicable; avoid touching your face
Wear a mask when appropriate to provide additional protection to others and sneeze / cough into your elbow

wearing a mask

Health and Safety Questions

Organizers and attendees please use the BC COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool when posting or signing up for any activity on the ACC Vancouver calendar (with the exception of online events) and before signing the Health declaration Declaration of Health in front of the leader on the day of the event. Include the questionnaire link in your calendar posting for participants to access. Organizers and Participants must answer no to all of the questions in order to participate. The updated waiver must also be signed In front of the leader/organizer.

BC Covid-19 Symptom Self Assessment Tool questionnair e

Pre-Departure Organizer Health and Safety Requirements

A health and safety check must be done on the day of the trip / event prior to departure with organizers and attendees confirming with their group that they have completed and answered “no” to all questions in the BC Covid-19 Symptom Self Assessment Tool questionnair e

complete and sign the health declaration and the updated ACC waiver in front of the leader
Organizers are to remind everyone that there is to be no carpooling with the exception of members of the same household, or people within exclusive “social bubbles” UNLESS wearing masks and the use of hand sanitizer

Guidelines

Tone it down! Do trips of lesser difficulty than you normally would to help reduce the risk of mishaps, to help protect SAR members and to not risk burdening hospitals
Choose trails, routes and destinations that can easily accommodate physical distancing
Be mindful of how much (or little) parking is available at the chosen trailhead, and give consideration that there may be less carpooling than normal taking place with your group and other parties
Arrange logistics ahead of the trip / event with the trip/event organizer to minimize congregation time at the meeting spot
Minimize the impacts of travel as much as possible: be self-contained in terms of supplies – don’t stop at facilities outside your own community for gas, food, or bathroom breaks unless necessary and follow hand sanitizing/masks and social distancing when possible if this situation arises
Be mindful that public restrooms and other facilities may not be available at trailheads; bring blue / wag bags as a backup
Practise ‘Leave No Trace’ and pack out what you bring in
Bring the “Essentials” For more preparation info check the AdventureSmart app
Allow for extra time throughout your trip / event, especially during snack and lunch breaks, for thorough hygiene practices

Resources

Please keep checking back for further updates.

Very best regards,

Anna Milino

Anna Milino

Chair | ACC Vancouver
web: accvancouver.ca