September/October 2021 CORE Newsletter
Executive News
Effective October 27, 2021 a new CORE COVID-19 Rule Has Been Implemented
At a special meeting this week, the CORE executive passed a motion regarding a new COVID-19 rule. This new rule is effective as of October 27, 2021 until further notice.
As discussed and passed by the CORE executive on October 26, 2021: During these exceptional times and until further notice, all CORE members will be required to be fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to participating in all club activities.
Please note that CORE is not collecting or saving any members medical information.
CORE is planning a Field Winter Trip, Fun Weekend
Mark your Calendars for December 3rd to the 5th, 2021!!!
Plans are in the works to hold a CORE Winter Fun Weekend in Field, B.C. for members who enjoy x-c skiing, snowshoeing, downhill skiing or simply love the beauty of winter landscapes. Arrangements have been made with the owners of Truffle Pigs Bistro and Lodge to accommodate CORE members over the weekend. Watch for further details and events on the CORE calendar.
WINTER COORDINATOR MEETING – Coordinators meeting for 2021/2022 winter planning
This meeting is open to all members who would like to help with coordinating events, for their fellow hikers.
This meeting is for all hikers, planners, leaders, day-trippers, part-time walkers, nature lovers, photographers, xc-skiers, snowshoers, scramblers, even those who have never led an event. There will be lots of help and mentors and co-trip leaders, who would be happy to come along with you. We have many guide books, maps and computers to navigate any unknown routes. This meeting is for all current CORE coordinators and CORE members who are interested in becoming an event coordinator or just wishing to have someone else put on their favorite trip.
CORE’s Executive trip coordinator will be holding this Coordinators meeting on Thursday, November 18, 2021 7pm by Zoom. You will need to sign up for this event to Carol (our executive trip coordinator). Check the calendar for more information.
CORE Hold’s its First Fall Scavenger Hunt Urban Hike
Coordinated by Lindsay and Carol, they turned a urban hike into a very successful scavenger hunt and hike. What goes up and down in an urban park? What is red and could be used to chop wood? Members had a great time. For more photos go to CORE’s photo album.
CORE’s New Car Pooling Rates
Effective September 1, 2021 CORE’s executive is recommending a new rate of .30 cents per km. With the price of gasoline being much higher than when we set the contribution rate at .25 cents per km. To calculate the car pooling rate go to CORE’s car pooling and location page.
Members you can now View CORE photo albums and event calendar using your Mobile Smartphone
For mobile Smartphone users, there is a Fotki APP available for Android and IOS users, which allows members to login and view CORE photo albums. Just open the APP store on your phone and search for the Fotki App.
The CORE calendar can be accessed on your mobile phone using website browsing navigation. It is best used for viewing the calendar. Although events may be posted and edited this is best accomplished on your desktop where you have all your planning resources available.
Hiking Apps – Something for Everyone
Ever wondered when technology would reach the backcountry? The good news: it already has. There are plenty of apps and hiking companions that offer navigation and guidance without the need to be connected to WiFi. Click here for a comprehensive guide.
CORE, ACTIVITIES/EVENTS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC:
CORE executive has put in place guidelines and recommendations for trip coordinators, and COVID-19 guidelines for keeping members safe, when participating in CORE activities/events. CORE executive would like to thank all CORE members that put on hikes, bike rides, urban walk’s, etc. for their club members during this unprecedented time.
Fall is now with us. More activities are planned for the coming months. Continue to watch your emails and CORE calendar for activities/events.
Members are encouraged to read the Guidelines “Hiking with CORE in the Time of COVID-19 pandemic.”
If the province of Alberta mandates different requirements, the organization may have to make appropriate changes. If the situation changes a newsletter with the updated information will be sent to the members.
CORE Photo Album
All CORE members participating in CORE activities are welcome and encouraged to post photos taken on your outings in the CORE website Photo Albums. There are Photo Management instructions on the CORE Guides web page. If you have any trouble uploading your photos, please ask the event coordinator or other experienced CORE member. Some guidelines when posting photos:
- Post just the highlights of the event
- No parking lot photos. We should not identify members vehicles
- Do not post unflattering pictures of other members
- If you mention a person’s name, use only the person’s first name
Contacting your Executive
CORE has a couple of different purpose-oriented email addresses through which you can contact various executive members. If you have a general question’s about the club, for instance upcoming presenters planned, event, etc, please email us at mailbox@corehike.org. If it is a question about membership or joining the club, please direct your query to membership@corehike.org.
Remember that our CORE Executive members are volunteers who also have day jobs and a life outside of CORE, so please be patient if it takes a few days to respond to your queries.
ACTIVITY SCOREBOARD
Highlights of Activities/Events
Here are a few highlights from the CORE calendar of hikes from September 4, 2021 to October 17, 2021. Please visit the CORE photo albums for more pictures from recent and past activities.
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News and Notes
An Opportunist Bear Smells a Meal inside a House!!!
At an acreage in Fort McMurray, a bear wandered into an open garage. The owner watched the bear walk off around the house – hoping the bear went back into the woods.
Then the owners younger son came to the front door and stated “there is all sorts of scratching in the house.” Owners oldest boy ran into the house, came back and stated “there is a bear in the hallway.”
The bear had broken thru a screen, covering a window and crawled into a bedroom. The bear then took a tour of the house until he came to another bedroom, where he smelt one of the son’s bowl of cereal, which was left on the computer desk. The family eventually got the bear out of the house, the same way he came in (thru the window).
For full story go to CBC news.
Friends of Fish Creek Provincial Park:
Friends of Fish Creek Park is offering different events regarding the park’s history, wildlife, archaeology and other events in the park this spring/summer/fall.
Visit Friends of Fish Creek Park event calendar for daily and weekly events.
Friends of Kananaskis Park Event Series:
For more information go to Friends of Kananaskis Park event calendar.
Trailhead Parking Security
It has been reported that car break-ins and theft has been happening at trail-head parking lots. Be sure to lock up your belongings and ensure nothing is visible when you leave your vehicle to mitigate the visibility of tempting items for thieves.
Trail Closures:
There are many trail closures due to bear activity in both parks. Check the Alberta Provincial and National Park trail advisories, before you head out. If you get to your hiking destination and the trail is closed, obey the closure and try another trail. Have a backup plan in place.
Some of the trails that are closed due to bear activity are: Mist Mountain, Mount Lipsett, Rockwall, Piper Pass, Elbow-Sheep Wildland Provincial Park west of Hwy #40.
Bear Warnings include: Highwood Area, including Ptarmigan Cirque, Pocaterra Ridge, Arethusa, Picklejar Creek and Lantern Creek, Ribbon Creek Trail (from trailhead to falls), Paddy Flats, West Bragg Creek.
Be prepared in case of a bear encounter. Have bear horns, bangers and bear spray. Be aware of your surroundings.
Report all bear sightings to 403-591-7755.
Trail Closures and Trail Report Link
Alberta Parks and Banff National Park are urging people to be bear aware. There have been multiple sightings of bears, and other wildlife in the parks. Depending on which park you are in, contact either Alberta Parks (403-591-7755) or Parks Canada Banff office (403-762-1470) if you come in close vicinity of a bear, cougar, elk or wolf.
- Avalanche Canada Reports
- Alberta Parks Trail Reports
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Parks Canada Trail Report
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Greater Bragg Creek Trail Report
- Johnston Canyon Upper Falls Catwalk Closure – effective October 2, 2020
- Yamnuska Mountain closure
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Adventure Stories
For all CORE members, this spot is for you. If you have a little story to tell about something you’ve seen on a CORE outing, or some article or book you may have read that you would like to share, please send it along and we’ll publish it in the next newsletter. Keep it to a couple paragraphs, and stick to topics related to the outdoors or the environment. mailbox@corehike.org
Hither and Yon
Bear Spray and Noisemakers When to Use
Bear Spray contains 1% to 2% capsaicin (oleoresin capsicum), the active component of chili peppers. When you push the trigger, the canister releases a stream of the mixture shooting it between 25 to 35 feet and temporarily irritating the bears eyes, nose, mouth and skin with a harsh, burning sensation.
For a bear, who has a sense of smell that’s considered to be seven times greater than that of a dog, when the spray gets into their snout, it is very painful. It causes their eyes to water and all their means of perception are temporarily disabled.
After you administer the bear spray successfully, get out of the area quickly and go for help. Report the incident to your parks detachment. If the bear spray hits the bear in the nostrils and eyes, you have rendered the bear incapacity for 30 seconds to 5 minutes or more. Depending on how much and the strength of the bear spray and if the bear spray hit the bear in the eyes and nose.
No Bear Spray is 100% effective.
- In an Alaska bear encounter study; 98% of those who used bear spray were uninjured by the bear. The remaining 2% received only minor injuries that required no hospitalization.
- Compared to a firearm, bear spray is more effective at interrupting a bear attack and using it reduces the chance you or the bear will be injured.
- Per above the oleoresin capsicum irritates the eyes, nose and lungs, causing a severe but temporary eye irritation and breathing difficulty.
If you see a bear, know when to use a noisemaker or bear spray:
- Noisemakers are best used to deter a bear that is at a distance – one that sees you and continues to approach or one that is heading to your camp.
- Before using noisemakers, be sure to assess the situation. Make sure the surroundings are clear of people and the bear has an obvious way out. A bear that has been startled by a noisemaker may not be able to avoid groups of people as it flees the area.
- Remember, the noisemaker may not immediately deter the bear, especially if the bear has had previous experience with noise deterrents. Noisemakers may not prevent the bear from returning to the area.
- After the bear has left, continuously monitor the area to ensure the bear has left and has not come back.
- Bear spray is best used when you need to deter a bear at close range.
- Bear is charging you.
- Noisemakers does not deter the bear.
Types of Noisemakers:
- Airhorns: create a loud piercing sound of greater than 120 decibels.
- Bangers: available for pen-launchers, creates a loud bang after traveling 20 to 100 metres (66 to 328 ft).
When to use Noisemakers:
- Use noisemakers to scare away bears that are aware of your presence but do not leave the area.
- Do NOT use bangers in dry forest conditions. They can cause a fire.
- When aiming the banger deterrent, aim at the sky. Do NOT shoot it directly at the bear. Ensure it explodes between you and the bear. A noise deterrent that explodes behind a bear may startle it so the bear runs in your direction
- Be prepared to defend yourself with bear spray in case the noisemaker does not deter the bear.
When using Bear Spray:
- Using Bear Spray is your last resort.
- Your bear spray should be in readily accessible area. Only need to reach for it.
- Quickly take the spray out of the holester, point the nozzle at the bears face.
- Aim at the bears eyes, nose, mouth and ears.
- Press the trigger to release the spray.
- If the wind direction is coming at you, some of the spray will get on you.
When traveling with Bear Spray, put the cannister into a Bear Spray Container upside down. If the spray goes off, the pressure will not dislodge the container cap. The foam inside this container will soak up the bear spray, so as not to leak into your vehicle.
First Aid Treatment for Bear Spray:
- Anyone who has been accidentally sprayed should be moved from the contaminated area to fresh air as quickly as possible: The person could be coughing, gasping for air, stumbling and falling down due to the strong chemicals from the spray.
- Removing the bear spray canister and holster away from the body and disposing of the canister, where it will do no more harm to others.
- Remove all contaminated clothing.
- Person could feel burning in the area that was exposed to the capsacin.
- Flush exposed skin with cold water and mild soap. Use non-oil based soaps.
- Do Not rub exposed areas. Pat dry with a towel or clean piece of clothing.
- To flush bear spray out of your eyes, place your head under water and open your eyes every few seconds. Do Not Rub your eyes. Remove contact lenses.
- Do Not apply lotions or creams to exposed areas.
- When all the capsacin has been removed from the exposed area, could take a few washes of the area, put ice on area for a few minutes at a time. This will hep relieve the burning.
- If the effects of the spray do not dissipate in 30 to 45 minutes, seek medical attention.
To get Capsaicins out of equipment and clothes:
Equipment:
- Wash in dawn dish detergent. As the dish soap helps remove greases and oils.
- Then wash immediately in laundry detergent. Recommended is Tide.
- You may need to wash the equipment 4 or more times before the capsaicin oil has been totally removed.
Clothes:
- Wash in cold water with a mixture of dawn dish soap and tide laundry detergent. These Brands are highly recommended.
- Ration is 25% dish soap and 75% laundry detergent.
- By the 3rd or 4th wash, just use laundry detergent.
- Again you may need to wash the clothes 4 or more times before the capsaicin oil has been totally removed.
- Do Not put clothes in dryer as the heat could set in the oils deeper.
A reminder of every member’s responsibility to keeping yourself and your fellow hikers safe, during this unprecedented time.
Every member in this photo is a minimum of six (6) feet/two (2) metres apart, for social distancing guidelines.
Reminders:
Bring a mask in case you cannot social distance – 6 feet/2 metres, or you need to go into an indoor area and even for use in the parking lot area.
Stay six feet/2 metres for social distancing when hiking and other events. Also, at rest breaks and lunch.
Remember, This Too Shall Pass!!
Have Fun and Stay Safe!