April 2022 CORE Newsletter
Executive News
CORE Members Have You Thought about Volunteering with the Club

Members are encouraged to volunteer with the club. Would you like to be a trip coordinator, help out on the executive, or help plan for CORE’s winter and summer weekend trips, or suggest any ideals for outdoor activities. You can contact CORE executive at mailbox@core.org
The current CORE executive is looking for members to volunteer for the executive for the next term (June 1 2022 to May 31 2023). The Positions are: Chair, Co-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Coordinator, Executive Trip Coordinator, Communications Coordinator, Presentations Coordinator, Webmaster, 2 positions for Member-At-Large. More information on these positions will be emailed to you shortly. If you have any questions or you would like to volunteer for one of these positions please email CORE executive at mailbox@core.org .
Nominations for CORE’s Chicken Award

Have you had an interesting adventure on a CORE event. CORE executive would like to hear about it. These adventures will be voted on at the Annual General Meeting on May 31, 2022. And the winner with the most interesting adventure will be awarded CORE’s prestige Chicken Award. Please email your adventures to mailbox@corehike.org by May 16, 2022.
CORE hosted an Outdoor Wiener Roast/Cookout, Get Together, Plus a walk and Frisbee Golf on Sunday, April 24th

A very successful outdoor barbecue was held on April 24th, with 30 members attending.
Members were hungry after a morning of either partaking in an urban hike or playing frisbee golf. With some members not seeing each other after a long period of time, we were united again.
Many thanks to the organizers, Carol, Pat and Julia and everyone else that helped with the outdoor event.
Reminder of CORE’s COVID-19 Regulation
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.
Members are encouraged to read the Guidelines “Hiking with CORE in the Time of COVID-19 pandemic.”

Spring is now with us. More activities are being planned for the coming months. Watch your emails for notification of activities/events and go to the CORE calendar to view scheduled activities/events.
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. If you are unsure of the login and password for Fotki, send an email to mailbox@corehike.org.
The CORE calendar can be accessed on your mobile phone using website browsing navigation. However, it is best used for viewing the calendar only, not for posting events. Posting and editing events on the calendar are 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 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 about the club, for instance upcoming presenters planned, events, 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.
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ACTIVITY SCOREBOARD
Highlights of Activities/Events
Here are a few highlights from the CORE calendar of hikes from March 26, 2022 to April 24, 2022. Please visit the CORE photo albums for more pictures from recent and past activities.
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News and Notes
Cyclists are you ready!!!!

Bow Valley Parkway Highway 1A is open to cyclists only until June 25. From the exit to Fireside turnoff (approx 6kms from Banff) to just prior to Moose Meadows (just pass Johnston Canyon), the Parkway belongs to cyclist and the wildlife.
Elbow Falls Road, Hwy #66, is open to cyclists only from the winter gate closure, west along Elbow Falls Road, until May 14.
Kananaskis Trail, Highway #40, road will remain closed until June 15th. The closure is at the winter gates, just after the turnoff to Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. You are allowed to cycle this portion of the Kananaskis road. No vehicle traffic to worry about!
And Highway #546, west of Sandy McNabb Campground is closed to vehicle traffic until May 14.
Lots of cycling options!!!
Kicking Horse Canyon portion of Hwy 1 Closed for One Month
Kicking Horse Canyon, 4 kms east of Golden will be closed from April 19th to May 20th. This construction is part of the fourth and final phase of the Kicking Horse Canyon Project. The project will upgrade the highway from 2 to 4 lanes, create more space for cyclists and mitigate rock fall and avalanche hazards. Per BC Highways, the closure is required, as the work will take up the full highway.
Currently and after the closure ends, this section of the highway will still be under construction but will be open to traffic. With overnight closures from 10 pm to 7 am and 30-minute stoppages during certain times of the day.
Alternative is to use Hwy #93 at Castle Junction and travel thru the Kootenay National Park, then at Radium Hot Springs head to Golden, along Hwy #95. This will add an hour and half to your travel time
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.
Avalanche Season is here. Check Avalanche Canada report in your area before you head out.
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 and Trail Report Link
Did you know that Lady MacDonald, Grassi Lakes, Goat Creek area including Ha Ling and East End of Rundle is closed for the year. There are many new trail closures this year. Check the Alberta and Canada Parks Trail Reports.
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
- Parks Canada Trail Report
- Greater Bragg Creek Trail Report
- Johnston Canyon Upper Falls Catwalk Closure – effective October 2, 2020
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Adventure Stories

Everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all happiness and growth occurs while you are climbing it. – Andy Rooney
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
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Hither and Yon
Never Poke a Bear in Their Den

Alberta Park officials are trying to find the person who posted a video to social media of a bear swatting at a person photographing a bear in its den. The video has a person going up to a bear’s den and waits for the bear’s reaction. In the video the bear’s paw can be seen swatting at the photographer, who then turns and runs away.
Per John Paczkowski of Alberta Parks, “Anyone who approaches a bear’s den is putting themselves a greater risk of being attack or interacting with the bear. The animal might defend its den. Alberta conservation does not know if the bear had cubs in the den.
Three things can Happen:
- Alberta Parks finds the photographer, who then can be fined under the provincial wildlife Act up to $12,000 dollars for the 1st offense.
- The bear may need to be put down, due to this bad experience.
- Or both
From a bear’s point of view, the photographer cornered the bear and it is now scared and is striking out in fear, per the video. The bear now has a bad experience with humans (bear smelt and saw the human aggravating him), and will remember this event going forward.
Pacczowski states “denning is a critical time for bears and disturbing them can harm their health. It decreases their fitness. They are really dependent on making sure they have enough calories to get thru the year, so they do not need to be unnecessarily burning off calories due to a human disturbance. The bears do not need the extra agitation. Their calorie reserves are very low. They have just come out of four to five months of hibernation.”
