Intermediate Snowshoe
March 25, 2023

$70/person

All proceeds support the charitable work HMCOL does connecting people and nature.

Price includes:

• Trip guides (a small participant to leader ratio)
• Snowshoe use, just let us know if you need them.
• Hot chocolate
• Trip leaders have a wide array of knowledge and experience to share. They are first aid certified and have emergency communication devices for your safety.

Space is limited, first come first served. Registration can be done online by clicking here.

This trip is aimed at intermediate snowshoers age 13 and up.
Participants must be in reasonably good physical condition, and there will be opportunities to rest and enjoy the surroundings as you climb. Terrain is moderate, ascending 356 metres over 4 km of distance. Round-trip distance is 8 km.

Saturday, March 25, 2023

  9:00 AM – Gather in Hope (Hope Rec Centre, 1005 6th Ave) for intro, sign liability waiver

  9:15 AM – Leave Hope and drive-up Highway 5 to EXIT #217 (approx. 46km)

10:00 AM – Arrive at Exit #217, Zopkios Rest Area

10:30 AM – Begin snowshoeing, ascent of Mt. Ottomite

12:30 PM – Lunch on Mt. Ottomite

  3:30 PM – Return to Parking Lot

  4:30 PM – Arrive back in Hope

Meeting Place

1005 6th avenue, Hope, BC Hope & District Recreation Centre parking lot.

Participants must arrange their own transportation.

MAP & ITINERARY

Participants must arrange their own transportation.

Participants will gather at the Rec. Centre (1005 – 6th Avenue in Hope), and convoy in vehicles up Highway-5 to the trailhead (Exit #217, 46 km east of Hope).

Note: BC law requires that vehicles have winter tires at this time of year for the stretch of highway used for this program.

How to Find Zopkios Rest Area Parking Lot:

Drive northeast out of Hope on Highway-5 for approximately 50 km. After driving through the Great Bear Snow Shed, start looking on your right for the highway exit into the Zopkios Rest Area – NOTE – THE EXIT SIGN IS MISSING DURING WINTER MONTHS, so the exit will be unmarked by any sign! Be sure to take the FIRST EXIT you see on your RIGHT after driving through the Great Bear Snow Shed Tunnel. Washrooms are available at the Zopkios Rest Area.

Whenever you are snowshoeing, you should always carry The Essentials

At a minimum participants will need the following for this outing:

• Backpack to carry all your gear
• Lunch and high-energy snack food
• Water (at least 1 litre per person) – inside backpack to prevent freezing!
• Waterproof winter boots or hiking boots (non-waterproof footwear ie running shoes are not allowed!)
• Warm winter clothes (no cotton as your first layer against your skin), ideally in layers, non- cotton long sleeve + mid layer + jacket, non-cotton pants and/or snow/rain pants, warm non-cotton socks, thick gloves/mittens, toque, buff/scar
• Foam pad to sit on in the snow

Optional, but highly suggested:

• Two poles per person – greatly improves stability
• Sunglasses, chap stick, sunscreen
• Snow shovel if you’ve got one (Hope Mountain Centre will bring some too)
• Safety gear – headlamp, first aid kit, emergency blanket/bivvy, fire starter, map & compass or GPS (good habit to practice carrying your own!)
• Hand sanitizer and COVID-19 face mask

Liability Release Form

Everyone ages 19 & over must sign a liability waiver form in order to participate in this program. Please take the time to read this form because you must understand and agree to it when you sign it. By signing it you are waiving certain rights, including the right to sue. These forms will be available to sign when you check in. Please seek legal counsel if you have any questions.

Informed Consent Form

Everyone ages 18 & under must have an informed consent form signed by their parents or legal guardian in order to participate. Please contact us if you need this form prior to arrival at this program.

Sorry, NO REFUNDS.

Registration for all programs and events run by our charity are non-refundable.

Your registration is transferable to another person qualified to participate in the program/event. If, for any reason you are not able to participate in the program you registered for, you are welcome to find someone to take your place and pass along your spot to them, for the specific program you registered for only. Please let us know of the change with as much advance notice as possible by sending us the new participant’s contact information by email to tmurphy@hopemountain.org.

Registration is not transferable to a person who is unqualified to participate, for a different program, or a different date. Thank you in advance for your support of our charitable work connecting people and nature!

A program may be cancelled at the discretion of HMCOL. If a program is cancelled, participants will receive a full refund of program and equipment fees.

Please be aware that our programs run regardless of weather conditions, unless we determine that it will affect the safety of participants and/or equipment.