POC members at Rock Oven viewpoint.
Our ranks are growing and we are so pleased to welcome the Penticton Outdoors Club to the FMCBC. In April, they became our 34th member club, pushing our total membership to over 5,000 hikers, climbers, trail runners, snowshoers and skiers from across British Columbia. By way of introduction, we thought we’d share with you a bit more about them and the enviable ways they spend their weekends!
The POC has been going strong since the mid-1970s and has always enthusiastically embraced self-propelled outdoor recreation in the South Okanagan. Blessed with four beautiful and distinct seasons, they’re never lacking new areas to explore: in spring and fall, they stick to the lower canyons and ridges, in summer, they’ve got the incomparable high alpine meadows.
According to Club President Jerry Monahan, “We get new members from the Coast or Alberta who are often very surprised at the great hikes we run that no one expected to find in the “Sunny South Okanagan.” Recent trips have seen them climbing Mount Oliver, Mount McLennan, and hiking along the Skaha Bluffs. Judging by their blog, they’re experts in the art of scouting spectacular lunch spots.
In addition to their vista-filled weekend hikes, they also schedule regular cycling, kayaking, snowshoeing and skiing trips throughout the year, not to mention work parties and exploratory trips for the “keeners.” They’re also developing a tradition of summer road-tripping – this year, they’ll be heading for Wells Grey Park; last year it was to the Monashee’s.
With a current membership of 50, plus 10 honourary lifetime members, the POC welcomes newcomers – all you need is a pair of good boots, reasonable fitness, and a friendly smile. They sound like our kind of people, and we’re so happy to have them on board. Welcome POC! We look forward to working with you.
To learn more about the POC, visit their website, blog, and Facebook page.
