Mountain Mentors: A tribute to the LaChapelle legacy

- A poetic tribute by Ron Dart, author and member of the Chilliwack Outdoor Club - - Delores Lachapelle (d. January 22, 2007) Edward Lachapelle (d. February 2, 2007) “In my beginning is my end” -T.S. Eliot East Coker I was young in those days, keen to learn mountain lore, to take to glaciers and snow packed slopes, could ski better than walk, left school before finishing, [...]

Introducing Advocacy in Action Spotlights

- By Monika Bittel, FMCBC Director, Recreation & Conservation Committee - Across British Columbia, FMCBC members and volunteers do far more than participate in outdoor recreation. Through trip leadership, skills training, mentorship, safety initiatives, stewardship, and hands-on trail and hut projects, they become informed and effective advocates for self-propelled outdoor recreation. By working directly on trails and in parks, members gain first-hand knowledge of local recreation areas [...]

Paradise at Risk: Choosing Stewardship for BC’s Backcountry

- By Steven Miros, a member of the Kootenay Mountaineering Club - Have you noticed changes in BC's backcountry? Favourite trails that were quiet a decade ago now see dozens on a summer day. Alpine meadows braided with new paths. Litter appearing. Wildlife scarcer. That special spot you scouted now trending on social media. Trailheads overflowing by dawn. Rising rescues. Hesitation to share locations even with friends. [...]

World Mental Health Day: Why Access to Nature Matters for Everyone

On World Mental Health Day (October 10, 2025), we’re celebrating something simple and profoundly needed: regular time in nature. The science is clear—contact with green and blue spaces reduces stress, improves mood, and supports long-term mental well-being. For the Federation of Mountain Clubs of BC (FMCBC), this isn’t just interesting evidence; it’s one of the reasons we advocate so strongly for protecting non-motorized access to BC’s backcountry [...]

Book Review: The Canadian Rockies Rediscovered

by Paul Zizka - A Book Review by Ron Dart, a member of the Chilliwack Outdoor Club - There are “A”, “B” and “C” level novels that hold the reader for different reasons, but it is the classical “A” books we return to many times in our all too human journey. There can be no doubt that Paul Zizka’s compelling and creative photographs in The Canadian Rockies [...]

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