Nitehike

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 General Station Information

General

GVRD will have extra security patrolling through the night and will be inspecting EVERY site at the end of the event on Sunday. All GVRD rules are to be respected and damage to the local environment is to be minimized (and garbage removed) or else we may lose the privilege of conducting this activity in future years in Pacific Spirit Park. No fires without GVRD Parks approval (click here... to email a request to the Nitehike organisers).

Station Activity Planning

• Should be safe: it's dark with rocky, uneven and possibly wet ground, and kids will be tired.
• Station organizers (if sites are new to them) should try to visit their site and see the terrain prior to the weekend of the NiteHike to confirm it is suitable for their activity.
• Should be skill and teamwork testing, as well as fun.
• Participants should be in groups of 4 to 7 plus a leader, with varying ages and abilities.
• Should take between 3 and 5 minutes if you run only one team through at a time. You may run more that one team at a time to avoid lineups and holding up the teams. Total hike time as well as the order in which stations are done will be a consideration in the total mark. This is to encourage teams to follow the order set out on their map/mark sheet and to break ties in the score.
• All activities must be designed to minimize the impact/damage to the site and vegetation.
• Activity must follow the rules set out by GVRD (attached) and Scouting/Guiding organizations.
• There will be no smoking or consumption of alcoholic beverages.
• Make sure you have enough people to run the station comfortably, consider having 2 shifts.
• Activity Suggestions: Knot tying, Rope throw, Orienteering, Tent set-up, First aid, Fire lighting, Password.

Fires

No fires allowed unless approved by GVRD and NiteHike organisers in advance. Any requests to have a fire are to be forwarded to this email ... immediately. GVRD is trying to minimize risks and as some fires were not properly extinguished in past years, they are being even more strict about this requirement. Fires must be set to GVRD rules.

Day of Hike

• Make sure you are at the location shown on the map so hikers can find you. Some sites have GPS locations to confirm location.
• Do not park your vehicles illegally or they may get ticketed or towed. If you have permission to drive into the park it is for set-up/take-down only, no parking in the park overnight.
• PARKING We have permission to park at the following parking lots, please put a "NiteHike" parking permit (included in your station package) on your dashboard. The station references are based on the master map:
  • Spanish Banks West (immediately in front of Site 5 only and use City of Vanc. Permit on dash)
  • University Hill Elementary (site 2, 3)
  • U-Hill Secondary (Start/Finish) University Golf Course, Saint Anselm's Church (Start/Finish, Site 9)
  • University Chapel (Start/Finish, Site 1)
  • Foreshore Park/Acadia Beach GVRD parking lot on NW Marine Drive (Site 4)
  • GVRD office 16th Ave. AND ALONG 16TH Ave. in legal parking zones (Sites 9, 10, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
  • B.C. Research (Site 19, 20, 21)
  • U.B.C. South Compactor Area (Site 16, 17, 18)
  • 29th & Imperial (Sites 15, 16, 17)
• Check-in at start/finish at school tennis courts at 5:30pm. You will be given your station package (waterproof map, station record sheet, etc.) with your station letter at that time. Please call the coordinator at 604-889-1218 if you are going to be late.
• Pick up hot chocolate mix if you are running a stand.
• Stations are encouraged to have cell phones wherever possible. Please leave your cell phone number at HQ if you have one.
• Station should be up and running by 7pm. Stations A,B,F,G,H,I,J,V,X are start stations so BE READY ON TIME and keep activities to 5-10 minutes.
  
• Record Hike Patrol # (from their mark sheet), time, and mark on your record sheet for every group. This is used to reunite lost hikers with their patrol, and to keep track of their marks in case they lose their mark sheet. Time and route order are also considered in tie breaker marks.
• Mark fairly; initial next to the mark; no totals over 25 marks; no bonus marks or line jumping for "gifts" All bonus marks over the 25 will be ignored and teams caught bribing will be disqualified. Starting in 2005, total hike time as well as the order in which they are done will be a consideration in the total mark. This is to encourage teams to follow the order set out on their map/mark sheet.
• Pens must work on glossy paper and not run if wet.
• Close site in time for hikers to check out at registration by 6am (depends how far from finish)
• Stations check-out at registration by 7:00 am; return record sheet, extra hot chocolate mix, pick up badges, donuts.