Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2000 11:52:50 -0700
Reply-To: Tobin Copley <tobin.copley@ubc.ca>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Tobin Copley <tobin.copley@ubc.ca>
Subject: Re: travel guide recommendation - Southern B.C.
In-Reply-To: <200007261554.IAA200444@uvaix7e1.comp.UVic.CA>
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At 8:54 AM -0700 7/26/00, Alistair Bell wrote:
>"Camp Free in B.C. Volume one: Southern Britsh Columbia"
>
>Kathy and Craig Copeland
>Wilderness Press Inc.
>ISBN 0-9698016-7-X
>
>The layout is a bit awkward, but it gives detailed directions for forest
>service and other "free" campsites.
>
>You do need a good map to go along with it.
I have this book, too, and it is a good supplement to the BC Forest
Service maps. Interested parties should know that "Camp Free in BC"
book covers *only* BCFS sites. Alistair, please correct me if I'm
rong, but I've never seen a non-BCFS site in there. Also, the book
was published before the BCFS started charging a fee for the use of
the formerly free facilities. I do not know what the charge is,
since I refuse to pay on principle. BCFS can sue me if they wish.
In fact, I invite them to.
To my knowledge, the excellent BCFS maps are still available free of
charge either from the BCFS offices in Victoria or from the BC
Outdoor Council in Vancouver.
I would strongly recommend that anyone heading more than a few kms
into the wilderness on logging roads have the appropriate BCFS
map(s)--topo maps for the area are a good idea as well, especially if
you're considering hiking. You don't want to get lost in BC back
country.
Be sure people back home know where you are going, that your bus is
in good shape, and that you have the equipment needed for what you
plan to do. It's very easy to get into very remote areas in a
surprisingly short driving time. This can be wonderful; it can also
be very dangerous if one is ill-prepared.
Camp safe, and have fun!
T.
(Note of explanation: The BCFS recreation sites are facilities
developed by the forestry companies as part of the their compensation
to the public in return for being granted the rights to log and
"manage" crown (public) lands. In return for making money off public
lands, they are supposed to provide recreational facilities the
public can access using the logging road network. The idea that we
should grant them rights to log public lands, then pay for use of the
facilities they were supposed to develop and maintain as a free (to
the user) recreation resource as part of the original agreement is
outrageous.)
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Tobin Copley Bowen Island, BC, Canada tobin.copley@ubc.ca
'82 Westfalia 1.6L NA diesel ("Stinky")
'97 son Russell =============
'99 daughter Margaret /_| |_L| |__|:| clatter
1995: 'Round US, Mexico, Canada 15,000 mi {. .| clatter!
1996: Vancouver to Inuvik, NWT 7,400 km ~-()-==----()-~
Previous buses: '76 westy deluxe (Daisy), '76 westy standard (Mango)
http://www.sfu.ca/~tcopley/vw/
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