Feb
2
By Anita Fownes
It is Thursday. Every Thursday morning whether the weather is warm and sunny, cool and crisp or drizzling rain, the Sunshine Hikers are out on the trails of Victoria.
Over 30 years ago, a small group of migrants from the Outdoor Club of Victoria added their hiking boots to the Sunshine Hikers who with Page Hall at the helm enjoyed slow paced regular weekly hikes. Word of mouth was, and still is, the chief source of attracting participants to the group.
Between 1983 and 1990, the hikers numbered 46. By 1994, membership had grown to 73; by 1998, it was up to 82 and a waiting list was established to limit the impact of walkers on the trails. Then, the average number of attending hikers per week was 30; nowadays, membership is about 50 and on most Thursdays theaverage number of hikers is 12.
The hike outings last from two to four hours and trails are graded 1 (easy), 2 (paths narrow and ground uneven), 3 (obstacles to mount), 4 (steep insecure footing, top conditioning required). Hikes are not “a walk in the park” indeed; the elevations accomplished for scenic views can be 434 meters as is Joceyln Hill, one of the favourites, or Mount Work at 446 meters.
To reach the trailheads, car pools are arranged by individuals to convene at destinations in the Capital Regional District and Municipal parks, local greenways and neighbourhood walkways. Meetups are as diverse as Sooke, Sidney, the Gulf Islands and up island locations.
All hikes begin at 10 a.m. at the gathering place noted in the quarterly schedules distributed to hikers. The hikers make their way, usually via ups and downs of the trail, to a mid-morning snack stop. By noon the hikers typically are at a prominent viewpoint where comfortably seated on moss covered logs or boulders they remove from their back packs their bagged lunches for consumption.
Recommended for all hikers is a pair of good sturdy walking boots; some regular hikers prefer the use of walking sticks for extra stability on the uneven paths.
With the Sunshiners trudging along or at a rest stop, the woods and walkways are seldom silent. Hiking on a week day means that most of the hikers are retired with ages ranging from 68−84 years. The male/ female component is slightly tipped towards the female gender.
A few of the hikers who joined as charter members continue to hike weekly. Others no longer hike with the group but enjoy the social activities. In 2014, three of the members celebrated their 90birthdays.
Many join the “Sunshiners” as singles and find comfort in the “safety in numbers” aspect of group hiking. Aside from the healthy exercise and the exposure to new trails there is a social camaraderie. Social functions include several annual events; a picnic, banquet, barbecue and an informal fall general meeting. Anyone wishing to hike with the Sunshiners is asked to sign a waiver. The first three hikes are “free”, after which time participants are asked for an annual membership of $5.
What attracts hikers to the “Sunshiners” is the fellowship as they explore together the weekly varied hike routes. There is always opportunity to stop and learn about what grows in the forest and on hillsides during these hikes. In every season there is unique flora and fauna to notice—old man’s beard hanging from trees, Oregon grape with their showy red leaves and dark berries, common camas, shooting stars, fairy slippers, and chocolate lilies.
Former outings co-ordinator, Pauline Davis (2009-2013) wrote, “When I moved to Sooke in 2005, I knew nobody. I began joining interest groups and found the Sunshine Hikers who made me very welcome and I have since made some very good friends. The Sunshiners, as the name suggests, are an optimistic group of interesting people who enjoy being as active as possible, getting out each week to enjoy hiking and observing the natural world.”
Participants come up with hiking ideas, which are then scheduled and coordinated by the current year’s Outings Coordinator.
And thus another Thursday Sunshiner hike ends with poles, boots and knapsacks loaded into the cars for the ride home.
Newcomers are welcome—for further information contact Outings Co-ordinator Anita Fownes at hikersshine@gmail.com