North Shore Rescue members and North Vancouver RCMP are watching anxiously as a Vancouver group is planning an overnight rave on Mount Seymour.
A group called Party4Health is inviting people to “Dance your way up a mountain then party while overlooking our beautiful city” Friday night, promising a “naturally euphoric social experience.”
The event is being promoted as being liquor- drug- and smoking-free but North Shore Rescue team leader Mike Danks said he’s still deeply concerned.
“The reality is, it’s going to draw people who are very inexperienced into the mountains and as a result, we will more likely than not have people that have a failure in their equipment… And there’s a huge potential for those people to get lost in darkness and get into some pretty serious trouble,” he said. “This has potential to go sideways quite quickly.”
Metro Vancouver, which has jurisdiction over much of the land, is taking a harder line approach and promising no one will be allowed up the mountain.
“The proposed event is unsafe and an unauthorized use of the trail maintained by Metro Vancouver. Events like this requires a permit and none was sought, nor would one be granted given the extreme dangers. In addition to serious concerns about human health and safety, there are ecological values to be preserved within the conservation area. We’ve advised the organizer that the result must be cancelled as a result,” he said.
Bradley said the main gate to Mount Seymour will be closed in advance to prevent cars from reaching the parking lot.
As of three hours before the Hike Rave was scheduled to begin, July 21, the organizers had not responded to Metro.
North Vancouver RCMP Sgt. Doug Trousdell said their members are aware of the Hike Rave plans.
“We were a bit worried about safety when heard about it,” he said. “We understand that the event has been shut down by Metro and we will be out to ensure that people are obeying that.”
Hiking after dark should only be done by experienced and well-prepared hikers who are highly familiar with the area they’re travelling into, Danks said.
Party4Health’s website does contain a disclaimer warning of the risks of getting lost, falling, encountering wild animals or suffering hypothermia.
“WE ARE NOT YOUR TOUR GUIDES and ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR SAFETY,” it read.
It also warn ravers to stay home if they’re planning to get high.
“If you are thinking about consuming alcohol or drugs at the Hike Rave, please consider that you could ruin the night for everyone. Alcohol consumption and smoking are illegal and could result in personal injury and wild fires, respectively. These activities could result in an unsafe situation and the event being cancelled en route to our “mountain dance floor,” the site states.
Organizers are telling partiers to bring a headlamp/flashlight, glow sticks, funky costumes, a signaling device like a whistle, extra food, water and clothing, a charged cell phone, first aid kid as well as an emergency blanket or shelter and good shoes.
“What they’ve listed there is good but I think people are going up there not to enjoy the outdoors. I think they’re going up there to party and they’re going to be partying in a remote setting,” Danks said.
Overnight on July 1, more than 800 hikers climbed Mount Seymour to greet Canada Day and sing O Canada together.
