General information about us!

The Vancouver Outdoor Club for Women was founded on September 19, 1979 by Clasina van Bemmel, an Outdoor Recreation Director at the Vancouver YWCA. She saw a need for women to enjoy outdoor activities together, to learn to be comfortable in the outdoors by learning new skills and to become physically and mentally fit. This women-only club was a first of its kind in Canada.

To launch and promote the club, two well-known female mountaineers were invited to speak: Phyllis Munday, a BC Mountaineer with dozens of first ascents to her name; and Joan Firey, who was part of the famous all-women expedition to climb Annapurna I in 1978. The tickets sold out, the evening was a huge success and the VOCW was officially launched. Membership was limited to 50 women as, at first, there were not enough experienced leaders for the trips. Clasina led every VOCW trip for the first three years!

VOCW members are involved in many outdoor activities such as hiking, back-packing, road cycling, mountain biking, kayaking, canoeing, camping, skiing, snowshoeing, birdwatching and organized sports. We have 1 or 2 weekend events a year to nearby lodges in Whistler and Manning Park. We organize at least 1 camping trip every summer  to a nearby provincial park. We also organize dances, game nights, and many other social events. All activities are organized by volunteers within the club who offer events of interest for all levels of physical strength and endurance. We have an average of 100 members at any time so chances are you will find someone with the same interests as you!

The Outdoor Club has a volunteer executive and holds its meetings at Sitka Housing Co-op. Membership is $20 annually.

Purpose of the Club

 §  To provide a relaxed and informal structure within which women can experience the excitement and challenge of outdoor activities;

§  To promote the concepts of skill sharing and cooperation in the outdoors;

§  To promote fitness and healthy lifestyles in Outdoor Club members;

§  To facilitate non-competitive, co-operative interaction between members;

§  To foster outdoor leadership skills in members;

§  To actively support the concepts of environmental protection;

§  To co-operate with other groups whose objectives are wholly or in part similar to those of this club.

 Constitution of the Vancouver Outdoor Club for Women

If required, Click here to download the free Acrobat Reader.