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 About Us
Mission
The mission of the FMCBC is to foster and promote self-propelled
activities, such as hiking,
mountaineering and backcountry skiing in
British Columbia through leadership, advocacy and education. By
working together with outdoor recreation organizations, industry and
government agencies, the FMCBC protects British Columbia’s mountains
and forests for our future generations to experience.
 The FMCBC is a federation of
mountain and outdoor recreation clubs
representing most regions of British Columbia. Its
membership of approximately 3500 includes hikers, climbers,
mountaineers, backcountry skiers and snowshoers. As
a registered BC Society and federal charity the FMCBC is funded by
membership dues and donations. It also receives grants from public
agencies and private organizations for specific projects. The FMCBC
offers third-party liability insurance to member clubs.
Purposes
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To foster and promote cooperation and coordination of clubs,
groups and individuals interested in mountain activities in the
whole Province of British Columbia, and to advise and take
action on all matters on which the collective experience of
these clubs, groups and individuals may prove of service to the
people of British Columbia.
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To encourage public appreciation and use of the recreational
resources in the mountains of British Columbia.
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To promote the development and maintenance of a system of
mountain access roads, trails and huts.
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To organize and coordinate training programs in mountain-craft.
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To publish, and encourage publication of guide books to British
Columbia's mountain areas.
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To promote safety in mountain travel.
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To promote sound management of British Columbia's mountain parks
and outdoor recreation resources.
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To encourage the conservation of mountain environment.
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To submit recommendations to the government and private agencies
in respect to the preservation, development and extension of
mountain parks and mountain recreational areas.
Board of Directors
(click on each name to see
bios & photos):
 Director
Responsibilities and Volunteers:
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Cloudburst newsletter: Bill Perry, Jay MacArthur
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Fundraising: Jack Bryceland, Michele Cohen
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Email
lists: Patrick Harrison
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Membership: Mike Stewart
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Safety,
Education & Insurance: Mike Stewart
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Website: Antje Wahl, Kayla Stevenson (webmaster) Scott Webster
Programs & Committees
The FMCBC has three core programs to deliver coordinating, advocacy,
and educational services on issues that are important to its members
and all non-motorized users of British Columbia's backcountry:
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Recreation & Conservation
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Trails & Access
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Outreach & Education
The Recreation & Conservation and Trails & Access programs are
coordinated and carried out by regional committees. The committees
are formed by dedicated volunteers from across the province who work
countless hours on issues that often take years or even decades to
resolve.
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Vancouver Island: Peter Rothermel (chair)
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Central
Interior: Dave King (chair)
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Kootenays: Doug Brown (chair)
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Southwest BC (Recreation & Conservation): Patrick Lloyd and
Sandra Nicol (co-chairs), Monika Bittel, Lesley Bohm, Evelyn
Feller, Michael Feller, Bryce Leigh, Mike Stewart, Antje Wahl,
Scott Webster, Brian Wood
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Southwest BC (Trails & Access): Alex Wallace and Patrick
Harrison (co-chairs), Eleanor Acker, Jack Bryceland, John Coope,
Louise Irwin, Gabriel Mazoret, Scott Nelson, Dave Wharton
In the Recreation & Conservation program, committees work
with representatives from the provincial government, land and
resource industries and commercial recreation to resolve conflicts
with other users and stakeholders such as heli-skiing, snowmobile
use, logging and mining. The FMCBC's strong advocacy role also
promotes the protection of key wilderness areas and the creation and
maintenance of parks in BC. The FMCBC participates or provides input to
several panels and planning tables such as Stewardship Panels, Land
and Resource Management Plans, and provincial parks planning. The
FMCBC is invited to participate in these processes by the government
and other stakeholders as it is regarded as the legitimate body
representing non-motorized backcountry recreational users in British
Columbia.
 In the Trails & Access program, the committees' work includes
trail access, trail building and maintenance, advocating for new
trail projects, networking with BC Parks, the Ministry of Forests
and Range, and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts. The
FMCBC works to have British Columbia’s hiking and climbing access
trails recognized, protected and maintained. The FMCBC also takes on
trail building projects put forward by its members and supports
clubs in their trail building efforts. The FMCBC developed the
Adopt-A-Trail program for volunteer groups and coordinated adoptions
with government agencies and municipalities.
In the Outreach & Education program, the FMCBC promotes
wilderness recreation opportunities, safety, ethics, and responsible
travel. In order to inform and update members and the public on
issues and activities of interest, the FMCBC publishes and
circulates the
Cloudburst newsletter. The
FMCBC also publishes a community presence through its website and
establishes an effective presence in the public media through
interviews and written statements.
 History
The FMCBC was founded in 1971, based on a predecessor organization
called the Mountain Access Committee. Mountain Access Committee was
originally founded in 1963 by a number of Vancouver-area
mountaineering and hiking clubs for the expressed purpose of trail
construction. Access to various areas were improved and the use of
those areas promoted - both to club members and to the public.
Since 1971 the
FMCBC has grown to a provincial umbrella organization representing
clubs from around British Columbia. The FMCBC was incorporated as a
Non-profit Society in 1973. It is a registered charitable society,
and is the recognized 'sport-governing' body for mountaineering and
related activities in British Columbia.
In 2011 the FMCBC will celebrate 40 years of serving the hiking and
mountaineering community. During those years the FMCBC has had
many successes through the
dedication and hard work of volunteers.
Photo credit: Photographer unknown
Partnerships
The FMCBC is a member of the
Outdoor Recreation Council.
This relationship facilitates coordination and communication with
other recreational user groups such as horseback riders,
snowmobilers, mountain bikers and four-wheel drivers.
The FMCBC is a member of the
British Columbia Environmental Network.
Member organizations within the network advocate for environmental
responsibility and community participation in activities leading to
ecological sustainability.
The FMCBC initiated and now supports Hike BC, which coordinates the
development of the British Columbia section of the
National Hiking Trail.
The National Hiking Trail is the original footpath from coast to
coast that was started in 1971.
The FMCBC partners with
Bivouac,
the Canadian Mountain Encyclopedia, on issues such as reporting
incidents with snowmobiles or other off-road vehicles. If you
experience any infractions or see any damage or unsafe behaviour,
please report it
here.
The FMCBC also works actively with BC Parks, the Ministry of Forests
and Range, and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts in
trail and site management and stewardship activities.
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