VOC History

A Brief History of the Club

The VOC had its start back in 1917, when the "Mountaineering Club" was formalized at UBC's original location (near present day VGH). In these days, potential club members were required to ascend a peak equal in height to Grouse Mountain to become members. It was rumored that women were often exempt from this qualification, being "weaker vessels"...

In 1920, the first club cabin was built on Grouse. In those early days, chaperones were present on mixed trips to "protect the honour of the fair sex". Alcohol was forbidden at all club activities well into the 70's.

By the 1930's, the club's expeditions had spread farther afield, including such exotic destinations as Golden Ears and the Lions (the latter accessed by boat). By the 1940's, there was exploration in the Garibaldi area. A VOC party made the first winter ascent of Mt Garibaldi in 1944.

The 50's arrived with an explosion of interest in skiing with the construction of a road up Seymour. As the number of capable skiers grew, a new tradition was born to the VOC. After spring exams, an annual pilgrimage would be made to the newly constructed Sphinx Hut, located on the terminal moraines of the Sphinx Glacier.

A desire to record the club's activities spawned the VOC Journal. First published in 1958, it was just in time for the numerous first ascents made by club members during the late 50's and 60's. Several major expeditions were undertaken, including Mt Logan ('59) and the Himalaya ('64).

In the mid sixties, the VOC constructed a large cabin in Whistler. It was intended to accommodate both downhill and cross country skiers. In time, the cabin grew too expensive to maintain, and the VOC turned over the rights to the cabin to the AMS. The money received (not without a fight!) from the handover was reinvested into new mountain huts, the first of which was constructed on Mt Brew across the valley from Whistler in 1982. See Whistler Cabin History for more details.

Most recently, the VOC has helped build and maintains a new hut in the mountains surrounding Birkenhead Lake. The Brian Waddington Memorial Hut is located at the headwaters of Phelix Creek and is used mainly in the winter as a ski touring base.

There are always more projects on the horizon, but these will have to take place before we can include them in the history section.