Vancouver, British Columbia

[[Category:Meetup in {{{lat}}} {{{lon}}}| ]]

The Vancouver, British Columbia graticule is at latitude 49, longitude -123. It encompasses the western half of Metro Vancouver (including all of West Vancouver, Vancouver, Richmond and South Delta; most of North Vancouver; and part of Burnaby), as well as Howe Sound, most of the Sunshine Coast, and Nanaimo.

Description

Roughly half of this graticule is accessible only by logging roads west of Howe Sound, and another third is in the Strait of Georgia. Comparatively little land (approximately 7.5% of the graticule) is in the populated regions around Nanaimo and Vancouver, and along the coast . Much of the forested land closest to the city is off access to the public because it falls within the city watershed, to protect drinking water. Depending where the geohash falls on any particular day, Nanaimo residents might find it easier to reach the meetup in the neighbouring Victoria graticule (48, -123), and Vancouver residents the meetup in the neighbouring Surrey graticule (49, 122).

Guidelines

Proposed guidelines for convenient Vancouver-area geohashing:

If the geohash falls on a water point that is not very far (let's say a couple km) from a viable land point (more viable than in any of the other graticules), then the closest accessible land point to the geohash is the meeting spot and this should be posted on the wiki. For example, the May 15 2008 geohash for Victoria was less than 1 km from a park in Esquimalt.
If the geohash falls on any land point from West Vancouver to Delta (i.e. in the south half and extreme east segment), we follow the Vancouver graticule. If it's as far north as Squamish or farther, it starts to get iffy just because it's far.
If the Vancouver geohash yields an inaccessible point (water, mountainous terrain with no road, small island with no ferry, unreachable segment of the Sunshine Coast), then try the Surrey graticule.
Many northern points will be inaccessible in both of those graticules; adventurous folks should check the Victoria graticule.
Failing all these, perhaps the Bellingham graticule for those keen border-jumpers. And failing that too, it just ain't gonna happen.

For those with Facebook accounts, a group has been created here

Link to the graticule on the coordinate calculator

Participants

HollyB
Queerasmoi - perhaps
Osmie
Nigma
Gavitron - nope
Toddalert - can't swim
Jakke - probably the Surrey square, due to more transit and less sharks
Naturalnumber - Occasionally
MegaHurtz - Surrey square
DaMaN
thepiguy
srs0 - When it's not over water, otherwise occasionally the Surrey and/or Victoria regions.
Robyn - I don't use my car for recreational activities, but will bike/ferry/transit whereever I can get.
Onemanbucket
Straylight
plannedrefusal
Sparkamusprime - if I can get there, I'll be there. Rawr!

Upcoming Dates

Check the discussion page for more information on planned meet-ups.

August 18, 2008: In the middle of a hedge out in Ladner. I'm going to see how many friends I can drag along tonight! Thepiguy 22:23, 18 August 2008 (UTC)

Achieved Dates

This is for geohashes in the Vancouver graticule itself. Many people from Vancouver have likely been to geohashes in the surrounding graticules instead.

Sunday, 2008-08-17: thepiguy and Straylight were both in North Van. Just 12 hours apart!
Saturday, 2008-08-09: Reached by thepiguy. A lonely hash in the rain.
Wednesday, 2008-06-18: Reached by thepiguy twice. First by accident on the way to work, second on purpose on the way home. Pictures are here.
Tuesday, 2008-05-27: Reached by thepiguy and srs0. Pictures and details can be found here.

Notable Dates

Monday, 2008-07-21: Robyn kinda almost did it.
Saturday 2008-07-19: thepiguy and srs0 biked to Nanaimo, but ran out of time.
Thursday, 2008-07-17: Right beside the Sea-to-Sky Highway, between Squamish and Whistler. Anyone go by here that day?
Wednesday, 2008-06-18: Coords are in Vancouver, just off the intersection of SW Marine Dr, and Marine Crescent, near UBC. But it's still Wednesday. Damn.
Tuesday, 2008-05-27: Coords are again on land in Vancouver, in a parking lot near the south end of Main Street. Too bad it's a work day.
Saturday, 2008-05-24: First Saturday since geohashing comic. The Vancouver graticule yields a point in the Georgia Strait. But the Surrey graticule gives coordinates just off the Trans-Canada in Langley. It looks to be right at the boundary between somebody's rear lawn and farmland. The house's address is somewhere from 24380-24399 68 Ave, Langley, BC. Probably just barely beyond the reach of transit. For Islanders, the Victoria graticule gives an American point that's not at all very far away from the Port Angeles Ferry. The best spot for this date would likely be the Langley one, no?

Friday, 2008-03-28: Most recent date for which the coordinates lay on land within Metro Vancouver (next to a parking lot off Curling Road, North Vancouver).

Thursday, 2008-03-27: Most recent date for which the coordinates lay on land within the City of Vancouver (in the southbound parking lane of Montcalm Street, roughly halfway between West 59th Avenue and Park Drive).

bears	mountains	Whistler
Port Alberni	Vancouver, British Columbia	Surrey
Port Renfrew	Victoria	Bellingham, Washington