A group dedicated to cleaning up and improving Teapot Mountain is welcoming volunteers.
The Rock Ed Backcountry Society is holding a meeting on Tuesday, July 9, at the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development at 2000 S. Ospika Blvd., 7 p.m. start.
The society has a contract from Recreation Sites and Trails British Columbia to remediate the popular hiking spot near Summit Lake, about 50 kilometres north of Prince George. The work has included getting rid of the abundance of teapots that have been left on top over the years, but that's only part of a bigger plan.
Additional work includes rerouting and improving the trail to make it safer and so it can handle larger amounts of traffic, replacing the outhouse and upgrading the parking lot and road into the site.
Something of a tempest brewed recently when the group posted a video on social media urging hikers to refrain from leaving teapots on top of the mountain. Although doing to has become a bit of a tradition for many, they've turned into a safety hazard, particularly for the rock climbers whose routes are below the viewpoint.
"When you approach the viewpoint, there's a little spot that, if you look close enough, you can see a little trail that goes off and there are some anchors there," sai.d Society president Michelle Jackson in a recent interview. "If you're looking out towards Summit Lake, it's slightly to the left."
She said volunteers have taken about a "bag a week" of teapots off the mountain.
Ways to keep the tradition going while making it safe for those below were looked at but found to be not possible, Jackson said. Moreover, she said it's part of the contract with RSTBC to keep the mountain free of litter, and the teapots are considered litter.
Maintaining and hosting the Dougherty Creek campground on the west side of the Tabor Mountain Recreation Area is also among the Society's goals.
The meeting is for members and those interested in becoming members only and those interested are asked to RSVP by e-mail through the society's website (rockedbackcountry.org) or on the organization's Facebook page.
