Vancouver Walking Club, PO Box 2121, Vancouver WA 98668-2121
About Volkswalking
Early History
Volkswalking started in West Germany in the mid-sixties. American servicemen and women brought it back to the United States in 1976 forming the American Volkssport Association (AVA) which now represents about 200 different walking clubs throughout the 50 states.
The Vancouver USA Volkssporters Club was formed in 1988, 36 years ago and with the All Weather Walkers was one of 2 clubs in Clark County. During COVID the 2 clubs merged into one club. Our club originally had just Traditional Event walks on about 4 to 6 weekends a year and about 10 Year Round Events. Walkers would come individually, with a family, or sometimes with a few friends. There weren’t regularly organized group walks during this early time period.
The Vancouver USA Volkssporters Club started group walks with just a few club members around 2004, about 20 years ago and for the first few months we had just 6 walkers that regularly attended on Wednesdays. It grew a little and then Wendy who runs a walking information group for several states, asked if we would like to have her invite other walkers that either were a part of another club in Oregon or just walkers in our area that wanted to walk with other walkers. We agreed and a lot more walkers started coming to our group walks.
About 10 years ago, around 2014, Oregon volkswalking clubs bought into Meetup with the Walking Oregon and SW Washington Meetup group. Oregon included the Vancouver Clubs as our walks were in the Portland Metro area rather than rest of the State of Oregon or Washington
Then COVID hit in 2020, we lost a lot of group walkers. In the last few years, we have gradually gained some back, as well as many new walkers, that attend regularly.
- Hosted Walks: are 1 or 2 day walking events with specified start and end times, which can be done at your own pace. We typically offer a 10k and a 5k marked route with maps and written instructions. Often we have 5k & 10k group walks as part of a hosted walk
- Self-Guided Walks: are Year-round or Seasonal 10k and 5k walks guided by maps and written instructions during daylight hours most days of the week. You can walk at your own time and pace. Year-round walks are typically available most days of the year. Seasonal walks are typically available when the weather gets dryer.
- Group Walks: are Year-round or Seasonal 10k and 5k walks starting at a specified day and time with a leader to guide participants. Most of our group walks use one of the many self guided walks in the Portland/Vancouver area followed by a group lunch at a neighborhood restaurant. We walk as a group rain or shine most Wednesday's of the year. In the last couple of years we have added Hosted Group Walks, which are Group Walks on routes that are sanctioned for a specified date and time only.
Trail Ratings
Trail Ratings (revised as of January 2012)
Each walk is rated to help determine the difficulty of the walk, trails are evaluated based on the degree of incline/elevation (part 1) and the terrain (part 2).
Incline:
- 1 - Very small hills or very little stair climbing. Probably suitable for strollers and wheelchairs. Elevation gain: up to 500 feet
- 2 - Some moderate hills and stair climbing. Probably suitable for strollers. May not be suitable for wheelchairs. Elevation gain: 500-1500 feet
- 3 - Some significant hill or stair climbing. Not suitable for strollers or wheelchairs. Elevation gain: 1500-2500 feet
- 4 - Lots of significant hills or stair climbing. Elevation gain: 2500-3500 feet
- 5 - Many steep hills. Elevation gain: more than 3500 feet
Terrain:
- A - Almost entirely on pavement. Probably suitable for strollers and wheelchairs.
- B - A significant part of the route is on well-groomed trails with very few obstacles. Probably suitable for strollers. May not be suitable for wheelchairs.
- C - A significant part of the route is on somewhat difficult terrain (rocky/rooted paths or soft sand). Not suitable for strollers or wheelchairs
- D - A significant part of the route is on very difficult terrain
- E - The majority of the route is on very difficult terrain
Examples:
- A route that is mostly on flat pavement would be rated 1A
- A beach walk would be rated 1C
- A route with moderate hills on well-groomed trails would be rated 2B