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The Vancouver organizer of a series of “sober hike raves” says he has no plans to stop leading groups to party in the forest, despite a recent "hike rave" on Grouse Mountain being shut down by Metro Vancouver.
Jacques Martiquet, 28, also known by his social media handle The Party Scientist, said his dance parties in the outdoors provide people with a natural high of connecting with others in a beautiful setting and present minimal danger to others.
Martiquet said his “rave hikes” – which take place around the Lower Mainland, often at locations on the North Shore – tend to attract attention when people find out about them.
“It always attracts controversy because of the word ‘rave,’” he said, “which is associated with drugs.”
Martiquet said there’s no drinking or drugs at his events, which is a big part of the point of hosting them.
“All these events are meant to give people the skills to find joy without being addicted to things,” he said.
People interested in going to the events usually learn about them on Martiquet’s social media sites and get detailed instructions about the location through a WhatsApp group 24 hours before the event.
‘Extreme’ party on BCMC Trail shut down by Metro
Recently, a night-time hike rave billed as an “extreme” event – planned for the North Shore’s BCMC Trail on Grouse Mountain – was shut down by Metro Vancouver, which oversees Grouse Mountain Regional Park.
After-hours use of the park isn’t allowed without special permission.
In this case, “staff raised numerous concerns around safety, environmental protection and potential impacts on park neighbours” in connection with the event, according to Mike Redpath, director of regional parks for Metro Vancouver.
Eventually “the organizer opted to not seek a special event permit and cancelled the event.”
Martiquet admits it’s not the first time he’s run afoul of local authorities.
At one of his first hike raves planned for Dog Mountain on Mount Seymour several years ago, authorities who caught wind of the event met revellers and shut down the access road, resulting in the rave hike detouring to a nearby trail and parking lot.
Not everyone is comfortable with what he does, Martiquet acknowledges, noting his activities have attracted commentary from social media “haters.”
“It’s a foreign concept to host a dance party on a hike,” he said. “People are like, ‘Wait. They’re raving up the mountain? Everyone’s gonna die. Everyone’s going to fall off a cliff.’”
The hike raves, which are unsanctioned, take place not far from civilization, said Martiquet.
Past events have taken place at Capilano River Regional Park, at the Cypress Mountain lookout, in Lynn Canyon and Stanley Park, he said.
“Typically we’re not hiking a dangerous, treacherous trail.”
Events are drug-free, says organizer
Martiquet said part of the process in signing up for a hike rave is to commit to staying sober, although “it’s possible people come to the event intoxicated.”
Martiquet said he’s rarely encountered that, however, out of hundreds of events he’s hosted over the past seven years. “People just understand this is the experience. People love dancing through nature,” he said, adding so far, nobody’s been hurt.
North Shore Rescue declined to comment on the hike raves.
Sandra Riches, executive director of the BC Search and Rescue Association’s AdventureSmart program, said their message is the same regardless of who is heading into the backcountry, including letting someone know what the plan is, being prepared for the terrain and carrying essential emergency supplies.
Often groups heading into areas closest to urban areas are those that run into trouble most often, she said, because of the false sense of security those areas can inspire.
“The most search and rescue calls that we have throughout British Columbia are in those easily accessible parks, easily accessible trails that are often more front-country based,” she said. Most of those calls are for injuries on the trail.
Unsanctioned events carry risk, authorities warn
Const. Mansoor Sahak, spokesman for the North Vancouver RCMP, said police haven’t been called out to any hike raves, but added, “Our concern is always safety and security.
“There’s always a risk at unsanctioned events,” he said. “If authorities aren’t aware of events they can’t plan accordingly. You’re running the risk of something going sideways.”
But Martiquet said he has no plans to turn his hike raves into official events and no plans to stop hosting them.
“I take the risk, both financially and reputationally,” he said.
Other unsanctioned events in the past have included 800 people hiking up Mount Seymour in the pre-dawn hours to greet the sunrise on Canada Day.
Editor's note: The headline of this article has been changed to make clear that this planned event was in no way associated with the B.C. Mountaineering Club.
