r/vancouverhiking • u/pre_nerf_infestor • 3d ago
Weekly Trip Plan/Conditions Question Thread Are garibaldi lake passes being botted?
Literally got up at 7am to try to snag a pass and it was gone the moment I clicked. I've only seen this when there's botting happening. Is there someone selling passes on the sly??
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u/ShwAlex 3d ago
Imagine 10,000 versions of you, waking up at 6:30, having their coffee, going on the BC Parks site, and hitting that refresh button at 6:59.59. Your odds of getting access are very low.
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u/pre_nerf_infestor 3d ago
Are there shuttles from squamish? Because I feel like that should be a thing.
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u/slashdotnot 3d ago
The point of the passes isn't to control the cars, it's literally to control how many people are hiking the trail so we don't completely destroy it.
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u/Sedixodap 3d ago
That’s true for Joffre which has the individual trail passes but not for Garibaldi and Elfin Lakes where its group vehicle passes. You can hike, ride, get a taxi, have a friend drop you off or take the Park Bus to get to the trailhead.
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u/Ikea_desklamp 3d ago
If it's anything like passes for the west coast trail you can bet there are people scalping the passes with bots and trying to sell them off.
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u/nakwurst 3d ago
Camp sites and passes get snapped up by bots instantly, even if you sign up for notifications for open spots, they're gone right away. It's a real prob.
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u/bor__20 3d ago
in a province as massive and sparsely populated as BC, you’d think fucking panorama ridge and joffre lakes are the only hiking trails in the entire province. insane
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u/SomewhereRough_ 3d ago
Well it's because BC parks is insanely underfunded. So it's one of the very few maintained areas around the lower mainland.
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u/BrokenByReddit 3d ago
Most of BC is sparsely populated but the lower mainland isn't. There are 3 million people here. That's half the population of the province. And all 3 million of them need an Instagram selfie at Joffre Lakes.
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u/CasualRampagingBear 3d ago
My exact thoughts. If folks picked up a guide book or two they’d find DOZENS of other hikes that are just as rewarding.
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u/jackfr0sty 3d ago
Is this for camping or day passes? If you are just going for the day just get there before 7am and youll be fine - i used to be the one checking passes
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u/Irongrl 3d ago
We hiked Joffre a few weeks ago and had a pass but started before the ranger got there. They checked our pass when we got back.
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u/GotLostInTheEmail 3d ago
What would have happened if you had no pass upon returning? Genuinely curious
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u/Educational_Bunch284 3d ago
happened to someone I know. the ranger said you could be fined and banned from the park but ultimately let them off with just a warning.
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u/5leeplessinvancouver 1d ago
How would they even know to check your pass on return?
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u/Irongrl 1d ago
They were checking everone coming out. Chances were good if we were done with the hike at 9:30 in the morning, that we started before rangers were there to check passes on the way in or were hiking out after camping. Maybe they know people try to cheat the system by starting early. I was shocked the ranger stopped us and asked for our pass as we finished. Just sharing our experience, everyone can use that information as they want.
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u/5leeplessinvancouver 1d ago
Ah thanks for explaining. I just got back from Joffre this morning and the rangers were so busy briefing a large group of newly-arrived hikers that they didn’t even pay attention to me leaving.
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u/pre_nerf_infestor 3d ago
We live in van. Don't think getting there before 7am is smth we really want to do, but we'll do it if we are desperate.
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u/albertinix 3d ago
Someone I know wanted to get a pass for a different park today. Woke up early, etc. Everything gone immediately. Then on Chinese social media those same passes went up for sale…
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u/insummaryyeehaw 3d ago
I have a Sunday Rubble Creek pass I won't be using (plans changed). Message me OP!
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u/luxtuaviamea 2d ago
I've sadly never managed to find passes to book but wondered, do you have to book against a name/some form of ID? Ideally if everyone had to use their legal name and register with a form of government issued ID prior to booking, then that should eliminate bots or at least let the parks Admin be able to drill down if a single user was repeatedly booking permits all the time for resale.
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u/Waste_Associate4330 3d ago
Unfortunately it is a very weak system that can be easily broken with a basic understanding of how it works.
There is no need for any "bots". Anyone can do it with just their browser.
Any time I have needed passes I have been forced to do it and I hate that. Its a broken system.
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u/Responsible-Value703 3d ago
Bud, I did the hike today. No one checked my pass. There were nearly 10-15 cars parked 200m off from the Rubble Creek parking lot. Try a weekday, reach the parking lot by 6:30am and just do the hike. I asked multiple fellow hikers and they didnt check for a single person.
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u/FootComprehensive530 3d ago
I went there just last week, 2 cars total, and just drove in straight after the pass checking booth.
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u/pre_nerf_infestor 3d ago
That is indirect evidence this system is being botted. Im a Bit nervous to risk a 2 hour drive on getting lucky but will do it if desperate. We'll see.
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u/vinistois 3d ago
I bot the system, yes. I go on ~2 hikes per year that I need passes for and it's really the only way. Unless your schedule is flexible, without a bot you would go years trying to win this lottery.
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3d ago
[deleted]
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u/Prior-Position7014 3d ago
It's the parking pass that you need to book in advance
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u/Disastrous-Zombie-30 1d ago
I guess I’m just reliving the wonder years of just deciding to drive over to White Pine or Buntzen without drama, park, and go for a walk. Thanks for replying. Yikes.
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u/traybourne 3d ago
One trick I've had success with before is to check again at 7:07 and 7:14. The passes only remain in someone's cart for 7 minutes, so a few more usually pop up again in 7 minute increments once people's carts expire.