From Vancouver Exposed: Searching for the City’s Hidden History
I’ve lived in Lynn Valley for 20 years and while I’ve heard rumours of a nudist camp at the top of Mountain Highway, I always thought that it was an urban myth. After reading an article this week, I found their website, fired off an email, and accepted an invitation from PR director Daniel Jackson to spend this afternoon at Van Tan.
Daniel and Vanessa met me at the first locked gate, which is just past the new parking lot and a flood of weekend hikers. We drove about two clicks up a curvy, unpaved road shared with a steady stream of determined mountain bikers, then through another locked gate, and onto several acres of private property.
Just under 60 members belong to the club, which has a board of directors like any other non-profit society. There are a few trailers that look semi-permanent, and Daniel and Vanessa have designed a “timber tent” that’s put together like a movie prop and breaks down into little pieces that are easily stored in winter. It would be like sleeping in a greenhouse.
The most interesting thing about the nudist camp is its history. It was founded in 1939 and purchased from a group called the Millionaire’s Club when it was little more than a clear-cut grassy knoll and used for clay pigeon shooting. The club’s buildings—including a sauna inside a log cabin with a hand-split cedar roof—date back to the 1940s and ‘50s as does the fire suppression reservoir which holds 40,000 litres of water and looks strangely like a swimming pool. There’s a shower, a diesel back-up generator, composting toilet and propane heater.
At the bottom of the property is a cliff with a stunning view of Mount Baker, Mount Seymour, Burrard Inlet, and quite possibly my house.
Daniel says they plan to turn the cliff into a climbing area for nudists.
While they could always use a few new members, Daniel says reaching out to the community is more about changing their image. “[The media] still play off there’s something going on up there and it’s not wholesome.”
In fact, most of the secrecy surrounds individual privacy. Members don’t talk about what they do, where they live, or their last names. And membership is intentionally cheap—just a few hundred dollars a year. Members are asked to put in 10 hours of work a year, but it’s all pretty casual. You can chop wood for the sauna and hot tub, work in the community garden or on trail maintenance, but it’s not Survivor, if you just want to sit by the ‘fire suppression reservoir’, no one’s going to kick you off the mountain.
“I always say it’s the secret that keeps itself, once you’ve come and had a look, really nothing out of the ordinary is taking place here,” says Daniel. “Gardening is the number one activity.”
And, yes, after a few uncomfortable minutes of holding extreme eye contact, the whole nudity thing becomes a very small deal. It’s a bit like hanging out with a very pleasant naked gardening group.
Check it out for yourself at Van Tan’s open house June 19.
© All rights reserved. Unless otherwise indicated, all blog content copyright Eve Lazarus.
15 comments on “Van Tan–North Vancouver’s Nudist Camp”
Wreck Beach is free, and much closer to Kerrisdale!
I think the time has passed for them to have vehicle access. The road is heavily used by hikers, dog walkers and mountain bikers who all park at the parking lot at the bottom of the mountain and they should as well. It’s becoming dangerous and an accident is eventually going to happen.
Just FYI, Vantan owns part of the road.
It is a long walk from the public parking lot to the club, very, very long if you are carrying a tent, lunch, drinks, etc. Your trailer, camper, fifth wheel, etc is not so comfortable if it is down in the parking lot. Some do not return home until well after dark and there are no lights along the road, take a wrong turn and you could get lost forever.
Seriously?! So mountain bikers take priority over a group who has owned property and used the road for 80 years? Give your head a shake.
Well, did you?
good article about our piece of paradise ‘midst the forest. Many baby-boomers have discovered social nudism, in “our second life” and wish we’d participated sooner. The experience at a private club, is quite a bit nicer than at Wreck Beach If you’ve ever been intrigued to visit a nudist club, I encourage you to do so. Visitors are not required to get nude, until and unless they feel comfortable.
Very nice article and wonderful pictures. 🙂
There are alot of photo albums and history for sure up there. It’s a little piece of paradise we say 🙂 The wildlife come around still as well.
Anonymous: The speed limit up that road is 20 .. the road is rugged and in my case I can’t even do 20 without worry of hurting my car. We stop for bikes if the road is narrow .. always stop for the 4 legged biker and hiker friends 🙂 most of the time we interact quite well and we wave a thank you and good day to each other .. I have many times come up to the 2nd switch back to be almost face to face with a biker coming down on the road at great speed .. it is not all on the drivers I’m sorry to say, but mostly I have had no issues and only meet with smiles and waves.
Looks like a beautiful and sedate spot to unwind! So envious 🙂
Spent many happy hours as a child at the Van Tan back in the mid 50’s. My parents and I would go there every Sunday and often stayed overnight on long weekends.
It looks like a charming little place away from home. I dont know why a number of people still frown on nudity, whether its inside the home or outside, we are born this way. Maybe its just the funny looking, jealous and religious fanatics that still get upset.
It’s a beautiful spot and should remain exactly the way it is. If you are old enough to hike or bicycle up there. You should be smart enough to share the road with other traffic.
With the lifting of the pandemic restrictions and spring 2022 already here, and summer weather not far off, now’s an ideal time to get the word out to potential Van Tans prospects, open house, etc. Looking forward the re-opening, and welcome back to the naturist / nudist outdoors!
Hello now do you become member.im70 years old.
Well, good for you Glen! Wait until it warms up a bit and check out the website at http://www.vantan.ca/the-club.html it tells you how to go up for a visit.