Culture Compass Treasure Hunts
How do the treasure hunts work?
Choose your themed treasure hunt and print out the cluesheet.
Follow the clues and collect your letters. Depending on which treasure hunt theme you pick, clues can be found in person and sometimes online via the northshoreculturecompass.ca, and sometimes both!
Once you’ve found all the clues, unscramble the letters to find your code word and complete the treasure hunt!
All of the Treasure Hunts can be completed any time and can be found on the North Shore Culture Compass or through the links below. We sometimes will launch a new feature treasure hunt to be completed within a certain timeframe with prizes (aka treasure) involved! We will post details here on this webpage.
Who are they for?
The activities are appropriate for all age levels, and are most fun in groups of family and friends. Get your Treasure Hunt group ready and go!
Expand each area below to download the clue sheet for the in-person treasure hunts and follow the links for the online treasure hunts.
Good luck, and have fun!
Culture Compass Treasure Hunts - In Person
Art Around Town, Ambleside, West Vancouver
Art is all around us! From public art, to galleries, to opportunities to get creative yourself, explore Art Around Town in the Ambleside neighbourhood.
Additional resources:
Culture Compass Treasure Hunt Art Around Town – pdf cluesheet
cover image: Ferry Building Gallery, West Vancouver
Ambleside Neighbourhood, West Vancouver
We invite you to amble through this seaside neighbourhood, exploring the paths, the art and a bit of history.
Additional resources:
Ambleside Neighbourhood TREASURE HUNT -pdf cluesheet
cover image: Spirit of the Mountain by Xwa-lack-tun
Green Necklace Urban Trail, North Vancouver
The Green Necklace is an urban greenway that forms a 7.5km scenic loop around the City centre, linking historic parks and buildings, public spaces and commercial areas. The route was originally conceived in 1907 and laid out in North Vancouver City’s original town plan. Edward Mahon, a central figure in the North Vancouver Land and Improvement Company, pictured a “Grand Boulevard” encircling the new city. The Green Necklace connects North Vancouver city parks in a continuous loop of safe and separated greenways. Perfect for a Treasure Hunt by foot, by bike, or scooter!
Additional resources:
https://www.cnv.org/parks-recreation/parks-greenways/greenways/green-necklace
Green Necklace Treasure Hunt pdf cluesheet
cover image: Coho Creek Mosaic River by Ken Clarke
Lower Lonsdale Neighbourhood, North Vancouver
Additional resources:
https://theshipyardsdistrict.ca/
Lower Lonsdale Neighbourhood Treasure Hunt pdf clues
cover image: Fun Alley by Studio in the City
Since Time Immemorial
Note: This treasure hunt is designed to be completed by bike, transit or car, or walking within sections (not a walkable route in one day).
What is today called the North Shore represents a small part of Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh territory, but can reveal a lot, if you know where to look. Consider the thousands of years the Coast Salish people have inhabited and stewarded this land, their deep connections to this place, and their dynamic culture. We invite you to bike, or drive across the North Shore to learn more about the people who have lived here since time immemorial, the Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and səl̓ilwətaɁɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) people.
Additional resources:
- North Shore Culture Compass
- Squamish Nation
- Tsleil-Waututh Nation
- Takaya Tours
- Chief Joe Mathias Centre
- Wild Bird Trust (Maplewood Flats Conservation Area):
– Nature walks & plant scavenger hunts with Cease Wyss
Since Time Immemorial – pdf cluesheet
cover image: Raven by Darren Joseph
Where Land Meets Sea, Lower Lonsdale | Shipyards, North Vancouver
This section of the spirit trail where land meets sea is full of clues to the past, stories about the present, and looking to the future – industry, transportation, leisure, art, immigration, and first nations. Once you’ve completed the hunt, head to the North Shore Culture Compass online to discover more about this fascinating area.
Treasure Hunt Where Land Meets Sea – pdf cluesheet
Culture Compass Treasure Hunts - online/in-person
Forest Friends Treasure Hunt
Let’s celebrate that we live in a city that has urban forest and trails! We have recently added a selection of trails with cultural significance to the northshoreculturecompass.ca. Explore one of these trails located at the heart of the City of North Vancouver, Mahon Park. Discover the history, public art, forest friends and conservation and rehabilitation initiatives that this green oasis has to offer.
Additional resources:
T’uy’t’tanat Cease Wyss’ Walking Garden Tour Vignette
City Park Stewards (City Parks Rehabilitation Project) StoryMap
Culture Compass Treasure Hunt Forest Friends pdf cluesheet
cover image: By Water Breathe by Katherine Kerr
Heritage Week 2024: Layer by Layer
THIS TREASURE HUNT WAS LAUNCHED IN CELEBRATION OF HERITAGE BC’S HERITAGE WEEK 2024
This year’s theme is ‘Layer by Layer’: ‘Heritage is the layering of stories that describe the uniqueness of a community’s past and present while informing the future. This year’s Heritage Week: Layer by Layer, invites you to dig deeper into your community’s past and explore the many layers and stories that your unique community holds. Take some time this week to learn something new about the many “layers” of the place you call home.’
- Get out there and get some fresh air and head to the location in person OR navigate to northshoreculturecompass.ca – each clue provides both options.
- Each location will reveal a clue (in the shape of a letter!). The clues follow the Spirit Trail in the direction of the sun (east to west) but they can be done in any order, in any amount of time.
- Once you’ve completed all six, unscramble the letters to find the code word.
LAYER BY LAYER TREASURE HUNT CLUE SHEET
Lynn Valley - Neighbourhood Treasure Hunt
This Treasure Hunt takes place in Lynn Valley, District of North Vancouver and online on the northshoreculturecompass.ca
Ahoy me hearties! Legend goes that there be cultural treasures to find all o’er Lynn Valley! Find a letter at 7 locations usin’ the clues below. Once ye’ve found them all, unscramble to find the codeword! There be a treasure map below to help ye find the locations but no need to follow the order. Good luck! P.s. a couple of the clues can be found online on th’ northshoreculturecompass.ca!
Lynn Valley – Neighbourhood Treasure Hunt – pdf cluesheet
cover image: Sleuth of Bears by Veronica & Edwin Dam de Nogales
Salmon & Streams - online/in-person edition
This Treasure Hunt takes place in Ambleside, West Vancouver and online on the northshoreculturecompass.ca
Over four decades, the Coho Society of the North Shore has worked on many exciting salmon conservation and habitat protection and enhancement projects, all with the aim of protecting salmon for future generations. Salmon have an important role in the local ecosystem. The Squamish name, Tem Cháyilhen (tum chai-yay-lhen) can be broken down into ‘schay’ (meaning ‘to fast/sacrifice’) and ‘ilhen’ (‘to eat’) so the word means ‘the salmon are sacrificing themselves for us to eat in September’. The Salmon & Streams Treasure Hunt was created in September 2021 as a new addition to the Coho Festival and clues can be found online and in person.
Salmon & Streams Coho Treasure Hunt – pdf cluesheet
cover image: Heywood Park Mural by Ron Den Daas
Culture Compass Treasure Hunts - online
Salmon & Streams, online
SALMON & STREAMS – COHO TREASURE HUNT
This Treasure Hunt takes place online on the northshoreculturecompass.ca
Over four decades, the Coho Society of the North Shore has worked on many exciting salmon conservation and habitat protection and enhancement projects, all with the aim of protecting salmon for future generations. Salmon have an important role in the local ecosystem. The Squamish name, Tem Cháyilhen (tum chai-yay-lhen) can be broken down into ‘schay’ (meaning ‘to fast/sacrifice’) and ‘ilhen’ (‘to eat’) so the word means ‘the salmon are sacrificing themselves for us to eat in September’. The Salmon & Streams Treasure Hunt was created in September 2021 as a new addition to the Coho Festival and these clues can all be found online.
Salmon & Streams Coho Treasure Hunt Online Only – pdf cluesheet
Where do you find Heritage?
This online Treasure Hunt was created for Heritage Week 2021. You are invited to navigate across the North Shore map and find local heritage!
Craft Beer Week 2023
Brewed for Craft Beer Week 2023 in partnership with Vancouver’s North Shore, this Treasure Hunt features 13 local breweries & distilleries. Answers to Treasure Hunt clues can be found on the North Shore Culture Compass. Some of the answers can also be found by visiting the locations. We recommend searching for the clue online from the comfort of each location over a beverage!
Thank you to our partners:
North Van Arts has been awarded funding through BC Destination Development Fund to develop an app for Treasure Hunts! The Destination Development Fund provided one-time grants to support the development and rejuvenation of tourism infrastructure, assets, and experiences. Thank you to the Province of British Columbia for supporting this app development, recognizing the importance of engaging with local arts, culture, and heritage, and increasing accessibility for everyone, further strengthening arts & culture in the region.
Coming summer 2025!
