Once Upon a Mountain Once Upon a Mountain

Transcription

Vol. 17, No. 1
●
Winter 2003
Once
Once Upon
Upon
a
a Mountain
Mountain
page
page 15
15
Consolation
Consolation
Hut:
Hut:
Asulkan
Asulkan Cabin
Cabin
page
page 7
7
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The Alpine Club of Canada
Corporate Supporters
The ACC thanks the following for their support,
and encourages you to consider them and the
advertisers in this newsletter the next time you
purchase goods or services of the type they offer.
Corporate Sponsors
Explore Magazine
Helly Hansen
Marmot
Mountain Hardwear
The North Face
Corporate Members
Adventure Medical Kits
Alberta Sport, Recreation, Parks & Wildlife
Foundation
Association of Canadian Mountain Guides
Backcountry Access
Black Diamond Equipment
Canadian Avalanche Association
Forty Below
GearUp Sport (Canmore, AB)
IBEX Outdoor Clothing
Katadyn
La Sportiva
Leki
Mammut
Mountain Culture at The Banff Centre
Mountain Safety Research (MSR)
Patagonia
Petzl
The Hostel Shop (Calgary, AB)
Therm-a-Rest
TUA Ski
Yamnuska (Canmore, AB)
The Alpine Club of Canada
Box 8040, Canmore,
Alberta, Canada T1W 2T8
Phone # (403) 678-3200
Fax # (403) 678-3224
[email protected]
www.AlpineClubofCanada.ca
David Toole, President
Rod Plasman, Secretary
Gord Currie, Treasurer
Cam Roe, VP Activities
Peter Muir, VP Access / Environment
Carl Hannigan, VP Facilities
Bob Sandford, VP Mountain Culture
David Zemrau, VP Services
Mike Mortimer, Director, External Relations
Peter Fuhrmann, Honorary President
Bruce Keith, Executive Director
Submissions to The Gazette are welcome! The deadline
for the Spring issue of the Gazette is April 15. If
possible, please save your submission in digital format
and e-mail it to [email protected]
Otherwise, feel free to type or handwrite it, making
sure it’s double spaced and legible and mail it to the
address above. Please be sure to include complete
contact information with your submission.
Gazette Editor: Bonnie Hamilton
Assistant Editor: Paul Thompson
Copy Editor: Lynn Martel
Publishing Coordinator: Audrey Wheeler
Layout & Production: Suzan Chamney
Advertising rate sheet available upon request.
Please direct all advertising inquiries to Bruce
Keith, National Office (403) 678-3202 or by
e-mail to: [email protected]
Letter from the Editor
Recently,
I saw Yvon Chouinard participate on a panel of speakers
discussing corporate responsibility towards the environment.
His simple yet uncompromising view is that we all impact the environment at every turn
and therefore, we should pay for this use personally over time. Chouinard proposes that
companies annually donate one percent of their gross revenues to environmental causes of
their choosing.
This idea of taxing ourselves, coupled with his reverent tone when speaking of his
passion for extreme landscapes, left me thinking about the ancient concept of tithing. A
tithe, as it is used in certain traditions, is the practice of giving one tenth of your income to a
religious organization. Climbers though, often find their spirituality more in the mountains
than in a formal place of worship. Many of us get as much out of watching a tree grow
in the wilds as sitting in an urban, manmade church. Alone, among close friends or with
like-minded strangers, we walk through high alpine meadows overflowing with wildflowers,
the mountains rising majestically overhead and experience our religion directly rather than
having it explained. It is truly a spiritual understanding. The mountains imbue us with the
basic tenets of the other great traditions of the world – compassion, truth and humility.
A formal place of worship is as much about community as reciting scriptures and
following sacred rules. In similar fashion, our alpine experience is also based on cohesive
friendships. Friendships found in the mountains that have shaped our lives, our perceptions
of the world and showed us who we are.
Perhaps it is time we formally acknowledge our commitment to this “Church of the
Outdoors”. It is our obligation to protect the environment that gives us so much. Other
religions believe it is God’s desire for your tithe to have a hand in seeing that you are spiritually
fed. It is a matter of faith not law. Perhaps we climbers and hikers should also give our tithe,
of time or money, to grassroots environmental organizations that will bring us closer to our
church, drawing it closer to ourselves and in turn protecting it for future generations so that
they may also renew their spirits in these places so sacred to us.
Bonnie Hamilton
What’s Inside...
3 Editorial
Letter from the Editor
Heidi’s Hints
4 Facilities
Consolation Hut
6 Special Events
The Wonder of Water
Festival d’Escalade
6 Mountaineering
Help! National Topographic Map
System Needs Changes
Challenge in the Selkirks
Ramparts Roundabout
Across the Roof of Canada
Rutscblock
15 Mountain Culture
New Mandate for Publications
Committee
Once Upon a Mountain
John Clark Awarded the Order of
Canada
Mountain Forum
Painting Peaks: It’s More than Pop
Music
18 Section News
Mt. Sir Sandford
The Adirondack Stewardship Award
20 National News
Clemenceau to Columbia Traverse
Fall ’02 Board of Directors Meeting
Executive Directors’ Slate
24 Classified Ads
What’s Outside...
Front cover: Mike Simpson near Mt. Longstaff: photo by Leon Kubbernus
Front inset: Asulkan Hut; photo from ACC collection
Canada Post Agreement Number 40009034
Alpine Club of Canada ● Gazette ● Winter 2003
3
Consolation Hut
Heidi’s Hints
Dear Heidi,
story & photo by Lynn Martel
I have been asked to join a week-long
ski tour. Although I have been out a fair
bit on day trips; winter camping and
longer traverses, I haven’t done. I was
wondering if you could give me some tips
for our traverse so I can impress the guys
who have invited me.
Trying to get a date
Dear Trying,
There’s no doubt the best way to
have these guys begging for your phone
number is to break trail out front while
they plod along behind, gasping to keep
up. But, in case your fitness isn’t there,
maybe you can impress them with your
all around competency in the mountains.
So, let’s start with your gear and what
to bring. Obviously, you’ve been out a
bit this winter and your boots feel good
with skis and bindings that work. This is
important and often overlooked even by
experienced skiers. Bring along a small
tool kit with wire, pocket knife, pliers,
extra parts for your binding and some
duct tape. Your first aid kit should at least
include, again, duct tape, which can be
used in place of moleskin (it’s cheaper,
less bulky and sticks better), packets
of salt (an antiseptic when mixed with
water), butterfly band aids (used on cuts
instead of stitching or gluing), matches,
a triangular bandage, sewing kit and
syringe. These are just some suggestions;
the best thing thing to do, if you have
time, is take a first aid course.
The most important thing when
winter camping is staying dry and warm,
otherwise you’ll be miserable. This is best
accomplished by layering; start with a
layer that will help move moisture away
from your skin, followed by a second
layer that will provide warmth and finally
a wind and snow proof barrier.
An excellent tip for spring, when the
snow is sticking to your skins underfoot,
making it feel like you’re wearing stilletos,
is to spray them with a silicone lubricant.
Make sure you put the skins on first or
they may not stick.You can even spray the
tops of your skis to keep the snow sliding
off and avoid more extra weight. You may
need to do this every two or three days,
so if your trip is longer you may want to
bring a can with you. Definately one to
impress the boys.
Heidi
4
I
couldn’t really say I was lost, because I
had a really good idea where I was. I
simply wasn’t nearly close enough to where
I wanted to be.
I was on a very rough, little travelled
logging road with potholes capable of
swallowing a family of moose, 31 kilometres
deep into the towering cedars and eye-level
devils club of remote B.C. bush. I had
suspected a few kilometres back – as I had
urged my little Mazda hatchback forward
in second gear, occasionally speeding up
to 30 km per hour – that this road hadn’t
been traveled in quite some time. Na, I’d
told myself, this has to be the right road
and since by that point I’d been following
it for 17 km I stubbornly didn’t want to
contemplate the notion that I might have
been going the wrong way for 40 minutes.
So I had continued forward.
After bouncing and lurching along for
another half hour, I finally accepted my
route-finding failure. This surrender came
only after I had scraped the belly of my car
on the bank of a metre-deep trench while
crossing a single lane wooden bridge that
spanned a turbulent creek – only to find the
trench on the far side was twice as deep and
wide, and indeed, impossible to cross in my
vehicle.
So, it was while I slowly reversed
across the bridge, feeling very alone and
vulnerable, that my imagination suddenly
fixed upon the dozens of enormous mounds
of bear scat I’d seen in the previous hour and
I had finally accepted that I was not on the
road I wanted to be on.
Had I taken the right turn – which
had actually been the right fork – shortly
after leaving pavement, I would have been
boarding a helicopter with several other
eager mountaineers being flown into the
spectacularly remote Trident/Neptune
group, in the Northern Selkirks, to help
tear down the General Mountaineering
Camp (GMC) and bag a peak or two in
the process.
But no, as I nervously stooped to
pee next to the scant safety of my little
car, I knew I’d missed the flight and was
simply alone, deep in the B.C. woods,
somewhere in the vicinity of a bear as big
as a mastodon.
Exhausted and eager to be on pavement
again before dark, I retreated, dodging the
minefield of potholes back to the Mica
Road. Relieved I hadn’t punctured my car or
my kidneys, I drove back to Revelstoke, only
to learn the first restaurant I approached
that August Saturday evening had just run
out of food. No, nothing special was going
on in town, the manager insisted, the streets
– and restaurants were simply busier than
usual.
Zombie-like after more than nine hours
of driving, I queued up a few doors down
the block and waited 25 minutes to be
seated at a table for one beside the swinging
kitchen doors. My server could not have
possibly brought me a glass of wine fast
enough, but after a thankfully yummy salad
and plate of pasta, I drove off to a nearby
campsite.
No sooner had I crawled into my bag
did a light as bright as an operating table’s
pierced the fabric of my tent, noisily
followed by a train thundering along the
very nearby track. Utterly drained, I fell
asleep.
Late the following afternoon, I sat
quietly contemplating my surroundings at
Asulkan Hut, a solid wooden cabin perched
on a bench at the uppermost reaches of tree
line in Rogers Pass.
Asulkan Hut was not where I wanted to
be, but I had decided that morning I would
make it my consolation trip.
The last time I had stayed at Asulkan
Hut had been a dream come true trip. I’d
always wanted to spend New Year’s Eve in
a backcountry hut and to ring in 2001 I’d
joined 13 old and new friends there for three
nights and days of skiing and laughing.
This time however, I was at the same hut
because I’d just missed out on a dream come
true trip.
The very idea of the GMC has always
been intoxicating for me. To spend an
entire week meeting new people, climbing
mountains and exploring an unfamiliar
landscape so remote it took over an hour
on a logging road and a helicopter flight to
reach, is my kind of dream trip. The kind
of trip that is, at this point of my writing
career, far beyond my means. To be invited
to volunteer my time and energy to help
tear down the camp in such a spectacular
location was a dream come true. And
I’d blown it by forgetting to bring the
directions to the helipad. Throughout my
hike up to the hut I’d replayed the futility
of the previous day’s drive in my mind,
searching for some great cosmic reason fate
had kept me from that camp, but I found
none.
As the sun slid down toward the western
peaks, I coaxed myself to accept the beauty
of my surroundings without obsessing over
the place I was not. There have been times
when I was happy to be alone to savour the
peace and solitude of the mountains with
only the company of a good book, but this
was not one of those times.
I needed company to help dissolve my
disappointment, in my predicament and
myself. I needed company to laugh about
it. But there was no denying I was not
where I wanted to be, and my imagination
– although it had no memory or previous
knowledge to reference – was fixed
somewhere up in the Northern Selkirks.
Still, I knew I had to be grateful. People
from all over the world travel to see the
mountains of western Canada and there
Diny Harrison lives for the mountains. As the first North
American woman to become an internationally
certified full mountain guide and member of the International
Federation of Mountain Guides, she climbs and guides
throughout the world. As a Canadian Mountain Holiday
Heli-Ski Guide, she leads groups down remote, virgin
snow covered peaks in the winter. And as a parttime artist, she silk screens mountain landscapes
in her spare time. So it’s only natural that when
she dresses for work, she prefers clothes that are
as at home in the mountains as she is herself.
Photo|Brad White
Namely, the Sharp Point Jacket. She knows that on
nasty early morning descents, she can rely on the
WINDSTOPPER® Soft Shell, a revolutionary new
fabric that’s highly resistant to wind, rain and
snow. And she knows she can rely on the anatomically
shaped soft shell design to move with her so she can be
comfortable among the peaks year round, whether she’s
scaling a summit in the Selkirks or silk screening one
in her basement studio. It’s no wonder people who work
outdoors for a living are the inspiration for the clothing
that works for them. The Sharp Point Jacket. Count on it.™
WINDSTOPPER and design are registered trademarks of W. L. Gore &Associates, Inc
Is it any surprise a woman
who climbs the Canadian Rockies,
skis the Canadian Rockies
and silk screens the Canadian Rockies
gravitates to sharp points?
marmot.com
I was after hiking up at the spur of the
moment, spending a night at a refuge as
charming as Asulkan Hut.
Like the Trident/Neptune group, this
place too once took days on horseback
to reach. Did the mountain explorers of
a century ago dream of the possibility of
jogging up to a mountain refuge, on the
spur of the moment, for just one night,
from their home hundreds of kilometres
away? Funny, I thought how much I’d love
to spend a week or two on horseback to
slowly go anywhere in the mountains.
Inside the hut I pulled out my food to
prepare dinner. One by one I opened the
windows to let in the mountain music of
tumbling creeks, wind rushing down the
glacier and the distant rattle of rockfall and
I shed my disappointment just as I’d shed
the sounds of highway traffic as I hiked up
the trail.
Then I heard voices as two men reached
the top of the trail by the outhouse.
No sooner had they come in the
front door was I reminded how strangers
sharing the same wooden dinner table in
a hut automatically share similar passions,
priorities and values – the same qualities
that brought them to the hut in the first
place.
Marvelling at the sunset, I realized I
wasn’t on a consolation trip, that being
among the peaks of Rogers Pass was a dream
come true trip.
5
The Wonder of Water
Help!
The
National Topographic Map System Needs
Changes
United
Nations
(UN)
has proclaimed 2003 the
International Year of Fresh Water.
Canadians are making plans to use
the UN Year of Fresh Water to
launch a two-year celebration of
the importance of water to our
cultural and ecological heritage.
In 2003 and 2004, Canadians
will be celebrating how
water shapes the land upon
which we live and how it
defines us as a nation.
Sponsored by the federal
Department of the Environment and Parks
Canada, the two-year Wonder of Water
(WoW) initiative will engage Canadians
and their guests in the understanding
and appreciation of how community
social well-being and economic vitality are
sustained by water and the part it plays
in creating and sustaining a healthy
environment and in fashioning
spectacular landscapes.
For further information
visit the WoW website at
www.wonderofwater.ca
If your section is interested
in planning events that
celebrate the importance
of water in our mountains,
please contact the Chair of the
UN Year of Fresh Water and Wonder
of Water Celebrations, Bob Sandford,
at [email protected]
Le Festival d’Escalade sur Glace de Saint-Boniface
The
St. Boniface Section of the Alpine Club Canada and Club d’Escalade de SaintBoniface will host its third annual Ice Climbing Festival and Competition
February 21 thru 23. The competition will take place on one of Canada’s highest free-standing
ice towers. Two events will be featured: Speed and Difficulty. Great prizes, ice climbing clinics
and social events will make this ice festival a truly fun experience. We hope to see you there!
For more information contact André Mahé through the St. Boniface Section or
visit www.cesb.net
6
by Murray Toft
No
doubt you caress and cherish
your old dog-eared, hole-ridden,
taped, laminated, 1:50,000 series 100foot contour interval maps – with good
reason. We took these for granted as an
inviolate navigation standard. However,
in recent years the on-going process of
metric conversion by Natural Resources
Canada has left us with a less user-friendly
result. Maps get more costly while the
information gets poorer. First, there was the
dysfunctional blunder of combining both a
20-metre and 40-m contour interval on the
same map sheet. You might remember in
the early 90s when at 2000 m the interval
changed, resulting in the alpine becoming
totally ‘softened’. In many cases micro
terrain was completely lost.
Now that we’ve crossed that speed
bump, the current practice is to adopt a
40-m convention for the entire map, thus
eliminating the confusion around tree-line.
Although this would seem like a good step
forward, the process practically eliminated
micro terrain features from valley floor
to summit. Remember the good old days
when we kidded about the ‘99.5-ft cliff ’
lurking somewhere out there between 100-ft
contour lines? Well, that cliff just got bigger
by 31 ft! And that’s just too much detail to
be lost. If the conversion standard had been
a 20-m interval it wouldn’t be necessary for
you to send a short e-mail to:
Jean Cooper
Acting Director General
Mapping Services Branch
Natural Resources Canada
e-mail: [email protected]
But now it is. Please ask her to adopt
a 20-m contour interval on our 1:50,000
NTS maps for the Rocky Mountain region.
Let her know that your life depends on
accurate and complete map products.
Let her know this is in the interest of
mountain safety and that the 40-m interval
does not provide sufficient detail for your
navigational needs.
She claims to be customer service
oriented. Many voices will encourage her to
deliver. Thanks for your help.
Murray Toft chairs the ACC Safety
Committee.
Challenge in the Selkirks
by Paul Geddes
This
year my summer trip to the
mountains included the
opportunity to participate in The North
Face Leadership Course. This course was set
up by The Alpine Club of Canada (ACC)
several years ago and has been improved
upon with knowledge gained from year
to year. It is one of the best opportunities
to gain general mountaineering leadership
training within the Canadian climbing
community and is presently offered in both
summer and winter versions.
Each summer ten course participants,
representing a cross section of climbers from
the ACC’s 18 sections spread out across
Canada from Victoria to Montreal, meet at
the Club’s annual General Mountaineering
Camp (GMC). This year, the rock ridges of
Trident and Dolphin provided challenging
routes for short roping, while the glaciers
leading up to Rhea were the classroom
for ice and snow work. With the ages of
participants spanning decades, the sharing
of experiences added to the learning
opportunities encountered during each
phase of the course.
The requirements for being accepted
into the course are that participants have
at least basic mountaineering skills on rock,
snow and ice and are also active in leading
trips for their sections or the national club.
The course goal is to have graduates pass
on to other ACC members the skills they
have learned by continuing to lead trips.
Many participants have gone on to become
amateur leaders at the GMC and other
national camps.
Association of Canadian Mountain
Guides members Cyril Shokoples and
Helen Sovdat have applied their extensive
mountain knowledge to develop a
curriculum that encompasses a wide
spectrum of skills. Each day participants
improve their ability to make good decisions
in potentially bad situations. From glacier
travel to traversing rock ridges, belaying
to lowering, both hard and soft skills are
taught and practiced. This year Bob Stirling
from Calgary acted as amateur leader to give
an experienced trip leader’s perspective.
Preparation for the course begins
months earlier with an impressive list of
reading materials downloaded from Cyril’s
web site at www.rescuedynamics.ca.
Another must read is Outdoor Leadership,
written by John Graham and published by
The Mountaineers. Arriving at the camp
photo by Patricia Daum
physically fit and mentally prepared goes a
long way toward ensuring that you will get
the most out of your experience.
Aspiring leaders interested in joining the
program in August 2003 need to submit
their applications to the Canmore office by
May 1st. It’s a week well spent that will serve
both you and the Club for years to come.
August 2002 participants:
● Peter Woodsworth, Vancouver Section
● Mark Earle, Prince George Section
● Gary Page, Okanagan Section
● Geoff Ruttan, Rocky Mountain Section
● Gabrielle Savard, Calgary Section (camp
doctor)
● Bruce DeAeth, Central Alberta Section
● Clive Mullins, Ottawa Section
● Christopher Meyrick, Montreal Section
● Maria Michails, Montreal Section
● Paul Geddes, Toronto Section (article
author)
Many thanks to The
North Face for their
generous sponsorship of
this program and the fine
vests we each received.
www.thenorthface.com
7
Ramparts Roundabout
photo by Nancy Hansen
by Andy Haden
The
account of this trip begins
with a picture that’s probably
at least 60 years old. The picture in question
hangs in the Wates-Gibson Hut, which is
located at the south end of the Ramparts
in Jasper National Park’s Tonquin Valley.
As a frequent visitor to the hut throughout
his career, Peter Amann, Association of
Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG)
member and long-time Jasper guide, was
fascinated with the picture. It appears to
have been taken sometime in the 1930s
or early 1940s and it shows the peaks
surrounding Icefall Lake, on the B.C. side
of the Ramparts.
In 1999, Peter converted his fascination
into action and led three companions on
a circumnavigation of the Ramparts via
Icefall Lake and Scarp Pass. Peter decided
to repeat the experience in 2002 with the
8
support of the Alpine Club of Canada
(ACC), by agreeing to guide the Icefall
Lake Traverse. In 1999, I happened to be at
the hut when Peter completed the first trip
and I heard much of his account first-hand.
When I found out that he was going to lead
a second trip in 2002, my response was
immediate: “Where do I sign up?”
Peter and I met fellow ACC members
Greg Davidson of Calgary and Jim Cossitt
of Kalispell, Montana in Jasper on the
morning of Sept. 7. We spent the next
eight days together on the ‘Ramparts
Roundabout.’ The trip began at the Astoria
River trailhead and continued past the east
side of Amethyst Lakes, before turning west
to pass Moat Lake into Mount Robson
Provincial Park. Years from now, when
chance encounter brings the four of us
together again, no doubt we will share
memories of all eight days. I’m inclined to
think that much of the conversation will
linger on the third and fifth days.
The third day started with an ascent
of the saddle between Tonquin Ridge and
Barbican Peak. Expansive views of the
headwaters of the Fraser River greeted us
from the top. Another hour or two of easy
descent down through Geikie Meadows and
some easy bush made for pleasant hiking.
Unfortunately, that was the last of the easy
going on this day.
The descent to Geikie Creek was down
a much steeper slope, with much deadfall
and what I like to call ‘muffwells’. These are
patches of apparently firm ground that turn
out to be illusory once you step on them,
thanks to the thick layer of moss and duff
(hence, muffwell) obscuring the open hole
beneath. Travel on the valley bottom was
straightforward although wet and marshy
in places (but no bugs, thanks to early fall
frosts!).
At one point, we ambled along on a
veritable superhighway of a moose trail
right beside the creek. However, from the
creek to our campsite at the south end of
Icefall Lake, we experienced the worst of the
day. The bush alongside the outfall creek
from Icefall Lake was heavier, thicker and
extensively undercut by the waters of the
creek. Stepping through a muffwell now
usually involved extracting one’s boot from
the running water underneath. Ascending
the creek to the lake meant scrambling
lichen-covered quartzite (greasy!) boulders.
Finally, getting from one end of the lake to
the other meant more boulders, followed by
a narrow strip of gravel between the willows
and the water’s edge all the way to the…last
50 metres. Here, in this final stretch, the
willows barred our way and we were forced
to bash up from the lake and then to the
right in order to finally stagger into camp.
Heavy fatigue was the order of the day and a
contributing factor toward the self-imposed
rest day at Icefall Lake on day four.
Where day three was the ridiculous,
day five was the sublime. Leaving camp,
we scrambled up through a narrow canyon
that carries the meltwater from glaciers on
Simon and Scarp peaks down to Icefall
Lake. More scree was followed by ice and
rock moraines and by a traverse under
two heavily crevassed, hanging glaciers.
Crampons went on at the start of a
moderately steep snow slope, followed by
a laborious ascent to a high notch, still 100
m or so below Scarp Pass. At this point, the
trip took an unanticipated twist. When
Peter had led the trip three years previously,
the bergschrund below Scarp Pass had not
been much of an issue. Now, three years
later, the ‘schrund was wider, longer and
very definitely, an obstacle.
Peter tried a direct crossing of the
‘schrund. No go. Going to the right below
the ‘schrund wasn’t going to go either
– a large crevasse barred our way to the
snowslope leading up to the east ridge of
Scarp Peak. But – what about the ‘schrund
itself? By deciding to enter a crevasse, we
were able to bypass a crevasse, if that makes
any sense. Peter led into it and worked his
way past some large ice blocks. He took us
to the back wall of the ‘schrund and then
along the back wall to a point above the first
crevasse that had blocked our way. A couple
of steep steps up and we were back on the
snowslope, eventually dropping down to
photo by Andy Haden
Scarp Pass. The payoff was the fabulous
views to the south – down Simon Creek
to the sea of peaks beyond. The view to the
north was equally rewarding as we traced
out the day’s route and the peaks we had
passed in previous days – Postern, Barbican
and Geikie. A short, steep scramble down
from the pass brought us to the Mastodon
Glacier and a day later, to the Wates-Gibson
Hut. Two days later, we concluded the trip,
returning to the Astoria River trailhead.
Mountaineering can be an intense
experience. For some, that is the essence
of mountaineering, as the literature so
often demonstrates. There was much that
was intense about this trip, not the least of
which was the opportunity to travel some
through wonderfully wild country that
sees little human use. However, when we
concluded the trip at the Wates-Gibson
Hut, we had time to sift through some of
the old journals where the names of Cyril
Wates, Rex Gibson and others still resonate.
This gave us a deeper appreciation for our
trip. It had allowed us to re-trace the steps
of some of the mountaineers who first
explored this part of the Canadian Rockies
– the same explorers who almost certainly
took the picture that still hangs in the
Wates-Gibson Hut.
9
Across the Roof of Canada
by Jacqui Hudson
In
summer, dawn arrives early on
Canada’s highest mountain. But the
accompanying light brings little cheer to the
soul of a tired climber. Our team of four is
at Camp Three and as night’s shadows pale,
there is a scene of almost total devastation,
capable of making a grown man weep.
Happily, there’s only one man present.
The other three are women. Together, they
cluster in two small tents at 4300 metres on
the East Ridge of Mount Logan.
Outside, the wind has dropped (thanks
for small mercies), but there’s a whiteout and
soft snowflakes are falling out of a socked-in
sky. Inside, things are only slightly better.
Rime ice coats the tents and it’s -20˚C.
Every time a gust shakes the taut nylon, it
seems to snow as much inside as out.
This is not a cheerful spot. Jacqui
Hudson reaches for her watch, but the
face is frozen and blank. She pulls it into
the warmth of her sleeping bag along with
her spare clothes, boots, water bottle, extra
socks, gloves and boot liners.
It’s day 34 of the adventure, day 8
on Mt. Logan itself. Merrie-Beth Board
(MB) fumbles with the tent zipper, opens
the vestibule and regards the outer world
of white. Climbing narrow ridges with
corniced overhangs to the left and right,
in zero visibility, is not a popular pastime.
“Rest day,” she says with conviction and zips
St. Elias Mountains
10
the tent firmly shut, but not before spindrift
eddies in, settling on her sleeping bag.
Something Different
The idea for the trip was simple enough
at the outset. In 2001, Kari Medig (the
only male in this year’s team) and Lena
Rowat were members of an extraordinary
ski trek that started just behind the city
of Vancouver in mid-February and ended
2000 kilometres and five and a half months
later at Skagway, Alaska. It was a bold and
ground breaking transect up the spine of the
Coast Mountains.
Yet even as they finished in mid-July,
both were wondering if the real prize was
the section beyond Skagway, where the
great coastal range curves west into southern
Alaska, passing through the roof of Canada
– Kluane National Park and Wrangell-St.
Elias National Park in southern Alaska.
Mountaineers are forever talking about
the ultimate LGP (Last Great Problem),
and always the bar is being raised. “Why
not ski the whole St. Elias Range?” reasoned
Lena in the fall of 2001. “It’s only 700 km
and along the way we can knock off Logan.
Up the East Ridge and down the west.” On
such casual plans are expeditions formed.
Putting a team together proved easy.
MB moved from Ontario eight years ago
and now hails from Golden, BC. At 28,
she has made her reputation on long alpine
photo by Istvan Hernadi
rock routes, short fierce ice climbs and is a
long-time climbing partner of Lena’s. Jacqui
Hudson, the kid on the team at 23, has
climbed in New Zealand and in Canada’s
Coast Range. Just finishing a degree at
University of British Columbia, her role
was to act as trip medic.
Lena Rowat has been backcountry
skiing for years and the 2001 traverse
was simply the culmination of experience
gained from many trips. She recently
returned from exploring King George
Island in Antarctica.
Kari Medig, as token male on the trip,
was “getting in touch with his feminine
side,” in the company of three females.
From Cranbrook, BC, his primary interest
was as photographer and filmmaker. He was
carrying Sony’s latest pocket movie camera
and was to shoot over 40 hours of footage
before the trip was over, to make a TV
documentary.
Logistics in an Empty Land
The St. Elias Range is a vast network of
interlocking glaciers, isolating soaring peaks
in rivers of ice. Normal access to this frigid
world of white is by ski plane. This team’s
plans were anything but normal. While
we used air support to place food caches
along the way, we set out on foot, from
tide-line close to the town of Haines in the
Alaska Panhandle. It was a low snow season,
so for the first few kilometres the party
incongruously carried their packs, skis,
poles and sleds across arid shoreline, before
starting up the Sullivan Glacier.
Once onto the icefields of the Fairweather
Range, the daily routine of skiing 20 to 30
km began: rise early while the snow is still
firm, eat, break camp, ski, rest, ski, rest, eat
lunch, discuss the route, ski, rest, ski until
evening, select a spot in the vast emptiness
and set up two small tents.
Crevasses were always a problem, but
for much of the journey, there was sufficient
visibility to see them before they saw us.
Nevertheless, some areas were a maze of
jumbled ice blocks and plunging cracks,
while other glaciers were so vast and blank
that on cloudy days the person out front
had trouble keeping a straight track. Why
did they all trend to the left?
Apart from routine aching muscles,
there were few medical problems. Kari
injured the roof of his open mouth when
reflected sun burned this usually protected
part of his anatomy. Lena complained of
eye irritation, but the eye drops caused
her pupils to dilate so much she was in
danger of going snowblind. For several days
the group travelled only at night to avoid
worsening her situation.
Even on warm days the temperature
was well below zero, but UV radiation
could set any dark object on fire. Lena and
Jacqui skied in skirts to keep cool. Thus
began a pilots’ rumour that quickly spread
across the north. What started as “Several
women in skirts are coming to Mt. Logan,”
metamorphosed via radio interference into
“Seven women in mini-skirts are coming
over Mt. Logan.” A reception committee
formed at the Arctic Institute’s base camp
in the King’s Trench on the west side of the
mountain.
Finding food drops wasn’t always easy.
Despite having a GPS receiver and good
maps, the glaciers were huge and the air
so clear that distances were deceptive. At
one locality, only the faint ski tracks left by
the plane guided the group to the luxury
of new food, including whole onions and
carrots preserved by the cold. Meals became
a popular topic of conversation. Lying in
our bags at night, ‘air menus’ were planned,
cooked and devoured.
they leave camps behind as they climb. Not
so for our team – we must carry everything
with us, including skis and poles.
Over the 37 days of glacier travel, each
skier has developed a special love/hate
relationship with her/his sledge. In the late
afternoon snow, sledges stick and water
accumulates in them, soaking their contents.
On descents, they crab sideways or slide into
the backs of legs, tangling ropes and making
ski turns impossible. And they seem to be
drawn to crevasses like opposing magnets.
On a positive note, the sledges left on a
ski plane from the foot of the East Ridge and
for now the team is sled-free. Leaving Camp
Four at 4650 m we climb towards the East
Summit. There’s no wind and the sky has
cleared above. Down slope, the lower peaks
and valleys are hidden in a bank of cloud that
stretches out to the Pacific. We are moving
early, but the loads, the altitude and three
days of storm-induced inactivity are taking
their toll. Two of the party have developed
Acute Mountain Sickness.
The pace is slow and getting slower. Late
in the day we decide to place Camp Five at
over 5500 m. The air is brutally cold and
everyone, without saying it, knows it’s going
to be a rough night.
Crossing the ‘The Big One’
Day 41. Logan Day 15 – The wind was
strong throughout the night, but by morning
has dropped off. I just about pass out and vomit.
Have to rest and breathe hard, between putting
my liners into my boots. Do we turn back and
descend the East Ridge? Or try again to climb
the last thousand feet to the col between the East
and Main Summits? I take drugs – more than
I’ve taken in an entire year – and promptly
vomit them and the water. I’m too tired to fish
out replacements.
At this altitude the mind plays tricks or
stops functioning altogether. A stove fuel
fire starts, but is extinguished with minimal
damage. We finally get moving at 9 a.m. and
it takes five agonizing hours to gain just 300
Mt. Logan is Canada’s highest peak at
5959 m and North America’s second tallest.
But it is not simply its height that sets it
apart. Mt. Logan is truly massive. While
other summits are narrow pyramids, Mt.
Logan sits atop a huge block whose sheer
mass makes it the largest single volume of
mountain in the world. Plus its latitude, at
60˚ N, translates to a climbing equivalent of
a 7500 m peak in the Himalayas.
The East Ridge sees a number of ascents
most years. This season, there’s a group
from France and a Scottish-Canadian party
climbing at the same time as us. Both these
teams will return down the ridge again, so
Diary Entry
m to the summit col, a distance of under
2 km. At 5890 m we put on skis and as
we do, the mood changes. From here on
it’s downhill almost all of the way. That
night, we sleep at 5000 m and two days
later, in a blur of speed, we telemark down
a thigh-straining 3000 m into the King’s
Trench, where the sun is warm, the air is
thick and our energy levels soar. We are
over Mt. Logan.
The Final 230 km
A week later, with a further 200 km
under our belts, the only accident of
the trip occurs. Skiing through a steep
icefall, I lose my balance as my sled drops
into a crevasse, pulling me down after it.
Landing 10 m below in a tangle of skis,
poles, rope, pack and sledge, I’m relatively
unhurt and capable of climbing out under
my own power. Bruised and shaken with
what are later diagnosed as neck and rib
fractures, I emerge into the sunlight and
the team makes camp. I spend an aching
night, unwilling to take painkillers in case
I have a head injury.
The next morning, fragile but
determined, I continue with a light pack
while MB, Lena and Kari split my gear. Five
days later, after climbing two mountain
passes to bypass the crevasse-riddled snout
of the Miles Glacier, we come across our
first trail in almost two months. Minutes
later we emerge at a bridge on the Copper
River where a surprised family of tourists
in a mini-van offers to take us the 60 km
into Cordova, AK.
It’s over.
The expedition acknowledges financial
support from the Jen Higgins Fund of the
Alpine Club of Canada and the Canadian
Himalayan Foundation, plus sponsorship
from Mountain Equipment Co-op, Intuition
Liners Vancouver Co., G3, Miso Cup A Soup
Co., Rebar Co. Sports Bars and Kettle Valley
Fruit Bars Co.
11
Join Us for a Mountain
Ice Climbing Camp 2
Classic Peaks - Jasper
Columbia Icefield
Date: March 2-7
Cost: $1250 + GST
Staff: Grant Meekins, TBA
Date: July 5-12
Cost: $1595 + GST
Staff: Peter Amann, Cyril Shokoples, G. Ruttan
Date: August 1-9
C
Staff: Dave Smith, Lisa P
This camp will be based out of Rampart Creek and Shunda
Creek Hostels on the Icefields Parkway and in Nordegg.
There are a variety of challenges for everyone from the
novice to the experienced climber. This camp will include
instruction and lots of great climbing!
Jasper National Park offers the mountaineer a wide variety
of opportunities in a world class alpine setting. Classic
rock climbs, snow and ice, and mixed alpine routes are
available for all levels of climbers.
Join us for a summer excursio
America”, home to several of t
Canadian Rockies. Extensive g
and higher elevations provide
atmosphere - a good test piec
for more extended trips to lof
First Summits
First Summits 2
Date: March 14-17
Cost: $750 + GST
Staff: Sylvia Forest, Doug Nelson
Located on the world renowned Wapta Icefields, this hutbased camp is aimed at members with little or no winter
mountaineering experience who want to learn the basics,
or to those looking to improve skills. Instruction will be
the emphasis of this camp.
Date: July 12-19
Cost: $1250 + GST
Staff: Ferdl Taxbock, Jackie Clark
This hut-to-hut mountaineering traverse across the
Wapta and Wapituk Icefields will be the high point of
your summer. Ascents will be attempted on several peaks,
providing an excellent opportunity for members to learn
about glacier travel and summer mountaineering.
Lyells Mountaine
Date: August 9-16
C
Staff: Roger Laurilla, Cam
Participants will be whisked b
camp at the headwaters of Ice
box canyon. As well as produc
camp location will allow easy
area. Climbs will be mainly on
rock climbing.
Wapta Traverse
Women’s
Mountaineering Camp
Date: March 22-29
Cost: $1250 + GST
Staff: Peter Amann, Diane Schon
Date: July 13-18
Cost: $850 + GST
Staff: Kirsten Knechtel, Jen Olson, Sarah Meredith
The Wapta Traverse is a world class ski mountaineering
destination. Join us to learn the basics or to improve your
skills. The comfortable accommodations of the ACC huts
can’t be beat. Several ski ascents will be attempted on this
adventurous icefield journey.
This six day camp provides opportunities for women to
summit together, work on leading skills and gain more
mountaineering experience. The camp will be based out
of the Stanley Mitchell Hut in the stunning Little Yoho
Valley.
Traversing over the spine of th
through three National Parks,
will involve glacier travel, rock
ice, and spectacular scenery fr
Waddington Area Ski Camp
Rockies Panorama
Fryatt Climbing C
Date: April 26 - May 7 Cost: $3295 + GST
Staff: Steve Ludwig, Dana Foster, Ron Andrews
Date: July 19-26
Cost: $1295 + GST
Staff: Peter Fuhrmann, Dave McCormick
Date: August 16-23
C
Staff: Peter Amann, Sylvi
Mt. Waddington is the highest summit in the vast Coast
Mountains of British Columbia. We will use helicopter
access to reach the mountains first explored by Don and
Phyllis Munday and we will retrace some of the pioneering
ski ascents of this remote and beautiful area.
This traverse through three spectacular National Parks
is a superb introductory mountaineering adventure
combined with a great introduction to ACC huts. Past
participants have always given this experience rave
reviews!
The Fryatt Valley in Jasper offe
climbing based out of the Syd
Climbs will be on rock, snow a
abundant hiking opportunitie
meadows to explore.
U25 - Canmore Classics and Yoho
Albert Icefield
Date: July 19-26
Cost: $1000 + GST
Staff: Lars Andrews, Geoff Ruttan
Date: August 23-30
C
Staff: Helen Sovdat, Dav
This camp is for members aged 17-25. The first half of
the week will be based out of the Canmore Clubhouse,
where time will be spent at the local sport crags and on
multi-pitch rock routes. The group will then travel to the
Stanley Mitchell Hut in Little Yoho Valley for ascents of the
glaciated President and Vice President mountains.
The Albert and Primrose Icefie
area southwest of Rogers Pass
mountaineering will begin wi
remote and spectacular base
mountaineer – beginner to ad
Peak Weekend – Bugaboos
Date: August 1-4
Cost: $795 + GST
Staff: Lars Andrews, Masten Brolsma
photo by John Derick
This fabulous long weekend get-away offers members
a chance to explore the world renowned Bugaboo
Provincial Park. Ascents will involve snow, ice and granite
rock climbing on fourth and low fifth class terrain.
Heart of the Rock
Date: August 16-23
C
Staff: Peter Fuhrmann, D
Silent Pass to Rog
Date: September 5-13 C
Staff: Jim Gudjonson, Ch
Starting with a helicopter flig
Glacier National Park, this spe
stay above 8000’ for most of t
of opportunities to bag peaks
n Adventure
ds
2003 General Mountaineering Camp
Cost: $1495 + GST
aulson
Dates: July 12 to August 16, 2003 (five one-week camps)
Cost: $1195 (one week) + GST $1140 (additional weeks) + GST
on to the “Apex of North
he highest peaks in the
glacier travel, snow camping
e an expedition type
ce for those with ambitions
fty summits.
This year’s camp, located in the Snowy Pass group of the Rockies, is a fly in/fly out; your knees will love you for this! At an
elevation of 2225m/7186’ , we will have a spectacular campsite located just south and above Snowy Pass. This protected
site will be very comfortably situated beside a number of beautiful lakes, and is surrounded by glaciers. The views are
spectacular! Mts.Tsar, Clemenceau and Columbia dominate the skylines.
Climbing peaks in the area include: Mt. King Edward, Chaba Peak, Omega, Triad, Wales, Watershed, and many others. This
remote and seldom visitied area will afford opportunities for new climbs and routes – the variety is endless. In addition to
the longer, technical challenges, there are many pleasant, shorter and non-technical routes near the camp.
The GMC operates on a seven day, Saturday to Saturday basis. Attendance fees (per week) will cover
tent accommodation, guiding and instruction in all disciplines, sumptuous meals and group climbing
equipment (other than personal gear).
eering
Cost: $1750 + GST
m Roe, Vicki Laurilla
by helicopter to a tent-based
efall Brook on top of a 2000’
cing spectacular vistas, the
access to the peaks of the
n snow and ice, with some
an ACC tradition since 1906.
You Won’t Forget!
Peru Climbing Expedition
kies
Dates: June 1-24
Cost: $5295 (no GST)
Staff: Tim Pochay, John Derick
Cost: $1450 + GST
Dan Doll
Join us for more than three spectacular weeks of climbing,
trekking and enjoying the culture of the Peruvian Andes.
This trip includes a smorgasbord of stunning 6000 metre
peaks and chaotic glaciers, exciting snow and ice climbs
with plenty of exposure and phenomenal views.
he Rockies two times and
, this exciting hut-based trip
k climbing, steep snow and
rom mountain-tops.
Camp
Cost: $1495 + GST
ia Forest, Ken Larlee
ers a wide variety of excellent
dney Vallance (Fryatt) Hut.
and ice, and there are also
es with lakes, glaciers and
Cost: $1395 + GST
vid Dornian, B. Critchley
elds are a seldom visited
s. Seven days of classic
ith a helicopter flight to our
camp. This camp is for every
dvanced.
photo by Patricia Daum
Find Out More
For more information on each camp,
including their levels of difficulty,
please visit our website at
www.AlpineClubofCanada.ca
and follow the links to Mountain Adventures.
Alternatively, call Lawrence White
at the ACC’s national office
(403) 678-3200, ext. 112
or email him at:
[email protected]
2003 has been recognised as the International
Year of Fresh Water. We invite you to join us in
celebrating water on this trip:
Tatshenshini Rafting and
Scrambling Adventure
Date: Aug. 17 - Sept. 3
Cost: $4295 + GST
Staff: Jim Gudjonson, G.
Otcenasek, David Toole
The Yukon’s Tatshenshini River
flows through an amazing,
undisturbed, protected
region of spectacular glaciers,
offering unparalleled wildlife
viewing. This unique trip will
allow us to split our time
between rafting downstream
and hiking \ scrambling on
the peaks adjacent to the river.
photo by Lisa Gober
gers Pass
Cost: $1595 + GST
had Rigby, Doug Nelson
ht to the southern tip of
ctacular alpine traverse will
he week. There will be plenty
s and explore the terrain.
photo by Daniel Dufresne
Leadership Course
Date: August 9-16
Cost: $600 + GST
Apply by: May 1, 2003
Staff: Cyril Shokoples, Helen Sovdat, Bob Stirling
Held at the 2003 GMC in Snowy Pass, this course will deal with these leadership skills: rope handling skills (specifically in
general mountaineering situations); glacier travel; route planning and selection; navigation; multi-pitch routes; rock and
crevasse rescue systems; group dynamics, interaction and management; and emergency-situation management.
Re-Evaluating the Rutschblock
by Murray Toft and Dr. James Wakeling
For
over a decade in Canada, the
Rutschblock test has been
included in the battery of snow stability
evaluation techniques used by backcountry
skiers. Based on the work of the Swiss snow
scientist Paul Fohn, the test was popularized
in western Canada largely by Dr. Bruce
Jamieson at the University of Calgary (U
of C).
The Rutschblock has become a widely
used stability test due to the common sense
nature of its design. An isolated column
(block) of snow roughly 150 cm wide
by 200 cm across the face is excavated
on a preferred 30-degree slope to below
the suspect shear layer(s). The load of a
standing, then hopping, then jumping skier
is increased until the shear layer produces
(or does not produce) a failure. Incremental
numerical scores indicate the relative
strength of the snowpack and the final score
aids in assessing stability.
Yet the quantitative nature of the score
tends to make lay practitioners think in
absolute terms and that the higher the
score is past five, then the more stable the
snowpack must be. But just how valid is
the test?
Flaws within the snowpack itself, plus
load variations due to wind and terrain
shape across a slope can lead to significant
variations in the score from one location
to another. This is why avalanche course
instructors are quick to point out that this
test should not be relied on solely by itself,
but as a complement to other regular field
observations.
During the winter of 2002, a team
from the U of C’s Faculty of Kinesiology
examined additional variables affecting the
Rutschblock score. These included:
1) the force differences between telemark
and alpine ski touring equipment
2) the variation in Rutschblock scores as a
function of the jumper’s weight
3) the damping affect of loose surface layers
on the applied force to the block
Data was gained from both clinical
testing in the Human Performance
Laboratory (HPL) at U of C and fieldtesting at Mt. Fidelity, Glacier National
Park in Rogers Pass.
Available force platforms in the floor of
the HPL allowed us to record the peak forces
of 18 male and female subjects who jumped
using both alpine touring and telemark ski
14
equipment. Impact forces across gender,
weight, and height ranged between 3 and
8 kN (1 kN = 220 lbs force). Our original
hypothesis was that the dropped heel of the
telemark ski during a jump would soften
the impact force, as the boot sole rocked
back onto the ski upon landing, much like
the clapper effect of hinged speed skates.
This idea was to be proved void.
The data showed that skiers on telemark
equipment produce forces equal to or
greater than jumpers on alpine touring
equipment. Anecdotal reporting from the
subjects suggested that this was due to the
increased ability of foot flexion in a telemark
boot. It is biomechanically more natural to
jump on telemark bindings with a free heel
than fixed heel touring bindings where the
jump is more contingent on knee flex. The
higher the jump, the greater the force.
In the field, our study plot closely
averaged the optimum 30 degrees and
provided almost perfect test conditions: 35
cm of low density fist hardness new powder
snow topped an increasingly dense base
which included 2 convenient shear layers
at 50 (compression test moderate) and 70
cm (compression test hard). Here, we laid
out 2 horizontal rows of 5 Rutschblock
columns, one immediately above the other,
to discover if there would be any score
variation between jumpers of different
weight. In our case, the subjects weighed in
at 22 kilos apart (65 and 87 kilos). The first
round of testing using the lighter subject
on alpine touring (AT) equipment, saw
no shear failure – all Rutschblock scores
were 7! However, when the heavier subject
repeated the tests on a fresh block, also on
AT gear, the increased force was sufficient to
initiate a failure at the shear plane. Here the
Rutschblock score jumped down repeatedly
to 5, a significant difference of 2 loading
steps.
We then performed the same test
sequence using telemark equipment. The
ability to create higher forces that permeate
deeper into the snowpack on this equipment
showed in the lower final scores. Here the
lighter jumper averaged a score of six, while
the heavier subject consistently produced a
score of five.
Force transducers mounted on a special
pair of skis allowed us to log field data and
compare them to forces that were generated
in the lab. The potential damping effect of
fresh powder snow was profound, with a
50 per cent decrease in force applied to the
block when compared to what we found in
lab tests.
As the data demonstrated, the final
score of a Rutschblock test should be held
suspect. The variables of snow surface
density, variations in jumper’s weight and
the type of ski / binding used for testing,
not to mention the need to find a truly
representative test slope, create conclusions
that can be misleading. All of this confirms
that our stability evaluation should not be
limited to this single popular test, no matter
how practical or realistic it may seem.
Some additional points may summarize
the discussion.
● Since force increases with mass, then the
greater the weight of the block tester, the
greater the probability the score will be
lower. Be sure to apply this obvious truth
when performing the Rutschblock test
by having the heaviest (and most adept)
skier do the jump. Otherwise, you could
be potentially sand bagging the score. If
this is not possible, then factor in at least
one score less as a correction factor if
you must use a lighter jumper.
● A 20-kilogram weight difference in
jumpers may affect the Rutschblock
score by up to 2 loading steps (scores).
● Increased forces are produced by harder
surfaces. In other words wind slab at the
jump surface may produce larger forces,
but how these are dissipated will depend
on how thick the layer is.
● Telemark equipment produces larger
forces on the block due to the higher
jumps created by metatarsal flexion of
the foot.
Thanks for making this project possible
are extended to Parks Canada: Snow
Research and Avalanche Warning Section,
Bruce McMahon, John Kelly and Eric
Dafoe; the HPL at U of C; Carol Scovill,
Kath Boyer; the Alpine Club of Canada
(ACC); Kevin Chmilar; and the lab test
volunteers who all generously donated their
time and expertise.
Murray Toft chairs the ACC Safety
Committee and Dr. James Wakeling is a
member of the HPL, Faculty of Kinesiology,
U of C.
Mt. Lucifer
photo by Leon Kubbernus
New Mandate for ACC
Publications Committee
The
Alpine Club of Canada’s
(ACC) energetic Publications
Committee has recently been reorganized
around an expanded mandate. At the
National Board Meeting (NBM) and
Annual General Meeting (AGM) in
Vancouver last May, it was proposed that
the title for the Vice President, Publications
be changed to Vice President, Mountain
Culture and that the focus of this portfolio
be the celebration of art, science, literature,
history and mountain culture in Canada.
This motion presented at the AGM was
passed at the NBM at Lake Louise in
October.
This change in portfolio title will
stimulate new interest in the committee’s
work and expand its partnership possibilities
with the sections and with other areas
of club functions such as Facilities and
Activities. Potential projects might include
revolving exhibitions in the public spaces in
the newly renovated Canmore Clubhouse,
an expanded focus of the relevance of
the Club to Canadian culture and new
mechanisms for celebrating the historical
contribution of long-term Club members.
It will also allow us to return to the original
Club mandate relating to understanding of
science as it relates to mountain places.
This expanded focus will also help in
profiling the ACC centennial in 2006.
For further information please contact the
editor of the Gazette, Bonnie Hamilton at
[email protected] or the
VP of Mountain Culture, Bob Sandford, at
[email protected]
Mike Simpson near Mt. Longstaff
Mike Simpson & Lyn Michaud on Mt. Sir Sandford
Once Upon a Mountain
by Mike Simpson
Once
Upon
a
Mountain
is the third in the
Summit
Series
of
mountaineering
biographies. These monographs recognize
outstanding
individual
achievements
and lasting contributions to Canada’s unique
heritage. At the 2002 Mountain Guides
Ball and as part of the International Year
of Mountains celebration, the monograph
honoured the Grizzly Group and its legacy
of mountain experiences.
Members of the Group began climbing
together in the early 1970s.
Increasingly, they sought each other’s
company when planning multi-day outings
in the mountains. In 1973 the group
was dubbed the Grizzly Group after an
encounter with Ursus Horribulus! On
this, their 30th anniversary, the members
continue as close-knit friends in many
areas of outdoor pursuits including
climbing. Glen Boles, Walt Davis, Don
Forest, Jim Fosti, Leon Kubbernus,
Lyn Michaud, Gordon Scruggs and
Mike Simpson are members in the
cadre.
Outdoor adventures of all stripes
are planned well in advance and often
climbing, backpacking, skiing and
wilderness-canoeing friends become part of
the Grizzly’s backcountry trips. The
Group’s story portrays the whole
mountain experience from the rocks to
the ice and snow, to the flora and fauna
and most importantly, the camaraderie
of the camp. These camps would often
be planned to include the spouses of
the members. This story provides an
example for those who strive for a complete
mountain life among friends.
Over the many years of outdoor
adventuring, a large photographic record has
been amassed. Many images are of little
known places in the Rocky Mountains
as well as different views of familiar
peaks. Slide presentations are made
to clubs and organizations on a regular
basis. Glen Boles also shares his
images through popular drawings.
For those interested in a record of
a few of the Grizzly Group trips, refer
to the 1970s and 1980s Canadian Alpine
Journals. The planning of new and
exciting adventures in the mountains
continues today. Already the 2003 ski
mountaineering, backcountry skiing and
climbing ventures are being formulated
by the members of the Grizzly Group.
Long may it be so!
15
John Clarke Awarded the Order of Canada
by Manrico Scremin
On
August
31, 2002
John Clarke
received the Order
of Canada, our
country’s
highest
honour for lifetime
achievement. The
Vancouver Section
of the Alpine Club of Canada (ACC), of
which John is an honorary member, has
often been treated to slide shows of his
trips in the Coast Mountains, usually to
places where no one else has been before.
He has foregone a conventional career
and has completely dedicated his life to
mountaineering/exploration, conservation
advocacy and wilderness education. One
of the keys to John’s success in conservation
advocacy and wilderness education is his
personality. His honest and boundless
enthusiasm, passion and charm make him
an instant friend of everyone he meets.
On a personal level, John was married in
the summer of 2001, (something he vowed
never to do) and he and his wife had a child
early last year. Sadly, John became ill in the
months that followed. After undergoing
treatment for a brain tumour, John is now
in the palliative care unit at Vancouver
General Hospital, surrounded by family
and friends. We are proud of you, John, and
wish to thank you for all you have done.
Our hearts are with you and Annette and
Nicolas at this time.
Below is an extract of the letter, sent
three years ago, nominating John for
the award. It was written by a couple of
people and strongly supported by 25 others
representing a diverse range of organizations
from the ACC to the Squamish First Nation
to the Vancouver City Council.
Please join me in congratulating John on
his wonderful achievement!
Mountaineering and Exploration
Accomplishments
John is truly a living legend when it
comes to mountaineering and exploration
in the Coast Ranges of British Columbia.
Besides being the first person to visit much
of the vast alpine areas of coastal B.C., John
very likely has made more first ascents
of mountains than anyone in the world,
ever. (By his own reluctant admission he
has made more than 600 first ascents of
16
mountains and explored over ten thousand
square kilometres!)
What makes this achievement all the
more remarkable is the style in which it
was done. In an era of large, expensive
expeditions supported by corporate
sponsorship and media fanfare, John’s
approach was the exact opposite. His
low key, multi-week expeditions are
accomplished on miniscule budgets
with no corporate sponsorship or media
exposure. These ground-breaking trips are
modestly recorded in a series of articles in
the Canadian Alpine Journal, an annual
publication of the Alpine Club of Canada.
Conservation Advocacy Work
John played and continues to
play a leading role in advocating the
preservation of the area now known as
the Randy Stoltmann Wilderness and the
establishment of a national or provincial
park in the area. Together with Chief
Bill Williams, hereditary chief of the
Squamish First Nation and photographer
Nancy Bleck, John initiated the Witness
Project, a remarkable and highly successful
partnership between artists, First Nations,
conservationists and the general public.
The Witness Project is a major factor in
raising public awareness for this important
wilderness area; one of the few remaining
ancient forests on the B.C. coast. In
recognition of John’s efforts he was inducted
into the Squamish Nation in a traditional
Naming Ceremony. His Squamish name,
Xwexwsélken, means Mountain Goat.
John has also given numerous public
presentations on the topic of wilderness
conservation to thousands of people. In a
relatively short time he has become known
as one of the leading spokespersons for
wilderness conservation in B.C. In the
crowded arena of environmental voices,
John is known for his balanced views,
unique sense of humour, spectacular images
and well-researched presentations.
Wilderness Education Work
In the last six years, John has increasingly
dedicated himself to spreading the message
of wilderness conservation and responsible
wilderness adventure. He is at the hub of
the Wilderness Education Program (WEP),
which was founded in 1996 by a small group
of diverse individuals who recognized the
growing need to educate youth about the
vital importance of wilderness in B.C. and
its central role in the history and heritage
of Canadians. During the school year John
devotes all of his time to educating and
inspiring students of all ages. Kids love
John! He has an unending enthusiasm
and capacity to share his unparalleled
knowledge with them, distilling his decades
of wilderness exploration and thousands of
beautiful photographs into a captivating,
inspiring and often-hilarious presentation.
He brings wilderness to youth, many of
whom have never been outside an urban
setting, stimulating their curiosity and sense
of wonder about our wild places.
In just four years, John has reached some
25,000 youth with his unique presentations
on the natural history and heritage of B.C..
Many of these students have also participated
in field trips to experience the wilderness
first hand. John has also conducted many
workshops for teachers at their conferences
and professional development days.”
The Order of Canada is our country’s
highest honour for lifetime achievement.
Since its inception in 1967, only a few
mountaineers have been recognized. These
are Hans Gmoser, Pat Morrow and Phyllis
Munday. In 1995, John was the subject of
the film, Child of the Wind, which won an
award at the Banff Mountain Film Festival.
The film offers wonderful insight into John’s
remarkable life and the places he loves.
Manrico Scremin is a member of the
Vancouver Section.
Mountain Forum
The
international Mountain Forum is now up and running in North America.
Mountain Culture at the Banff Centre is coordinating the North American
Mountain Forum from its offices at the Banff Centre in Banff, Alberta.
Mountain Forum is an international network dedicated to mountain communities,
environments and sustainable development. Members use this virtual meeting place to
share information and network in support of mountain regions.
To find out more visit www.mtnforum.org or email [email protected]
Painting Peaks: It’s More than Pop Music
“The mountains, the peaks, the glaciers, that’s where I want to be and what I want to paint.”
- A.C. Leighton.
painting by Max Elliott
by Amy Krause
Great
mountain landscape art is
like the exposé of wonder
– wonder joyous, wonder tender, wonder
terrible. Landscape is the most popular
genre of art in the world. It also has a
reputation among critics for being ‘the pop
music of the art world’ – easy to consume
but less than first-rate.
“Great landscape art does more than try
to paint a ‘pretty’ picture,” my trusted art
advisor told me. “Really good landscape art
tries to do… more.”
She must be right, because how could
every landscape artist be attempting to do
nothing more than copy nature and paint
a ‘pretty picture’? No act of imitation could
be so satisfying as to result in a genre so
prolific, so voluminous.
Looking back over two major movements
in Canadian landscape art, I spoke to three
contemporary mountain artists in an effort
to unravel the mystery: If not to copy, then
to accomplish what?
Some of Canada’s first landscape artists
were ‘railway artists’. Back in 1886 the
Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) began an
innovative mass marketing campaign that
brought hundreds of artists west by rail and
saw the fruits of their travels purchased and
scattered upon the walls of fashionable tearooms in London, Paris and New York City.
The resulting art collection made mountain
landscapes a defining feature of Canadian
identity.
Painting pleasant pictures was the very
purpose of the CPR’s program. They would
have accepted nothing less. However, some
railway artists did “more.” Artists like
Belmore Brown and Thomas Fripp toiled
to capture the subtleties of weather and the
indefinable qualities of mountain colours
that only careful observation and time
reveal. As J.E.H. MacDonald later said,
they painted “to realize one’s sensations, not
to copy what is before one.”
Banff-born artist, Wendy Bradley,
identifies with MacDonald. “There is
something about being right there in the
moment…how fast the wind is blowing
across Bow Glacier and Bow Lake, holding
your French easel with one hand and
painting with the other for six hours. When
it’s over, you may not be able to feel your
toes, but you have a tremendous sense of
accomplishment and achievement.”
This idea of realizing ones senses
revolutionized art in Canada in the 1920s
and 1930s. Leading the charge was an
indomitable band of passionate nationalists
– the Group of Seven.
The Group of Seven wanted their art
to not only capture the landscape, but
also the national identity of an entire
country. Painting ‘one’s senses’ was how
they set about to do it. Expressive and
modernist, the Group of Seven’s paintings
were characterized by bold colours, lighting
and forms that threw tradition to the wind
and ground established rules beneath trail
hardened feet. Rejecting tradition earned
them harsh criticism – people compared
their work to “hot mush” – but the Group
believed breaking with tradition was the
only way to capture the raw energy they felt
in the land.
In order to capture this energy, they
shunned the railway’s posh hotels for canvas
tents – boot testing the very landscape they
wished to commit to canvas. Hiking the
trails revealed landscapes inaccessible by
rail and provided more than creative fodder.
Landscapes – and mountain landscapes –
became reflections of both personal identity
and spirituality.
All of the artists I spoke with confirmed
that this sentiment is, perhaps, not
unusual.
Banff artist Max Elliott spends time on
the trails as an indispensable part of her
creative life. Last summer she hiked nearly
14,000 vertical metres, camping alone
and with friends. It took her many years
to realize it, but she says that for her “it’s
nature first, art second.” In other words,
the natural world is more than subject
matter, but context through which she
can approach some of life’s most profound
truths – experiences she expresses through
art.
Matthew Wheeler of McBride, BC,
captures “pieces” of the natural world
– rocks, stones, leaves, fish bones – which
remind him of the larger more profound
processes that created them. “My paintings
leave a lot out,” he says. “But sometimes
it is the most ethereal of material that
is the most powerful. It is extraordinary
that unimaginably large rocks are pulled
to pieces with water vapour and gravity. I
grapple with that in my art.”
Yes, many landscape artists indeed do
“more.” By expressing their senses, identities
and spirituality, some artists reflect more
than just the landscape, something quite
profound. Like the wise climber knows, it’s
not the peak that counts but what you find
along the way – wonder joyous, wonder
tender, wonder terrible.
17
Mt. Sir Sandford
- ACC Calgary Section Camp August 3 - 24, 2002
Edited by Jacqueline Louie
Mt.
Sir Sandford. It’s a place you’ll
never forget.
“I could have stayed for another week!”
said Iain Combres, a participant in last
summer’s Mt. Sir Sandford camp, organized
by the Alpine Club of Canada’s (ACC)
Calgary Section. “What a magical place
that was! The views from the summits were
amazing.”
Last August, a total of 49 people from
Calgary and across Canada took part in
the self-catered, self-guided section camp,
based out of the ACC’s Great Cairn Hut in
B.C.’s northern Selkirks. It’s an incredibly
spectacular area with a wide variety of
objectives, ranging from easy scrambling to
serious mountaineering. During the threeweek camp, ACC members summitted 10
peaks: Alpina Dome, Belvedere, Big Black
Friar, Citadel, Guardsman, Guardsman’s
Daughter, Palisade, Redan, Sir Sandford
and Silvertip. Silvertip Mountain, with
its majestic views of Sir Sandford and the
Adamants, was one of the most popular
trips.
“I enjoyed Silvertip because of the variety
of the climb – creek crossings, scrambling,
snow slopes, exposed rock ridges and the
view from the summit,” one participant
said. But it was Sir Sandford that was the
huge draw: 21 ACC members reached the
summit of Sir Sandford (3,530 metres), and
at least a dozen more attempted it.
This is how Ted Davis of Victoria
remembered Mt. Sir Sandford. “I had
climbed mountains as large and
18
challenging as Sir Sanford before.
Indeed, in 1973, Budge Gierke
and I climbed the North Ridge – a
considerably more difficult route
than what we were contemplating
now. But that was nearly 30 years
ago. (At the ACC camp) I was
restless that night because of an
irritating chronic shoulder injury
and a sort of global self-doubt. But at 3
a.m. there were enough stars in the sky to
attempt the climb and once up, I started to
feel better. So the four of us – Doug and
Wendy Hogg, Gretchen Whetham and
myself – set off by headlamp from the Great
Cairn Hut,” Davis said.
“My doubts about my fitness evaporated
as we climbed toward the col and I felt
confident as the sun broke through the
clouds at dawn. Doug leading, we shortroped up the west-side ledges. These ledges,
although technically easy, were exposed and
route finding took some care. It was novel
for me not to be leading, but I noted that
Doug took about the same route I would
have taken and everyone seemed stable
enough that we weren’t going to have some
sort of regrettable epic. Finally, by the time
Doug put in ice screws for a belay at the
base of the Hourglass – I knew that I was
a strong member of a good team and if
the weather held, we would all make the
summit.
“This climb was probably the most
serious I have done in a decade and was
enjoyable and satisfying as a climb can be:
a beautiful mountain, a challenging but not
terrifying route and good trustworthy
companions.”
Ted
Davis,
Doug
and
Wendy Hogg
and Gretchen
Whetham
were the
first of
photos by Bill Corbett
two teams heading up Mt. Sir Sandford that
day; close behind were Tim Jellard, Gordon
Gruber, and Martin Gleixner.
Diane Colwell, an ACC member from
Calgary, remembered watching both parties
on Mt. Sir Sandford: “Maurice De St. Jorre
and I went on a sightseeing trip to Minaret
col to check out the rock on that incredible
spire between Sir Sandford and Vidette Peak.
Along the way we caught glimpses of both
Sir Sandford teams going up the glacier,
heard the action from the radio reports and
were thrilled to hear that all had summitted.
For me, a highlight of the trip was being in
the welcoming group when the climbers
returned and taking photographs of those
beaming, exhausted faces. Listening to the
first stories of the mountain’s unrelenting
difficulties was awesome,” said Colwell,
who deeply admired the generosity and
goodwill of so many Alpine Club members
in teaching and supporting climbers of all
abilities. “Being part of the history and
tradition of the ACC, with its emphasis on
co-operation and camaraderie, is a special
thing.”
Another participant, a self-described
second year climbing novice, also praised
the opportunity to learn from others. “I
appreciated that the more experienced
climbers were prepared to have me along,
were patient and offered good advice. The
location was great with a huge variety of
accessible climbs . . . Belvedere is a classic
alpine climb: a long time on snow bridges
working around the toe of the Silvertip
glacier, trudging across the glacial plain,
then a snow slope topped off by scrambling
over big granite blocks to the summit.”
Another party – Iain Combres, Shaun
Fluker and Mark Lane – headed
toward Mt. Belvedere and climbed
Azimuth Mountain along the
way. Belvedere was “an easy
scramble that afforded views of mountains,
icefields and valleys in all directions,” Lane
said.
While nearly all of the climbs during the
section camp went without incident, there
was one accident: Doug Miller was hurt
descending Palisade ridge. Miller’s regular
climbing partner, Vic Bell, described what
happened: “Doug Miller was walking
sideways across the snow slope when his
foot slipped. He tried to arrest with his
ice axe, but it was pulled from his hand in
the first moments. He was trying to grab it
again as it hung from his wrist strap above
him. He accelerated faster and faster and
hit the rocks at the bottom before he was
able get his axe.” Miller noted later that he
had just moved down steeper snow slopes
further up the mountain and had negotiated
many similar slopes in the past. “I don’t
think he was complacent about the slope,
but he didn’t anticipate losing the hold on
his axe or the speed of his slide,” Bell said.
Recovery has gone well for Miller, who
broke a hip joint in the accident. Looking
back, the experience has hammered home
the importance of practicing self-arrest. “I
could have been more cautious in hindsight,
but didn’t think I was taking unnecessary
chances,” Miller said.
Overall, the section camp offered
something for everyone and came with
some of the comforts of home. The Great
Cairn Hut served mainly as a gathering
place to cook, store food, eat and talk.
Participants set up their tents nearby, in
lush alpine meadows.
“The hut provided a cozy central meeting
place, complete with the comfort of camp
chairs and tables,” said one participant, who
also praised the overall organization of the
camp. “Communications were top-notch
with radios and a satellite phone. Trips were
organized the night before, people happily
pitched in to do hut duties and extra tasks if
they were in camp for the day.”
Camp organizer Bill Marriott enjoyed
every minute of the camp – even the
sleepless night spent praying for four of
his group who were bivied in a snowstorm
at 3050 metres on Mt. Sir Sandford. “The
only thing I enjoyed more was being able
to give them all a hug when they finally
staggered back into camp.” A Saturday
morning “deadline” scramble up Silvertip
mountain, while the rest were nursing
hangovers from the end-of-the-week party,
“had three of us giggling like kids,” Marriott
recalled. Also part of the experience was
being woken at high camp at 6 a.m. by a
helicopter – “which did not enhance my
respect for heli-climbing, but then it got
me thinking . . . weren’t we doing the same
thing but only to a lesser degree?”
Held in a different location each summer,
the Calgary Section camp is becoming more
popular each year. “It looks like this type of
trip is gathering the momentum it needs to
carry on,” Marriott said.
For more information, visit the ACC
Calgary section website at
www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/calgary
The Adirondack Stewardship Award
David Gillespie of the Montreal
Section recently received the Adirondack
Stewardship Award given by the New
York State Department of Environmental
Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Erin
M. Crotty. “Stewardship is one of our
most important tools in managing and
preserving the beautiful lands and waters
of the Adirondacks,” Commissioner
Crotty said. “It is truly gratifying to
recognize these conservation minded
individuals and the groups they represent
for their tremendous contributions in
protecting Forest Preserve lands, restoring
forests and trails, and educating people on
the wise use of our natural resources.”
The
Adirondack
Stewardship
Award is presented by DEC to groups
or
individuals
who
demonstrate
outstanding stewardship of the natural
resources of the Adirondack Park.
A plaque was presented to Dave Gillespie
“in recognition of his role, through his
work with the Alpine Club of Canada,
in facilitating communication between
the DEC and Canadian visitors to the
Adirondacks and for fostering stewardship
of the Forest Preserve in Canadians and
Americans alike.”
Congratulations David!
19
Clemenceau to Columbia Traverse
story & photos by Jack McGhee
Last
winter I noticed my friend
Barbara Robertson, a member
of the Alpine Club of Canada’s (ACC) Prince
George Section, walking around town every
day for an hour or so with 50 pounds of
potatoes in her pack. I knew she must have
been training for something! When she
later told me she had been accepted for
the ACC Clemenceau/Columbia Traverse,
I was envious and immediately applied for
the trip.
I had been in the area in 1982, led by Phil
Hein to the base of Mount Clemenceau; and
again in 2000 led by Karl Nagy to the top
of Mt. Columbia. The traverse covers about
100 kilometres, through the largest icefield
complex in the Canadian Rockies – a huge
remote glaciated wilderness. With only one
successful completion documented by Bob
Enagonio (Canadian Alpine Journal 1993),
I knew this would be a big, challenging
adventure and I was keen to try.
I had no idea of the challenges that I
would face just to get on the trip. The group
of six was full. Fortunately a couple of weeks
later, because of demand, a second trip was
planned, so I could apply for that. My wife
got on the computer and painstakingly
filled out the lengthy application form, with
references, only noticing at the end that
the answers were supposed to be in blue!
After correcting all the answers she finally
sent off the form by e-mail in February. In
April I was told on the phone that I had
been turned down for this extra trip because
I was too old. I was only 70. A few days
later, another call informed me that I had
mysteriously been accepted for the original
group. Could it have been that some of
my references were actually consulted?
Great! My wife now had to repeat the
form-filling performance although the only
thing that was different was the date of the
trip – couldn’t the office have made that
adjustment? Anyway I was on!
Driving to Golden from Prince George,
Barbara and I discussed the attempts of
the same traverse by our friends. They had
made three attempts, the most recent being
in April 2002 and all had been stymied by
weather. We met the rest of our group of
nine in Golden, including 78-year-old Peter,
our guide Lars Andrews and his father Ron,
who was equipped with his special sled to
carry essential equipment. Lars told us that
the ACC trip planned for the previous week
– the one I had been refused for – had not
been able to go because of bad weather.
Poor weather stopped us from flying on
May 11. Oh, oh, were we going to be out
of luck too? Fortunately, the next day was
clear. The one-hour ski-plane flight with
pilot Steve Neil of Alpen-Glow Aviation
was spectacular with Mt. Columbia clearly
visible to the north. On the flight, Lars had
a good view of the possible high-level route
up the Mt. Columbia headwall. We landed
on the Tusk Glacier between Tusk Peak and
Mt. Clemenceau, set up camp, did a rope
and transceiver drill and skied on the west
slope of Tusk.
The next day was clear and warm again.
We decided to omit the climb of Mt.
Clemenceau because we had lost a day and
our main purpose was to do the traverse.
We skied 20 km up the Clemenceau
Glacier and down a col southeast of Apex
Mountain, with great views on the way
of Tusk, Clemenceau, Duplicate and Tsar
mountains. We camped on Apex Glacier.
Lars shortened his lunch break to go ahead
several kilometers and find a route avoiding
the Apex headwall.
The third day it was snowing with flat
light – so poor that a lost swallow decided
to use a tent guy rope for a resting stop.
We traveled southeast on the Apex Glacier
to gain the Chaba Icefield. The going
was awkward with cold, blowing snow,
whiteout, big crevasses, some uncertainty
about the route and a shivering lunch stop.
We camped next to Mt. Chaba – so Lars
said – we couldn’t see a thing.
We awoke to a warmer overcast day and
had a short climb up along the side of Mt.
Chaba. We came to a notch and had to be
lowered two at a time by Lars down a 50
degree stable snow slope, thus avoiding the
bergschrund which we could see about 150
Chuck and group summitting headwall, May 18th
20
were a couple of
feeling that the worst was over.
gully spots where
The sixth day, we were up at 3 a.m.
only the tips and
under the star-filled sky. The temperature
tails of the skis were
was -5˚C with perfect snow. The morning’s
three- hour climb up the spectacular ramp,
on the snow, and
as the sun lit the peaks of Columbia and
the slope below was
King Edward, was out of this world. We
ever so steep. I am
skied out across the main Columbia Icefield
not sure how Ron
and Athabasca Glacier to the Icefield Centre
managed the sled – I
by 1:30 p.m., a distance of 21 km.
didn’t dare look. We
Everyone on this traverse had a great
followed upwards,
time. The success of any ski-mountaineering
lathered in sweat,
journey requires planning, teamwork, guts
until Lars called
and good food. Lisa Palechuk organized
a break where the
the food, which was lightweight, tasty and
terrain looked easier.
satisfying. Lars and Ron Andrews and the
At the rest stop,
ACC are to be congratulated – they worked
Lars
skied
up
to
Group at supper May 16, Columbia Icefield
hard to get us safely across this rugged
find the route. The
terrain.
weather was getting worse. We climbed up
m to the south – an alert move by the guide.
The group participants were Chuck
several hundred metres on 30-degree slopes,
Lars then led us down the Wales Glacier
Lummer, Edmonton AB; Roy Ballantine,
in a whiteout. He called a halt at a flattish
un-roped for a great ski in corn snow for
Wolfeboro NH, USA; David Hanna,
spot, a possible campsite, but probing
600 m. The bottom moraine marks the
Montreal; Peter Moffat, Seascale Cumbria,
indicated crevasses. After a tarp stop we
headwaters of the Athabasca River. We
UK; John Coates, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
sideslipped downhill to a safe campsite.
climbed up the Triad glacier 700 m to
UK; Barbara Robertson, Prince George
Everyone was knackered. Luckily the storm
camp below Triad Peak. Barbara Robertson
BC; Jack McGhee, Prince George BC; Ron
passed an hour or so after we set up camp.
decided to try hauling the sled and she went
Andrews, Maple Ridge BC; Lars Andrews,
We had spectacular views of Mt. Columbia
well up the Triad glacier for two hours – the
Maple Ridge BC.
and Mt. King Edward swept with mist and
spuds paid off.
later, alpenglow on Mt. Bryce. We had the
We climbed up to the Triad Col and
skied down to the western part of the
Columbia Icefield, just south of Mt. King
Edward, to our food cache, placed there by
our pilot, Steve. As we were sorting out the
food cache, Steve flew overhead to check on
us. However we were in the midst of a heavy
wet snowfall and our radio was dead, so we
P.Bauer - H.Buhl - Ch.Bonington - W.Bonatti - E.T.Compton couldn’t speak to him. The snow stopped
G.O.Dyhrenfurth - K.Diemberger - M.Eiselin - P.Habeler - T.Hagen abruptly and we worked our way east over
H.Harrer - A.Heckmair - K.M.Herrligkoffer - M.Herzog - T.Hiebler – L.Hill
a crevasse field and down to camp on the
- E.Hillary - J.Hunt - G.Lenser - H.Kammerlander - G.Kropp - E.Loretan moraine below Mt. Columbia at 2300 m.
The scenery was amazing with a good view
R.Messner - D.Scott - W.Rutkiewizc - etc... (often with SIGNATURE ! )
of the crux – the route up the headwall.
The following morning was stormy
Books by great mountaineers and travellers..!
and we were climbing by 7 a.m., with ski
books - climbing - hiking guides - maps (worldwide) - journals - videos - CDs
crampons. It was my first time on these
bargain books in different languages.
contraptions. They seemed awkward
Pay with VISA-MASTER-EURO-CARD
at first, but I soon felt comfortable and
(We have 20 years experience sending books around the world)
realized their value. Lars got us up and over
Visit our Webpages in german/english !
some tricky terrain to the moraine next to
To all members of the Alpine Club of Canada
New and old mountaineering books by
Mt. Columbia. Then we skied down the
moraines with difficulty to the main valley.
The light was flat and the snow rock hard. We
watched anxiously as Lars looked for a route
up the onset of the ramp system. Although
we were not trapped, the alternative to our
dismal slide-strewn spot did not look great:
it would be to bail out and struggle down
to the Bush River. We followed him up. I
was nervous, relying on my ski-crampons
to hold me on the steep, hard slope – there
AREE GREUL
Intern.Alpine-/Polar-/Trekking-Literature
Mailorderbookseller / Antiquariat
Am Goldsteinpark 28 - D - 60529 FRANKFURT a/M - Germany
Tele / Fax: 069/666 18 17 - email: [email protected]
www.mountain-bookshop.de
www.mountain-bookshop.de
21
Fall ’02 Board of Directors Meeting
Rod Plasman, Secretary
On
October 26 and 27, members
of the Club’s national Board
of Directors gathered in Lake Louise for
their semi-annual meeting. The prospect of
sitting inside for a day-and-a-half meeting
is never an uplifting one, but some took the
edge off that feeling by hiking up a local
peak on the Friday proceeding the weekend.
Also, a reception was held Friday evening,
highlighted by a slide presentation by Glen
Boles and Mike Simpson documenting 30
years of hiking and climbing by the Grizzly
Group. (see article on p. 15)
On Saturday morning, David Toole,
President, welcomed all Board members
and it was down to work. Highlights of the
reports submitted and decisions taken at the
meeting included:
● Club memberships continued to show
a steady year-to-year increase. The total
number of members in the Club is now
over 10,000.
● Bylaw changes were approved to change
the name of the Publications Committee
to the Mountain Culture Committee
(thereby reflecting its current role), and
to allow the Board to vote by email
on significant issues that arise between
Board meetings.
● The National Access and Environment
Coordinating Committee has been
successful in keeping the local access/
environment section reps in touch with
Enjoying the Guides Ball
r - l Bob Sandford, Mike Mortimer, Charlie Locke
22
Board Members on the summit of Paget Peak.
each other, and with national and section
issues.
● The Accidents in North American
Mountaineering publication has a new
Canadian editor, Edwina Podemski
(Edmonton Section), who also
coordinates the Alpine Accidents in
Canada database available on the Internet
(www.alpineclubofcanada-edm.org/
accidents).
Photo by Paul Thompson
● The national Mountain Adventures
program was so popular in 2002 that
more trips and camps had to be added.
As well, interest in the Club’s General
Mountaineering Camp continues to
increase, with members registering
earlier and earlier each year to make sure
they get a spot.
● Renovations at the Clubhouse in
Canmore took place in 2002, with more
on the way. Also, the Clubhouse is now
an Associate Hostel in the international
Hostelling network.
● Two major work parties took place in
the national huts system in the summer,
thanks to many dedicated volunteers. At
Abbot Hut, a new outhouse, propane/
firewood storage area and stone patio
were installed. Fairy Meadow Hut saw
the construction of a new outhouse and
vestibule, roof repairs and some interior
work.
● Through the Mountain Culture
Committee the Club enjoyed significant
participation in the International Year
of Mountains during 2002. Related
activities took place at the national and
section levels.
● Roger
Payne,
representing
the
UIAA (Union Internationale des
Associations d’Alpinisme), outlined
his organizations’ initiatives in 2002 to
raise international awareness of the need
●
●
●
●
to protect mountain environments.
He also described the UIAA’s efforts
to have the International Olympic
Committee recognize and include
certain mountaineering-related sports
(like competitive ski mountaineering) in
the Olympic Games.
The National Office is enjoying the
benefits of a high-speed connection
to the Internet, and there are plans
for 2003 to ensure similar benefits are
passed on to members (watch for on-line
hut bookings!).
Effective immediately the Club will
release members’ personal information
to third parties only if they have given
their prior consent. Until now, the
Club could release such information if a
member didn’t specifically request nonrelease on their membership application
or renewal.
The Centennial Committee, chaired by
Past President Mike Mortimer, outlined
its plans to celebrate the Club’s 100th
anniversary in 2006. It is intended that
the centennial be celebrated in a wide
variety of ways that represent both the
national and section aspects of the Club’s
structure.
The annual ACC Endowment Fund
grants program will be suspended
for the next four years (2003-2006).
Instead, the annual grant monies will
be accumulated and used to support the
many planned activities to celebrate the
Club’s centennial in 2006.
Board members left the meeting on
Sunday in an optimistic mood. There
was also a commonly expressed desire to
involve more volunteers in Club activities,
particularly at the section level.
Thanks to all those who participated in
the meeting, and the Club looks forward to
the next Board meeting May 10 and 11 in
Canmore.
Executive Directors Slate for 2003 to 2005
The
●
●
●
●
Nominations Committee, chaired by Past President Mike Mortimer, presented the slate of Executive Committee officers being
nominated for the Spring ’03 to Spring ’05 period. The proposed slate is as follows:
David Toole: President
Gord Currie: Treasurer
Rod Plasman: Secretary
Cam Roe: Vice President, Activities
●
●
●
●
Peter Muir: Vice President, Access & Environment
Carl Hannigan: Vice President, Facilities
Bob Sandford: Vice President, Mountain Culture
David Zemrau: Vice President, Services
Unless further nominations are received, those named above will be declared elected and the membership informed at the Spring 2003
Annual General Meeting. Additional nominations must be accompanied by the signatures of 50 members in good standing, and arrive at
the National Office no later than February 28, 2003.
23
ANNOUNCEMENTS CLASSIFIED ADS
The ACC Annual General Meeting
EVEREST 50th Anniversary.
will be held on May 11, 2003 at 9:00 AM
at the Westridge Country Inn, 1719
Bow Valley Trail, Canmore, AB. For
more details contact the National Office.
South side CLIMB and TREK with
leader of BC’s first and Canada’s first
truly national EVEREST expedition.
Peter Austen.
e-mail : [email protected]
web:
ww.austeneverest.com
tel:
604-898-9775
Conference
UIAA Safety Commission Conference
will be held in Canmore, June 10-14
Birthday Wishes!
Polly Prescott, an Alpine Club of Canada
member since 1926, celebrating a new
summit, her 100th birthday!!!
Congratulations Polly!
DEADLINES
Submit Applications by:
May 1
- Summer North Face
Leadership Course
May 31 - Jim Colpitts Fund grant
applications
www.AlpineClubofCanada.ca/grants
ACC Custom Portering Services
now available for all huts summer
and winter. If you are planning a
backcountry hut trip and would like to
have your food and equipment carried
in, contact the Facilities Administration
Manager, Luther McLain, for details
at (403) 678-3200 ext. 104 or e-mail
[email protected]
Classified Ads:
Up to 25 words for $100 per issue
$75 for Club Members
E-mail your ad to:
[email protected]
or mail to the address on page 3.
HELP NEEDED
Civil Engineer
The Clubhouse Committee is looking
for a member with a civil engineering
degree to assist in the long term
planning of the clubhouse property. If
you can help us e-mail Bruce Hardardt
at [email protected] An honourarium
will be provided.
Summer Job Opportunity
The ACC is looking for two responsible individuals to work as
Custodians at the Conrad Kain Hut in Bugaboo Provincial Park from
mid June to mid September. In order to qualify for the job, you
must be: ✔ honest and reliable
✔ customer service oriented
✔ mechanically minded and handy with tools
✔ experienced in backcountry travel
✔ physically fit and healthy
The job is scheduled on a week-on, week-off basis. During the
week-off, subsidized staff accommodation is available at the
Clubhouse property in Canmore, or the custodian may stay
at the Kain Hut. Custodians will be paid $75 per day, plus a car
allowance, plus a bonus, if earned. The deadline for applications
is April 15. Please submit your resume to:
Luther McLain, Facilities Administration Manager
[email protected]
Box 8040, Canmore, Alberta T1W 2T8 OR fax: (403) 678-3224

Once Upon a Mountain Once Upon a Mountain

Transcription

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