Summer 2007 - The Alpine Club of Canada

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A Rockies’ gal visits Bon Echo Hut BY RUTHIE OLTMANN What’s a Rockies’ gal doing in Ontario anyhow? Actually, I was attending family events and visiting at the leisurely pace of two months. Driving and camping provided a good opportunity to assuage my curiosity and check out a hut that isn’t in Canada’s western mountains. As the Alpine Club of Canada Librarian, I have connected with people such as Toronto Section member David Brown who contacted me about putting copies of Steve Adcock’s new guidebook, A Guide to Rock Climbs at Bon Echo, 3rd edition, into the ACC library and Canmore Clubhouse. I expressed an interest in visiting Bon Echo Hut, and he put me in touch with Geoff Hodgson, the hut custodian for the weekend I wished to visit. Bon Echo Hut is situated just outside Bon Echo Provincial Park, which has a landscape dominated by one of the most imposing natural phenomena in Ontario – Mazinaw Rock. Th e granite cliff s rise majestically out of Mazinaw Lake, providing a very impressive focal point. Th ey are home to more than 120 climbing routes. Situated on the edge of Mazinaw Lake, Bon Echo Provincial Park is divided by a spit of land. Th e narrow Crossing the lake PHOTO BY RUTHIE OLTMANN point dividing the lake is only 10 metres wide and has occasionally been waded by climbers with their packs held high above their heads. Th e park campground is on the west side of the lake and the cliff s and hut are on the east side. I had planned on staying overnight in the hut, but on checking Keith Haberl’s book, Alpine Huts, I found it doesn’t off er sleeping accommodation. To stay overnight I needed a tent, which I didn’t have with me, as I was camping in my minivan. Th e hut does have a fi replace and the usual ACC kitchen, plus a sauna near the lake. Also on the grounds, Chapel Hut is a bit of a misnomer as it really is a tool shed. Geoff assured me he could ferry me back and forth across the lake so I could camp in the park. While waiting at the dock for Geoff , I met Karen McGilvray, her 6-year-old son Lucas, and Karen’s employee, Sam with her daughter Twyla. Geoff arrived in the ACC boat with his welcoming smile and we made the trip across the lake. Scattered throughout the woods surrounding the hut are a dozen small sites for tents, some with lovely views of Mazinaw Lake. Geoff was busy crossing the lake throughout the evening, picking up more climbers while I enjoyed chatting with folks around the fi re pit, which adds immeasurably to the ambience – especially for a 6-year-old boy who likes roasted marshmallows. Later in the evening, with only the lights across the lake to guide him, Geoff took me back across. Th e next morning I met Geoff at the dock directly across from the spectacular Mazinaw Rock. He was transporting folks to the cliff s in the Club boat. As the tourist sitting in the boat I learned about climbing at Bon Echo, listening to Geoff ’s enthusiastic commentary on the diff erent routes. Crossing back and forth from the hut to the cliff s with various climbers all morning gave me a great introduction as to how folks climb there, as I absorbed the enthusiasm of those die-hard rock climbers. Bon Echo is not at all like the Rockies, where I’ve been an ACC hut custodian, and had time to climb or hike. Th e Bon Echo Hut custodian has Friendly folks at Bon Echo Hut PHOTO BY RUTHIE OLTMANN to spend his or her time ferrying people from the road’s public dock to the hut and then from the hut to the cliff s. Th e unique part about climbing there is that the climbers sit in the bow of the boat, don their rock shoes, step out, and up they go! Th ere is a 1.6-kilometre portage trail from the hut to Kishkebus Lake that made a delightful hike, and I also scrambled up a rocky knoll enjoying the fall colours of the trees and Mazinaw Lake. Also, Geoff took me to the public dock at the narrows on the cliff side of the lake and I hiked up the tourist trail to the cliff top with a view of the lake. Spending the evening in the hut cooking dinner and chatting with the climbers was entertaining. Karen, who owns a climbing gym in Toronto, was impressive. She and her climbing partner Katherine are keeners. I also met Will, an engineer in the Canadian space program in Ottawa, as well as people from Toronto and Montréal. I only met one fellow who had climbed in the Rockies. I had a wonderful visit and I found Geoff to be an enthusiastic tour guide. I recommend a visit the next time you fi nd yourself in Ontario. Take a tent. Boatman Geoff Hodgson drops people by the cliff where they climb. PHOTO BY DAVID BROWN
Whistler hosts fi rst Canadian Ski Mountaineering Championships Skiers from as far as Spain and Germany travelled to Whistler, BC to compete in the fi rst Canadian Ski Mountaineering Championships on April 21. Negotiating a 27-kilometre course following Whistler’s Spearhead Traverse, which included over 2500 metres of elevation gain and loss, the event was won in an outstanding 2 hours, 26 minutes by Slovakian skier Peter Svatojanski. Th e top Canadian competitor was Revelstoke, BC’s Greg Hill, who completed the course in three hours, followed by Canadian National Team member Andy Traslin in 3:23, and his teammate and brother Mike Traslin in 3:27. In the women’s category, Spain’s Izaskun Zubizarreta crossed the fi nish line in a smokin’ 3:16, while the top Canadian competitors, Lydia Marmot and Julia Niles crossed the fi nish arm in arm in 4:10. Organized and sponsored by Recreation Outfi tters Inc. and Th e North Face, and sanctioned by the Alpine Club of Canada, the Spearhead Challenge was also recognized by the UIAA (International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation) International Ski Mountaineering Council. Th e competition concluded the 2007 Canadian ski mountaineering race series, which included events in Nelson, BC, Sunshine Village, Alberta and the Whistler Windup – all of which comprised Canada’s fi rst authorized ski mountaineering race series. As Canada’s recognized national federation for competitive ski mountaineering, the ACC registered athletes, tracked results and provided offi cials, insurance and volunteers for events. Overall series winners and rankings champions were determined on a points basis, as per international rules. To learn more, visit www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/ccc/ results.html Alpine Club of Canada ● Gazette ● SUMMER 2007 19
Page 1 and 2: PUBLICATION # 40009034 Vol. 22, No.
Page 3 and 4: The Alpine Club of Canada Publicati
Page 5 and 6: New ACC Executive Director “exact
Page 7 and 8: Th e course ended with the instruct
Page 9 and 10: Munday biography brings history ali
Page 11 and 12: DRAGONFLY 8.2 | FUSE 9.4 | NOMAD 9.
Page 13 and 14: particularly helpful in providing i
Page 15 and 16: took our fi rst true rest day due t
Page 17: ience n Rombach, Kaeli Benoit, Jenn
Page 21 and 22: world for ice climbing,” Isaac sa
Page 23 and 24: Discover Places of Silence PACKAGE
Page 25 and 26: ACC salutes the BCMC’s centennial
Page 27 and 28: International Space Station. Weight
Page 29 and 30: West Coast members christen Centenn
Page 31: John Lauchlan Award and ACC team up

Summer 2007 - The Alpine Club of Canada

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