Spring 2010 - The Alpine Club of Canada

Vol. 25, No. 1 Spring 2010Club membermakes firstCanadian ascentof 8000erpage 8Club Library needssupport – from you!page 12publication # 40009034

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Wates-Gibson HutFryatt HutConrad Kain HutElk Lakes Cabin. H U T S in Nor th AmericaAbbot Pass HutAsulkan CabinWheeler HutBow HutGreat Cairn HutCanmore ClubhousePeyto HutElizabeth Parker HutKokanee Glacier CabinStanley Mitchell HuFairy MeadowMount Colin Hut

The Alpine Club of CanadaPublications Mail Agreement No. 40009034Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to:The Alpine Club of CanadaBox 8040, Canmore, ABCanada T1W 2T8Phone: (403) 678‐3200Fax: (403) 678‐3224info@alpineclubofcanada.cawww.alpineclubofcanada.caExecutive CommitteePeter Muir PresidentGord Currie SecretaryNeil Bosch TreasurerRoger Laurilla VP ActivitiesDavid Foster VP Access & EnvironmentCarl Hannigan VP FacilitiesIsabelle Daigneault VP Mountain CultureEvan Loveless VP ServicesMarjory Hind Honorary PresidentLawrence White Executive DirectorPublicationLynn Martel Gazette EditorSuzan Chamney Layout & ProductionMeghan J. Ward Editorial AssistantSubmissionsSubmissions to the Gazette are welcome!For submission guidelines, please e-mailthe Gazette Editor with your ideas atGazette@alpineclubofcanada.ca.AdvertisingAdvertising rate sheet available upon on thewebsite or by request. Please direct all advertisinginquiries to Suzan Chamney, National Office bye‐mail to: ads@alpineclubofcanada.caWhat’s Inside...Members10 Gadd slays ice, raises money20 Giving time yields community23 Marj Hind named HonoraryPresident28 Club recognizes new HonoraryMembers30 ACC members invited to BhutanMountain Culture12 Club Library needs support – fromyou!13 ACC Library history14 A Mountain Culture Committeeview on preserving the Library15 Of books and mountaineersFacilities4 Largest network of backcountryhuts29 Member shares a custodian’spleasureWhat’s Outside...Cover photo:Mountaineering / Climbing6 Terrain, terrain, terrain8 Club member makes first Canadianascent of 8000er16 Experience Mountain Adventures21 Parks Canada launchesparksmountainsafety.ca22 Big volcanoes, fast pumas and reallybad maps24 L’accès aux sites d’escalade duQuébec24 ACC seeks collaboration forclimbing access in Québec25 TNF course provides instructionextraordinaire26 Colombia – misunderstood,undiscovered and spectacularEditorial / National News / Awards6 Short rope18 Route finding30 National Office news30 Summer job opportunitiesFrom top, Val Pitkethly (tiny face left of flag), Tensing Sherpa (redjacket), Helen Sovdat, (blue jacket) and Mel Proudlock celebrate in thethin air of Manslu’s 8163-metre summit. Photo by Rob Casserley. Storyon page 8.SW-COC-001271Inset photo:Ottawa Section member Rachel Slater peruses books in the ACC Libraryat the Whyte Museum. Photo by Meghan Ward. Story on page 12.Corporate SupportersThe Alpine Club of Canada thanks the following for their support, and encourages you to consider them and theadvertisers in this newsletter the next time you purchase goods or services of the type they offer.Corporate SponsorsCorporate MembersCMHHELI-SKIINGThe World’s Greatest SkiingBackcountry AccessBlack Diamond EquipmentDevonian PropertiesFive TenForty BelowGarmontGearUp SportIntegral DesignsJardine Lloyd ThompsonMyron & Catherine Tetreault FoundationLafargeLeki USAOrtovox CanadaOspreyOutdoor ResearchPatagoniaPetzlRocky Mountain BooksYamnuskaAlpine Club of Canada Gazette Spring 2010 5

Terrain, terrain, terrainA.K.A. The three most important things to know about avalanchesInfrequent ice climber Lynn tops out on the St.Boniface, Manitoba ice tower. photo by Josée Lavoie.Short ropeby Lynn MartelAside from opposable thumbs, onekey thing that sets human beingsapart from the other species withwhich we share this planet is the abilityand the drive to record our history. Forthousands and thousands of years, manhas developed his skills, first drawing incrude ochre sketches on rock walls, thenthrough the development of verbal andformal written language practices, torecord his own history as it happens forfuture generations to inhale, to study and(ideally) to learn from.All jokes about knuckle-bashing andhigh altitude brain cell deteriorationaside, of all uniquely human endeavours,climbing and mountaineering enjoys arich and prolific written history. Climbersthroughout its youthful history have beenblessed since the inception of the pursuitby the fact that many of the earliestmountaineers were educated men capableof expressing their thoughts and recordingtheir experiences on a written page.So much so that the creation and preservationof a Club Library was key amongthe founding guidelines of our very ownAlpine Club of Canada.As booksellers find themselves seekingbankruptcy protection, as newspapersstop their presses and magazines fold,the written word is undergoing an unsettlingrevolution of sorts. A key thingto remember, however, is the fact thatpeople, thank goodness, do read. Twitter,Facebook, Wikipedia, Kindle, for betteror worse, all provide means by which6 Alpine Club of Canada Gazette Spring 2010by Ernst Bergman and Peter AmannThe title of this article is of course,facetious, but it does convey animportant point: of all the thingsto know about avalanches, terrain is by farthe most important.Before considering snowpack, weather,human and other factors, the ability toread and use terrain can keep you safe.That is especially important for recreationalskiers and climbers who typicallydo not have the same access to informationabout snowpack and weather history,time spent in the mountains or the professionalnetwork that professionals have.Backcountry skiers, climbers and amateurleaders should make it a priority tobecome good at reading and using terrain.The choice of terrain should constantly beon your mind when in avalanche country;even if you think the danger doesn’t warrantit. The most important thing to learnis setting a safe track in avalanche terrain;whenever possible choose high ground.The primary terrain factors to considerare slope angle, slope shape, aspect, vegetationand terrain traps.Dangerous slab avalanches occur primarilybetween 30 and 45 degrees; belowthat angle it’s too shallow, and abovethat snow doesn’t accumulate. Measurethe slope angle with an inclinometer, acompass or your ski poles until you getpeople communicate – albeit often bypainfully butchered versions of propergrammar (don’t get me started aboutthe proper time and place to insert anapostrophe) – through the use of writtenlanguage.So what does all this have to do withclimbing?Mankind lives and womankindclimbs the way we do, at our increasinglymodern pat-ourselves-on-the-backlevels,solely in thanks to those who havewalked, talked, climbed and chewed gumbefore us. This issue of the Gazette isbuilt upon a foundation of every issuethat has come before it.No thing – no flat screen, no umpteengazillion dpi screen, no iPad slottedinto the magazine rack of someone’sgood at it. Guess the slope angle from adistance and confirm when you are onit. With your ski poles you can use thetangent rule. Place one ski pole verticalin the snow to the basket. Place the otherat a right angle, horizontal on the toptowards the snow. Slide the horizontalpole down the vertical one, maintaininga right angle, until it touches the snow.If it touches the snow at the top of thevertical pole, you have a 45-degree angle.If it touches the snow half-way or loweron the vertical pole, you have a fairly safeslope angle. Three-quarters is bull’s-eyeangle for slab avalanches. You can markski poles with tape to facilitate.Slope aspect also plays a large role inthe development of dangerous features inthe snowpack, such as windslab, surfacehoar and sun crusts. Anywhere in thesub-Arctic mountains of western Canadathere is a preference for slab avalanchesto run on northeast aspects. This is, ofcourse, a general rule, but most accidentshappen on northeast aspects because thatis where we want to ski, since that’s wherethe snow is best. These are, however,usually lee slopes.Small changes in the aspect of a slope,such as the two sides of a shallow gully,often have vastly different snow. Remainaware of the aspect you are on at all times.continued on page 7low-volume flush washroom will everreplace the tactile, aromatic value ofa leather bound volume of words andsentences and paragraphs and chapterscreated from one or more sets of simplehuman minds and hands (or even feet)before we or our parents or even grandparentsever lived.Those items will grow in time tobecome all the more precious, all themore valuable, all the more meaningful,alongside Sir Edmund’s ice axe, Messner’sboots and Mallory’s camera. But theywon’t be worth more than the cell phoneyou replaced with your Blackberry if wedon’t make a concerted and devoted effortto preserve them.To learn about how you can helppreserve the ACC Library, read on.

continued from page 6If that can’t be done by the direction ofsun and shadows, carry a readily accessiblecompass. Being good at determiningslope aspects also helps greatly in sniffingout the best skiing.Avalanches running down a slopeflow much like water; in gullies andaround knobs and shoulders; still, largeavalanches can run surprisingly faruphill and on occasion jump ridges.Stay on shoulders and ribs for uptracksand whenever possible, within largetrees. Concave slopes are generally saferbecause the snowpack is more supported;convex rolls tend to create tension withinthe snow pack.Large trees that are reasonably densegenerally indicate safer areas. Do try toread the trees though: widely spaced treesare no protection and sometimes thesigns of avalanches on the lower trunkscan be very telling of potential danger.Large and very destructive avalanches intimes of high and extreme danger cantake out mature forest. Beware of steepopen slopes above the trees – the treesjust might represent something to pileinto when you get hit. Look for damagedtrees, such as signs of “flagging” to seewhere avalanches have run in the past.Finally, be aware of terrain traps.Gullies, canyons, bowls and benches onlarge slopes accumulate lots of snow andresult in deep burials. Similarly, a convexor steep slope ending abruptly causesavalanches to stop and snow to pile up.Slopes that end in trees, boulders, cliffs,creek beds or crevasses are dangerousbecause of the potential for injury; at leastone quarter of avalanche victims die fromtrauma.Reading and using terrain takesconscious practise. A good way to learnis by watching an experienced ski guidePSST!Do you wanna be a famous writer?Ok, how about just a writer?Contact the Gazette editor atgazette@alpineclubofcanada.ca tohave your article, story or eventpublished in the Gazette.Skiers ascend a safe uptrack toward Caribou Pass in the Sol Mountain area of B.C’s Monashees.photo by Peter Amann.or leader pick an uptrack using terrainfeatures, aspect and available naturalprotection; watch and learn when giventhe chance.The Canadian Avalanche Centre’sAvaluator is also a good tool as it displaysall the “obvious clues” one should thinkabout when travelling in the mountains.Photo: Doug Chabot/GNFACErnst Bergmann is Chair of the ACCSafety Committee, and also EdmontonSection Chair. He has been skiing in thebackcountry for longer than he cares toadmit.Peter Amann is a Jasper-based ACMGguide who has been a snow safety professionalfor 25 years.27 meters straight ahead.Any questions?Now’s not the time to wish you’d read the manual.Clear distance and direction. Fast processing.No questions. No bull.Ease-of-use and proven reliability make the Tracker DTSthe most widely used avalanche beacon in North America.Tracker DTS: ease of use when it matters most.For more information on avalanche beacons and education,check out backcountryaccess.com/educationBackcountry Access, Inc.Boulder, Colorado USA800.670.8735Alpine Club of Canada Gazette Spring 2010 7

Club member makes first Canadian ascent of 8000erby Lynn MartelLast September, Helen Sovdat andVal Pitkethly accomplished somethingno other Canadians havemanaged to do, when they stood on thesummit of Manaslu.Poking 8163 metres into the thinHimalayan air, Manaslu is the world’seighth tallest mountain. PreviousCanadian attempts were thwarted bystormy weather and high avalanchehazard.Sovdat and Pitkethly, however, weregranted favourable conditions. Whilevaguely aware they might be the firstCanadians, the idea had no impact ontheir motivation.“It’s not about the mountain, it’s whoI climb the mountain with,” Sovdat said.As a professional trekking guide whoregularly leads trips in Peru and Nepal,Pitkethly has guided clients on Nepal’s20-day Manaslu circuit 10 times. Afterrepeatedly looking at the mountain, sheasked Sovdat if she’d be keen to climb it.One of seven Canadian women tohold international ACMG/IFMGAmountain guide certification, Sovdathas guided heli-skiers for CanadianMountain Holidays and climbingadventures for the Alpine Club ofCanada for more than 20 years. She isone of few women anywhere guidingtechnical mountaineering adventuresinternationally – to Peru, Patagonia,Bolivia and even Mongolia.“My best trips are when I can guidein a new place and have a successful trip,”Sovdat said. “I feel privileged and lucky tofind people wanting to go there with me.”In 1996, Sovdat and Pitkethly planneda dream trip – to climb 8201-metre ChoOyu, the world’s sixth highest mountain,with two other experienced climbers,ACC members Marg Saul and KarenMcNeill. [Editor’s note: McNeill diedin 2006 climbing a difficult route onAlaska’s Mount Foraker.] Just as theyprepared to leave, Pitkethly experienceda nasty leader fall on a rock climb. Withseveral broken bones, including threethoracic vertebrae, Pitkethly’s seriousinjuries required a lengthy rehabilitation.Sovdat, Saul and McNeill made the trip,with Sovdat and Saul becoming the firstCanadian women to summit Cho Oyu.Coincidentally, the first Canadian mensucceeded that same season.Three years ago, despite painful jointsVal Pitkethly stands in front of Manaslu. The climbing route weaves through the icefall – and dangerousseracs – right of centre, through the col and left to the ridge to the summit, which is hidden behind thepointy peak on the left.photo by Rob Casserley.and fall-out from multiple knee surgeries,Pitkethly climbed Cho Oyu. This year,with both women marking their 50thbirthdays, they decided to climb another8000er. Like Cho Oyu, Manaslu can beascended by a standard route that is notconsidered technically difficult.“If you do the standard routes onthese big peaks, they’re big snow climbswith pitches of ice,” Sovdat said. “They’renot technically hard; you don’t need to bea superstar – just a good base of fitness.But the objective hazards are greater –avalanches and icefall – the things youcan’t control.”The other big challenge, she added, isthe cost.“The thing about climbing in Nepal isit takes time and money, and some kindof group,” Sovdat said. “If you can’t findenough friends to go with you, you join acommercial group.”They hired Nepalese outfitterHimalayan Guides, which looked afterpermit fees, base camp meals, cooking,porters, high altitude Sherpas and oxygen.They made staying healthy a priority bydrinking lots of water and eating well,and becoming accustomed to feelingsluggish and unwell at altitude.“It takes mental determination; it’shard to keep working your way up anddown the mountain when you don’t feelgood. I feel perfectly fine at altitude if I’mnot moving,” Sovdat laughed.They journeyed from Kathmandu byprivate jeep, switching to 4WD transporttruck after becoming stuck in a mud bog.Starting Sept. 5, they trekked for sevendays in pouring rain, staying at guesthouses along the way. When they reachedbase camp, populated by 100 peoplecomprising 11 groups from the U.K., U.S.,China, Chile and Mexico, the weathercleared.Climbing with Mel Proudlock,a British client of Pitkethly’s withHimalayan experience, they worked theirway up the mountain following anotherteam’s schedule, carrying loads, sleepingat progressively higher camps andreturning to base camp to recover.“The icefall hazard between camp oneand two was an active icefall,” Sovdatsaid. “We had to run under unpredictableserac fall. It came down twice while we

were there, and covered our track. Thoseare the hazards of climbing big peaks.In the Rockies we would choose to goaround places like that, but on thosepeaks, those are the easiest routes.”One of the highlights for Sovdatwas starting early one morning withseveral other guides with ropes, pickets,ice screws and carabiners to fix rope,working all day to connect a safe routethrough crevasses. For safety, and to avoidthe permanently debilitating effects ofaltitude, they used oxygen above 7000metres.Then on Sept. 28 they walked for sixhours from camp 4 to the summit.“I was surprised and relieved to endup on the summit,” Sovdat recalled. “Itwas a long hard walk, but we all feltpretty good and spent over an hour hangingaround near the top. I really was sothankful that our trip was blessed withgood snow conditions and clear, calmweather. The name Manaslu translatesto ‘Spirit Mountain’ and I really feltas if we were blessed by the spirits.We were almost giddy but exhaustedat the same time. We got a good 360-degree view above a few puffy clouds ofunclimbed summits, the Tibetan plateau,the Annapurna group, Dhaulagiri andShishapangma.”On her way down, Sovdat hit the wall,her legs feeling like lead.“It was hard to move. The motivationwas gone but survival mode took over,”she said. “I had to get to camp 2 where atent, stove and food were waiting for us.”Through it all, Sovdat said she neverstopped feeling admiration for Pitkethly,who, while guiding trekkers in Nepal,volunteers with Cochrane-based BasicHealth International, stopping in remotevillages delivering supplies and providingbasic medical assistance.“A couple of Tibetan villages rely onher to bring medical supplies,” Sovdatsaid. “It’s her way of giving back andhelping. A simple burn can becomeinfected just because the villagers don’thave basic supplies – or knowledge.”What’s even more remarkable is thatPitkethly does so even as she suffers paindaily as a result of her own accident.“Val’s accident was a near deathexperience and for a while it looked asInnovation and Quality in Packs since 1974though she would never climb again,”Sovdat said. “It was a long slow recovery,and it’s a lesson in determination and gritthat she has come back to lead a life as aAe 85 70 60Ar 75 65 55IsoForm Harnesswomen’s specificon Ariel seriesAirScape SuspensionHeat-moldableIsoForm CM Hipbeltwomen’s specificon Ariel seriesStow on the Go trekking poleattachementZippered J-panel accessTop pocket/Lumbar packACC member Helen Sovdat takes a break in the icefall on her way up Manaslu.Internal CompressionHydration CompatibleOSPREYPACKS.COMPhoto:Photo:DeanDeanHowardHowardfull time guide in the mountains.“I admire her so much.”Reprinted with permission from theRocky Mountain Outlook.photo by Rob Casserley.

Gadd slays ice, raises moneyby Lynn MartelIt took 24 belayers paying out ropefor an hour each, more than a fewRed Bull energy drinks, a whole lotof enthusiastic supporters, and one verydetermined, motivated athlete.Between noon on Saturday, Jan. 9 andnoon on Sunday ( Jan. 10), Alpine Club ofCanada member Will Gadd managed toclimb 194 laps of a 150-foot high verticalice wall.The monumental physical effort – tothe best of anyone’s knowledge the onlytime anyone has climbed vertical ice for24 straight hours – raised not only a lotof exuberant cheering from about 200excited supports at the Ouray, ColoradoIce Park, but also about $20,000 for thenon-profit dZi Foundation, which helpsprovide remote Nepali communities withbasic health and education services.Recovering from a long list of injuriesand physical pains at his Canmorehome just two days afterward, Gadd,42, said the experience was without adoubt among the most amazing of hisadventure-filled life.BEV’S FEARLESSALPINE CLUBOF CANADAPUBLICATIONFood Preparation GuideFOR CAMPS IN THE BACKCOUNTRY2009 EDITIONVisit the ACC’s online store for:✦ Select climbing, hiking and skitouring guidebooks✦ Large selection of topographic maps✦ ACC labelled apparel and accessories✦ “Mapitfirst” softwareACC members receive a15% discount off our retail prices!www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/store or phone 403 678-3200 ext. 110 Alpine Club of Canada Gazette Spring 2010“That’s the hardestI’ve ever worked in mylife,” said Gadd, whoseprevious accomplishmentsinclude thefirst single-day ascentof Mount Robson(solo), flying hisparaglider over 48days from Californiato Kitty Hawk, NorthCarolina, and skiingthe normally threedayWapta Icefieldtraverse in eight hours.“It was a goodone. There were a lot of tipping points,many, many ups and downs. My feet aredestroyed. I can barely walk. You don’tnormally stand on your front pointsall day, let alone for 24 hours. My littlefingers are swollen to twice their normalsize. I’ve never had blisters from hangingonto my ice tools. I’ve never ever heardof anyone getting blisters from that! Butfor sure, it was one of the most amazingWill Gadd shows the strains of his effort at the end of 24 continuous hoursof ice climbing in Ouray, Colorado in January. photo by James Beissel.experiences of my life.”Amazingly, throughout the marathon,Gadd said he didn’t recall takingany breaks for longer than 10 minutes,although he did admit the concept oftime became rather fluid. And whenit was all over, he was pleased to realizehis final tally had far exceeded hisexpectations.“I thought 3000 or 4000 metres wouldbe my goal, but I crushed my goals,”Gadd said. “I know I doubled anything Iever thought I could do physically. Ourbodies are always a lot better than wegive them credit for, but you have to godeep and ask. It’s not easy to dig throughthe mental fear and pain to reach thatlevel. But when you ask your body forextraordinary things, often you can comeup with it.”One memorably difficult point camearound 4 p.m. on Saturday, when he tooka break just as a memorial for reveredCanadian ice climber Guy Lacelle, whodied on Dec. 10, 2009, was taking place inOuray. [Read more about Lacelle in the2010 Canadian Alpine Journal – Ed.].“It was really hard to motivate myselfto get back up there after that, but I knewGuy would be telling me to get back upthere,” Gadd said. “But I had about 50people helping me out overall, and theymade all the difference. The belayers weregreat. Lots of positive energy. I’d startfeeling down and tired and then the nextbelayer would come on and pump meup again. I thought about quitting manytimes, but then I’d think OK, you can doat least another 10 metres. And the 10metres kept adding up.”

photos by Todd Davis, Bori Shushan and Kevin Giles.The night was especially long, he added.“The night was long. I climbed morein the dark than the light,” he recalled.“But there was from two to 100 peopleall night long. That really made thedifference.”When he topped out after his lastlap at noon Sunday, after climbingsomewhere in the neighbourhood of29,000 feet on several different routes,the canyon was ringed with about 200supporters.Unlike his other one-of-a-kind adventures,which include many world firsts,Gadd said this undertaking was really acomplete unknown.“With everything else, I usually hadsome idea of what to expect,” Gadd said.“This was a complete shot in the dark.My biggest fear was that after 12 hoursmy body would simply seize up. But Itrained really, really hard, that helped alot. My training routine wasn’t perfect,but it worked. How do you train forsomething that nobody has ever donebefore? I’m still in disbelief.”Through the course of averagingone lap every eight minutes over 24hours, Gadd consumed 18 litres of waterand countless calories, but was stilldehydrated. His head didn’t fare anybetter.“I was completely messed up, I wasuseless,” Gadd said. “I’m still recovering. Idefinitely don’t need to ever do anythinglike that again. Somebody asked howmany laps I was going to do next year. I’llbelay somebody else next year!“But it was fantastic. I don’t think itcould get any better.”To learn more, or to donate to dZi,visit www.endlessascent.orgReprinted with permission from theRocky Mountain Outlook.Blake Harrington and David Trippet, PiedraBlancas Glacier, Argentine Patagonia.MIKEY SCHAEFERUPGRADE CONTACT CRAMPONSTOSTAINLESSB l a c k D i a m o n d E q u i p m e n t . c o msearch CONTACTWatch for the ACC ski week lotteriesand mark the dates on your calendar:Fairy Meadow lotteryopens April 1, 2010Kokanee Glacier Cabinlottery opens April 19, 2010Details will be provided in upcoming NewsNets and on our website: www.alpineclubofcanada.caAlpine Club of Canada Gazette Spring 2010 11

Club Library needs support – from you!by Suzan ChamneyThe Alpine Club of Canada’sLibrary occupies 600 cubic feetwith some 3500 volumes. Books inthe Library range from an historic 1600seraleather bound volume to history textsto contemporary guidebooks.After being housed at the WhyteMuseum of the Canadian Rockies inBanff for the last four decades, thiscoming September the Library will beboxed up and sent into storage to awaitits next home. Due to space constraints,in 2008 the Whyte Museum requestedthat the ACC remove its Library fromtheir building. The Mountain CultureCommittee, led by our dedicated Vice-President Isabelle Daigneault, has beenseeking a suitable locationever since; howeverit has proven impossibleto find a location withenough space to acceptour Library on a loanbasis, with the Clubmaintaining ownership.The Committee hascontacted public libraries,university libraries,museums and art centres,but none have thespace to accommodate the entire collectionon loan. Those who would consideraccepting the Library would only agreeto do so on the condition that we makeit an outright donation, allowing themto manage and disperse the collection asthey see fit.Graeme Nunn, executive directorof the Peter and Catharine WhyteFoundation, has been extremely helpful,suggesting one of the museum’s heritageThe ACC collection includes editions ofMountaineering and Explorations in theCanadian Rockies, by Smythe 1951, Outram 1905,Thorington 1925, Stutfield and Collie 1903, andColeman 1911. photo by Meghan Ward.In an e-mail, Barb Bulat,Banff Public Library headlibrarian, said, “I looked atthe FABULOUS AlpineClub book collection at theWhyte, and it is 92 shelvesof books. Unfortunately wecan’t accommodate it in ourpresent location.”houses as a possible home.Committee membersinvestigated this possibilityand determinedthat in order to be usableas a library, the housewould require extensiverenovations, includingupgrading of all electrical,plumbing and heating,and possibly, the reconfigurationof the floor plan and roomlayout. The Foundation would provide along term right of use (lease) at a nominalvalue in exchange for the ACC fundingthe upgrading of the house. MountainCulture Committee members toured thehistoric home anddetermined thatthe cost to carryout the necessaryrenovations wouldbe prohibitivegiven that the Clubdoes not own thebuilding.With all thisin mind, theCommittee is nowconsidering options,in particular, housing the Library atthe Canmore Clubhouse, and creatinga resource centre where members(and others) could access books forresearch. Also, a lending library could beestablished for the part of the collectionthat is suitable. For this to work willrequire the support of the Board and themembership. It is not a project that theMountain Culture Committee couldtake on by itself, but it would spearheadACC Ottawa Section Member Rachel Slater readsThe Palliser Reports (1859), written by JohnPalliser, leader of the famed Palliser Expedition.photo by Meghan Ward.A bird’s eye view captures all five racks of ACC books, publications andpamphlets currently housed in the Whyte Museum archives.photo by Meghan Ward.the initiative. With sufficient support,the Club would need to make space forthe Library in the Clubhouse, perhapsin the Guides Room or, if sufficientfunds were available, in an addition orannex to the building. This phase ofthe project would have to be led by theFacilities portfolio. During conversationsregarding our dilemma, many people havesuggested that financial donations to alibrary would be an attractive option forphilanthropists. As well, we believe thereare numerous grants available to supportthe infrastructure required by a project ofthis nature.What do you think? Should wekeep the collection? Where?Would you be willing todonate time or money to the project?Would you be willing to pay an extra $5on your annual membership fees to supportthe operational costs of the AlpineClub of Canada’s Club Library? Pleasevisit www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/survey/library/ to complete our questionnaire.Also available on the website is a listingof our Library collection titles.Suzan Chamney is ACC Director ofMountain Culture.Thank Youto the Whyte Museum ofthe Canadian Rockies andthe Peter and CatharineWhyte Foundation for theirdedicated care and support ofour Library over the years.12 Alpine Club of Canada Gazette Spring 2010

ACC Library historyby Suzan ChamneyThe establishment of a Club Library was part of theoriginal Constitution of the Club set back in 1906 whichwas published in the 1907 Canadian Alpine Journal:Item #16. A library or libraries shall beestablished where the publications of theClub and books, maps, photographs and worksof art relating to mountain scenery shall begathered together and filed for the use ofits members.In her first report, also recorded in the 1907 CAJ, Jean Parker,the Club’s first librarian, stated that the Club’s Library consistedof 17 donated volumes. Parker’s report continued:In addition, the Club purchased the firstnumber of a series of monographs, called“Alpina Americana,” to be published yearly bythe American Alpine Club. Mr. Tom Wilson ofBanff, himself a collector of Rocky Mountainliterature, has kindly volunteered to keepwatch for the acquisition of rare old booksdealing with early history relating to theCanadian mountains.It is perhaps worth noting that of theseventeen volumes forming the nucleus ofthe library, eight were written by our ownmembers, and the Appalachian volumes alsocontain much matter contributed by membersof our Club. We hope that the library willbe augmented during the current year, by manyvaluable additions, and that the Club willenact some legislation by which these booksmay be made accessible to members, such asthe establishment of a library building at asuitable point in the mountains.The following year, the librarian reported that the Club thenowned 42 books and 15 minor publications:Too much stress cannot be laid on theimportance of the Club Library; and no reasonableopportunity should be lost, wherebywe can obtain works of value dealing withmountains and mountaineering, on historical,scientific or aesthetic lines.Also, the 1908 CAJ reported that the Club resolved to builda Club House in Banff, and 50 members promised to contribute$10 each. The report continues:A suitable site of three and a half acreson the side of Sulphur Mountain has been generouslyleased [to] us by the Dominion government;and we expect soon to have there abuilding worthy of the Club, which shall giveus a new visibility and a home to our growinglibrary. Such a Club House will be a headquartersat which to rally our members foralpine work in the mountains, and from whichto organize camps at advantageous points; sothat members may make up parties and go fromone to the other at times suitable to them,finding good accommodation at each.The library and reading room were established in the originalClub House located on Sulphur Mountain in Banff andremained there until 1963 when the Club Library was moved intothe Vancouver Public Library. According to Ted Hart, WhyteMuseum head archivist, this was, “likely due to uncertaintiesabout the future of the Club House and the threat of fire.”In 1969 the agreement with the Vancouver Public Librarywas renewed for an additional three-year period. However, theVancouver Library indicated that at the end of this agreementthe ACC collection must be removed or turned over to theVancouver Public Library. Not willing to give away its Library,the Club sought other options. They found it with the PeterWhyte Foundation (operator of the Archives of the CanadianRockies), which had recently completed a new fireproof andclimate-controlled library, archives and gallery building in Banff.In 1970 an agreement was reached that specified the collection beon loan, that it be available for reference purposes only, that it bekept in its own closed stack area separate from the Peter WhyteFoundation Archives’ library, but that it be cared for and utilizedin the same manner as the Archives’ library, and that the Clubappoint a librarian who, in consultation with the Archives’ librarian,would be responsible for acquiring materials for the Libraryfrom the Club’s funds. The agreement was to be for a minimumof five years beginning on March 1, 1971, with a renewal optionfor a second period of five years, during which it could be terminatedupon one party giving the other 30 months’ notice ofits intention to do so. There was to be no financial considerationin this agreement. The ACC collection arrived at the Archiveson March 5, 1971 and operated mainly under the supervision ofArchives librarian Jean Finley and Club librarian Tony Daffern.It quickly experienced an increase in use by both Club membersand the general public.In 1981 the increasing costs of housing the collection resulted inthe negotiation of a new agreement whereby the Club would paythe Peter Whyte Foundation for the facilities and services by levyinga $1 charge to each member of the Club, in addition to makingup to $500 available for conservation and repairs. This paymentremained in place for two years before being unilaterally reducedto a flat fee of $1,000 per year, which was paid by the Club for oneyear before being discontinued altogether. This resulted in a furtherseries of negotiations, with a new agreement in 1986 stating theClub would be relieved of paying the annual fee, and in returnwould donate outright its entire archives and artefact collection tothe (now) Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies.The ACC Library has continued to grow in size under theauspices of Club librarians, research use of it has continued toincrease, and the Whyte has continued to provide the professionalservices, research access and storage facilities envisaged.Over the years the Club’s executive and management and theWhyte Museum expressed themselves as pleased with the 1986arrangement, and no efforts were made to renew the Libraryagreement until about 2000 when pressures on the WhyteMuseum’s facilities, staff and other resources began to build.In 2008 the Whyte Museum gave the Club notice thatthe Archives’ library and storage areas were effectively full,impacting their ability to accept future donations, and thereforerequested that the Club remove its Library from the museum bySeptember 2010.Information and quotes in this article were facilitated by EverUpward: A Century of Canadian Alpine Journals.Alpine Club of Canada Gazette Spring 2010 13

A Mountain Culture Committee view on preserving the Libraryby Isabelle DaigneaultAmong the elements that definethe Alpine Club of Canada,and which set us apart fromother outdoor clubs, are our history andculture. The ACC has long shared themountain experience with Canadians,and the Club’s Library documents ourmindset and passion for mountains as itevolves over time. Literature and photoshave traditionally been – and continue tobe – the means by which mountaineersdocument their feats, epic adventures andinner reflections on their appreciation foralpine and mountain environments. TheClub’s Library has tremendous intrinsicvalue for ACC members, the communityand researchers alike. As such, the Clubmust preserve it.While managing the ACC Library nolonger fits into the mandate of the WhyteMuseum of the Canadian Rockies, itcontinues to be the duty of Club membersto preserve this world-class collection,one that has taken the efforts andunbroken attention of many a mountaineerover a century to build (not to mentionthe special care of ACC member, thelate Bev Bendell). The Mountain CultureCommittee expects that book and othermedia donations of tremendous historicalsignificance are yet to come—if the ACCmaintains ownership of this importantholding. New media is at our door andthe committee anticipates that it, too, willbecome an important part of Canadianmountain culture along with our currentcollection. Without the degree of controlthat comes from ownership, the committeecannot assure the future of thecontent or size of the ACC Library.Although funds will be required,firstly to house, and then operate aClub Library, the Mountain CultureCommittee sees this opportunity as a wayto showcase the ACC. It also recognizesthat the Library, evenin its current form, isan indispensable partof Canada’s climbingand mountain community.Keeping theLibrary in proximityto the Club’s Archives,which remain in Banffat the Whyte Museumof the CanadianRockies, also makessense for research purposes. The Libraryand the Archives go hand-in-hand; theArchives are proof and documentation ofvarious ascents and of mountain life, andthe Library is the interpretation of thatproof!The American Alpine Club managesits archives and library in one beautifulbuilding, which is located in Golden,Colorado. As the AAC has clearlyoutlined, “The library is the cornerstoneof the outdoor community’s knowledgebase.” Housing the ACC Library in afacility that allows mountain enthusiasts,university students and historians tocongregate and conduct research wouldbe a terrific Canadian resource—don’tyou think?There is no doubt that an interestingchallenge lies ahead. It’s not like wehaven’t climbed mountains and reachedsummits before! First things first: theMountain Culture Committee, with thehelp of several volunteers, is currentlyappraising the collection to determine ifany volumes (irrelevant or double titles)should be sold or donated elsewhere. Theresult will yield a better idea as to thefinancial value of this asset. Parallel tothis, a subcommittee made up primarilyof Mountain Culture and FacilitiesCommittee members will pursue creatingthe vision for housing the Library in itsAlexander Mackenzie’s Voyage Through North America, 1st Edition (1801),includes a pull-out map. photo by Meghan Ward.own space, while remaining under the fullcontrol of the Alpine Club of Canada.Every member’s support will beinstrumental in making this happen.Were it not for the numerous volunteersinvolved in helping move thisinitiative forward and their deep care overwhat happens to this valuable asset, wewould be nowhere. The ACC owes specialthanks to Len Gottselig, Zac Robinson,Robert Omeljaniuk and Meghan Wardfor their time and effort, and also toSuzan Chamney, Lynn Martel and themany other contributors who have providedsound advice.Isabelle Daigneault is ACC VicePresident, Mountain Culture.The oldestbook in theACC archives,dated 1560,originatesfromSwitzerlandand waswritten inLatin. photo byMeghan Ward.This summit note written by Conrad Kain in 1913 andfound on Mount Whymper is pasted into this 1935edition of Where the Clouds Can Go. The inscriptionbelow, written by F.C. Bell, who retrieved Kain’s note,reads: “A climb of Mt. Whymper was made on Aug 7,1957 by a small party of ACC members, one of whomwas Mr. Wm. Morrison of Calgary. The cairn at thetop contained some now deteriorating records, oneof which was Whymper’s own certificate of originalclimb on June 26, 1901, together with the names ofhis guides Mr. Klucker, Pollmager, Bosemay and C.Kaufmann.” photo by Meghan Ward.The ACC Library includes three editions ofConrad Kain’s Where the Clouds Can Go. Frombottom to top, the 1935 first edition, a 1954reprint and a 1979 edition.photo by Meghan Ward.14 Alpine Club of Canada Gazette Spring 2010

Of books and mountaineersby Zac RobinsonCritics recently called mountaineering“the most literary ofall sports.” This may come as asurprise to anyone who regards climbingas nothing more than the drivenantics of adrenalin addicts, kids with toomuch free time and too little good sense.Perhaps it would be equally astonishingto the uninitiated to learn what CanadianAlpine Journal (CAJ) editor Sean Isaacnicely pointed out not so long ago—thatCanada’s second-longest continuous runningperiodical (after Maclean’s magazine)is actually the Alpine Club of Canada’svery own CAJ, first printed in 1907 withits green cover and size so conspicuouslyakin to that of England’s revered AlpineJournal. But mountaineering has alwaysdemanded the printed word—and it stilldoes.The relationship is as old as alpineclub culture. Interest in such scientificmatters as geology, glaciology, botanyand cartography motivated much of theearly exploration of the European Alps.Enshrining these traditions, The AlpineClub in London—the forerunner toClassics by Walter D. Wilcox include Camping inthe Canadian Rockies (1897) and The Rockies ofCanada (1909). photo by Meghan Ward.hundreds more like it—thus constituteditself in 1857 in the image of a learnedsociety. Its well-heeled members readpeer-reviewed papers about theirdeeds at club meetings, and these weresubsequently printed in its journal, notinconsequentially sub-titled “a recordof mountain exploration and scientificobservation.” Publication established amountaineer’s claim to a particular ascent;for just as priority was a matter of primeconcern and debate in science, so it was inmountaineering.Publication served another necessaryfunction. In the sciences, a shared ethoswas elaborated and maintained throughjournals. The same can be said aboutmountaineering, which, unlike mostsports, had neither a centralized bodyto formulate the “rules of the game” nora system of refereeing to enforce them.Mountaineering was characterized by aseries of complex, tacit rules (or “ethics”),which were recognized, sustained anddebated in an emerging literary genre ofjournals, guidebooks and monographs.Of course, not all Victorian mountaineersconsidered themselves scientists. Manyweren’t. But it is noteworthy that alpineclub culture began precisely when theolder tradition of mountain explorationin the pursuit of science evolved intomountaineering as sport. The subsequentspread of club culture around the globeand the development of mountaineeringpractices thus gave rise to an immensebody of literature.Accordingly, in 1906, the Alpine Clubof Canada constituted itself with, in thevery first instance, a claim of science: “thepromotion of scientific study and theexploration of Canadianalpine and glacier regions.”And the Club’s inauguralvolume of its journalLeft: The ACC Library contains amix of young and old.photo by Meghan Ward.BEST. GUIDEBOOKS. EVER.The wait is over. Gillean Daffernreturns with a new edition of herlegendary Kananaskis CountryTrail Guide, completely revised,redesigned and expanded intofive epic volumes. Look forVolumes 1 and 2 this spring. THINK OUTSIDEheralded the call for both book donationsand a library: “A movement is now on[sic] foot to obtain a suitable building at asuitable spot, where these valuable books,maps, and photographs may be placed tothe best advantage.”Members heard the call. What beganin 1907 as “seventeen volumes, the majority[of the] valuable works relating to theCanadian Rocky Mountains” is now oneof the largest collections of mountainliterature in North America. And itscollective value far exceeds that of anybook appraiser’s estimate. Its worth isimmeasurable; for at our fingertips is a100-year-plus snapshot of the dreams andaccomplishments of those who’ve foundsolace and reward—scientific, romantic orathletic—in the high places of the world.Mountain Culture Committee memberZac Robinson is a Postdoctoral Fellow withthe University of Alberta’s Department ofHistory and Classics.Thompson’s Narrative of theExplorations in Western America,1784-1812, compiled by J.B. Tyrrell,was published in 1916.photo by Meghan Ward.Alpine Club of Canada Gazette Spring 2010 15

ExperienceMOUNTAINEmbrace Winter Explore Summer Explore SuFirst Summits Winter MountaineeringDates: March 11 (eve) - 15 Price: $995When you don’t have a lot of time, but want acomplete winter mountaineering experience,we pack a lot into this 4-day weekend camp up on theworld-renowned and camera-worthy Wapta Icefield.Balu to Bostock Ski TraverseDates: April 1 (eve) - 4 Price: $895Rogers Pass is known for its epic powder and hugeterrain. We’ll start with a day trip from the hotel to tastethe best of Rogers Pass front country before startingour overnight traverse from Balu Pass to Bostock Creek,sampling less-frequented runs on steep unskied lines.Butters Lake Ski TraverseDates: April 9 (eve) - 17 Price: $2195The ACC schedule wouldn’t be complete without a weeklongski traverse. This winter we will be traversing thefinal segment of the coveted Bugaboos to Rogers PassTraverse: Butters Lake to Rogers Pass. Over the course ofthe week we will be travelling approximately 50km plussome side trips to bag some summits and ski some turns.Peakbagging on the Columbia IcefieldDates: May 1 (eve) - 8 Price: $1795The world renowned Columbia Icefield is home to eightof the highest peaks in the Canadian Rockies and makesa fantastic basecamp for ski ascents of Mounts Columbia,North Twin, South Twin, Snow Dome, Kitchener, Stutfield,and Andromeda.Coming Soon...Winter 2011 and Global 2011 trips will be announced inSpring 2010 so start planning early! Sign up for the ACCNewsNet to be the first to hear about these camps.First Summits Summer MountaineeringDates: June 30 (eve) - July 4 Price: $995This hut-based camp on the world-renowned WaptaIcefield will cater to members with minimal summermountaineering experience or offer those looking for arefresher a chance to get back to the basics.Wapta TraverseDates: July 17 (eve) - 24 Price: $1595Join us for an incredible journey acrossthe Wapta and Waputik Icefields on a fantasticmountaineering traverse that is geared for our memberswho would like to learn about glacier travel and summermountaineering.Columba Icefields 101Dates: July 24 (eve) - 29 Price: $1395The Columbia Icefield is home to some of the bestclimbing in the Rocky Mountains. This camp is open toanyone who is looking to get started in mountaineering,refresh their skills, or people who just want to go climbingin this spectacular area.Classic Peaks in O’HaraDates: August 7 (eve) - 14 Price: $1795This classic mountaineering trip targets the must-do giantpeaks and huts in the historic and stunningly beautifulLake O’Hara area, the area that first lured North Americanand European climbers to Western Canada and openedup the Rockies in the early days of mountaineering.Mount Fryatt Climbing CampDates: July 22 (eve) - 26 Price: $1295For those short on vacation time, this camp offers a longweekend’s worth of excellent climbing and scrambleson excellent quartzite in the area around Mount Fryatt.There are also hiking possibilities with numerous lakes,glaciers, and meadows to explore, even on bad-weatherdays.Under 25 Climbing CDates: July 5 - 9 Price $74Join super-elite climbers Sonnon this youth camp sponsore17 – 24 for a chance to try it aStarbird RangeDates: August 8 - 14 PriceThe Starbird Range is home tobeautiful climbing routes on spinnacles that are reminiscenfound in the Bugaboos just toThe Kaufman PeaksDates: July 11 (eve) - 16 PExperience all of the spectacuthat makes the Icefields Parkwdestination. The majestic Kaudirectly above the Saskatchewonce a favourite objective ofLittle Yoho ClimbingDates: August 26 (eve) - 3The Little Yoho Valley is steephistory with spectacular vistamountaineering routes on thPresident, and other peaks in55+ Trekking and ClimDates: August 15 - 20 PricOur young-at-heart climberscamp to the legendary Fairy MSelkirk Mountains The peaksmainly granitic and there areroutes of various lengths anddifficulty to challenge alltypes of climbers.Photo by Sandy WalkerPhoto by Vytas BarsauskasPhoto by Peter Amann

ADVENTURES with us!mmer Explore Summer Go Globalamp5ie Trotter and Rob Owensd by MEC for climbers agedll!: $1495a variety of estheticallyeldom-visited granitet of the legendary spiresthe SE.rice: $1295lar mountainous beautyay such a popularfmann Peaks are locatedan River Crossing and werethe original Swiss guides.Camp1 Price: $1395ed in mountaineerings and qualitye likes of the President, Vicethe area.bing Campe: $1895will be taking this annualeadow Hut in thein the area areclassic11,000ers of the PurcellsDates: August 15 (eve) - 20 Price: $1395The Farnham Creek area is the “Columbia Icefield” ofthe Interior Ranges of British Columbia – an area thatis worthy of crowds, but is rarely visited. The greatestconcentration of high peaks in the Interior Ranges willtower above our camp, waiting to be climbed.Peakbagger’s Guide to Lake LouiseDates: July 31 (eve) - August 7 Price: $1795If you want to make a serious dent in your summit “ticklist”, join us in this mountaineer’s paradise in the corridorbetween the southern end of the Icefields Parkway andLake Louise. The names of prestigious peaks roll off thetongue in an enviable list of lofty summit objectives likeMounts Temple, Aberdeen, Haddo and Hector.Mountaineering in MongoliaDates: June 26 - July 13 Price: $5395After meeting in Mongolia’s capital, Ulaanbaatar, we willspend two days in Terejl National Park at a Mongolian yurtcamp before flying west across the country to Olgii, fromwhere we approach the Altai Mountains and the highestpeaks in Mongolia. On the road to Tavanbogd NationalPark we will have a chance to visit some traditional Kazakvillages where eagle hunters live. Muslim ruins andpictographs dot the backcountry roads. It is a one day trekto basecamp in Tavanbogd (“Mountains of the Five Gods”)where the peaks offer easy to moderate climbing on snow,ice, and rock. We will set up a high camp to climb KhuitenPeak, the highest in Mongolia and Friendship Peak whichis bordered by Russia, China, and Mongolia. After a weekof climbing we will make our way back to UB where we willtake part in the spectacular Naadam Festival – a nationalsports and cultural event in which locals compete inhorseback racing, archery, and wrestling.2010 General Mountaineering CampDates: July 3 - August 14 (6 one-week camps) Price: $1650The 2010 General Mountaineering Camp will be held in the remote Battle Brook area of the southern Selkirk Mountains.The GMC is designed for all our members in terms of difficulty. A wide range of objectives are available, dependingon participants’ ability, fitness and length of day desired. If you’ve attended a GMC in the past, you already know howrewarding it is. If you have always wanted to join us, please take this opportunity to enjoy thevaried challenges, beautiful vistas and camaraderie of our 2010 GMC.Find Out MoreFor more information on each camp, please visit ourwebsite at www.alpineclubofcanada.ca and follow the linksto Mountain Adventures. Or, call (403) 678-3200, ext 112 or email:adventures@alpineclubofcanada.caPhoto by John PeachellPhoto by Vytas Barsauskas

Route findingACC adopts strategic planby Peter MuirFor the past few years, momentumhas been building among membersof the Alpine Club of Canada’sBoard of Directors and senior managementteam toward the Club’s need toaddress its direction and purpose. TheACC’s Centennial in 2006 certainlybrought the past and future 100 years intofocus.Members of the Board and managementteam began their strategic planjourney at their May, 2009 meeting byhaving a little fun with a “where doyou think we will be?” exercise, and byengaging in a wide-ranging generaldiscussion of vision and planning.That Sunday morning, the Boardcharged a Strategic Planning Committee,composed of David Toole (PlanningOfficer), Rob Brusse (Vancouver Section),Gord Currie (Treasurer), StephaneChamberland (Montreal Section), DavidFoster (VP Access and Environment),Sandra Bowkun (Toronto Section) andPeter Lloyd (Calgary Section), withdeveloping a vision statement and strategicplan. Generous as always, the Boardsuggested we take all the time we liked solong as the product was ready for debateat the October, 2009 Board meeting.Needless to say, it was quite a task forthe five months that offer the best seasonfor doing things other than attendingevening teleconferences and reviewingelements for a draft strategic plan. Thecommittee quickly recognized it wouldbenefit from professional assistance.The good guidance of my predecessorsallowed that the Club had the resourcesto retain the exceptional services ofJanice Florence of Calgary’s FrameworkPartners.Although some committee memberscould not participate as much as theywould have liked due to other responsibilitiesand the general vagaries oflife, great thanks are owed to all. Theyaccomplished much in a very short time.In particular, I highlight the extraordinaryefforts of David Toole and LawrenceWhite. They spent many hours preparingmatters for the process, provided a greatsounding board for much of my angst andOur VISIONPreserving, practicing and promoting Canadianmountain culture and self-propelled alpine pursuits.Our MISSIONThe Alpine Club of Canada fosters alpine experiences,knowledge and culture; promotes responsible access;and supports excellence in alpine leadership and skills.Our VALUESWe, as club members, are committed to the following values:Fidelity to our mountain roots and club history.Faithfulness to the intrinsic value of the alpine environment to thehuman spirit; we believe this is best realized through alpine focused,self-propelled recreational pursuits.Commitment to training and safety in mountain pursuits.Devotedness to personal fulfillment in the outdoors – to our own endand in our own way.Responsibility for increasing our knowledge and understanding ofmountain environments, and our impacts upon them, so as to informand guide our mountain practices and stewardship efforts.permitted this President to run a bit rampant over their own ideas and inclinations, andnot always just to humour their idiosyncratic colleague from Winnipeg.And, as if the Executive Committee members were not already too busy with theirown projects and portfolios, the strategic initiatives were the product of a very active andlong Executive meeting in September. I am sure that after the six-hour “strategic plan”marathon, most of them were questioning my presidency.Self-effacing humour aside, to my delight – but not surprise, given the quality ofthe committee members and priority attitude Janice brought to the task – the difficultsummer work resulted in a strategic plan, including a vision, mission and statement ofvalues ready for review and discussion at the Board’s autumn 2009 meeting.I encouraged the Board to concentrate on the six main goals for the Club to:●●Be the club of choice for self-propelled alpine enthusiasts.●●Be a strong advocate for alpine enthusiasts.●●Strengthen the ACC’s effectiveness in satisfying its stakeholders’ needs.●●Be a healthy and sustainable organization.●●Be a leader in climbing and mountain skills and leadership development.●●Continue to be Canada’s leader in providing backcountry recreationalaccommodation.For me, these goals underpin the ACC’s vision, mission and values. Of course, reviewof the plan itself periodically is essential to maintain relevance, priority and success.18 Alpine Club of Canada Gazette Spring 2010

6166 ORC Alpine Club 1/3pg 9/9/09 1:21 PM Page 1I am pleased to report that the Boardenthusiastically adopted the strategicplan as drawn. I encourage you to readthe plan at www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/whoweare/vision.html.A note of caution – it is possible toisolate particular elements of the strategicplan and conclude that it has one overridingpurpose. One or two people havementioned to me that this is simply amethodology of membership growth;others that it is aimed at funders. I hopeyou will not do that. I do not see it thatway. I think the more important benefitof the plan is that it will compel theACC to better serve its existing members,improve the manner and type of serviceswe provide to sections, and achieve theClub’s underlying potential to advocateand encourage those activities we passionatelybelieve in. In so doing, if itmakes the Club attractive to more members,well, that will be great. But no oneaspect should necessarily be the reasonwe undertake this step. If a sole reason fora plan fails, we so easily lose faith in theplan and miss its potential to allow us togrow better just for the benefit of doingsomething better.The strategic plan is not the end of theprocess by any means. The Board’s acceptancewas just the beginning; now the bigtask of implementation will begin.As we go forward, we will measureeach step of our current and new initiativesand operations against its helpingthe ACC in reaching its vision. Thestrategic plan will challenge the Club’sprogress down that road.I am convinced that the plan willmake the Club stronger and more able toreact to its challenges. This is an excitingstep forward. I believe the Board hasacted bravely and positively in taking thisimportant step, and in so doing remindedus of David Lloyd George, who once said,“Don’t be afraid to take a big step if one isindicated; you can’t cross a chasm in twosmall jumps.”The Club will now pursue the pathset out in our Vision and Mission withvigour. I hope that you, our members,will help us on this road whenever andhowever you can.Mind yourself out there and have fun.Peter Muir is ACC President.Every second counts…Fully automatic switchover: transmit/scanStrategic Framework Planning ModelCore ValuesOur beliefs and principlesthat guide decisionmakingDetailed situationanalysis at a glanceAccurate navigation bymeans of bearing lineand direction arrowVISIONDesired future stateMISSIONOur distinctive identity in the sectorGOALSIdeal states to be achieved at sometime in the futureAction Priorities andPerformance TargetsThe world leader in avalanche safety equipment.Intuitive, visual pinpointsearch: fast andprecisewww.ortovox.com Canada 403-283-8944 www.ortovox.caby Framework Partners Inc.Key Success FactorsThose conditions that whenproperly maintained andmanaged will significantlyimpact the organization’sability to achieve its visionMeasurable activities and pre-determined end results to be achievedwithin a given period of timeManage transceiverfunctions - printactivity with NEW2.1 softwarePerformanceIndicatorsBasic measuresused to gaugeactual resultsagainst thekey successfactorsAlpine Club of Canada Gazette Spring 2010 19

Since joining the Alpine Club of Canada in 1998, Neil Bosch has served at both the Edmonton Section and National levels. He is an activeamateur trip leader at the General Mountaineering Camps, past participant of the North Face Summer Leadership Program and recipient ofthe Eric Brooks Leadership Award. Currently, Neil sits on the ACC Executive as Treasurer, and is Chair of the Edmonton Section CentennialCommittee, Chair of the National Finance Committee and one of the ACC representatives on the Canadian Alpine Center’s Board of Directors.Neil and his wife Wendy have two toddlers, Aidan and Liam, who rank among the Club’s youngest members.Giving time yields communityby Neil BoschWhy do I volunteer for theAlpine Club of Canada?Mainly because I seem tobe around at the end of the night whensomeone needs a butt to warm a seat onthe next committee.Seriously, as I write this I am taking arecess from analysing my Christmas cardlist. Not that I ever actually get to thepoint of sending out Christmas cards. Iuse the exercise more as a means of annuallyculling my ever-expanding Outlookcontact list. My way of looking at it is, ifI would not send someone a Christmascard, then I see little point in keepingthem as a contact whose information Ineed.In preparing for the yuletide task, it isstrikingly apparent to me that the AlpineClub of Canada is largely responsiblefor my Outlook excesses. A quick searchunder “ACC” pulls up an astonishing listof people. It seems the only people whoever get removed from this sub-list arethe unfortunate souls who have passedon.My love of mountains was actuallysparked while attending university inScotland. Largely to meet people, Irandomly joined two clubs. I chose theIndustrial Society (which ended ratherbadly when they were later discovered tobe a cover for the Nazi Youth) and theMountaineering Club. What a concept!Get woken up at some insane hour in themiddle of the night and pile in a van with10 other half-asleep souls. Get pushedout to climb up some random mountainin a complete fog. Head straight up untilyour lungs burst and your head is readyto pop off. Then, when you can endureno more, the clouds part and you findyourself standing on top of the world. Tocelebrate the occasion you run on wobblylegs down the mountain to thenearest pub and pound down asmany pints as you possibly canbefore piling back in the van forthe bladder popping ride home.I loved it so much, that I promisedmyself to do the same whenI got back to Canada. Of course,as sister destiny would have it, Iactually had to take a brief detourfrom my climbing escapades tostart a career and promise to be acontributing member of society.Once established, I set my sightson the magnificent mountains of Canada.The immediate problem was that ourmountains made most of the Munroslook like wee bumps. My good friendand colleague, Pat Cooper, was the onewho suggested that we actually get sometraining. Never one to put my life on theline for anything, I thought that was agreat idea. We looked around at whatwas available for people trying to educatethemselves on mountain craft. Our questand my introduction to the Alpine Clubof Canada ensued.It is somewhat funny now, to lookback to see how a rather selfish pursuit ofself-protectionism has morphed over theyears to envelope an incredibly large partof my life.From a high level I suspect thereasons I volunteer for the Alpine Clubof Canada are many of the same reasonswhy I love the organization and what itrepresents to Canadians. The ACC is ournational representation of the preservation,practice and promotion of mountainculture and self-propelled alpine pursuits.The mountain environment is somethingthat is near and dear to my heart. So, itjust makes common sense to be alignedwith such an organization.Neil Bosch contemplates his contacts list from Crampon Col,with the Lyells in the background. photo by Keith Sanford.On a more personal level, it is thesmaller experiences that I cherish; therush you get listening to the stories offirst-time climbers regaling the day’sevents; the violet sunrise that illuminatesthe valley as you crunch up a snowcoveredridge with friends; sharing abeer with mountaineering legends at theannual Guides Ball; landing in a helicopterin an awe-inspiring hanging valley tobegin another set of adventures with 28strangers at the General MountaineeringCamps. There is simply no other organizationthat can offer so much for so little.With that said, I would think thatsomeone could enjoy all of the abovewithout volunteering. So what then, is thereason I volunteer? I have never actuallyanswered the question before. In reflection,I guess I would have to say that thetrue reason I volunteer for the ACC isnot in any of the above. In all honesty, itis simply the list of people under “ACC”in my contacts. These are the exceptionalpeople I would not have known otherwise.All of these people share a commonpassion and many have become my closestfriends. And the list grows every year.Put simply, I have given time andreceived community.The Club congratulates long-time member and ACMG/IFMGA guide SylviaForest, who received a service award at the Guides Ball in October for guidingmore than 150 days for the ACC over the last several years.Recycle this GazetteLeave it in yourphysio’s office20 Alpine Club of Canada Gazette Spring 2010

Parks Canada launches parksmountainsafety.caby Lynn MartelParks Canada’s team of mountainsafety specialists recently launchedwww.parksmountainsafety.ca, anew website designed to help visitors tothe National Mountain Parks find all theinformation they need to plan their ownsafe, well-prepared adventures in thoseparks all year round.With individual pages devotedto search and rescue capabilities andresources, avalanche forecasting, tripplanning, mountain weather links andemergency contact information, the siteis designed to encourage backcountryusers – particularly backcountry skiers,rock, ice and alpine climbers and the evergrowing cohort of out-of-bounds skiers– to seek out information that can helpthem pursue safe and fun adventures inthe backcountry of the mountain nationalparks – Banff, Yoho, Kootenay, Jasper,Waterton Lakes, Glacier and MountRevelstoke.With sections for users to contributewith Near-Miss reporting and urgentnotices for such events as road closuresfor avalanche control work, Parks hopesthe public will make visiting the site –available in English and French – a partof their regular backcountry planningroutine.Illustrated with plenty of colourphotos of both Parks’ safety professionalsand members of the public engaged inclimbing and backcountry skiing activities,the site shares detailed informationabout Parks’ Avalanche Terrain ExposureScale (ATES), backcountry hazards suchas avalanches, glacier travel and rockfall,and even wild animals and safe campingphoto by Brad Harrisonand stream-drinking practices.It also provides links to publicavalanche bulletins – those compiledby Parks Canada’s safety specialists inthe mountain parks, and those outsidethe parks compiled by the CanadianAvalanche Association – weatherforecasts, custodial trip guidelines andemergency contacts.The Near-Miss reporting pageprovides step-by-step instructions forrecreational skiers and climbers to shareinformation about any close calls theymight have experienced so that othersmight have an opportunity to learn fromthose situations, or beware of evolvingconditions. Users are also welcome tosubmit their info anonymously.The site has been designed tohelp connect users to a wide range ofinformation sources and provide peoplewith links to a host of other relatedorganizations, including the CanadianAvalanche Association, the AlpineClub of Canada and the Association ofCanadian Mountain Guides.Parks Canada public safetyspecialists hope the newwww.parksmountainsafety.ca or inFrench, www.parcssecuritemontagne.caURL should be easy for people toremember, in both official languages.“Our message is still one of selfsufficiencyand self-reliance in thebackcountry,” said public safety specialistMarc Ledwidge. “If this is the frontdoor people come through, we want tomake sure we can help them find all theinfo they need. We want people to havedirect access to the staff who can helpthem. And we hope to make it somethingpeople go back to.”Reprinted with permission from theRocky Mountain Outlook.2010 TNF-ACC Summer Leadership CourseHundreds of amateur leaders volunteer their time atboth the Section and National levels to ensure that otherACC members have a safe and enjoyable time in themountains. The ACC is committed to the development andtraining of these trip leaders and camp managers. Everyyear, The North Face – Alpine Club of Canada LeadershipCourse trains 10 amateur leaders from across the countryin the hard and soft skills necessary for leading thosetrips.Dates: July 31 – August 7, 2010Location: GMC–Battle BrookApplication Deadline: May 1, 2010Go to the Leadership area on the ACC website for more detailed information.Alpine Club of Canada Gazette Spring 2010 21

Ojos del Salado looms high above the brown hills of the Cazadero Valley.Big volcanoes, fast pumas and really bad mapsstory and photos by Gordon HopperIn early 2009, with only two weeks’vacation, Elizabeth Tertil and Ithought we had sufficient time toclimb the Andes’ second, and hopefully,third-highest peaks, Ojos del Salado(6,891 metres) and Pissis (6,793 metres).Both stratovolcanoes, Ojos del Saladois the world’s highest volcano. Theseheights, however, are only approximate,as that area of the Andes has not beenaccurately surveyed. There are no accuratemaps either.Sitting on the northern Argentina/Chile border, Ojos can be climbed fromeither country, whereas Pissis is entirelyin Argentina. We arrived in Santiagoearly Jan. 2, and with no flights untilevening to Copiapo, 800 kilometresnorth, we headed into town and tookthe bus for the 11-hour journey. The nextmorning we hired a Toyota 4WD andstocked up with enough food and waterto last two weeks, plus 60 extra litres ofgasoline, as the next gas station was morethan 500 kilometres.Roadside shelters offer comfort to stranded motorists.22 Alpine Club of Canada Gazette Spring 2010We followed dirt roads into theAtacama desert, headed for Laguna SantaRosa (3,700 metres). The scenery waslike a moonscape with no vegetation, justbare rocks and dust. The mineral colouredrocks had a fantastic diversity of huesand every now and again groundwaterwould surface and produce a narrow stripof oasis on the valley floor. Driving over4121-metre Portezuelo Maricunga, wehad a magnificent view of Laguna SantaRosa – and a very black cloud behinddepositing snow along the Argentina/Chile border.Morning dawned crystal clear withthe Laguna and its flamingos in theforeground, and 6749-metre Nevado TresCruces covered in fresh snow behind.After several hours we passed the Chileancustoms post 80 kilometres from theArgentina border, then proceeded up toLaguna Verde (4300 metres), where wepassed the Chilean approach to Ojos delSalado. After a disturbed night because ofminor altitude ailments, we continued onto Passo del San Francisco (4748 metres)on the Argentina/Chile border. Drivingto the Argentine customs post at LasGrutas, we continued for 160 kilometresthrough incredible rock formations anda red rock canyon to the small Argentinetown of Fiambala. There we rendezvousedwith Johnson Reynoso, a local mountainclimber who advised us on the approachto both Ojos and the five-hour roughtrack to Pissis’ very remote base camp.In such a vast mountain area with noroadside signposts, getting lost wouldbe easy. The only detailed map of Ojosis by a German alpine club, though theArgentine side is none too accurate.The following day, we left the highwayand crossed a six-kilometre gravel bed tothe entrance of the Rio Cazadero canyon.After one false track, which led to anun-crossable stream, we finally found ourway, left the truck and set off into themiddle of nowhere.Most people go into this area withguides and mules but we soloed it, carryingeverything for a week’s expedition. Thefirst night we camped beside the creek,sheltered by large clumps of grasses. It wasvery peaceful apart from the babbling ofthe stream and the occasional calls fromgroups of vicunas. I imagined so manyvicunas would likely attract some predatorssuch as pumas. Next morning we followedthe river valleys where numerous sidecanyons branched off. At one 90-degreeturn, with Elizabeth about a kilometreahead of me, I spotted a puma runningaway at full speed. Elizabeth had not seenit, but I wondered if it had been stalkingher and had decided to retreat when itsaw me rounding the bend. Unfortunately,it moved too fast for me to capture it onfilm. We camped again next to the streamon sandy soil amongst clumps of grass,but this time the stream was frozen in themorning.Third day was quite windy, but like allthe days, bright sunlight shone throughscattered clouds. We ascended to higherground in the hopes of seeing where wewere going, knowing we’d eventually haveto head up one of the numerous side valleys.But, with only 50-metre contours onour map, and so many features resemblingcontinued on page 23

Marj Hind named Honorary Presidentby Peter MuirHonorary Presidency is a ceremonialposition celebratingthe incumbent’s long-timedemonstration of the ideals and aims ofthe Alpine Club of Canada. The Board ofDirectors grants the four-year position.From 2005 to October 2009, theposition was well filled by a true gentlemanof the mountains, Mr. Glen Boles.At the 2009 Mountain Guides Ball inOctober, it was my pleasure to announcethe Board had unanimously selectedMrs. Marjory Hind to serve as HonoraryPresident for the period of October 2009to October 2013.Marj joined the Club in 1952. If youknow Marj, you know she is a tirelesssupporter of the ACC who never missesa Club function. If you have not had thepleasure of meeting her, do take advantageof a rare treat by introducing yourselfto her in her new role. A Club leader inher own right, Marj takes up a positionformerly held by her late husband Bob.She is only the second woman to holdthe position. When I spoke to Marjabout accepting the post, I mentionedshe might be the first female HonoraryPresident; no, she quickly remindedme, Phil Munday was the first. As Marjagreed, that’s not bad company to keep.So her first official action was to correctthe President’s poor memory concerningClub history.I am confident Marj will keep theBoard and me on good track generallyand historically. Marj will attend herfirst Executive meeting in April 2010.I look forward to her wise counsel andcongratulate her on her fine contributionsto the ACC throughout the years.Peter Muir is ACC President.Honorary President Marj Hind participates in theACC Centennial hike to Mount Vice-President, YohoNational Park, July 2006. photo by Lloyd Gallagher.continued from page 22one another, we could not accuratelydetermine our location. We never did findAguas Caliente, an important landmark.Neither did we find Agua del Vicuna,which was marked on the map about twokilometres from its actual location. Wecamped in a windy, rocky canyon withnot a drop of water around.Hoping the next day to walk overPortezuelo Laguna Negra and on to ElThe entrance to Cazadero Canyon offers a perfect parking spot for the 4WD.Arena, we found an open pass that leddown another canyon parallel to theeast side of the mountain. Camping thatnight in a rocky canyon, we found waterrunning under the ice. In the morning wecontinued around the base of the mountain,but decided we did not have enoughfood and fuel for a summit attempt.Numerous ridges led up to higher areasof the massive volcano, but we did notknow which would provide access tothe summit, as the higher reaches of themountain were not visible. It becameobvious that a local guide or GPS wasessential in that area. Hiking back to thecar, we retreated to Fiambala for a day’srest before returning to Chile to attemptthe mountain from there.Once back in Chile, we were acclimatizedenough to drive straight to RefugioAtacama at 5260 metres. The followingday we hiked up to Refugio Tejos (5837metres). The weather continued to bekind with sunshine, scattered clouds andmoderate winds. Around 4 a.m., we leftRefugio Tejos for the summit. It was asteady slog in the dark with temperaturesaround -10 C. The sunrise cast unforgettablybeautiful light on the coloured rocksof the mountains of the Puna. Afterseven hours, we reached the crater wherewe scrambled amongst big boulders to acol between the Argentine and Chileansummits, which are virtually the sameheight. After an exposed scramble,with the aid of a fixed rope the top wasattained. The summit provided goodviews of Tres Cruces (6749 metres), Pissis(6793 metres), Cazadero (6658 metres)and Incahuasi (6621 metres) along withseveral other 6400-metre plus summits ofthe Puna.Out of time, Pissis would have to waitfor another trip.Alpine Club of Canada Gazette Spring 2010 23

L’accès aux sites d’escalade du Québec– Le Club alpin cherche la collaborationpar David FosterIl y a plus d’un siècle, les fondateurs duClub alpin du Canada (CAC) avaientune vision des choses qui demeurevraie aujourd’hui. Ils avaient reconnu quel’accès aux montagnes, avec une attituderesponsable, était essentiel à la pratique deleur sport et qu’il fallait travailler collectivementpour le préserver.À travers tout le pays, l’accès auxparois d’escalade demeure une préoccupationmajeure. Le CAC s’engageà travailler avec les organismes, lespropriétaires fonciers et les individusconcernés afin de préserver l’accès auxparois et aux régions montagneuses.Nous voulons le faire d’une façon qui soitjuste et équitable pour tous, tout en étantrespectueuse de l’environnement. Tous lesacteurs du milieu de l’escalade partagentcet intérêt commun et nous croyons quela collaboration est essentielle à l’aveniret au développement du sport. Nousvoulons un futur où tous les grimpeurs –membres du CAC, membres des autresclubs et grimpeurs indépendants – aurontun accès égal aux endroits où ils aimentgrimper.Au Québec, le texte de loi du Codecivil pose un défi supplémentaire pourl’accès aux parois d’escalade. Les propriétairesfonciers y font face à des risquesplus élevés de poursuites en responsabilitésciviles comparativement à ceux desautres régions du Canada. Pour résoudrece problème propre au Québec, il faudraun changement à la loi qui permettra auxpropriétaires fonciers d’accorder l’accèsaux grimpeurs sans avoir à supporter lefardeau d’une telle responsabilité. LeCAC croit que cet objectif est partagé partous les grimpeurs au Québec et il souhaitecollaborer avec tous pour l’atteindre.D’ici à ce que la loi change, les propriétairesfonciers doivent être protégéscontre des poursuites en responsabilitécivile. Dans le but d’augmenter lesopportunités de grimpe pour nos membres,le CAC offre une assurance auxpropriétaires qui permettent l’escalade ànos membres sur leurs propriétés. Nousvoulons que les conditions de ces ententessoient aussi simples et faciles que possible.Le CAC ne recherche pas l’exclusivitéde l’accès aux sites d’escalade du Québec.Nous espérons que plusieurs organismespartageront l’accès, car nous voulons voirplus de gens grimper, qu’ils soient membresdu CAC ou non. En collaborant avecla communauté de grimpeurs du Québecsur des solutions à long terme, tout endéveloppant des ententes d’accès avec lespropriétaires fonciers aujourd’hui, nousespérons bâtir un meilleur avenir pourtous.Comme nous allons de l’avant dansla négociation d’ententes avec les propriétairesfonciers, nous allons vous tenirinformés des progrès et nous répondronsà toutes les questions qui pourront surgirsur notre démarche.David Foster est Vice-président Accès etEnvironnement.ACC seeks collaboration for climbing access in Québecby David FosterMore than a century ago, thefounders of the Alpine Clubof Canada set out a vision thatremains true today. They recognized thatresponsible access to mountain places forclimbers to practise their sport is essential,and that climbers must work togetherto maintain such access.Across Canada, access to cliffs andclimbing areas remains a vital concern.The ACC is committed to working withother organizations and individual climbersto secure access to cliffs and mountainareas on terms that are reasonable forclimbers and landowners, and that respectthe environment. ACC members share acommon interest in this, and believe thatworking together is essential to successand to the future of climbing. The ACCwants a future where all climbers – ACCmembers, members of other clubs andindependent climbers – have equal accessto the places they love to climb.24 Alpine Club of Canada Gazette Spring 2010In Québec, the provisions of theCivil Code create specific challenges forclimbing access. Québec landowners facegreater risks of liability than in otherregions. To fully resolve this problem willrequire changes in law to allow landownersto grant climbing access withoutbeing burdened by such liability.The ACC believes this is a goal sharedby all climbers in Québec. The Clubwants to work with others in the Québecclimbing community towards achievingthis goal.Until laws in Québec are changed,climbing access requires that landownersare protected from liability. In order toprovide increased climbing opportunitiesfor its members, the ACC is offeringliability insurance protection for Québeclandowners who provide climbing accessto ACC members. The Club wants towork with landowners to create suchaccess agreements. The Club would likethese agreements to be as simple and easyfor landowners as possible.The ACC does not seek exclusiveaccess to climbing areas in Québec – theClub hopes that many climbing organizationswill share access, and hopes to seemore people climbing, whether they areACC members or not. By collaboratingwith others in the Québec climbingcommunity on better long-term solutions,while working with landowners to createincreased access for its members today,the ACC hopes to help build a betterfuture for all climbers in Québec.As the ACC moves forward to establishlegal agreements with landownerswho support increased access for climbersin Québec, it will keep the communityinformed and respond to any questionsclimbers may have.David Foster is ACC Vice President ofAccess and Environment.

TNF course provides instruction extraordinaireby Patricia LangevinOn Jan. 17, I flew into BoulderHut, near Kimberley B.C., alongwith nine other participants,three guides and one mountain chef. Itwas my first time there, and quickly Iimmersed myself in a remote mountainenvironment for the week-long TheNorth Face Winter Leadership Course.This program, offered by the AlpineClub of Canada and sponsored by TheNorth Face, is a ski touring leadershipskills course that aims to provide skillsand knowledge to ACC amateur leadersso they can lead safe and enjoyable skitouring trips.Our three guides extraordinaire,Cyril Shokoples, Peter Amann andBrad Harrison, had a full agenda for theupcoming week. Since 2002, this trio hasworked together, providing instructionfor more than 100 ACC amateur leaders.Each morning after breakfast, the groupgathered to discuss the weather forecastand snow conditions and to plan for theday ahead. Each day often consisted ofmorning and/or evening sessions spentdiscussing various ski touring topics suchas snowpack, avalanche danger rating,weather observation, route planning,GPS, repair kits and more. Betweensessions, we explored the beautiful areaaround Boulder Hut and practiced skillssuch as snow stability tests, effective andsafe travel in avalanche terrain, routefinding and avalanche rescue scenarios.Each participant was given the opportunityto lead the group on many occasionsand received valuable feedback from ourexperienced guides.Even though few of the participantsknew each other before the course, areally good atmosphere developed amongus and the group became “cohesive”(unlike the snowpack at the time). Often,after a good dinner and sometimes anevening session, we would gather to playcards or tell stories and laughter wouldresonate outside the hut.The North Face course is the bestoutdoor course I have ever attended! TheParticipants show their appreciation in smiles for the 2010 The North Face Winter Leadership Course.Back row, from left, Bram Linssen, Brad Harrison, Neil Bosch, Brad Schmucker, Brad Duska, Peter Amann.Middle row, Ben Heemskerk, Sheri Foster, Kelly Mager, Claire Levesque, Cyril Shokoples, Patricia Langevin.Front, Ron Caves and William Rickson. photo by Ron Caves.quality of the instructors, the beautifulsetting, our amazing mountain chef,Kelly Mager, our hosts Mark, Sarah andDarren, and the camaraderie amongthe participants, all helped to make thiscourse a success. Thank you ACC, TheNorth Face, Brad, Cyril and Peter andeveryone else involved. See you out there!Recycle this GazettePass it onto a friendAlpine Club of Canada Gazette Spring 2010 25

Colombia – misunderstood, undiscovered and spectacularby Niels HollumFor more than a decade, I havemade several extended visits toColombia, exploring its vast andvaried landscapes – from valleys to glaciers,coastlines (Pacific and Atlantic) tothe Amazon. These visits have also givenme the chance to experience Colombia’srich and vibrant culture and to developwonderful friendships, as well as graduallybegin to unravel its complex politicsand reputation.My interest began as an indirect resultof an extraordinary first, albeit brief,encounter with Colombia years ago, whentwo friends and I decided to traversethe mysterious Darien Gap. The “Gap”is the final 200 kilometres of road-lessrainforest joining Central America toSouth America – Panama to Colombia.The area consists of a network of riversand indigenous settlements, jungle,mountains and swamp. We did manageto complete the traverse, finally crossinginto Colombia exhausted, anxious andexhilarated. This journey eventually ledto the making of a CBC documentaryfilm (Braving the Darien Gap), thetheme being to relive that experience.The thorough research required prior toundertaking the film, and the knowledgeand experience gained though its making,triggered a desire to return. I, at least,wasn’t naïve anymore, but that didn’t precludea high level of anxiety and respect!At the time, the magnificent countrywas besieged by fear and violence. Thecomplex web involved politics, moneyand power. Interwoven into this were the“actors” – the paramilitary, the military,the two guerilla groups (FARC andELN), the drug cartels, wealthy landownersand corporate interests (i.e. oil).The main victims caught in thecrossfire were the rural working poorand indigenous people, often resultingin bloodshed and massive displacementsof people. This in turn has led to a largepopulation of landless, unemployedinternal refugees with its resultantproblems. As well, journalists and NGOswere targeted, resulting in a scarcity ofunbiased information, not to mentionaid. Frequent kidnappings and hijackingsfurther complicated the lives of citizens,drastically curtailing their mobility. Tosort out how (when, where or why) theordinary traveller might be affected by thesituation took several visits to understand.Today, the situation has vastlyimproved. Using the same commonsense precautions one would normallytake, today’s traveller in Colombia canexpect a warm welcome and trouble-freeexperience. The rewards far outweigh anyreservations.My first mountaineering experience inColombia involved a visit to Parque LosNevados, one of more than 40 nationalparks, comprising 8.5 per cent of the totalarea, and one of three with permanentsnow. Situated in the beautiful coffeegrowing region of Central Colombia,and an eight-hour (spectacular!) bus tripsoutheast of Bogota, the park is verypopular with the locals. The guides for thepark are mainly based out of the nearbycity of Manizales, situated at an elevationof 2,100 metres.Visitors aboard Land Cruisers climbthrough a stunning volcanic landscape,eventually reaching the base of the glaciersat approximately 4,500 metres. Thesurrounding summits are very accessibleand rise to 5,000 to 5,325 metres (Nevadodel Ruiz). There are a couple of refugesin the park. At the time of my first visit,most of the park was off-limits due toguerilla activity (FARC). Seeking safehaven in remote areas is often an unfortunateconsequence of increasing pressureon them. Two years later, I returned withmountaineering equipment donated byAlpine Club of Canada members to helpthe local guides and with the intentionof traversing the park. The situation hadrecently improved, and a guide agreedthat we make the one-week traverse. Itwas a first-class trek, skirting glaciers, volcanicdomes and alpine lakes and finallydescending via remote alpine farms to thesteamy valley bottom.Throughout this time, I had alwaysbeen vaguely aware that somewhere inthe distant northeastern part of the countrywas another area of glaciers and alpinelakes called Cocuy. Two years ago, Icontacted the local head guide of the area,

Club recognizes new Honorary MembersThe Alpine Club of Canada congratulates its three newest Honorary Members, named in 2009 – David Jones, Don Serl andRoger Wallis.An ACC member since 1970, David P. Jones is arguably the leading mountaineerof B.C.’s Selkirk Range, with at least 130 new routes of all difficulty levels tohis credit. His five-day ascent of the 800-metre Ohno Wall on the west face ofMoby Dick, with John Markel and L. Robbins Wallace in 1972, the Selkirks’ first gradeVI climb, has never been repeated.Jones is a prolific guidebook writer to whom many a Selkirks’ climber is indebtedfor his meticulously researched volumes. Jones and Dick Culbert stand as Canada’sonly guidebook authors to have documented all the climbs in an entire range in a comprehensiveguidebook under their sole editorship. Jones’ four climbs of Mount Logan,including two new routes, earned him the title “the master of St. Elias mountaineering”by Chic Scott. Jones was Canada’s leading high-altitude mountaineer of the 1970s, withteam high points attained on Manaslu and Makalu – a Canadian altitude record until 1982, when Laurie Skreslet summitted Everest.Jones has made countless valuable contributions to the Canadian Alpine Journal, and has complied what is likely the most impressivephotographic collection of Selkirk peaks in existence. He has been an indefatigable trail builder and steward throughout theInterior Ranges. Jones also contributed to the project that discovered High Altitude Retinal Hemorrhaging. Now past 60, David Jonescontinues to climb at a high standard on rock and in the alpine, never ceasing to encourage other climbers to explore Canada’s out-ofthe-waycorners.—Bruce FairleyFor more than 20 years, Don Serl has been his generation’s pre-eminent alpinistof Canada’s most extensive range, B.C.’s Coast Mountains. Serl has establishednumerous new routes at a very high standard. His ascent of Tiedemann’s northface, with Herchmer and Wittmayer, was the first to breach the Waddington Range’shuge wall extending from Combatant to the Serra Peaks from the Tiedemann Glacierside. His climb of Mount Hickson, with Wittmayer and Jones, (still unrepeated), wasthe most continuously difficult climb in the Coast Mountains at that time. Serl is creditedwith discovering the steep ice route potential of the Nuit Range, and was the principalpromoter of the Chehalis Range. He also established new routes in the St. EliasMountains, including the North Face of Augusta and the West Ridge of McArthur, plussome steep Squamish face climbs.Serl’s Waddington guidebook was the first mountaineering guidebook for the Northern Coast Mountains since Culbert’s 1962 publication,helping to establish the Waddington Range as a wilderness mountaineering venue equal to Chamonix and Yosemite. His WestCoast Ice is the first and only ice climbing guide to southeastern British Columbia. Serl served as pivotal chair of the ACC’s VancouverSection, and also as its climbing committee chair, sometimes scheduling club trips with the entire party attempting a new route! He saton the Publications Committee and has contributed much to and advocated for the Canadian Alpine Journal. Serl has mentored manyyounger climbers, sharing his knowledge and passion generously.—Bruce FairleyAn ACC member for the past 40 years, Roger Wallis contributes to the alpinecommunity through his volunteer commitment, comprehensive writings andclimbing. Through the 1950s and ’60s, Wallis made numerous first Britishascents in the Alps, on Scottish ice climbs, and multiple first ascents across SpitsbergenIsland and South and East Greenland. Since immigrating to Canada in 1968, Wallishas made 35 first ascents and put up 87 new routes throughout the Rockies, Purcells,Selkirks, Monashees, Premiers, Cariboos and St. Elias ranges.Inspired by these trips, for more than 50 years Wallis has published articles, includingdefinitive climbing histories of parts of the Canadian Rockies and the St. Elias Range,his work often clarifying the climbing record. Among his reports are the 1992 CanadianAlpine Journal feature Opportunities in the St. Elias Mountains; 50- to 80-page guidebooksto the Rockies’ Snow Pass, Premier’s Kiwa Basin and the ACC’s St. Elias Centennial Climbing Camp; CAJ analyses of theHalvorson and Wells Gray ranges in B.C.’s Cariboo Mountains; plus numerous pieces in the American Alpine Journal, Polar Recordand other mountaineering club journals. Wallis has tirelessly coordinated and organized on the ACC’s behalf. With his ability toscope out interesting areas, he has led groups to alpine regions where few had previously visited. He has significantly contributed to 13Toronto Section Mountaineering Camps, including seven in Yukon’s St. Elias Range, keeping the spirit of the mountains alive fromhis home in Toronto.—Nigel Wallis28 Alpine Club of Canada Gazette Spring 2010

Member shares a custodian’s pleasureby Val ClarkOn the sunny August morning Istayed back alone to clean theAlpine Club of Canada’s StanleyMitchell Hut, I made a two discoveries.The first discovery is that one isnever alone in a backcountry hut. Thechipmunks living behind the large stonefireplace scamper everywhere with nofear. Columns of sunshine on the woodfloor provide a comfortable spot for thesebold residents to dine on leftovers andshow off their stripes. Amused, I takea moment of quiet after the climbers,scramblers and hikers disperse for theday’s adventure.Kitchen sounds draw me from thewindow bench to investigate. Like aBeatrix Potter illustration, a small brownbundle with a long tail exits over thecounter edge under the kitchen window. Iam definitely not alone.I set to work sterilizing surfaces,sweeping, wet mopping, washing teatowels and hanging them outdoors in thesun. I empty ashes from the wood stove,carry in firewood, tidy the casual libraryof past Canadian Alpine Journals, abandonedmaps and the few books lining themantel.Close to noon I notice a groupcome off the Takkakaw Falls trail ontothe meadow. They seem headed to thekitchen door so I cross the hut and throwopen the door with a welcoming, “Hi!”Startled, the group pauses.“Hi,” says a tall man with a friendlygrin.I see they are a family - a dad, a momand two young adults. They are day hikersheaded up the woodland trail behind thehut.“Where are you going?” I askcuriously.“There’s a hanging valley up there,”the man responds.“It’s not on the trail maps,” I say.They all smile except the mom, who iseating an apple.“It’s kind of a secret place. The climbersuse it to come down from des PoilusGlacier. And they climb The Pinnacle.”His son edges in to say, “There’s aledge up there you can walk along andyou can get right to the glacier. After ashort scramble and a rock incline that’sa bit of a challenge – you’re up! You canaccess the Whaleback from there.”“It’s about 15 minutes from here,” addsthe dad and the mom concurs. “A fewswitchbacks and you’re there.”With pleasant smiles and waves theyhead out. No doubt I intend to follow thefour up that slope!Club member Gail Crowe-Swords hikes though the alpine valley above Stanley Mitchell Hut en route toclimbing Mount McArthur. photo by Lynn Martel.Hikers prepare for a day of exploring out the front door of Stanley Mitchell Hut in the Rockies’ Little YohoValley. photo by Val Clark.Hut work complete for the day, Iset out on a needle-covered trail. Asswitchbacks climb around boulders andover fallen trees, I soon regret not havingmy Sigg bottle on this 15-minute hike. It’shot.The keen whistle of a marmot soarsover the trees. A woodpecker hammers apersistent message. Hoping for a Pileatedsighting, I patiently search but he isbelow me and too well hidden.Since this is an unacknowledged trailit is not maintained. Totally in character,then, improvised switchbacks mounton a 50-degree incline. Overt signsof using fallen trees and various ingeniousworkarounds on descent lie to the leftand right of the trail. Even when bonedry - as it is today - the trail is steep and“slidey.” Never hesitant to tackle a challengeI struggle upward.The reward begins when a sumptuousundergrowth of moss and flowers emerges,kept moist by clear rivulets comingoff the glacier.I just know a myriad of living thingsthrives here as I pick my way across adamp grassy area, over a few crossing logsand then into an open forest.Everything I see is markedlyclear – trees, blue sky, pink heather andbuttercups. All is nearly still but for a softbreeze. The birds flutter and seem to singfor themselves.The sweet sound of another streamto my left invites me to experience thisexquisite place on its own terms.Humbled, I enter this hanging valleyalone, my senses fully open to my seconddiscovery.Alpine Club of Canada Gazette Spring 2010 29

National Office newsby Suzan ChamneyThings are never dull at the AlpineClub of Canada’s National Office,which is located in the CanmoreClubhouse. Our 20 or so full- and parttimestaff members are always workingon improving things for our members,such as making your stay at a hut morecomfortable, your adventures moreexciting—and safe—and keeping thebehind-the-scenes administration runningsmoothly.In recent months the InformationTechnology department oversaw theinstallation of a fibre optic cable to theClubhouse, providing larger bandwidthand a more stable connection, which is soimportant these days when the majorityof business is conducted using technologyand the Internet. A side benefit tothe extra bandwidth is the ability tooffer a wireless Internet connection toClubhouse guests. This has definitelybeen a popular amenity.In the fall, the Facilities departmentinstalled four solar tube panels on theroof to supplement the hot water heatingsystem. The panels provide warm waterto the boiler system, thereby reducingthe amount of gas consumed to heat thehot water required for washrooms. Thiswill result in helping the environmentby saving energy and the bottom lineby saving operating costs. We’ve justcompleted the installation so it’s tooearly to tell the extent of the impact theywill have, however we do expect it to besignificant in the long run.The Activities department is excitedabout offering a mountaineering campin Mongolia guided by Helen Sovdat.The trip’s highlights include experiencinglife at a Mongolian style yurt camp andfive days climbing peaks in TavanbogdACC NewsNetStay up-to-date on the latestclimbing, access and environmentnews via the ACC’s weeklye‐Bulletin.Subscribe to the ACC NewsNet bysending an e-mail to:NewsNet@alpineclubofcanada.ca30 Alpine Club of Canada Gazette Spring 2010(“Mountains of the Five Gods”). Visitthe Adventures section of our website formore details.In addition to the huge task oflooking at options for housing theACC Library, the Mountain Culturedepartment is working on producing theCanadian Alpine Journal at a lower cost,with the savings being passed on to itsreaders. Look for more on this topic inthe next issue of the Gazette.Now that the Club has established itsVision, Mission, Values and Goals, wewill all have a yardstick against which tomeasure our projects, thereby ensuringUpcoming MeetingsExecutive Committee meeting:●●April 10 & 11, 2010 in CanmoreBoard of Directors meeting:●●May 15 & 16, 2010 in CanmoreAnnual General Meeting:●●May 15, 2010 in Canmorethat we are moving in the direction setout by the membership and workingtogether towards the Club’s timelessvision of “preserving, practicing andpromoting Canadian mountain cultureand self-propelled alpine pursuits.”Suzan Chamney is ACC Director ofMountain Culture.ACC members invited to BhutanIn celebration of its 10th anniversary on May 17, 2010, the Choki Traditional ArtSchool in Thimpu, Bhutan, is extending an invitation to Alpine Club of Canadamembers to visit the region and the school. To mark the celebration, the schoolis organizing numerous side trips including high mountain treks to showcase theregion’s culture and natural beauty.For more information, contact Dave Bidwell, ACC member since 1948, atdavidbidwell@bluewin.chSummer Job OpportunitiesThe Alpine Club of Canada is looking for team members to work and enjoy amemorable summer season as full time Custodians at the Kokanee Glacier Cabinin Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park (early June to late October) and at the ConradKain Hut in Bugaboo Provincial Park (midJune to mid September).Ideal candidates will be:●●Honest and reliable●●Customer service oriented●●Mechanically minded and handy with tools●●Experienced in backcountry travel●●Physically fit and healthyApplicants must also have standard firstaid and CPR experience or capabilities.The jobs are scheduled on a week-on, weekoffbasis. During the week-off, subsidizedstaff accommodation is available at theClubhouse property in Canmore. Custodiansreceive competitive pay, a car allowance, anda performance-based bonus at the end ofthe season. The deadline for applications isApril 4, 2010.Please submit your resume to:Rick Gardiner, Director, Facilitiesrgardiner@alpineclubofcanada.caBox 8040, Canmore, Alberta T1W 2T8 OR fax: (403) 678-3224

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