Vol. 27, No. 2 | Summer / été 2012

Blessed weather yields Patagonian plumbpage 6

Sean McColl: profilepage 8

Sean McColl : profilpage 10

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“I’M NOT ESCAPING FROM REALITY, I’M ESCAPING TO REALITY.”

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Club alpin du Canada Gazette été 2012 3

The Alpine Club of CanadaBox 8040, Canmore, ABCanada T1W 2T8 Phone: (403) 678‑3200Fax: (403) 678‑3224info@alpineclubofcanada.cawww.alpineclubofcanada.ca

Members12 Why I volunteer18 Friendship forged on mountain

trails19 Brad Schmucker21 Norman Purssell

Mountaineering / Climbing5 A hitch by any other name…6 Blessed weather yields Patagonian

plumb8 Sean McColl: profile10 Sean McColl : profil14 Talented guide is master of

acclimatization26 Scottish international meet a

dream—and a bit more

Safety22 Proper rappel technique key to

descending safely

What’s Outside...

Cover photo: Contented ACC members return under sunny skies after a rare successful summit of Cerro San Lorenzo in Chilean Patagonia. Photo by Sandy Walker. Story on page 6.

Inset photo: Sean McColl climbs The Brown Smurf in Hueco Tanks, El Paso, Texas. Story on pages 8 et 10.

Mountain Culture / Science15 Book ends20 Stanley Mitchell giant spruce

reveals climate clues24 Member’s old gear featured in Parks

Canada exhibit28 ACC co‑founder awarded national

historic designation28 Heritage Club milestones29 Ralph “Rafe” Maurice James

Hutchinson

Editorial / National News / Awards 4 Short rope4 Two new ACC sections12 National Volunteer Awards 12 Prix nationaux pour bénévoles19 Quick draws30 Le plein air : dehors, c’est dehors!31 Open air: outside is outside

What’s Inside...

Corporate PartnersThe Alpine Club of Canada thanks the following for their support, and encourages you to consider them and the advertisers in this newsletter the next time you purchase goods or services of the type they offer.

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4 Alpine Club of Canada Gazette Summer 2012

Lynn loves the great views on a perfect spring skiing day at Campbell Icefield Chalet. photo by hugh RichteR

Short ropeby lynn MaRtel

In this issue of the Alpine Club of Canada Gazette, you’ll read about ACMG guide Jen Olson representing

our club and country in Scotland (page 26), and about Canada’s top competitive climber, Sean McColl accomplishing a Canadian first on the World Cup cir‑cuit (pages 8 and 10). You’ll read about ACC members pursuing adventures in mountain landscapes from the Canadian Rockies to Chilean Patagonia, and about what compels members to volunteer for the benefit of others.

You’ll learn how long‑time member Roger Wallis’ gear has been included in the new Kluane National Park Visitor Centre (page 24), how ACC membership forged a 25‑year‑old friendship (page 18), and about the legacy of a 350‑year‑old tree (page 20).

You’ll also read about the passing of two cherished members, passionate volunteer Brad Schmucker (page 19) and Life Member, Norman Purssell (page 21). A man of numerous accomplishments, including participating in the ACC’s Yukon expedition to celebrate Canada’s centennial in 1967, Purssell was instru‑mental in creating B.C.’s Skagit Valley Provincial Park.

While climbing is often accused of being a selfish activity, there’s hardly a less selfish act than volunteering one’s time and energy toward preserving wilderness

landscapes for the benefit of generations to come, not just as venues to pursue artistic or recreational pursuits, but also as the home of the basic food of life. Mountain forests purify air, while glaciers and winter snowpacks store freshwater which is delivered by creeks and rivers all the way to Prairie farms—not just for climbers, for but all species on Earth.

In working to preserve mountain landscapes, active conservations such as Purssell and Ralph Hutchinson (page 29) were thinking far beyond their grandchil‑dren’s potential tick lists. Such concerns were also forefront in the actions of this club’s co‑founder, Elizabeth Parker, which no doubt contributed to her being awarded a place on the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (page 28). How disheartening to know decades later, Canada’s natural wilderness places con‑tinue to be traded for short‑term monet‑ary gain. That work is never done.

Very proudly, this issue also shares the news of the ACC welcoming two new sections, Southern Alberta and Newfoundland & Labrador (article above). How appropriate, it’s been noted, that the latter is also known as

“The Rock”. Another historical first, the ACC now boasts members on all three Canadian coasts.

For our club to continue to grow and expand with the times is truly excit‑ing. Just as over the decades climbing techniques and gear have evolved and improved, so has the means by which we are able to share Club related news and information —via the ACC website, NewsNet, Twitter and Facebook, as well as on the printed pages of the Canadian Alpine Journal, biographical Summit Series booklets and this very Gazette.

Twenty‑five, 50, even 100 years from today, a writer, historian or a curious ACC member might like to know what else was happening with our club the year we welcomed these new sections. In this time of rapidly evolving communications technology, the written word is as valu‑able as ever.

While the ACC nurtures plans for its future, from new backcountry huts to its very own Library, we have a duty to ensure not just that our story is recorded, but that it is preserved for future genera‑tions to easily access for eternity—very much like the alpine environment itself.

Two new ACC sections

At the Alpine Club of Canada’s Board of Directors meeting in Canmore, Alberta on May 26,

2012 the Board members unanimously approved the creation of two new sections of the Club, the Southern Alberta and Newfoundland & Labrador sections. The Southern Alberta Section is the sixth in that province while the Newfoundland & Labrador Section is the first ACC section east of Montreal. The NL Section estab‑lishes the ACC in Atlantic Canada for the first time in its history.

The creation of these two local sec‑tions will bring outdoor minded people together under a common banner to share experiences and enthusiasm, as well as explore the beauty the respective regions offer. Becoming regional sections of the ACC will enable members in these areas to pursue leadership and skills develop‑ment events much more easily and aid

in preserving the vast range of activities already practiced, as well as promoting them to a greater degree, while facilitat‑ing the development and growth of climbing and other self‑propelled moun‑tain activities.

The addition of the Southern Alberta Section, based in Lethbridge, will allow more Albertans to join a regional section of the ACC. It also offers the poten‑tial of linkages with the University of Lethbridge’s indoor climbing community. The addition of the Newfoundland & Labrador Section, based in St. John’s, will expose existing ACC members to the vast climbing potential of Atlantic Canada including established rock and ice climbs on the Avalon Peninsula and the unclimbed walls in the fjords of Labrador.

The ACC is very pleased to welcome southern Alberta and Atlantic Canada to our Club!

Recycle this GazettePass it on to your belayer

FERDL TAXBOCKSwiss Canadian Mountain Guide and our first representative to the International Federation of Mountain Guides Association

ASSOCIATIONOF

CANADIAN MOUNTA

INGUIDES

MC GA

For more information, visit:

www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/mgb/

2012MOUNTAINGUIDES BALL

23rd annualMountain Guides Ball

Fundraiser

The Alpine Club of Canada andThe Association of Canadian Mountain Guides

Silent AuctionFour Course Dinner

Live Music and Dance

If you live on the edge, you don’t take up too much space.

—Ferdl

Club alpin du Canada Gazette été 2012 5

Werner Munter, a Swiss moun‑tain guide, contributed many excellent innovations in

avalanche research, recognition of ava‑lanche danger and techniques in how to approach ski touring in a safe manner.

Over the years, climbers in North America have come to believe that Munter (not Münter), invented what has become known in NA as the “Munter hitch”. This is a very handy and safe way of belaying a climbing partner.

But it is not true that Munter invented it.

In German, the special carabiner which is used for this belay is called the HMS (Halb Mastwurf Sicherung), or the half clove‑hitch belay. The half clove‑hitch is easy to tie and easy to handle. It provides enough friction to hold leader falls and does not require any special tools, except the HMS carabiner, which has other uses too.

In the 1/1999 issue of the German climbers’ magazine, Bergsteiger, well‑known German mountaineer and climber Pit Schubert, who served as a member of the German Alpine Club’s safety com‑mittee, wrote about the origin of this belay device.

As climbers recognized in the mid 1960s, the shoulder belay and the hip belay did not give sufficient friction to hold a leader fall. The Sticht plate was the first device to be used until many others came on the market. At the 1971 UIAA meeting in Trient, Switzerland, the half clove‑hitch was first shown. Then in 1973 it was introduced by the Italian delega‑tion in Andermatt, Switzerald.

Also in Trient in 1971, Werner Munter showed the “carabiner‑shoulder belay”. He used the half clove‑hitch combined with a shoulder belay, but it did not work well as it was a more static belay and not useful to hold a leader fall. Initially the regular Munter hitch—without the shoulder belay—was rejected, because it was assumed that rope on rope would

burn the rope mantle and thus destroy the rope. Actually though, as the rope is moving constantly, there is very little abrasion of the mantle of the rope.

However, as early as 1969, the “cara‑biner brake device”, identical to the half clove‑hitch, had been introduced by the Italians in Italy’s Aosta Valley. Even before that, Russian climbers used it for about 30 years. It was even used by the Phoenicians about 3000 years ago to maneuver their boats in the ports.

Thus the term Munter hitch is incorrect, not only because Werner Munter did not invent it, but also because it is not a hitch, and used as belay device where the rope is moving and not locked as in a knot. Correctly, it should be called the “HCB” for half clove‑hitch belay.

IFMGA Mountain Guide Ferdl Taxbock is a member of both the ACMG and the Association of Austrian Mountain and Ski Guides. He lives in Calgary and is the Patron of the 2012 ACC/ACMG Mountain Guides Ball.

A hitch by any other name…by FeRdl taxbock

by W. John andResen

Riding my horse up a sharp embankment, Luis, who had been leading the pack horses, motioned

for me to get off, as the trail was, for a short distance, too steep to ride safely. We had just turned south along a deeply chasmed creek where we caught glimpses of the massive Cerro San Lorenzo through the trees. We were close to our base camp and the end of our three hour‑ride in with all of our gear.

Soon we reached camp, set among tall deciduous lenga trees. After all the pack horses had been unloaded, I shook hands with the laconic Luis. Flashing a toothy smile, he said, “Gaucho.”

I was part of the Alpine Club of Canada’s expedition to climb Cerro San Lorenzo in Patagonia, Chile in January, 2012. Straddling the Argentina/Chile border, at 3,706 metres Cerro San Lorenzo is the second‑highest peak in the Patagonian Andes. First climbed by mystic mountaineering priest, Father Alberto DeAgostini in 1943, this peak is often visited by powerful winds and storms. That, plus its remoteness means it is seldom climbed.

This peak caught the attention of our ACMG guide, Jim Gudjonson, on a previ‑ous climbing trip to Patagonia. Proposed to the ACC by Jim, our team consisted of camp managers Dr. Ric Roe and Sandy Walker, plus a diverse group of eight climbers ranging in age from the 67‑year‑old Lethbridge, Alberta phenom, Ken McDermott, to the Club’s next generation, energetic 22‑year‑old Cameron Taylor.

We had all flown from our homes across Canada to Balmaceda, Chile, from where we bussed to the charming small city of Coyhaique. We met at the Hostel Gladys for some get‑to‑know‑each‑other time, fuelled by the local cocktail of choice, pisco sours. Next stop was the small provincial town of Cochrane—population maybe 3,000—a dusty seven‑hour bus ride south. Dusty maybe, but this was the wild, remote spectacular mountains, rivers and huge lakes of Patagonian legend I had long dreamed of seeing.

The friendly folks at the Hotel Wellman looked after us well. Trans‑portation by 4WDs was arranged to take us from Cochrane by “road” up to the pristine meadows of Fundo San Lorenzo to meet with its owner, and our outfitter, Luis Soto. I elected to ride with the pack horses to base camp to start the so‑called normal or Agostini route of this climb, following in the footsteps of the climbing priest. At base camp we set up our tents near the Refugio Toni Rohrer, built by the broken hearted family and friends of a Swiss mountaineer who died on San Lorenzo in 2000.

Over the next two days we moved our gear up the moraine over Paso Comedor, setting up camp among giant rocks, including a big flat one which served as a communal dinner table. Camp 1 was about a five‑hour hike up from base camp. With no Sherpas, we moved our gear up, then hiked back to sleep at base camp on the first day. By the third day we gathered our gear at camp 2, roped up and moved onto the huge crevasse‑strewn glacier Calluqueo to a plateau at about 2,350 metres where we pitched our tents. We shared this high camp with four American climbers, the only other climb‑ers we saw on the mountain.

With about 1,400 metres to the sum‑mit the next day, the climb would be an all or nothing proposition. Once com‑mitted, there would be no turning back. Mulling this over, four of us bailed and stayed in camp, bagged from three days of moving up and unsure whether we had enough left for the summit. We were dis‑appointed, but it was the right call. Our

disappointment was tempered however, by enjoying a day among serrated peaks and even watching a pair of condors rid‑ing the thermals below us.

On summit day wake up time was 2 a.m., and a string of headlamps left camp at 3:20. Jim navigated through a crevasse field directly above the high camp in the dark. The crux was entering a large open crevasse via a steep snow slope then exiting along a ramp.

By 6:30 a.m. our team was about 1,000 metres above high camp. Contouring around a false summit, we dropped down into a col between the false summit and the actual summit at 9 a.m. Jim navigated around more of the giant surreal‑looking snow formations created by the notorious high winds and bad weather. Eventually this led to the base of the summit block, a 100‑metre high ice formation which resembled the prow of a ship. All that remained was ascending some grade III ice. From there, a walk up to the sum‑mit put Jim Gudjonson, Ric Roe, Sandy Walker, Ken McDermott, Rolf Erdmann and Deb McKague on top by 11 a.m. Our American neighbours who had been slower navigating the crevasse fields had fallen behind our group. Reaching the col past the false summit, they realized time had run out and they would not be able to summit. Looking up they saw our

Blessed weather yields Patagonian plumbFrom all the graces my homeland offered, I chose only your savage heart

—Pablo Neruda (legendary Chilean poet)

ACC expedition participants approach Cerro San Lorenzo. photo by sandy WalkeR

A climber ascends grade III ice on the ship’s prow formation. photo by sandy WalkeR

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group moving up the final summit block. Before turning around they had detailed in big letters in the snow, CONGRATS CANADA.

The jubilant summitters started returning to high camp about 2 p.m. If it was in our power to summon forth a per‑fect climbing day, we could not have done better. Our happy few climbed under blue skies, a warming sun and a little wind. In fact, we experienced only bluebird days on the mountain.

Blessed weather created some extra days after we descended. Near Cochrane an organization called Conservacion Patagonica is in the process of creating a 650,000‑acre Patagonia National Park. Fences and ranch infrastructure have been removed in a visionary campaign to restore native habitat and grasslands in a park setting. We were able to camp there for a night to experience this special place.

The wild and isolated landscape of Patagonia would not be a good place for an “epic”. To avoid one requires perhaps a little luck with the weather, but our success was also due in no small measure to the highly competent and experienced

leadership of long‑time ACC member Jim Gudjonson, ably supported by two other long‑time ACCers, Nanaimo, B.C. doctor Ric Roe and camp manager Sandy Walker (especially on summit day!).

The participants—John Andresen, Rolf Erdmann, Ken McDermott, Roy Millar, Bob Shiu, Eszter Simon‑Berci, Deb McKague and Cameron Taylor—thank them!

Cerro San Lorenzo team members proudly show their roots. photo by Roy MiilaR

McColl takes third in World Cup Bouldering

While Canadian youth climbers were pulling down in Montreal in May, Sean McColl earned third place at the World Cup Bouldering Competition in Innsbruck, Austria —his fourth time on the World Cup podium in the past 12 months. Read the story on McColl’s blog at seanmccoll.com

8 Alpine Club of Canada Gazette Summer 2012

How does it feel to be the first Canadian to win a World Cup climbing

competition?It feels great! I’ve been wanting to win

a World Cup for a few years, although I always thought it would come in Bouldering. I try to push the standards of competition climbing in Canada and I guess this is a great step. Hopefully other athletes will be inspired.

Do you feel like you did anything differ-ent to make that win happen?I did a lot of things quite differently

leading up to that moment. I was much more tuned into my training and it wasn’t just climbing that I was sacrificing. I stopped eating candy, drinking pop and even drinking alcohol altogether. I trained for two months at four days/week, and very regimented. I had a handful of com‑petitions spread out among them and a two‑week bouldering trip to Switzerland just before the Kranj World Cup week‑end. All those things put together made me in the best shape of my life and even stronger mentally.

What do you like most about competing? Why do you keep doing it? Anything you

don’t like?

I love the thrill of the competition and trying to be “the best” at that one point in time. Competitions also have an element of luck with them, which I find quite fun as well. I’ve been actively com‑peting since I was 12 years old and I am a very competitive person! I keep doing it, because I love it. I love competing against all levels of climbers, from those at the same level to those who are miles ahead of me. The thing that I dislike most about competitions is that it’s so expensive to get to all of them. I have to pay for all my hotels, flights, food and rental cars while I’m away at these competitions and sometimes it gets very expensive.

What are the most significant things you have learned from climbing? From

competing?I think I’ve learned to be very deter‑

mined. I’ve also learned a lot about travelling and living by myself. Since I was pretty young, I’ve been travelling to Europe every year and now I just can’t stop travelling, I love it!

Where are your favourite places to climb outdoors?I’m not sure I have favourite places to

climb outdoors. I love to climb in Ceuse

Sean McColl: profileby lynn MaRtel

Last November, Competition Climbing Canada team member Sean McColl accomplished a Canadian first when he earned gold at the Lead World Cup competition in Kranj, Slovenia. A seasoned North American junior champion by

the age of 15, the Vancouver native is a well rounded competitor who also won the 2011 American Bouldering Series National Championship. The Gazette caught up with him for an interview.

Sean McColl climbs Slashface (V13) in Hueco Tanks, El Paso, Texas. photo by Max MooRe

[France] because the hike up every day gets you into really good shape. I like climbing anywhere where the access is easy and there’s a good guidebook. I can’t stand going to a climbing place and just getting lost for the better part of your climbing trip.

Favourite gym?Gyms are for training and

although there are “good” ones for train‑ing and “bad” ones, I like climbing in any gym where I feel like my training has been productive. Even in Innsbruck, I trained on a wall underneath an elemen‑tary school that measured four metres across and three metres high and it worked out great!

When did you move to France? Why there?I just got a visa for France which

allows me to stay here for a year if I want without leaving. I’ve spent a lot of time in France, but officially I moved here at the beginning of 2012. I moved to France because it’s pretty centralized and my girlfriend is also going to engineering school here in Toulouse.

The best relationships have their ups and downs.

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Club alpin du Canada Gazette été 2012 9

Who are your role models and why?Kilian Fischhuber has got to be

the top of my list. I find that he is so careful with the way he climbs and just amazing to watch. For the past seven years, he’s won more than 20 World Cups and been first or second in the overall rankings. The way he can also keep his composure when not performing to 100 per cent of his ability is something I find is very important.

Who has helped you the most during your career?I can’t reserve this column for just one

person. While I was in the early climbing development years, my coach Andrew Wilson was an instrumental part of my climbing career. At age 12, I started being coached by Mike Doyle who was also a major part of my career. Since then, I haven’t had a “coach”, but my family and friends have helped me get the training I need.

How do you think kids might benefit from becoming involved in climbing?

How about their parents?Climbing is a great way to stay active

and do something with friends or family. It doesn’t matter if you’re climbing V0 or V14; you can always find some middle ground to go outside and climb together. If everyone is having fun doing what they’re doing, then it’s a great way to spend time with people you love. When I was younger, I would often go climb‑ing indoors as well as outdoors with my family. They loved watching me climb and I’ve always felt 100 per cent supported by my family.

What do you think young climbers might learn from being involved in competi-

tion climbing? How might they benefit?I find that competition climbing has

helped me in determination and being focused. I’ve had to learn how to deal with failure and at the same time deal with a bit of fame. I’ve had to keep it all

in perspective to let it not go to my head, and I sometimes see the struggle for other climbers as well. I’ve always wanted to remain very humble, and open to climb‑ers with questions for me. Sometimes people think I’m a bit closed, but usually I think I’m just very focused. When not at training, or competition mode, I love debating ridiculous topics or just discuss‑ing anything that seems interesting!

Sean McColl cranks at the Vail World Cup, Colorado. photo by heiko WilhelM

10 Alpine Club of Canada Gazette Summer 2012

Comment se sent-on lorsqu’on est le premier Canadien à avoir remporté une

coupe du monde d’escalade ?C’est fantastique ! Il y a des années

que je voulais remporter une coupe du monde, mais j’avais toujours cru que ce serait en escalade de bloc. J’essaie de repousser les normes de l’escalade de compétition au Canada et je pense avoir franchi une étape importante. J’espère que cela inspirera d’autres athlètes.

Pensez-vous avoir fait certaines choses différemment pour remporter cette

victoire ? J’ai fait bien des choses différemment

pour en arriver à ce moment. Je me suis consacré entièrement à mon entraîne‑ment et, en plus de l’escalade, j’ai sacrifié beaucoup de choses.

J’ai cessé de manger des bonbons et de boire des boissons gazeuses, et j’ai même arrêté complètement de boire de l’alcool. Je me suis entraîné pendant deux mois

à raison de quatre jours par semaine, de façon très disciplinée. Au cours de cette période, j’ai aussi participé à plusieurs compétitions et à un voyage d’escalade de bloc de deux semaines en Suisse, juste avant le week‑end de la Coupe du monde de Kranj. Je n’avais jamais été plus en forme, et même plus fort psychologique‑ment, de toute ma vie.

Qu’est-ce qui vous plaît le plus dans la compétition ? Pourquoi continuez-vous

à en faire ? Y a-t-il des choses qui vous déplaisent ?

J’adore à la fois l’excitation qu’elle procure et l’idée d’essayer d’être « le meil‑leur » à ce moment précis. Je trouve aussi très amusant l’élément de chance qu’elle comporte. Je participe activement à des compétitions depuis l’âge de 12 ans. J’ai vraiment l’esprit de compétition ! Je continue parce que j’adore ça. J’aime me mesurer à d’autres grimpeurs, qu’ils soient d’un niveau égal ou beaucoup plus élevé

que le mien. Mais la chose qui me déplaît le plus est le coût élevé des dépenses aux‑quelles il faut faire face si l’on veut par‑ticiper à toutes les compétitions. Je dois payer les frais d’hébergement, d’avion, de repas, et de location de voiture, et tout cela coûte très cher.

Qu’avez-vous appris de plus important en faisant de l’escalade et de la compéti-

tion ?Je pense avoir appris à être très

déterminé; de plus, j’ai acquis une grande capacité à voyager et à vivre seul. Depuis un très jeune âge, je me rends en Europe chaque année et maintenant je n’arrête plus de partir. J’adore voyager !

Quels sont vos endroits préférés pour grimper à l ’extérieur ?Je ne suis pas certain d’avoir des

endroits préférés pour faire de l’escalade à l’extérieur. J’aime grimper à Ceüse, en France, parce que le fait de grimper chaque jour nous garde en très grande forme. J’aime grimper partout où l’accès est facile et où il y a un bon guide papier. Je déteste me rendre à un endroit pour faire de l’escalade et perdre le plus clair de mon temps à essayer de retrouver mon chemin.

Avez-vous un gym préféré ?Les gyms servent à s’entraîner, et

même s’il y a de « bons » et de « mau‑vais » gyms pour s’entraîner, j’aime grimper dans tout gym qui me donne l’impression d’avoir eu un entraîne‑ment productif. À Innsbruck, je me suis entraîné sur un mur d’escalade situé sous une école primaire; il mesurait 4 m de largeur par 3 m de hauteur, et cela a très bien fonctionné !

Quand êtes-vous déménagé en France ? Et pourquoi là-bas ?Je viens tout juste d’obtenir un visa de

la France qui me permettra d’y séjourner toute une année si je le désire. J’ai passé beaucoup de temps en France, mais j’y suis déménagé officiellement au début de 2012. Je m’y suis installé parce que c’est un endroit très central et aussi parce que mon amie étudie à l’école d’ingénieurs, ici, à Toulouse.

Sean McColl : profilpaR lynn MaRtel

Sean McColl, membre de l’équipe de Compétition d’escalade Canada, a réussi une première canadienne lorsqu’il s’est mérité l’or à la Coupe du monde d’escalade en tête (Lead World Cup) à Kranj, en Slovénie, en novembre dernier. Alpiniste

chevronné, il devenait à l’âge de 15 ans champion junior nord‑américain. Né à Vancouver, ce sportif de compétition aux multiples talents remportait également en 2011 le Championnat national de bloc des États‑Unis (American Bouldering Series National Championship).

The Gazette l’a récemment interviewé :

Sean McColl grimpe Bloodline à Hueco Tanks, El Paso, Texas. photo paR JaMie chong

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Photo: Lynn Martel

Alpine Club of CanadaMOUNTAIN ADVENTURES

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Club alpin du Canada Gazette été 2012 11

Qui sont vos modèles et pourquoi ?Kilian Fischhuber est certaine‑

ment le premier sur ma liste. Je trouve qu’il grimpe avec une telle minutie; il est fascinant à voir. Au cours des sept dernières années, il a remporté plus de 20 coupes du monde et a toujours été premier ou deuxième au classement mondial. J’admire aussi sa capacité de garder sa contenance lorsqu’il n’a pu donner sa pleine mesure; je trouve cela très important.

Qui vous a le plus aidé au cours de votre carrière ?Dans ce domaine, je ne peux me

limiter à une personne. Au cours de mes premières années de formation en escalade, mon entraîneur, Andrew Wilson, a joué un rôle crucial dans ma carrière d’alpiniste. À 12 ans, j’ai eu pour premier entraîneur Mike Doyle, qui m’a lui aussi beaucoup aidé dans ma carrière. Maintenant, je n’ai plus d’entraîneur en tant que tel, mais ma famille et mes amis m’aident énormément à obtenir l’entraînement qui m’est nécessaire.

Selon vous, quels bénéfices l ’escalade peut-elle apporter aux enfants?

À leurs parents ?L’escalade est une façon fantastique

de rester actif et de partager une activité avec la famille ou les amis. Que l’on soit du niveau V0 ou V14, on peut toujours trouver un niveau moyen qui permet d’aller grimper tous ensemble. Si tout le monde s’amuse, c’est une façon fantas‑tique de passer du temps avec les gens que l’on aime.

Quand j’étais plus jeune, j’allais souvent faire de l’escalade intérieure ou extérieure avec ma famille. Ils adoraient me voir grimper, et je me suis toujours senti épaulé par eux à 100%.

Selon vous, quelles leçons peuvent tirer les jeunes alpinistes qui participent à

des compétitions d ’escalade ? Quels bénéfices peuvent-ils en tirer ?

En ce qui me concerne, l’escalade de compétition m’a aidé à améliorer ma détermination et ma concentration. J’ai dû apprendre à faire face à l’échec et aussi à une certaine dose de célébrité. Et comme d’autres alpinistes que je vois

McColl prend troisième à une coupe du monde de bloc

Alors que les meilleurs jeunes grimpeurs canadiens se lançaient vers le haut aux championnats à Montréal en mai, Sean McColl a gagné une troisième place à la coupe du monde en bloc à Innsbruck, en Autriche. C’est son quatrième fois sur le podium de la coupe du monde au cours des 12 der‑niers mois. Lisez l’article sur le blog de McColl au seanmccoll.com

parfois affronter ce problème, j’ai dû mettre les choses en perspective pour que cela ne me monte pas à la tête.

J’ai toujours voulu rester humble et ouvert aux alpinistes qui désirent me poser des questions. Les gens me trou‑vent parfois un peu fermé, mais je pense qu’habituellement je suis tout simplement très concentré. Quand je ne suis pas en train de m’entraîner ou de participer à une compétition, j’aime bien discuter de sujets ridicules ou échanger sur tout sujet qui me semble intéressant.

12 Alpine Club of Canada Gazette Summer 2012

by caM Johnson

I was recently asked why I volun‑teered at the 2011 Tsar‑Sommervell Alpine Club of Canada General

Mountaineering Camp as a camp coordinator, and during set‑up and tear‑down. The initial answer was easy—I was completing my professional practicum for my recreation degree, and it was a superb opportunity to work in the backcountry, meet some wonderful people and gain some very unique experience.

The follow‑up question, “will you be returning?” was even easier to answer. I could have given the same response—for the experience, networking, fun people to work with—but that would really only be a small part of the truth.

From the moment I stepped off the helicopter, I realised that the GMC was much more than just some climbing camp in the backcountry. For participants and staff, it holds overwhelming currency: its

long colourful history, the comradeship, the mountains, the people, the Club, and the food—especially the food! All of these things wonderfully conspire to make this camp much more meaningful than… well, there really isn’t anything comparable, anywhere. I quickly realised that it was something important to me, as well.

The geniality of camp wasn’t a sur‑prise, neither was the dedication of those participants and staff who return sum‑mer after summer, many of them on the same week so they can meet up with old friends. These were things I had heard about before.

What caught me off guard, though, were the stories people told. Stories are an integral part of the GMC experience. Every night, after dinner is finished and dessert is being served, participants tell stories of their day’s climb. Some are detailed and graphic accounts, some are

Why I volunteer

National Volunteer Awards

The Alpine Club of Canada extends its congratulations to the following devoted volunteers who were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the national and/

or section levels of the Club in 2011. A description of the recipi‑ents’ accomplishments can be found on the ACC’s website at www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/awards/recent.html

Prix nationaux pour bénévoles

Félicitations aux bénévoles dévoués, mentionnés ci‑dessous, qui furent reconnus pour leurs contributions exception‑nelles au Club Alpin du Canada en 2010, tant au niveau

national qu’au niveau des sections. Une description des réalisa‑tions des récipindaires est disponible sur le site web du CAC au www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/awards/recent.html

Honorary Membership. Presented in honour of contributions made to Canadian mountaineering, Honorary Membership is awarded to ACC members who have made a strong and sustained commitment to the Canadian climbing community through exceptional activities in the Canadian mountain environment, the promotion of mountain activities in Canada and the advancement of the goals and ideal of the ACC. Congratulations go to:

Barry Blanchard, Rocky Mountain SectionMichael Feller, Vancouver Section

Silver Rope For Leadership. Awarded to Club members who display excellence in leadership and technical ability in moun‑taineering and ski mountaineering, the award for 2011 was presented to:

Fips Broda, Vancouver SectionDistinguished Service Award. Presented to members who show distinguished service to the Club in matters other than moun‑taineering, the award for 2011 was presented to:

Gordon Currie, Calgary Section

Eric Brooks Leader Award. Presented to Club members who display a strong commitment to learning and applying technical and leadership skills in mountaineering and ski mountaineering, the 2011 award was presented to:

Martin Naroznik, Vancouver SectionDon Forest Service Award. Presented in recognition of signifi‑cant service to the ACC, the Don Forest Award for 2011 was presented to:

Ernst Bergmann, Edmonton SectionPaul Chvostek, Toronto Section

David Cormie, Manitoba SectionSteve Fedyna, Calgary/Rocky Mountain sections

Jeanette Fish, Rocky Mountain SectionPhee Hudson, Vancouver Island SectionRick Hudson, Vancouver Island Section

Chuck O’Callaghan, Rocky Mountain SectionMiguel Parent, Saint Boniface Section

Bill Scott, Ottawa SectionMartin Siegert, Vancouver Section

Many thanks to the members of the Awards Committee: Un grand merci aux membres du Comité des prix :André Mahé (Chair/président, section Saint-Boniface), Paul Geddes (Vancouver Section), Tom Haslam-Jones (Montreal Section), Dave

McCormick (Saskatchewan Section), Rod Plasman (Rocky Mountain Section) and Bill Scott (Ottawa Section).

WHAT ARE YOU DOING THIS SUMMER?

General Mountaineering Camp | www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/gmc

Phot

o: K

ate

Wad

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Call to book your GMC trip! . 403-678-3200 ext. 112 .

Save by adding a subscription for the 2013

Canadian Alpine Journal to your ACC membership.

alpineclubofcanada.ca/store

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Read all about it!

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2012 CAJThe 105th inspiring edition of the journal of climbing

in Canada and by Canadians abroad.

Club alpin du Canada Gazette été 2012 13

riveting dramas, some are thrillers and many are comedies. Some are very per‑sonal. All are engaging.

There are stories, as well, told about why GMC‑ers attend year after year. Some seek adventure or novel experience, some are there to test themselves, some want to acquire new skills and most seek the camaraderie for which the GMC is so famous. Most people were there because of the camp’s reputation. Many came with close friends or loved ones. And some have been attending consistently since before I was born!

My road to the GMC was an unlikely one. If you had told me three years ago that I would be volunteering at the GMC, I never would have believed it. I wouldn’t have thought I would get the opportunity to be doing something so exciting. And as part of my university training? I certainly didn’t see that one coming.

Four years ago, I started post‑secondary school as a music student. Saxophone, to be exact. I love jazz. The blues. Rock. All of it. I finished a two‑year diploma in music and easily slid into a degree program at the University of Alberta in recreation, sport and tourism. I had no clue what the end game was. I was making it all up as I went along. I soon discovered that I could actually take courses in backcountry skiing, mountaineering and rock climbing—and for university credit! Well, the rest is his‑tory. I got hooked on the mountains. And the peak of the degree program (please pardon the pun) was a professional practi‑cum with the Alpine Club of Canada. I’m now starting a graduate degree in moun‑tain studies.

So, what’s my GMC story? Like so many, it’s about connections. I’ve always loved the outdoors. My family has always made it their business. My father is a hunting outfitter. He makes his living, in part, by taking people out into the bush. But the connection runs much further back than that, as far back as my grandfather’s uncle, in fact. His name was Walter Nixon (1882‑1952), and he trav‑elled west from Ontario as a young man to B.C.’s Columbia Valley in 1905. He served as a game warden in the Kootenay River and Leanchoil districts, but spent most of his time guiding, packing for tourists, mountaineers, hunters and fish‑ermen, and developing the bourgeoning tourism business in Invermere.

It was in Invermere that my great grand uncle met and taught the ropes to a young man named Bill Harrison (1904‑1993).

Many ACC members know the story from there. The Harrisons (first Bill and his wife, Isabel, and then their kids, Gordon and Brad, mostly) have been outfitting the GMC since 1948—more than half of the camp’s 100‑year‑plus history. I got the privilege to briefly work with Brad last summer at the 2011 Tsar‑Somervell GMC. And it was amazing to hear his stories: about the camp in years past, about the people he met there, about his father.

That was my first volunteer experience for the ACC, my first GMC. It was a special experience.

And I can’t wait to go back.Cam Johnson lives in Edmonton where

he belongs to the ACC Edmonton Section.

14 Alpine Club of Canada Gazette Summer 2012

Talented guide is master of acclimatizationby MaRgaRet iMai-coMpton

Over the past nine years, I’ve had the good fortune to climb at high elevations (5,000‑plus

metres) in Mexico, Peru, Bolivia and Nepal. (Reaching the summit of Mont Blanc in the Alps almost qualifies but it’s “only” 4,810 metres, but heck, it’s just a number!)

I’ve additionally had the good fortune of accomplishing all these high summits with Barry Blanchard, Canada’s über guide and alpinist. Barry is the master of acclimatization and on each of these expeditions his clients all reached per‑sonal bests in elevation, thanks to his knowledge and experience of climbing at altitude.

On our most recent Nepal expedition in 2011, where even a mountain pass was higher than 5,000 metres, and our two highest peaks were above 6,000 metres, Barry’s experience and advice regarding acclimatization served us well.

Keeping in mind that there are excellent books dedicated to acclima‑tization (and they are required reading on Barry’s expeditions), for what it’s worth, here is his version of high altitude acclimatization.Drink lots. “Your pee should be gin clear. If you take B vitamins you won’t be able to get away from the neon yellow hue, but keep drinking. Aim for minimum three litres [of water] a day, even if you’re not thirsty.”

No alcohol after 4,000 metres. “I love beer as much as you, but it’s prohibitively

From left, Deborah Perret, Harry Prentice, Margaret Imai Compton and Mark Rosin share high altitude smiles with their guide, Barry Blanchard (back row). photo by tiM Winn

Excerpt from the 2012 CAJ:

Three Peaks NepalMargaret Imai-Compton

Barry Blanchard’s e-mail popped into my inbox late on Christmas Day 2010. He’d titled it “Three Peaks Nepal in the Fall 2011” and for a nanosecond I thought it was one of his playful pranks, until I read on.

Trekking and climbing in Nepal with Barry as lead guide had been a much discussed concept between Mark Rosin and me over the years. But here it was, with details on our objectives, logistics and a price tag! Barry had given us the mother of all Christmas gifts —one month in the Solu Khumbu!

Read about Margaret Imai-Compton’s adventure in the 2012 CAJ

expensive higher up the valley because remember, everything is carried up by porters or animals. Your Stella Artois will set you back hundreds [of rupees].”

Force feeding. “You can’t climb big mountains on granola bars. You need food and lots of calories. If you’re feeling nauseous and don’t have an appetite, give your food to me. I’ll eat it.”

Dress appropriately. “It’s cold up there, especially at high camp and the cold will

rob your energy. So put on anything with down in it. If you’re too warm in your sleeping bag, I’ll trade you. Mine’s a little thin on the filling.”

Go slow. “The higher we get, the more sluggish you’re going to feel. So don’t count on breaking any speed records unless you want to get AMS (acute mountain sickness).”

Rest and recuperation. “Be sure to get enough sleep ’cause that’s when your body repairs. If you’re having trouble sleeping at altitude it might be time to dig into the drugs. Diamox is my drug of choice.”

Pillow partners. “Sperm production stops above 4,000 metres or at best, your swimmers are really slow, so there’s no point in attempting to create your progeny. Besides, we’re short on snuggle bunnies.”

All kidding aside, Barry has an excel‑lent record of successfully acclimatizing his clients so if you’ve ever thought about tackling those big high summits out there, make sure you’ve got a solid under‑standing of what’s required.

Or, consider having Barry on your team.

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Club alpin du Canada Gazette été 2012 15

Eating Dirt: Deep Forests, Big Timber, and Life with the Tree-Planting Tribeby Charlotte Gill

“Six billion trees planted in the prov‑ince of British Columbia. An unfathom‑able number, but not as mind‑boggling as the size of the forest they replace.” So begins this book, at once as seemingly simple as the act of planting a tree into a small hole of soil, and as complex as the forest ecosystem itself. Following the seasonal work cycle of a B.C. tree planter, Gill is an alert, eagle‑eyed observer. Her writing is poetic and raw, weaving a story of people, economics, the environmental scars of deforestation, human desires, up‑close grizzly mom and cub encounters, turbulent boat rides in stormy seas, grimy laundry and prune‑y blisters. Published by Greystone Books. www.dmpibooks.com

British Columbia’s Magnificent Parks: The First 100 Yearsby James D. Anderson

In 1910 a highly unlikely party of politicians, poets, social butterflies and an overweight cook, led by a Shakespeare‑quoting bushrat named Hughie Horatio Nelson Baron Bacon, set out to explore Vancouver Island’s wild interior. Their noble, and for its time, highly imagina‑tive mission was to assess the fitness of the region to become a wilderness park. Their adventure resulted in B.C.’s first provincial park, Strathcona Park, created in 1911. Preserving the landscape, riddled with mines, logging and hydro projects, posed a challenge. Defending it against further industrial incur‑sion gave birth to B.C.’s world‑leading environmental protection movement. Illustrated by an impressive photographic collection, this book celebrates how 14 per cent of the province’s unique ecology has been protected over the last century. Published by Harbour Publishing. www.harbourpublishing.com.

Above the Bushby Lindsay Elms

Written to commemorate the centenary of the Alpine Club of Canada’s Vancouver Island Section, this thoroughly researched book contains transcripts of journal entries, diaries and newspaper accounts of early ascents of some of the most prominent mountains on Vancouver Island. On its pages, Elms has captured the rich, sometimes forgotten climbing history of many significant moun‑tains, including the Mackenzie Range, Nine Peaks, Mariner Mountain, Rambler Peak, Mount Cobb, Conuma Peak and Victoria Peak. Recognizing the depth and breadth of the unique breed of climbers found on Vancouver Island, this book cele‑brates those willing to persevere through the primeval vegetation to explore the wonderful alpine playground above the bush. Published by Misthorn Press. www.lindsayelms.ca

Flo & Eddy’s Water Adventure by Lori Nunn and Linden Wentzloff

Flo, a particularly peculiar pelican, and her younger companion Eddy, a crazy and curious cormorant, fly together on their annual fall migra‑tion. While playing around, they’re thrown off course and end up on a mountaintop. Flo gets them back on track by following the natural flow of watersheds, travelling downstream from mountains and glacial lakes to underground rivers and across foothills and prairies. They visit irrigation canals and enjoy wetlands filled with marshes, lakes and ponds, finally arriving at their winter destination, the saltwater ocean. This full‑colour illustrated book is a child‑, parent‑ and teacher‑friendly introduction to the importance of fresh water to life on earth. Published by Rocky Mountain Books. www.rmbooks.com/

Book endscoMpiled by lynn MaRtel

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Friendship forged on mountain trailsby david goldsMith

Six great friends, 25 years of adventure, more than 75 pairs of hiking boots and an infinite number of good times and fond memories:

it really doesn’t get much better. Yes, six of us—Felix Tillmanns, Paul O’Byrne, Dave Quiring, Ken Alecxe, Wayne McElree, and me, David Goldsmith, have enjoyed a unique and valued friendship through adventure for 25 years. None of us ever imagined it would work out this way.

In the spring of 1987 I was grousing around the house, lamenting that so many people were heading into the backcountry, hiking, camping, experiencing the beauty and wilderness of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, and getting away from the work‑a‑day world. Why not me I asked? In her calm wisdom, my wife said simply that if I wanted such a thing to happen, I would have to make it happen myself. My bluff was called! I discussed this idea with some friends, and was met with responses that varied from the belief that I was crazy and would likely get eaten by a bear, to serious interest and a desire to try it.

The above group, all from Saskatchewan, bought into the idea. The Rockwall Trail in Kootenay National Park was chosen for our first outing in the fall of 1987. We planned a six‑night hike, via McArthur Lake above Lake O’Hara, coming out at Numa Creek down along Highway 93. To prepare for this, some of us donned our 50‑pound packs and trekked up and down the sides of the Qu’Appelle Valley 60 kilometres from Regina for a couple of weekends. The vertical height of the Qu’Appelle valley is 58 metres. That’s top to bottom. Yes, we were ready!

Those who have been on the Rockwall will know it can be a bit daunting for its ups and downs. Break camp, hike up and over a pass, down to a valley bottom and make camp. Day two, repeat. Day three, repeat. And so on.

And did we have great equipment? I recall

there being several pairs of heavy wool army surplus pants along, one pair of rubber boots, borrowed hiking boots that didn’t fit well, and a department store tent with a fly sheet approxi‑mately one meter in diameter. At my suggestion, we put ground sheets under the tents, but naively let them extend out beyond the sides of the tents. It rained, and we got wet. The water pooled inside the tent at the foot of our sleeping bags as the groundsheet very effectively channelled all of the water right under us. By the end of the week we were tired, but exhilarated. To my great surprise, that winter everyone started asking me if we were going to do it again next year.

Since that first year, we have backpacked many trails in the Rocky Mountain parks. We have tented and stayed out for eight days at a time. We took out memberships at Mountain Equipment Co‑op, which we fondly refer to as the “candy store”. We have become Alpine Club of Canada members and have stayed in several of the ACC’s backcountry huts, including Stanley Mitchell, A. O. Wheeler, Wates‑Gibson and Elk Lakes huts. We once canoed in northern Saskatchewan for eight days; we hiked from Saskatchewan into Alberta along the Trans‑Canada Trail in the Cypress Hills, and we hiked throughout Grasslands National Park in south‑ern Saskatchewan. We had a great adventure up to Cobalt Lake in the Bugaboos, and we stayed in the McMurdo Cabin of the Columbia Valley Hut Society. As the years progressed, with some of us moving a little slower and wanting to carry a little less, we have stayed in some frontcountry cabins and day‑hiked in the local area. The trails have been great and the camaraderie even greater.

It is important to note that during these 25 years, some of the best support that each of us has had in pursuing this annual adventure has come from our spouses. They have supported us when we may have been in doubt, and encour‑aged us year after year as they have known how healthy this has been for each of us. Our thanks and our love goes out to each of them.

And now, with our 26th year looming, what is the future of our group? The bonds of our friend‑ship run deep. Some of us now have replaced body parts such as knees and hips. Some of us are still in very good physical condition. All of us look forward to each year’s adventure, and none of us see it needing to come to an end any time soon. In 15 years, look for my 40th anniversary story.

David Goldsmith lives in Radium Hot Springs, B.C.

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Club alpin du Canada Gazette été 2012 19

Brad Schmucker1966 – 2012

In February 2012, the Okanagan Section of the Alpine Club of Canada was saddened with the

sudden loss of Brad Schmucker after a brief battle with cancer at age 45. Brad was a long‑time and very active member of the Okanagan Section and served for many years on the Executive, mainly representing the Section at national functions. A passionate backcountry skier, rock and ice climber, Brad also enjoyed cross‑country skiing, mountain biking and water skiing on his neigh‑bourhood Okanagan lakes. Read more about Brad in the 2012 Canadian Alpine Journal.

Quick drawsThoni, Bernier defend skimo titles

TheCanadian Ski Mountaineering Competition Team wrapped up another adrenaline‑packed season with the second annual Ken Jones Classic Ski Mountaineering Challenge at Lake Louise, Alberta on March 24. Top Canadian competitor Reiner Thoni defended his title by winning the Men’s Elite course, while Melanie Bernier retained her top spot on the Women’s team. Looking toward Canada’s future in the sport—which includes the 2013 World Championships set to take place in Pelvoux, France in February—16‑year‑old Surrey B.C. junior category skier Martin Carnogursky completed the gruelling Elite course with 1700 metres elevation gain and descent, a first for a junior racer in Canada. And on the women’s side, another junior, Vancouver‑area Katerina Kuba (then 17), won the Enduro category. For more info visit www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/skimo

Bernier, Gale set new Wapta speed record

Huge congratulations go to Melanie Bernier and fellow Canadian skimo team member Ian Gale for screaming across the Rockies’ Wapta Icefields from Peyto Lake to West Louise Lodge in 7.5 hours on May 16. To read more, visit genuineguidegear.com

Input sought on bolting debateA draft paper over whether to bolt or

not to bolt on mountains was presented at the UIAA Management Committee meeting in Budapest, Hungary in May. The paper is a call to action to create national bolting policies and the need for a UIAA policy statement promot‑ing preservation of natural rock surfaces for adventure climbing. Input is being sought from member federations of the UIAA to advance the discussion. This draft paper aims to establish guidelines to avoid conflict by prompting climbers to organise and make provision for all styles of climbing rather than leaving it to other agencies to sort out disagree‑ments. To learn more about this and other UIAA initiatives and activities, visit www.theuiaa.org

National Lead and Speed teams selected At the conclusion of the Canadian Lead and Speed Championships for Youth and

Open climbers, which took place in Montreal in May, 31 competitors were selected to represent Canada at the IFSC World Youth Championships in Singapore in August. For Canadian youth championships results, visit horizonroc.com and for a complete list of national team members visit facebook.com/alpineclubofcanada

20 Alpine Club of Canada Gazette Summer 2012

by kaRl RickeR and Joan beRnaRd

Slightly more than 30 metres tall and with a knee‑high diameter of 87 centimetres, it hovered over the

hut for decades in regal stature. It was a Picea englemanni (Englemann Spruce), but sometime in the late 1900s a bolt of lightening split its lower trunk, allowing disease to creep in. Parks Canada trail crews last saw green foliage on its limbs in 2000. Swaying and creaking in the wind, it became a hazard that could smash the Alpine Club of Canada cabin that A.A. McCoubrey and fellow Winnipegers worked so hard to have built in the late 1930s.

So, in late June 2010, ACC volunteers and hut maintenance staff members performed the epic cutting down of the tree. They successfully landed it in several big pieces between the log cabin and outhouse—impressively without any col‑lateral damage. The following day it was sawn up to overfill the firewood storage shed, and to also yield a fireplace‑side bench, an outdoor picnic table and quaint armchair carved into its stump.

That however, does not conclude the story of the tree. The disc of wood cut off at stump level, 70 centimetres above the

ground, was power‑sanded so that the growth rings could be counted and meas‑ured to assess the climatic history of the tree which grew only 900 metres from the President Glacier while at its prime extent during the Little Ice Age, within the 19th century. Hopefully, the spacing of the tree rings could provide a clue as to which decade generated the maximum ice advance.

The rings were counted three times with some ambiguity on those nearest the bark and a few at the time of initiation of germination, which were rotted. Another unknown is the number of youthful rings that did not reach the butt height of 70 centimetres. Regardless, Norman Hansen, a professional forester with decades of experience with spruce trees in the nearby Columbia Valley and elsewhere through‑out B.C., deduced that approximately 10 rings could be missing from the count of 341, plus or minus a few. So, the birth date of the giant Stanley Mitchell spruce was determined to be about 1649 A.D., which would be during the earliest phase of initiation of the Little Ice Age.

What did the ring spacing measure‑ments tell us? To simplify the procedure, the spacing of 10 rings was measured to the nearest millimetre, crude yes, but without a magnifying vernier caliper it was much better than trying to measure to the tenth of a millimetre between each ring. The greatest 10‑ring spacing was 21

millimetres, which occurred between 1700 and 1710 and between 1670 and 1680. The narrowest spacing, before 1990, is nine millimeters, which occurred between 1910 and 1940 and again from 1950 to 1990, both of which are head‑scratchers. The glacier was already a long way from its maximum extent in the 19th century and the spacing should have easily doubled that. Perhaps the tree was already under other environmental stresses, which was certainly the case during the final 10 years of its life; eight millimeters for the outside rings of 1990 to 2000. If the above nines and eight are ignored from analysis, the narrowest 10‑ring spacing is 11 millimetres, which occurred from 1780 to 1790, 1800 to 1810, and 1880 to 1910. As 12‑millimetre spacings precede the former and the lattermost, we can cautiously suggest that the maximum advance of the President Glacier was related to probably the former, and perhaps a re‑advance represented in the latter. Cooling wobbles in the climate (12‑millimetre widths) are also shown between 1710 and 1730 and from 1820 to 1840.

Some extraordinary caution is war‑ranted however, because dendrochron‑ologists have found that there are many variables that create tree ring width discontinuities and testing ring width with nearby instrumented climate data and further sampling are some of many exercises that have to be pursued.

Stanley Mitchell giant spruce reveals climate clues

The Stanley Mitchell spruce is prepared for the big fall. subMitted photo

The Stanley Mitchell spruce meets a noble end. subMitted photo

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Dendrochronologist B.H. Luckman has worked for decades on the topic for several regions in the Canadian Rockies. From his rigorous analyses of tree rings for the Athabasca, Robson and Peyto Glacier areas, he defines three cold periods between 1600 and 2000: 1660 to 1700, 1730 to 1750 and 1800 to 1820. He also defines a warm spell beginning in 1920.

For the 1660 to 1700 period, however, our data is diametrically opposed, and the Stanley Mitchell tree was at its youth at this time. Luckman cautions that tree ring widths are always greater in young trees when compared to older trees for the same time interval. Overall, the Stanley Mitchell tree showed little inter‑annual variability in tree ring widths. This may well be a function of it growing too far back in the forest zone, thus expos‑ing it to local signals in the dynamics of forest growth, rather than to the harsh exposure of the climate near the edge of the glacier.

Something to think about next time you sit back in the armchair carved from its trunk.

ACC Life Member Karl Ricker belongs to the Whistler Section.

Norman Purssell1919 – 2012

The Alpine Club of Canada bids a fond farewell to Life Member Norman Purssell,

a Club member since 1953. In addi‑tion to climbing adventures from the Snowdon Mountains of North Wales to the Rockies, Selkirks and Saint Elias, he served as a Royal Air Force pilot in WWII. A devoted husband, father and engineer, he also volunteered with Vancouver Natural History Society and the Federation of British Columbia Naturalists, serving as president of both. As one of the Canadian Commissioners representing the conservation com‑munity on the Skagit Commission, his efforts were instrumental in having the B.C. area designated a provincial park. A dedicated ACC Vancouver Section member and active volunteer, Purssell was the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award. His fondest mountain memories were of the ACC Yukon Alpine Climbing Expedition celebrating Canada’s Centennial in 1967. Serving as P.E.I. team leader, his small group of four made the challenging first ascent of Mount Prince Edward Island.

Despite the pain of losing his wife, Win, after 53 years of marriage, Purssell con‑tinued skiing and hiking with friends and family until his late 80s.

Read Purssell’s full obituary in the 2012 edition of the Canadian Alpine Journal.

Karl Ricker takes five in the Stanley Mitchell spruce lounger. subMitted photo

22 Alpine Club of Canada Gazette Summer 2012

by eRnst beRgMann and cyRil shokoples

It should come as no surprise that accidents during rappels affect both new and experienced climbers. In the

50‑year period between 1951 and 2002 there were just over 2,500 accidents while descending (reported in Accidents in North American Mountaineering), of which over 10 per cent happened during rappels.

Some potential reasons for this are:● climbers depend completely on the

anchor and the rigging system while rappelling whereas during the actual climb, anchors, protection and systems are often not loaded at all and never tested;

● rappelling may occur at the end of a long climbing day when climbers are tired and in a hurry to get down. Attention wanders and fatigue may set in, affecting concentration;

● many climbers do not spend a lot of time practicing rope techniques in general, and lowering or rappelling in particular. Many prefer to spend their precious time getting better at climb‑ing, not practicing knots and rope technique.

Here are some suggestions on improv‑ing safety when rappelling.

PracticePractice rappelling sufficiently and

often enough to be proficient at it, even under pressure. Develop a procedure

for setup (see below) and train until it becomes natural. Pay attention and don’t go into “autopilot” when you actually do your system checks.

Avoid the large leaps and bounds so commonly seen in Hollywood movies. Strive for rappelling smoothly and care‑fully; an observer at the anchor should see almost no motion in the rope or the anchor, and shouldn’t be able to tell if somebody is actually rappelling on the rope. Achieving this will minimize rock‑fall and reduce load on the anchor and wear on the ropes.

Find a rappel device that works for you and the rope and gear you usually use, but be aware of the shortcomings of some devices. While slowly falling out of favour, the classic figure‑of‑eight provides a very smooth rappel with a variety of single or double ropes. Figure‑of‑eights have, however, proven dangerous when not carefully used. If there is slack during setup the small ring can slide over the gate of the carabiner and, when loaded again, break the gate (several documented accidents and fatalities have occurred this way, as reported by Neville McMillan in Karabiner Breakings when Using a Figure‑of‑Eight (World Mountaineering and Climbing: Journal of the UIAA, 2000, Volume 03).

It also is a very good idea to occasion‑ally practice an emergency rappel with only a carabiner brake or a Munter Hitch,

since belay and rappel devices can get lost or dropped.

Setting upOne possible configuration was ori‑

ginally popularized on the Petzl website (www.petzl.com). Girth hitch a webbing sling to the belay loop of your harness (or through all the tie in points on harnesses without a belay loop). Best not to use a daisy chain for this purpose. Clip yourself to the anchor with a second independent sling such as a Purcell Prusik with a lock‑ing carabiner. Assemble the rappel device clipped to the first webbing sling. A Prusik safety is then connected to the belay loop or main point of the harness below the rappel device. The extension of the sling positions the rappel device high in front of the climber and away from the rap‑pel safety. Once the rappel is rigged and checked (figure I) the climber unclips the sling from the anchor and is ready to go.

An alternative to the nylon sling promoted on the Petzl website is the use of the climbers’ intermediate length Purcell Prusik as the sole lanyard to the anchor, (see Gazette Vol. 27, 1 Spring 2012) and assembly of the rappel device directly on the Purcell Prusik, behind the knot (figure II).

Two climbers can simultaneously rig for a rappel in this manner, allowing for both climbers to check each other before descent (figure III).

Proper rappel technique key to descending safely

Figure I Figure II Figure III

Winter Leadership Course for ACC Volunteers

phot

o by

Joe

Cat

ella

ni

www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/tnf

YOU could be one of them!

January 13 – 20, 2013Mistaya Lodge, Golden, B.C.

Twice a year, ACC sections from across the country send their leaders to

The North Face –ACC Leadership Course.

Think outside.Outdoors expert Mike Nash shares what he has learned about outdoor safety and survival during more than 30 years of all-season treks into the rugged backcountry of western Canada. This dynamic and up-to-date handbook dis-cusses ways to prepare for and deal with any number of critical situa-tions that may arise in remote and mountainous terrain. The book is packed with information on:

•general safety principles•what to take with you•finding your way• coping with any weather•unexpected overnight stays•wildlife encounters• communication strategies

Interspersed with “reality check” anecdotes from the author’s deep research and experience, the book aims to keep adventurers safe, while still ensuring an appreciation of the many splendours nature has to offer.

Club alpin du Canada Gazette été 2012 23

Checking it: “BRAKES”Before unclipping from the anchor and committing to the rappel, check the

system with your climbing partner. In 2002, Cyril Shokoples developed the memory aid acronym BRAKES after a review of more than 100 rappel accident reports. It eliminates many, but not all, of the likely modes of failure during rappels:Buckles – check the harness, is it buckled and properly looped back if required?

Rappel device – is it properly rigged with both strands of the rope and securely attached to the harness? Are all carabiners locked and attached properly?

Anchor – is the anchor strong and secure with the rope appropriately attached to the anchor?

Knots – check each and every knot in the system.

Ends – do the ends of the rope reach down to your next destination? Are there knots in the end of the rope?

Safety – check the safety for function and if it interferes with the rappel device. Does it work if you let go?(Note: another safety check uses ABCDE: Anchor, Buckles, Carabiner, Device,

Ends).

The ACC’s National Safety Committee is comprised of: Ernst Bergmann, Chair, Edmonton Section: Peter Amann, Jasper/Hinton; Félix Camiré, Rocky Mountain; Robert Chisnall, Toronto; Hai Pham, Ottawa; Frank Pianka, Thunder Bay; Selena Swets, Vancouver Island. Thanks also to ACMG guide Cyril Shokoples www.rescuedynamics.ca

24 Alpine Club of Canada Gazette Summer 2012

by lynn MaRtel

Roger Wallis fondly remembers his first visit to the Yukon’s Saint Elias Mountains. It was 1990,

and since 1972 he’d spent a lot of time in Canada’s north working as a geologist. After viewing a black and white photo by Brad Washburn of Pinnacle Peak, he suggested it to his climbing partners as a worthy objective, knowing it had not yet hosted a Canadian ascent. The Alpine Club of Canada Toronto Section exped‑ition included climbers from Ottawa, Vancouver and Whitehorse.

“We had a fabulous time, we learned how to survive and enjoy the Saint Elias,” Wallis recalls. “Afterwards we changed all our gear and the way we did things. We saw hundreds of kilometres of mountains, half or more of them unclimbed.”

Admitting he was never a “tick‑list guy”, Wallis did know he liked exploring.

“Ever since going to South Greenland in 1960 I like exploring, climbing unclimbed peaks,” he said. “There are a lot in Canada, and I’ve worked hard at it in every range in western Canada. In the Saint Elias we loved the space, the silence; absolutely no one else was there. The radio rarely worked, the maps were somewhat hilarious, although the

national black and white aerial photos are fabulous.

“We were children in a very big sand box, especially if you can ski every type of variable snow well, roped together with a big pack. Of course, some of us can’t. Pinnacle Peak is a beautiful peak, and a wonderful, interesting, thoroughly enjoyable ascent with enough technical decisions to make it interesting. The most difficult climbing was the last 100 feet, with nowhere to stand on the summit and a face‑on view of two of the really great routes of North America: the North Ridge and Northwest Face of Mount Kennedy. Then there are views toward Logan and to the Pacific.”

On the lower section of their ski des‑cent the team took an “interesting” ride in an avalanche, which Wallis readily admits was their fault. Humbled, they carried on.

“Wally Joyce was 75 years young and loved making first ascents of ‘bumps’ around the base camp, Don Hamilton was a professional artist and we watched him sketch,” Wallis described. “We spent days underground, literally, in the 10‑per‑son cave we constructed—the best way to survive Saint Elias weather. We had a great time!”

Wallis’ most memorable Saint Elias climb, however, was his 1997 expedition to the multiple peaks of Mount Slaggard.

“We climbed three previously unclimbed 4,000 plus‑metre peaks, and each one we climbed in sequence was the ‘highest unclimbed peak in North America’. No one else will get the chance to do that again!” he exclaimed. “The campsite was out of this world; it faced the 10,000 plus‑foot, kilometre‑long, west face of Mount Lucania. It was just unbelievable, tier after tier of seracs, and when we climbed we saw the dawn sweep over Mount Logan and then Mount Saint Elias, and far, far beyond, the dark‑ness of the Pacific. The logistics of getting to the Slaggards was something else. Paul Claus is one of Alaska’s greatest bush pilots, but you have had to fly with him to understand.”

Wallis came away from those climbs with more than great stories. Earlier this year, as Parks Canada developed plans for its new Kluane National Park Visitor Centre, which will be located in the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations Da Kų Cultural Centre in Haines Junction, they decided to create a display that included historical and modern

Member’s old gear featured in Parks Canada exhibit

Ice pegs (“daggers”)Purchased in Courmayeur, Italy in 1957. Used on Pinnacle Peak in 1990. Mild steel (very heavy, low carbon steel used for nails, horseshoes, easy to manipulate at relatively low temperatures and doesn’t suffer from fatigue). Extremely effective, came in various lengths, but extremely difficult to extract from the ice!

Piton hammer Stubai (Austria) bought in Innsbruck, 1957. Used on Pinnacle Peak in 1990. Wood shaft, mild steel head, leather strap and hawser laid (not sheath and core), 5mm nylon extension added in 1962. Mostly used for rock climbing, but in winter climbing/ice climbing the piton hammer pick was used to dig out the “ice dagger pegs”, a truly bloody experience for the knuckles!

North Wall hammer/axeCharlet Moser, Chamonix, France. Custom handmade to measure in 1959. Wood shaft, mild steel. Note no “droop” on the pick (pre-Hamish McInnes invention of the droop). Used on first Canadian ascent of Pinnacle Peak, Icefield Ranges, 1990, and many trips in the range.

Club alpin du Canada Gazette été 2012 25

Single piece leather boots. Asolo, made in Italy, Vibram sole. Purchased 1967 in Innsbruck, Austria. Used to climb/ski on Pinnacle Peak in 1990 and on other Icefield Ranges trips.

Mild steel carabiners 1) Carico. UK Ministry of Defence, “pure

oval”, circa 1953.2) Stubai (Austria) pair, oval. Purchased

in Innsbruck in 1957.3) Cassin (Italy) pair, oval. Purchased in

Courmayer in 1957.4) Stubai (Austria), single carabiner

on far right. Note the start of the evolution to “D” shape. Purchased in Innsbruck, 1959. Some were used on Pinnacle Peak, 1990.

Ice screws1) Aluminum alloy, round head, pur-

chased in Chamonix, 1959. 2) Mild steel, rectangular head, pur-

chased in Innsbruck, 1957.

Hemp Prussik loop Purchased in UK in 1957 for climbing trips to Alps. Used to escape crevasse falls and climb aid routes on rock. Classic eight-foot closed loop, spliced to form loop. Nylon ropes (hawser laid). Not really available at an affordable price until about 1958.

Crampons, folding, mild steelMade by Grivel in Courmayeur, Italy, 1959. Adjusted by hand to fit one’s boots. Incredibly light and fold up to minimal space, very portable. Originally had woven cotton straps that iced up and were very difficult to remove once frozen (replaced with modern neoprene). Used on Pinnacle Peak in 1990, and on most Icefield Ranges trips.

climbing equipment to provide visitors an idea of technologies used over time.

After Wallis was identified as a resource source, Parks contacted him about donating some of his old gear.

“Most visitors to the region are not climbers, many of them are driving the Alaska Highway,” explained Laura Gorecki, project manager for Kluane National Park and Reserve. “This exhibit is meant to introduce them to the climb‑ing and mountaineering story of the Yukon’s mountains. This display is a way to introduce a human element to the mountains. People like to hear stories of adventure and risk.”

The exhibit will include a silent video featuring black and white scenes from the 1925 first ascent of Mount Logan, led by distinguished ACC member Albert MacCarthy, as well as a 1925 ice axe belonging to team member Norman Read. It will also showcase a modern rope, crampons, ice axe, ice screws and carabiners.

For his part, Wallis said he’s quite pleased that his old gear will be on dis‑play at the centre.

“I’m amused!” he said. “I think it’s really neat, I’m glad my stuff is of some

use. I had the most fabulous time using it. If it’s now educational, it brings a smile.”

The new Kluane info centre will open this summer, but the mountaineer‑ing exhibit is not scheduled to be open for viewing until late fall/early winter. For more info, visit www.cafn.ca or www.pc.gc.ca/kluane

While teaching at Cambridge, Wallis was a member of Britain’s Alpine Club and served on its Executive Committee. After Lord Hunt returned from the ACC’s Yukon Alpine Centennial Expedition, during which more than 200 climbers gathered in the Saint Elias for Canada’s 1967 Centennial, Wallis joined the ACC in spring of 1968, “for huts, info, people to climb with”. Not long afterward, he and his wife, Margaret, immigrated to Canada. They settled in Regina, from where he enjoyed a “very successful professional career” as a geologist. In Saskatchewan in the 1960s, though, “there were only six members and I was the only one under 60 years old.”

Now living in Toronto, Roger Wallis belongs to the Toronto Section. He is an ACC Honorary Member and the recipi-ent of the Silver Rope for Leadership and Distinguished Service Award.

26 Alpine Club of Canada Gazette Summer 2012

by Jen olson

I have fantasized about winter climb‑ing in Scotland since I heard of Sean Isaac attending the British

Mountaineering Council’s International Climbing Meet in 2000. I patiently waited until they hosted another meet, and then I planned my attack, begging and pleading to the Alpine Club of Canada to help me attend and hopefully “represent” Canada in 2012.

Once I was at the meet, it was pretty much everything I’d hoped for and more, including a rather eventful ending that I have been adjusting to ever since.

I flew into Inverness after attending the World Cup Ice Climbing competi‑tion in Saas Fee, Switzerland. From an artificial climbing wall in a parking garage high in the Alps, to the majestic forests and hills of the wet and windy Scottish Highlands, both events hosted a crayon pack of nationalities and the pas‑sionate enthusiasm of obsessed climbers. I met athletes/adventurous spirits from Russia, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Italy, Switzerland, Norway, Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, France, Korea, Japan, Slovenia, Slovakia, Croatia, Finland and of course, the United Kingdom.

In Scotland, we were generously housed at Glenmore Lodge, just outside of Aviemore in the Cairngorms. Each day a talented local teamed up with a visiting international climber to explore a craggy outcrop. Objectives ranged from enticing chimneys and gulley climbs to stout dihedrals and faces. Some with ice, others with turf, but all needed to be white.

We were educated in the ethics of the local folk. Black means: “go to the pub”. It is in the climbers’ best interest to only climb on the rocks when they are covered

in ice or rime ice, regardless of the fact that at times, you may need to clean that very valuable rime ice off to find protec‑tion or a tool placement. Ironic, but I get it. Especially when I found sinker placements in the turf. What a tragedy to climb unfrozen turf and destroy it for future generations, because nothing is quite as satisfying as swinging into a sacred piece of frozen turf that makes a mantel move enjoyable and elegant.

Hours were spent inching up the impeccable granite of these quarries, or “Bens”. The movement can be balance‑y, technical and tenuous. Finding protection involves cleaning the cracks while eyeing up wedge and hex placements, making them solid with a few whacks of your tool. Cam placements are very suspect; the cracks are often lined with verglass ice even if it’s invisible to the human eye.

Most days were windy and despite being just above freezing temperatures, my exposed hands felt like ice blocks in minutes. A couple of times I attempted to change my lowest layer after the two‑hour approach (a technique that is essential to survival in Canada’s cold climate), only to find the wind and spin‑drift coincidentally pick up with fury at the moment of nakedness. The effort to have dry layers was futile, I found; it is better just to keep moving and accept the humidity and dampness of the northern maritime climate until you get back to a hot shower.

Whiteouts—I was fortunate not to have needed to use a map and compass during my holiday in Scotland, but I can only imagine how terrifying it would be to top out on one of the moors in a whiteout and try to find your way home without stumbling off the edge of a cliff or walking in the opposite direction for days in the fog and wet bitter cold.

On the last day of the meet, I had the good fortune to climb with another girl named Rocio (nickname: Theo). It’s always a treat to climb with a strong female and we had perfect weather too. Despite being exhausted, the weather and the company made it easy to get motiv‑ated to go out for another climbing day at Coire an Lachan.

Then, on the second pitch of our route, I took a six‑metre lead fall and

landed on a ledge on my back. This resulted in a helicopter rescue to the Inverness hospital. After getting back to Canada, I learned that I had fractured T4 (spinous process) and T12 (compression fracture 20 per cent). I was very lucky as my injuries were very stable, so they did not require me to stay in a hospital or even wear a back brace.

By three months post‑accident, I was climbing and skiing and preparing to guide Mount Columbia and Mount Logan in May. I feel very fortunate not to be a paraplegic.

Attending the BMC International Climber’s Meet in Scotland was a highlight of my climbing career. The combination of generous hosts, interest‑ing international guests and high quality climbing will create fond memories for many years to come. This is my first acci‑dent in 20 years of climbing, and I hope to go back to Scotland in the future and enjoy many more days of winter cragging incident free!

Thank you Alpine Club of Canada for the opportunity to fulfill a dream of mine. Thanks to the BMC members and organ‑izers for hosting such a fantastic oppor‑tunity for international climbers—and for taking good care of me post‑accident.

Jen Olson is an ACMG/IFMGA Mountain Guide who lives in Canmore, Alberta when she’s not leading clients and exploring crags and peaks and glaciers around the world.

Scottish international meet a dream—and a bit more

Jen climbs the first pitch of Daddy Longlegs, VIII 9, on day two of the BMC meet. photo by nick bullock

Greg Boswell left, and Jen share cheers on top of Gargoyle Wall. photo by JaMes dunn

Our new 4x publishing schedule puts you front and centre for the top trips, tips and gear. And it’s all put together by Canada’s premier outdoor talent and award-winning writers, editors and photographers.Join us for the time of your life.

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28 Alpine Club of Canada Gazette Summer 2012

by lynn MaRtel

She was a prolific writer, organizer and one of the best advocates for uniquely Canadian culture this

country has ever known. And in March 2012, Elizabeth Parker,

co‑founder of the Alpine Club of Canada, was one of 16 women to be designated to the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (HSMBC). Supported by Parks Canada, the HSMBC recognizes national historic sites, places, events and people who’ve helped shape Canadian culture, history and identity.

“From the Alpine Club of Canada’s standpoint, we think it’s very cool and very appropriate,” said Lawrence White, ACC Executive Director. “She was a very significant woman in Canadian history and for the history of western Canada.”

Parker, who lived from 1856 to 1944, co‑founded the ACC in 1906 with Arthur Wheeler, a prominent Canadian surveyor. Intelligent and well‑spoken, in 1904 she began what would be a 36‑year career with the Manitoba Free Press, which included a long‑running daily column on the editorial page. The subject for which she became most famous was Canada’s mountain heritage.

That same year Parker travelled to Banff with her children to benefit in the highly touted recuperative powers of Banff ’s Sulphur Mountain hot springs. While her frail health prevented her from actually climbing mountains, dur‑ing her 18‑month stay she began writing

newspaper and magazine articles about the mountains for Canadian publications.

After the American Alpine Club was formed in 1902, its first president, Charles Fay, proposed the creation of a Canadian chapter. Appalled at the notion, Parker delivered a pen lashing on the pages of the Free Press, suggesting it was down‑right un‑Canadian to subject Canadian mountaineers to the dictates of a foreign alpine institution.

“Her most significant legacy to us was her unwavering resolve and vision to found an alpine club in Canada that belonged to Canada and was not just an add‑on to an American club,” White said.

With the formation of the ACC, Parker served as its first secretary until 1910, in an era when the very idea of

women being accepted as members to national alpine clubs was unwelcome. The ACC embraced female members from its inception. While they were expected to wear proper dresses to the dinner tent, from the first annual mountaineering camp in 1906, they did change to trousers to participate in climbing adventures.

“She helped lay the foundation for women in the Club, which continues today with our Honorary President, Marj Hind,” White said.

Parker also helped steer the ACC toward playing a significant role in the formation of early public policy behind the establishment of Canada’s mountain parks and Canada’s early 20th century wil‑derness preservation movements. In 1907 she helped found the Canadian Alpine Journal, the official record of climbing in Canadian mountains and by Canadians abroad, which she edited with Wheeler in its early years. It continues to be among the country’s longest continuously run‑ning publications.

Founding the Club in Winnipeg, which was very much the centre of the country at the time, White added, exemplified Parker’s vision that the ACC should be for all Canadians, and not just those who lived amidst or climbed in its mountain ranges.

“It didn’t make a difference to her where people were from,” White said. “She understood what it meant to be Canadian. She understood how to pro‑mote a culture of the mountains. She promoted a sense of Canadiana and the importance of wild spaces in general.”

ACC co-founder awarded national historic designation

The founding members of the ACC at the inaugural meeting in Winnipeg, March 27 – 28, 1906. Elizabeth Parker is in the front row (fourth from the left), her daughter Jean is behind her to the right. photo couRtesy oF the alpine club oF canada collection at the Whyte MuseuM oF the canadian Rockies

Heritage Club milestones

Every year, the Alpine Club of Canada celebrates those members who have been with the Club for 25, 35 and 50 years. The Club recognizes these members with a special lapel pin, with the 25‑ and

35‑year members receiving an attractive certificate and the 50‑year mem‑bers receiving a handsome wall plaque.

In 2012, 42 members reached the 25‑year milestone, 31 members reached the 35‑year milestone and two members reached their 50‑year milestone. Congratulations to everyone, and especially to those named below—you are in very esteemed company!

50 yearsBill Louie, Calgary, Alberta

James Worthington White, LaHave, Nova Scotia

HERI

TAGE

CLUB

H

ERITA

GE CL

UB

HERITAGE CLUB HERITAGE CLUB

HERITAGE CLUB HERITAGE CLUB HERITAGE CLUB HERITAGE CLUB HERITAGE CLUB

HERITAGE CLUB HERITAGE CLUB HERITAGE CLUB HERITAGE CLUB HERITAGE CLUB

Club alpin du Canada Gazette été 2012 29

by lindsay elMs

Ralph “Rafe” Maurice James Hutchinson was born in 1930 in what was then the British

protectorate of Tanganyika. Shortly after his birth his family moved to Kenya, where his father was a civil servant in the Kenyan education department.

Hutchinson went to school in Kenya and South Africa, and at the end of World War II he was sent to rugby school in England. He graduated in 1948, then earned a law degree from Cambridge University. After being called to the bar in London, in 1954 he immigrated to Canada where he then made the bar in British Columbia in 1956. He practiced law in Vancouver until 1960 and then moved to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. Because of his bilingual upbringing (English and Swahili), he was referred to by members of the bar in Nanaimo as “Bwana”.

In 1957 Hutchinson married Dorothy Johnstone and they raised two children, Bryony and John. In 1980 he accepted an appointment to the County Court in Prince Rupert, B.C., and later trans‑ferred to Vancouver. Finally, he returned to Nanaimo in 1987 and served on the County Court, which merged with the Supreme Court in 1991. Hutchinson retired in 2002.

Hutchinson’s initiation to the moun‑tains came in 1951 when he joined a guided ski trip to the Otztal Alps on the border of Italy and Austria. On that trip he reached his first summit, the Wildspitze. This adventure marked the beginning of a lifetime spent in the mountains.

After arriving in Vancouver in 1954, he joined the British Columbia Mountaineering Club (BCMC). Later in Nanaimo he became a member of the Island Mountain Ramblers, and also joined the Alpine Club of Canada. Hutchinson edited the BCMC Bulletin from 1956 to 1958 and served as Western Vice President of the ACC from 1979 to 1982. In the summers of 1958, ’59, ’60, ’63 and ’64, he made a number of first ascents in the Coast Mountains with partners including Dick Culbert, Werner Himmelsback, Paddy Sherman and Joe Hutton. In 1961 he was a member of the team that made the first all‑Canadian

ascent of Denali, but in the process lost four toes to frostbite. In an interview with a reporter from the Vancouver Sun, Hutchinson said: “If he [Maurice Herzog] can climb again, I don’t see why I can’t.”

In 1967, the year of the ACC’s Yukon Alpine Centennial Expedition, Hutchinson led the first ascent of Mount British Columbia. Two years later he climbed in the Cordillera Blanca of Peru. In the early 1970s he climbed the Hourglass Route on Mount Robson and also Mount Waddington via the southeast gully. In 1973, he was on Mount Kilimanjaro with Paddy Sherman, Roger Neave and Scipio Merler. In 1974, he made his first trip to the Stikine Icecap in northern B.C., returning again in 1976 and 1981 before he managed the first ascent of Noel Peak with Roger and Hugh Neave, Alfred Meninga and Mike Walsh. In 1975, Hutchinson climbed in the Koh‑I‑Baba region of Afghanistan with Mike Walsh and Joe Bajan, and then in Italy made several ascents in the Dolomites. In 1978 he was back in the Cordillera Blanca where he climbed several 5000‑metre peaks near Nevada Champara.

Hutchinson’s climbing led him to take an interest in the environment and he maintained a strong community involve‑ment with groups such as the Society

Promoting Environmental Conservation, the Concerned Citizens group, the John Howard Society, the S.P.C.A., the Nanaimo Area Land Trust and the Vancouver Island Mountain Sports Society.

In the summer of 2007 Hutchinson made a trip into the Jim Haberl Hut in the Tantalus Range near Squamish with a number of his old climbing bud‑dies: Paddy Sherman, Joe Bajan, Werner Himmelsbach and Tom Volkers. This however, was to be his last trip into the mountains, as in January 2008 he was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic can‑cer. With typical Hutchinson stoicism, he accepted his fate.

Sadly, on March 20 of that year Hutchinson was released from cancer’s grips at the age of 77. In recognition of his work with the Regional District of Nanaimo and the Nanaimo Area Land Trust, a section of the trail near the sum‑mit of Mount Benson above Nanaimo was named in his honour.

Ralph “Rafe” Maurice James Hutchinson

PSST!

Do you wanna be a famous writer? Ok, how about just a writer?

Contact the Gazette editor at gazette@alpineclubofcanada.ca to have your article, story or event published in the Gazette.

Werner Himmelsback (left) and Ralph Hutchinson savour a summit moment in B.C.’s Tantalus Range in 2007, Hutchinson’s last mountain trip. photo by Joe baJan

30 Alpine Club of Canada Gazette Summer 2012

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Pendant mon enfance, nous pas‑sions nos vacances d’été à faire du camping sur la côte ouest de l’Île

de Vancouver, plus précisément au nord de Sooke, dans le parc provincial French Beach. Mes parents entassaient dans la familiale Toyota Corolla 74, de la nour‑riture pour une semaine, quelques pièces d’équipement extrêmement rudimen‑taires, notre golden retriever, Dusky, et bien sûr les trois enfants. Je me souviens que l’on commençait par nous placer, Dusky et moi, à l’arrière de l’auto, et qu’on entassait ensuite les bagages bien serrés autour de nous. Aucune ceinture de sécurité à cette époque, bien sûr, et pour tout filet de sécurité un sac de pommes de terre en toile et des douzaines de pains Wonderbread (extra gluten). En arrivant à French Beach c’était comme une explo‑sion : nous nous précipitions tous hors de l’auto pour courir dans toutes les direc‑tions. Sauf mes parents, qui s’affairaient à préparer le petit terrain que B.C. Parks nous avait attribué parmi les énormes cèdres rouges, à une époque où il y avait encore des gardes forestiers dans les parcs. Le sanctuaire de notre Xanadu était une tente de toile orange à quatre côtés, donc les montants d’aluminium avaient 5 cm de diamètre. Elle devait bien faire 8 m de hauteur et peser 90 kg. Très impression‑nant pour un petit garçon de sept ans. Nous couchions tous dans cette tente, oui, tous les cinq, sans oublier le chien. Nous avons passé bien des étés ainsi, à camper dans ce parc, et à explorer les cuvettes de marée et la côte sauvage du Pacifique.

Alors, imaginez mon excitation le jour où mes parents nous ont dit qu’il serait amusant de faire la même chose à Noël. Quelle idée fantastique ! Selon une méthode éprouvée, on placerait Lawrence et Dusky à l’arrière de l’auto en entassant tout le bagage autour d’eux de façon bien sécuri‑taire, et on ajouterait l’arbre de Noël sur le toit et quelques décorations sur les genoux de ma soeur. Que pourrait‑il donc arriver ? Cette fois, nous irions plus près de chez nous, dans le parc provincial Goldstream, situé à moins de 20 km de Victoria.

L’île jouit d’un climat tempéré, avec des minimums saisonniers d’environ 5°C et beaucoup de pluie. Mais cela ne posait aucun problème puisque, comme toute famille typique de la côte ouest,

nous possédions d’immense bâches, qui pouvaient autant servir à empêcher le toit d’un condo de couler qu’à dissimuler une auto délabrée dans un terrain. Elles ferai‑ent un abri parfait, du moins jusqu’à ce que tombe cette bonne vieille neige de la côte ouest, qui rappelle la purée de pom‑mes de terre.

Et il a commencé à neiger. Et à pleuvoir. Et les routes qui sillonnaient et entouraient le parc Goldstream ont com‑mencé à geler. Vers une heure du matin, la famille étant menacée d’hypothermie, mes parents ont décidé de remballer tous les cadeaux trempés et l’arbre de Noël (oui, nous l’avons rapporté à Victoria !). Car après tout, même si l’on pouvait se pavaner avec nos parkas K‑Way des années 80, bien roulés en petits paquets grâce à leur magnifique courroie élastique aux couleurs de l’arc‑en‑ciel, on ne pou‑vait trop leur en demander en termes de chaleur et d’imperméabilité. Nous som‑mes bien rentrés, bien sûr, et avons même réussi à fêter le matin de Noël un peu plus tard en après‑midi.

Quand je repense à cette expéri‑ence, cela me fait réfléchir aux diverses définitions du mot « plaisir » : plaisir de se préparer, bien sûr; plaisir d’y être, pas du tout; plaisir après le fait, oui, pour le souvenir que j’en ai gardé. Maintenant, je gémis presque à la vue de ces grandes remorques et caravanes qui sillonnent nos routes en été. Le « glamping », ce « camp‑ing glamour », semble avoir atteint de nouveaux sommets. Il est trop facile. Trop confortable. Et certainement très lux‑ueux si je le compare à ma façon de faire actuelle.

J’ai l’impression d’avoir choisi une direction opposée à celle de nos visites au parc French Beach, car je cherche toujours des façons de plus en plus primitives de profiter du plein air. Pour être plus en lien avec la nature. Mais j’imagine que tout cela est relatif. Car, que vous plantiez votre luxueuse tente de 6 mètres carrés dans le parc national Kejimkujik en Nouvelle‑Écosse ou que vous fassiez un bivouac près du mont Alberta dans le parc national Jasper, vous fuyez toujours le confort du foyer. Vous sortez, vous allez dehors.

Et c’est ce qui est le plus important. Lawrence White est le directeur général

du Club alpin du Canada

Le plein air : dehors, c’est dehors!paR laWRence White

Lawrence White cosies up for a bivy, dehors, bien sur!

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Club alpin du Canada Gazette été 2012 31

by laWRence White

Growing up, my summer holidays consisted of camping on the west coast of Vancouver Island,

north of Sooke to be precise, usually in French Beach Provincial Park. My par‑ents would cram the 1974 Toyota Corolla station wagon with a week’s worth of highly rudimentary amenities, food, our golden retriever, Dusky, and of course the three kids. I recall Dusky and me being placed in the back of the wagon first and everything else literally packed around us. No seatbelt of course, it was a different time; just the dozen loaves of Wonder Bread (extra gluten) and a burlap sack of potatoes as my safety net. Arriving at French Beach we exploded out of the wagon and took off in every direction. All except my parents, who busied themselves setting up the dirt plot amidst the mas‑sive red cedars we’d been assigned by B.C. Parks, back when they had actual rangers in the parks. The shrine of our Xanadu was a four‑sided orange canvas tent with thick two‑inch aluminum poles. It must have stood 25 feet high and weighed 200 pounds. Impressive to a seven‑year‑old, to be sure. We all slept in that tent; all five of us plus the dog. We spent several sum‑mers in this fashion exploring the tidal pools and the wild Pacific Coast.

So, imagine my excitement when my parents thought doing something similar for Christmas would be fun. It was a great idea! We’d follow the proven regime of packing Lawrence and Dusky in the back, all the goods safely tucked around them with the simple addition of the Christmas tree on the roof and some ornaments on my sister’s lap. What could go wrong? This time our destination was a bit closer to home in Goldstream Provincial Park, less than 20 kilometres from Victoria.

The Island is a temperate climate with plenty of rain and seasonal lows of about five degrees. No problem, as we had several excessively large tarps typical

to any West Coast family. In addition to patching leaky condos and covering dilapidated cars in front yards, these tarps made perfectly fine shelter—until it snows that lovely West Coast mashed potato snow…

And so it snowed. And so it rained. And so the roads began to freeze in and around Goldstream Park. And so my family decided at about 1 a.m. on Christmas day to pack up the tree—yes we took it back to Victoria—and all the sopping wet presents, lest we all get hyperthermia. After all, there is only so much warmth and water repellency in a circa 1980 K‑Way parka, as fancy as it can be all bundled up and fastened around one’s waist with a beautiful rainbow coloured stretchy band. We made it back safely of course, and managed to salvage a Christmas morning sometime well into the afternoon.

Looking back, it makes me reflect on the various definitions of fun yet again; fun in the planning, which this was, fun

Open air: outside is outside

in the doing, which this was not, and fun after the fact which this memory most certainly is. I almost lament the large trailers and campers I see roaming our highways in summer. Glamour camping, glamping, seems to have been taken to new heights. It just seems too easy. Too comfortable. Certainly luxurious when compared to the places I get myself into these days.

I seem to have gone the opposite direction from those French Beach visits, seeking ever more primitive ways to be outside. To feel more connected. But I guess it’s all relative. Because whether you’re setting up a 20‑square‑foot luxury tent in Nova Scotia’s Kejimkujik National Park, or bivying near Mount Alberta in Jasper National Park, you’re getting away from the comforts of home, as it were. You’re getting out the door, you’re getting outside.

And that’s all that really matters. Lawrence White is Executive Director of

the ACC.

A break in the weather allows for a big day at sea. Newest member of the climbing team, Hazel Findlay, explores the crags above Maine’s rugged coastline on a recent product testing expedition. Learn more about our athletes and expeditions at thenorthface.com/climbing

hazel findlay and alex honnold on lost at sea. photo: tim kemple

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