Vol. 28, No. 2 | Summer / été 2013
Hamilton WC a rockin’ success page 6
TNF course expands
sense of possible Le cours TNF élargit la notion de ce qui est possible
publication
# 40009034
page 24 - 27
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The Alpine Club of Canada
Publications Mail Agreement No. 40009034 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: The Alpine Club of Canada Box 8040, Canmore, AB Canada T1W 2T8
Phone: (403) 678‑3200 Fax: (403) 678‑3224 info@alpineclubofcanada.ca www.alpineclubofcanada.ca
Board of Directors Peter Muir President Gordon Currie Secretary Neil Bosch Treasurer Wayne Campbell VP Access/Environment Zac Robinson VP Activities Carl Hannigan VP Facilities Isabelle Daigneault VP Mountain Culture Sandy Walker VP Sections David Foster VP Services & Athletics David Toole Honorary President Lawrence White Executive Director
Publication Lynn Martel Gazette Editor Suzan Chamney Layout & Production Marie-Andrée LeBlanc Translator Submissions Submissions to the Gazette are welcome! For submission guidelines e-mail your idea to the Gazette Editor at gazette@alpineclubofcanada.ca Advertising Advertising rate sheet available on the website or by request. Please direct all advertising inquiries to Suzan Chamney, National Office by e‑mail to: ads@alpineclubofcanada.ca facebook.com/alpineclubofcanada twitter.com/alpineclubcan
What’s Inside... Mountaineering / Climbing 5 6 7 8 12 14 20 24 26
Quick draws Hamilton WC a rockin’ success Stacey Weldon: profile Stacey Weldon : profil Resplendent ski ascent: surprises and selflessness Climbin’ Kili ain’t no gimme New Zealand a trip to Middle Earth TNF course expands sense of possible Le cours TNF élargit la notion de ce qui est possible
Members 18 19 22 28
What my ACC means to me ACC Grants awarded in 2013 Heritage Club milestones Lyme disease 101
Mountain Culture / Science
4 2013 Canadian Alpine Journal on sale now 5 Member initiates Gmoser Film Preservation Project 10 Mount Robson centennial exhibit unveiled 22 Members launch mountain fiction publisher 23 Book ends 25 ACMG celebrates 50th anniversary
Editorial / National News / Awards
Short rope National volunteer awards Prix nationaux pour bénévoles New ACC Board members announced 30 Open air: Cooperative competition 4 8 8 15
What’s Outside... Cover photo: Stacey Weldon shows her rock star strength at the Bouldering World Cup competition which took place in Hamilton, Ontario in June. Photo by Pam Eveleigh www.eveleigh.biz . See story on page 6.
Inset photo: Stefan Gessinger and Mary Ann Rombach keep smiling in 100-kilometre winds on West Peyto Peak during The North Face-ACC Winter Leadership Course. Photo by Andrew Williams. Story on page 24.
Corporate Partners The 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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Club alpin du Canada
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2013 Canadian Alpine Journal on sale now The arctic sun had crossed all the car‑ dinal points on the horizon and was hidden behind the Penny Icecap to the north. Streamers of fog and rain slipped across the peaks as the first hint of darkness started to settle over the northern landscape. A wind from the southwest was blowing hard. I ducked into a fissure on the summit plateau and prepared for the descent by pulling the smallest cam off my harness and setting it into a perfect bottleneck crack. This blue Alien—a talisman fixed to my harness for the past three months, and a lost partner’s favourite cam—was a guardian that protected me, and now it’s a gift to the mountain. I said a prayer, and then turned into the wind and rain, follow‑ ing my partners into the darkness.
Lynn follows 2012 Mountain Guides Ball Patron Ferdl Taxbock up the Northeast Face route on Ha Ling, high above Canmore. photo by Ferdl Taxbock
Short rope by Lynn
P
Martel
utting together each issue of the Gazette is like fitting together the pieces of a puzzle—for me, as editor, and also for Suzan Chamney, who designs each page so creatively and skillfully, one by one. But unlike a jigsaw puzzle, whose pieces are all contained in a box to be dumped out onto a tabletop, when I begin working on each issue about six weeks before its date with the printer, I don’t know what all the pieces will look like. Throughout the year, and especially during those weeks, emails land in my inbox with stories and photos, many of which have been pitched to me beforehand, but there are always surprises. Outside those six weeks, three times a year, I do keep the Gazette on my radar with an eye to what might make a good story for a future issue. For this issue, a little more planning than usual was required. First, back in January, Toby Harper, who is currently on parental leave from his position as Alpine Club of Canada Programs Director, brought my attention to the World Cup Bouldering compe‑ tition scheduled for June in Hamilton, Ontario. As the second WC climbing event to be hosted by Canada—and the ACC, the governing body for competitive climbing in this country—this would be an important story. Unlike Canada’s first WC, however, which took place in Canmore, I would not be there to write about the event. On top of that, the Hamilton WC would take place just days 4 Alpine Club of Canada
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Joshua Lavigne
Read the rest of Joshua Lavigne's story Sensory Overload in the 2013 Canadian Alpine Journal. $29 from our online store. Add a subscription for the 2014 CAJ to your membership for $22 including shipping (in Canada), lower still if you also have the Huts Option on your membership!
www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/store/ before this Gazette would be scheduled for the printer’s. The deadline would be tight. But, as ACC Executive Director Lawrence White writes in his Open Air column on page 30, that’s where the impressive cooperation of Club members living thousands of kilometres apart came into play. In January, Toby Harper put in me in contact with competition organ‑ izer, Luigi Montilla, who connected me with some Ontario photographers who planned to shoot the event. I asked if they would be willing to donate some of their images on a very tight deadline—a tall order, since sifting through hundreds of images shot over two days with 69 ath‑ letes competing would be a considerable amount of work. I’m thrilled to say, with great thanks and deep appreciation to talented photographers Miguel Jette and David
Kawai, and also Calgary’s Pam Eveleigh, whose image of her son, Marc, a Youth National Climbing Team member, appeared on the Spring 2011 cover of the Gazette, this issue is loaded with fabulous WC images, all of which arrived on deadline! As is true with all amateur level sports, particularly those in their early years of development, the countless volunteer hours of family members and friends of the athletes are vital to the successful planning and execution of the competitions essential to growing that sport. In addition to the photographers’ gen‑ erously donated images, these pages also feature stories by members from Ontario to Edmonton, written about adventures experienced on mountains from Tanzania to New Zealand to the king of the Canadian Rockies, Mount Robson. Enjoy the fully-assembled puzzle!
Member initiates Gmoser Film Preservation Project by
Chic Scott
B
etween 1957 and 1968, Hans Gmoser produced ten films of mountain adventure which he then toured across North America. Many of us have wonderful memories of those presentations; Hans at the microphone dressed in his Austrian sweater, glorious ski and climbing images on the screen, and beautiful classical music in the air. For many of us, those evenings were the beginning of our long love affairs with the mountains. Soon it will be possible to relive those magic experiences. Chic Scott and Marg Saul, in partnership with the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, and with the assistance of professional
Quick draws Canada to host Youth Worlds Climbing Escalade Canada selected the Youth National Climbing Team members who will represent Canada at the World Youth Climbing Championships, taking place in Saanich, Vancouver Island, August 15 thru 19. The team’s Head Coach is Chris Neve, supported by Assistant Coach Ron Gosselin and Assistant Coaches Dūng Nguyen, Sean McColl, Stacey Weldon and Denis Mimeault. For a complete list of team members, visit www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/cec And congratulations to Marc Eveleigh, current Pan-American Youth Bouldering champion!
Canadians reach new skimo heights Revelstoke, B.C.’s Melanie Bernier capped a stellar season by teaming up with American Janelle Smiley to take fourth place in the prestigious and gruelling Pierra Menta ski mountain‑ eering team race which took place in France in March—the best ever rank‑ ing for a North American team in the race’s 27-year history. Fellow Canadian skimo team members, Andrew McNab and Reiner Thoni placed 15th in the men’s category, a top result for North American men. Read more at genuineguidegear.com .
filmmaker Will Schmidt, are digitizing and reassembling these films, just as they were 50 years ago. Hans Gmoser presented his films each year at more than 50 different venues all across North America. While the film rolled on the screen and a soundtrack of classical music played independently, Hans would personally narrate the story. All three elements came together in a remarkably seamless and beautiful production. In his films, Hans took us ski touring at Rogers Pass and the Little Yoho Valley. Together we explored the icefields along the Continental Divide and climbed the east ridge of Mount Logan in the Yukon and Mount McKinley in Alaska. We rock climbed high on Yamnuska, Mount Louis and Castle Mountain. And, of course, we were there in the Bugaboos in 1965 and ’66 for the first years of heli-skiing. All ten films are now safely stored at the Whyte Museum in Banff, as are seven of the original scripts. The films must first be transferred to a high defin‑ ition digital format, a major expense in itself. Since Hans is no longer with us to narrate the script, we have come up with a novel solution—Michael Hintringer, Hans’ nephew who lives in Canada but was born and raised in the same Austrian town where Hans grew up, and whose accent is almost identical to his uncle’s, has volunteered to narrate the scripts. For the films, to which original scripts do not exist, we are writing a commentary explaining the action, which will be nar‑ rated by Chic Scott. All of this requires many hours in a sound recording studio. Finally, music must be integrated into the show. Since much of the music that Hans used in his presentations (and which still exists on tapes in the museum) is under copyright and the original per‑ formers are difficult to identify, it will be necessary to purchase the rights to suitable music. In addition, it is our goal to interview about 15 individuals who appeared in these films, then to create additional “chapters” using these interviews, archival photos and narration to explain the story behind each film. It is all a very big job, and Will Schmidt, with 35 years’ experience
Chic Scott is leading a project to digitize ten adventure films Hans Gmoser produced in the 1950s and ’60s. p hoto Gmoser collection
producing and directing films, has been engaged to guide us through this complex process. Our budget is $106,000. To date, we have raised more than $90,000, and feel confident that we can raise the remainder. Work has begun; we have transferred the films to HD and recorded the narration for all ten films. We have begun inserting the classical music soundtrack. For a $500 donation, you too can support this project and help make Hans’ remarkable films available for viewing. For five years, these films will be avail‑ able for home personal viewing only, and will not be commercially available. For this donation you will receive a ten DVD Collectors’ Edition set PLUS a $400 income tax receipt from the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies. To learn more about this project and to view a short of highlights clip from Hans’ films visit www.whyte.org/archives/projects . For more information, please contact Chic Scott at chic_scott@hotmail.com .
facebook.com/alpineclubofcanada twitter.com/alpineclubcan Club alpin du Canada
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Hamilton WC a rockin’ success
C
anada proudly hosted its second Bouldering World Cup competition at Gravity Climbing Gym in Hamilton, Ontario over the weekend of June 1 and 2, 2013. The sixth of eight WC Bouldering competitions for the 2013 season wrapped up with Austrian power couple Anna Stöhr and Killian Fischhuber taking home gold, with top-ranked Vancouver climber Sean McColl, who won his first IFSC World Cup Bouldering competition in Slovenia in May, finishing sixth. Sixty nine of the world’s top competitive climbers descended on Hamilton from 14 countries, including Mexico, the US, Russia, Italy, Japan, Great Britain and France. Twenty Canadians, including 12 women and eight men competed in quali‑ fying rounds which took place on the Saturday, with the nail-biting semi-finals and finals thrilling the crowd on day two. For full results, visit www.ifsc-climbing.org .
Well done Team Canada!
In her final year as a youth competitor, Banff’s Elise Sethna holds the female dyno record for Canada. photo by Miguel Jette/Bonuel Photography
Canadian Bouldering Champion Sean McColl revs up the crowd—and the paparazzi. photo by David Kawai http://kawaiphoto.co
Toronto’s Ayo Supejo wowed the WC crowd and also impressed CBC Radio listeners prior to the event. photo by Miguel Jette/Bonuel Photography
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World Cup Bouldering repeat champion Anna Stöhr, from Austria, unleashes her winning power. photo by David Kawai http://kawaiphoto.co
Montreal’s Sebastien Lazure is, at any given moment, Canada’s best male competitive climber. photo by Miguel Jette/Bonuel Photography
Stacey Weldon: profile by Lynn
Martel
What was your first climbing experience? Besides trees? My first was during gymnastics class, I must have been eight or nine years old. In the dank basement of the University of Calgary there is a small cement hallway fixed with sand‑ paper-covered 2x4s and plywood cutouts. This is where I discovered that climbing walls was much more fun than gym‑ nastics. It wasn’t until a few years later, when my older brother Chris joined the Calgary Climbing Centre’s junior team that I really started climbing. I used to tag along with my mom after soccer practice to pick Chris up from the gym, and I would run to the back to play on the old A-frame. What was it that made you want to practice the sport regularly? I don’t remember any decisive moment knowing that climbing was for me, but I’ve always felt that it’s something my life can’t do without. As a youngster, doing well both indoors and outdoors definitely fuelled my desire to continue in the sport. My family also had a big influ‑ ence on me, with all three of my siblings being national team members. Climbing became, and still is, the Weldon family sport. How did you do in your first comp? How did you feel about that? I do remember my first nationals; it was in Nanaimo [B.C.]. I stepped on a bolt and got disqualified. I cried. Why have you continued to compete? I think it’s the atmosphere of competitions that brings me back every year. It’s such an amazing community, and competitions bring this community together. I love the feeling of competing, of getting in the zone. Being completely focused on the here and now seems to be a rarity in life, and I achieve it so easily in competitions—it’s addictive. What’s the most memorable experience you’ve had competing? Probably at the Bouldering World Cup in Canmore [2011]. The final quali‑ fying problem involved a balance move on slab that involved a big lunge sideways with no hand holds and catching yourself on a small foothold. I tried over and over and over, but just couldn’t stick the lunge. With the time quickly running out, I
gave it one more shot, stuck the lunge and speed bouldered to the top, matching just before the buzzer went. I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited about finishing a boulder problem. With less than a minute left I had already decided in my mind that I wasn’t going to be able to pull it off. It’s almost as if I went on auto pilot, and the next thing I knew I was at the top. I started my happy dance before I even hit the ground. What has been the biggest challenge for you as a competitive athlete? My huge list of injuries—name a joint; I’ve done something to it. Most recently an ankle injury requiring surgery put me out of commission last season. Funding is always also an issue. When I was young, the bank of Mom and Dad paid for competitions. Now everything comes out of my own pocket. What has been the biggest/most rewarding thing you’ve learned from competing? A huge part of my training growing up was mental preparation. One of the biggest things I have gained as a competi‑ tor is the ability to stay calm in stressful situations. This has definitely had benefits in my chosen career path—as a registered nurse. What’s the most memorable experience you’ve had climbing outdoors? When I think about climbing out‑ doors, hard sends and rad climbs always come second to hanging out with great friends. Some of my best climbing days have been bumbling around the forest in Squamish climbing V0s and V1s sharing laughs and adventures with friends and family. What’s the most important thing you’ve learned from climbing outdoors? That it’s important to enjoy the pro‑ cess. The send is such a small portion of the adventure, and it’s easy to lose sight of what we are doing and why we are doing it if all we can think about is reaching the goal. How do you feel about competing in a WC event in your home country? It’s so amazing to be able to represent Canada on home soil. There is something special and energizing about having a huge crowd of friends and family cheer‑ ing you on.
Stacey Weldon sets up one of her “secret weapon” heel-hooks at the TDB Canadian Nationals at Edmonton’s Rock Jungle Fitness Gym in April. photo by Pam Eveleigh www.eveleigh.biz
What have you learned from mentoring/ coaching younger climbers? I’ve learned a lot about myself and my own climbing. Teaching someone something always makes you analyze it in a different way. Climbing has become so natural for me, and going back to the basics can really help pinpoint weaknesses. Is there anything you’ve learned/ found necessary to do differently when climbing because you’re female? I have definitely learned to be clever when I don’t have the strength or power to do certain moves. My heels are my secret weapon! (heel hooks, not high heels). How do you hope to see climbing as part of your life 20, 30 years from now? I can’t imagine climbing not being a part of my life. As long as I’m still enjoy‑ ing it, I will continue to compete. There are so many places around the world I want to climb. The unlimited ability to explore new facets of the sport and to improve is what keeps me going year after year. Who has been your biggest influence/mentor, and why? I have had many over the past 16 years. Walson Tai is one of my biggest mentors. He was my first climbing coach and has continued to be a big part of my life, from spur-of-the-moment pep-talks to helping me make life decisions like “don’t go to university—go climbing.” My sister, Vikki, has always been a huge influence. She is always reminding me to “enjoy the process,” and to smile. Vikki’s passion and talent are inspirational and infectious, and I know there are times I might have given up if not for her words of wisdom. Club alpin du Canada
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Stacey Weldon : profil par Lynn
Martel
Quelle fut votre première expérience d’escalade ? À part grimper aux arbres ? Ce fut lors d’un cours de gymnastique. Je devais avoir huit ou neuf ans. Dans le sous-sol humide de l’Université de Calgary, il y a un petit corridor où l’on a mis sur les murs des deux par quatre recouverts de papier sablé et des formes découpées dans du contreplaqué. C’est là que j’ai découvert qu’il était bien plus amusant d’escalader les murs que de faire de la gymnastique. Mais ce n’est que quelques années plus tard, lorsque mon frère ainé, Chris, a joint l’équipe junior du Centre d’escalade de Calgary que j’ai réellement commencé à faire de l’escalade. J’avais pris l’habitude d’accompagner ma mère, qui allait chercher Chris au gym après l’entraînement de soccer, et là je me dépêchais d’aller m’amuser sur le vieux mur d’escalade. Qu’est-ce qui vous a donné le goût de pratiquer ce sport régulièrement ? Je ne me souviens pas d’un moment particulier où j’ai réalisé que l’escalade était pour moi, mais j’ai toujours senti que je ne pourrais m’en passer. Bien sûr, dans mon enfance, le fait d’y exceller autant à l’intérieur qu’à l’extérieur a certaine‑ ment alimenté mon désir de continuer. Mes trois frères et soeurs font partie de
l’équipe nationale. Ma famille a donc joué un rôle important dans mon désir de continuer à pratiquer ce sport. Au fil des ans, l’escalade est devenue et demeure encore le sport de la famille Weldon. Comment s’est passée votre première compétition ? Et comment vous êtes-vous sentie lors de celle-ci ? Je me rappelle de ma première compétition à l’échelle nationale. C’était à Nanaimo (sur l’Île de Vancouver). J’ai mis le pied sur un ancrage et j’ai été disquali‑ fiée. J’ai pleuré. Et pourquoi avez-vous continué à faire de la compétition ? Je pense que c’est l’atmosphère qui règne aux compétitions qui m’y ramène chaque année. Elles rassemblent une communauté de gens vraiment excep‑ tionnels. De plus, j’aime le sentiment que me procure la compétition, l’impres‑ sion de me retrouver dans une zone très spéciale. Dans la vie, on arrive rarement à se concentrer sur le moment présent, sur le « ici et maintenant », mais lors des compétitions j’y arrive très facilement. C’est un sentiment auquel on devient accro. Quelle est l’expérience la plus extraordinaire que vous ayez vécue en compétition ? C’est sans doute la Coupe mondiale
de bloc de Canmore de 2011. Le problème final de qualification comprenait un mou‑ vement de balancement sur une dalle qui demandait un long jeté, sans les mains, où l’on devait se rattraper sur un petit appui. J’ai essayé encore et encore, mais je n’y arrivais pas. Il restait peu de temps, alors j’ai fait une nouvelle tentative. J’ai réussi à faire le saut et j’ai grimpé à toute vitesse jusqu’au sommet du bloc, où je suis arrivée juste avant la sonnerie de fin de parcours. Je pense que je n’ai jamais été aussi excitée de terminer un problème de bloc. Comme il ne restait qu’une minute, je m’étais faite à l’idée que je n’y arriverais pas. Et alors que je montais presque en mode de pilote automatique, j’ai soudain réalisé que j’étais rendue au sommet. J’ai commencé ma petite danse de la joie avant même de toucher le sol ! Quel a été votre plus grand défi en tant qu’athlète de compétition ? La très longue liste de mes blessures. Nommez une articulation et vous verrez que je l’ai blessée. Récemment, une bles‑ sure à une cheville exigeant une chirurgie m’a obligée à abandonner la dernière saison de compétition. Le financement représente aussi un problème. Quand j’étais jeune, la banque Maman et Papa défrayait les compétitions. Mais mainten‑ ant, je paie tout moi-même.
National volunteer awards
Prix nationaux pour bénévoles
T
F
he 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 2012. A description of the recipi‑ ents’ accomplishments can be found on the ACC’s website at www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/awards/recent.html .
élicitations aux bénévoles dévoués, mentionnés ci-dessous, qui furent reconnus pour leurs contributions exception‑ nelles au Club Alpin du Canada en 2012, tant au niveau national qu’au niveau des sections. Une description des réalisations des récipindaires est disponible sur le site web du CAC au www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/awards/recent.html .
Silver Rope for Leadership. Awarded to Club members who display excellence in leadership and technical ability in mountaineer‑ ing and ski mountaineering, the award for 2012 was presented to: Dr. Don Morton, Vancouver Island Section President's Award. A special award to recognize extraordinary services to the Alpine Club of Canada, the President’s Award for 2012 was presented to: Association of Canadian Mountain Guides Reverend George B Kinney (posthumous) Andrew (Andy) Williams
Don Forest Service Award. Presented in recognition of sig‑ nificant service to the ACC, the Don Forest Award for 2012 was presented to: Catrin Brown, Vancouver Island Section Tak Ogasawara, Vancouver Island Section Heather McCrank, Calgary 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). 8 Alpine Club of Canada
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Quelle fut la plus grande récompense ou la chose la plus importante que vous ayez retirée de la compétition ? Depuis le début, la préparation psych‑ ologique occupe une place cruciale dans mon entraînement. J’ai ai retiré un avan‑ tage très important, à savoir la capacité de rester calme face aux situations stres‑ santes. Cela s’est avéré très utile dans mon choix de carrière en tant qu’infirmière autorisée. Quelle est votre expérience la plus mémorable en escalade extérieure ? Quand je pense à l’escalade extérieure, le plaisir des ascensions difficiles et des montées abruptes vient toujours après celui d’être avec de bons amis. Mes plus belles journées d’escalades consistent à passer du temps en forêt à Squamish et à grimper des parois V0 et V1 en parta‑ geant rires et aventures avec les famille et les amis. Qu’avez-vous appris de plus important lors de vos escalades extérieures ? Qu’il est important d’avoir du plaisir à grimper. L’ascension représente une si petite partie de l’aventure, et le but à atteindre peut facilement nous faire perdre de vue le sens et le but de ce que l’on fait. Que ressentez-vous à l’idée de participer à un événement de la Coupe du monde dans votre pays ? C’est tellement fantastique de pouvoir représenter le Canada ici, chez moi ! Il sera à la fois unique et extrêmement énergisant de pouvoir recevoir les encour‑ agements de toute la foule des parents et des amis. Qu’est-ce que vos activités de mentor et d’entraîneur vous ont appris ? Elles m’ont appris beaucoup de choses sur moi-même et sur ma façon de faire de l’escalade. L’enseignement d’une disci‑ pline permet de l’analyser sous un angle différent. L’escalade est devenue pour moi une seconde nature; le fait de revenir à la base m’aide vraiment à identifier mes faiblesses. Y a-t-il des choses que vous avez appris à faire différemment parce que vous êtes une femme lorsque vous grimpez? J’ai sûrement appris à grimper avec sagesse quand je n’ai pas la force ou la puissance nécessaires pour effectuer cer‑ tains mouvements. Mes talons sont mon
arme secrète (les appuis sur talon, pas les talons hauts!). Comment voyez-vous la place qu’occupera l’escalade dans votre vie dans 20 ou 30 ans? Je ne peux imaginer ma vie sans l’esca‑ lade. Tant que j’aurai du plaisir à le faire, je vais continuer à faire de la compétition. Il y a tellement d’endroits que je veux escalader à travers le monde. Ce qui me motive d’année en année, c’est la capacité illimitée d’explorer de nouvelles facettes de ce sport, tout en m’améliorant. Qui a exercé pour vous la plus grande influence, qui fut votre mentor, et pourquoi ? J’ai eu plusieurs mentors au cours des 16 dernières années. Walson Tai est l’un des plus importants. Il a été mon premier entraîneur d’escalade et il continue à jouer un rôle de premier plan dans ma vie, que ce soit par ses mots d’encouragement spontanés ou par ses conseils qui ont influencé des décisions fondamentales, comme « ne vas pas à l’université, fais de l’escalade ». Ma sœur Vikki a toujours
Stacey Weldon unlocks the sequence of moves during the qualifying round at the Bouldering World Cup at Hamilton, Ontario’s Gravity Climbing Gym in June. photo by Pam Eveleigh www.eveleigh.biz
exercé une immense influence sur moi. Elle me rappelle constamment de « m’amuser en grimpant » et de sourire. La passion et le talent de Vikki sont à la fois inspirants et contagieux, et je sais qu’il y a des moments où, sans sa sagesse, j’aurais peut-être abandonné.
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Ski Touring, Mt. Shuksan © Grant Gunderson
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Mount Robson centennial exhibit unveiled by Lynn
Martel
M
ount Robson is a mountain, and a place, of many rich stories. And the stories associated with the area’s earliest human history are just the ones Zac Robinson gathered to create a brand new exhibit for the Mount Robson Provincial Park (MRPP) visitors centre’s museum. Robinson, University of Alberta assistant professor in the phys ed and recreation department, collaborated with his colleague, history professor Liza Piper, MRPP senior Park Ranger Hugo Mulyk and Val Kerr, a MRPP interpreter, to plan two large-scale museum panels to be unveiled this summer. The panels were designed and created by Suzan Chamney, who also designs the ACC Gazette and Canadian Alpine Journal. The exhibit’s addition to the museum helps celebrate the centennial of legendary native Austrian guide Conrad Kain’s historical ascent of the Rockies’ highest peak, 3,954-metre Mount Robson, and also the designation of 224,866 hectare Mount Robson Provincial Park, both of which happened in 1913. Kain climbed Robson’s east face (now the Kain Face) with W.W. “Billy” Foster, who served as ACC President from 1920 to 1924, and Albert “Mack” MacCarthy, a prominent ACC and American Alpine Club member. Their ascent took place
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during a special Mount Robson camp organized by the ACC, whose attendees arrived at Yellowhead Pass via the newly completed Grand Trunk Northern Railway. Covering one long wall and half of a second, the exhibit will complement existing displays focussing on the ecology, biology and natural history of the Mount Robson area, and the story of the park’s UNESCO designation in 1990 as part of the Canadian Rocky Mountains World Heritage Site. The new text and historical images describe those who have been a part of the area’s history for centuries, including early explorers, fur traders, map-makers, railway surveyors, outfitters, and the activities and contributions of the First Nations peoples. “We really wanted to highlight the long human history of the area,” said Robinson, himself of Métis descent. “First Nations peoples, for example, have been moving through the Robson and Yellowhead Pass area for centuries. They knew it well. The low elevation of the Pass made it an important travel route for various peoples from across the country.” Creation of the new exhibit was made possible thanks to funding from BC Parks, the ACC, the University of Alberta and the Network in Canadian History and Environment (http://niche-canada.org/research).
Alpinist magazine generously allowed the reproduction of route lines drawn on images of Robson’s four faces from their Issue #29. “It has been a pleasure to be involved with this project as we had been develop‑ ing ideas for the anniversary celebrations for a few years,” Mulyk said. “At my first discussion with Zac I knew we were on the same wavelength and the end result would be something we would be very proud of. I hope this display will provide a snapshot of the history of the park for visitors to the area, celebrate our pioneers and their sometimes amazing feats, and provide special meaning and recognition for residents of the Robson Valley, many who have historical ties to this park and area.” As a member of the ACC’s Mountain Culture Committee—and also the Club’s VP for Activities—Robinson said the ACC was especially keen to commemorate its involvement. The ACC has been a strong advocate for the park since its earliest days. As an academic historian—not to mention an active mountaineer—Robinson said he’s interested in “the values people have invested in these places, and how they change over time.” “We wanted to get that across—the multitude of investments—in order to show just how important these places have been, and still are, to so many people,
whether it’s tourists or locals, labourers or adventure seekers, etcetera,” he said. Among the area’s numerous colourful characters, the Overlanders comprised a “parade of bumbling Easterners” lured by the promise of the Cariboo Gold Rush in the 1860s. They, like so many visitors to the region in the 19th century, hired aboriginal guides. One such guide, who purportedly made 29 trips through the pass, claimed to have seen the top of the great “Snowcap” or “Cloud Cap Mountain” just once. For all the names the mountain was already known by, Robinson said, the precise origin of “Robson” remains unknown. “It’s amazing, we have all these beautiful names for the mountain, like Yuh-hai-has-kun, a Shuswap name mean‑ ing Mountain of the Spiral Road, and yet nobody knows where Robson came from with any certainty,” Robinson said. The earliest written mention is found in a document dating back to 1862/63, by a pair of tourists, Viscount Milton and Dr. Walter Cheadle on their cross-con‑ tinent trip, recorded in a book titled The Northwest Passage by Land. In a book the mountain is referred to as “Robson’s Peak,” perhaps indicating it was named for a person. Another prominent early figure was a Métis trader, Pierre Bostonais, who ran a small trading post at the confluence of the Robson and
Fraser rivers around 1820. Bostonais was well-known for his shock of blond hair, which led to the naming of Tête Jaune, which, translated from French, means yellowhead. Robson also has its share of darker stories, such as the period during the Second World War when interned Canadians of Japanese descent were put to work constructing the road over the pass. Along with the new museum exhibit, centennial celebrations taking place at Mount Robson this summer include a special ACC camp where, for the first time in decades, the Club will host a Board meeting, reminiscent of early meetings held at annual ACC camps. Representatives of the New Zealand and Austrian alpine clubs will attend, and a couple of mountain guides will do their best to facilitate a Robson centennial ascent if conditions cooperate. Members of the Conrad Kain Centennial Society will also run a weeklong camp for teens from Kain’s home area of B.C.’s Columbia Valley. Parks Canada’s Mountain WHIT theatre will perform their Conrad Kain biographical play at Berg Lake for campers in the area. When asked if he’d climbed the Monarch of the Rockies, Robinson replied he had. “We climbed the Kain Route back in... 2002, maybe? It was August; it’d been warm. So we climbed the face at night, and got treated to northern lights and a sunrise on the summit. It was really beautiful.” To learn about various Robson centennial events being hosted by BC Parks, including public presentations by Barry Blanchard, Chic Scott and Bob Sandford, visit www.env.gov.bc.ca/ bcparks Read more about the Mount Robson centennial events in the Fall/Winter issue of the Gazette.
Celebrate the Centennial of Mount Robson Provincial Park
Club alpin du Canada
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2013 11
Resplendent ski ascent: surprises and selflessness by Jeff
I
Beaudry
knew there was something there—or more precisely, not there. There was the telltale subtle depression in the snow beneath the rope in front of me. My partner had made it across without a word. But there I was, entirely unprepared for the feeling that was to come. As my feet postholed through wind-crusted snow I felt the strange sensation of… nothing, but still a chilling feeling of air beneath my feet. Simultaneously, there was an uncomfortable sensation of stom‑ ach wrenching emptiness and chills down my spine. And then calm; my weight was supported by something, but definitely not my feet, as they were dog-paddling in an unseen void. Something was holding me from plummeting into an icy dark unknown. Stay calm; crawl on. Back to being an infant, I crawled my way through the snow. It wasn’t the first time, and surely not the last, to be humbled by this place; this place I love. Like so many adventures, it started bleary-eyed in the late-night glow of the Internet as I meticulously combed through each of the Alpine Club of
Eileen (left) and Val Hunsaker navigate seracs on the left side of Robson Glacier, Extinguisher Tower in the background. photo by Frank Spears
Mark Isaacs admires the sunset on the north face of Robson. p hoto by Andi Hasler
Canada sections’ calendars. I was des‑ perate for some escape from an Ontario pseudo-winter. And there it was—the Prince George Section’s ski ascent of Mount Resplendent. Maybe I could convince the organizer to let me on. Maybe I had the reward miles for the flight. Maybe I could convince my wife to let me go. Maybe the weather would be OK. Maybe the avalanche hazard would be reasonable. I do love it when a plan comes together, but shit! Now there was no excuse out of this. O-nine-hundred Friday morning in late March and I found myself meeting up with half of our seven-person team at the Berg Lake trailhead in B.C.’s Mount Robson Provincial Park. The weather didn’t look fantastic, with clouds covering most of Robson, but the forecast was good. So we set off; skinning up the trail, crossing Kinney Lake and up the Valley of a Thousand Falls, daydreaming of all the ice lines begging to be climbed. Eight hours later we arrived at the Hargreaves shelter. It was a full house: seven in our group and six snowshoers. The shelter hut doesn’t have great sleeping accommoda‑ tions, with only one bench along the wall, but it does have tons of space for drying gear and three picnic tables. And yes, a wood stove! With overnight temperatures barely dipping below freezing, sleeping outside was a treat. Three of our team had skied in two days earlier and had already reconnoitered up to Extinguisher Tower. This sure paid
off when we started at 4 a.m. as they led us effortlessly across the gravel flats and up the valley to the toe of the Robson Glacier. With my headlamp off, Robson towered above, glistening in the moon‑ light. Later, as we skirted the glacier, chunks of blue ice illuminated by our lights glowed like giant blue jewels. I was filled with childish awe. This was big country. Distances were stretched beyond perception. I felt so small and so content. I was so happy to be with this group of experienced skiers on this well-organized trip. This was one of those moments that sticks with you, and to be honest, it continued as we ascended. Of course, it was interrupted by discomforts as I overheated and then cooled over and over, and as everything seemed to grow heavier as we gained altitude. But any physical sensation was dwarfed by the towering formations of snow and ice around us, and then completely blown away by the winds as we gained the Robson-Resplendent col. The sky was blue, but the wind was relentlessly dis‑ couraging any thoughts of stopping for a picnic. I don’t think I was alone in feeling that way, as our steady pace continued and everyone efficiently traded skis for crampons for the final steeper stretch to the top. There, the crevasses really started to open up and I was grateful for the experienced partners attached to my rope. I won’t pretend they weren’t a big factor in my staying calm as my feet dangled into that unknown. It was great to have
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this seasoned team work our way through these potential pitfalls. And it was great as each of us took our turn standing on the incredibly corniced summit. But what was even greater was what would happen the next day. Descending, we wound our way back across the crevassed summit ridge, skied roped to below the col, then took our turns skiing down the immense route we had just climbed—all the way back to the hut, and all in a fraction of the time it had taken to ascend. The next day we were supposed to get up early and ski back to the trailhead before the snow turned to a slushy mess. The only thing was two snowshoers were overdue since the night before. They had been spotted in the night descending a cliff band by headlamp. They didn’t have overnight gear, and they weren’t back as the sun rose. Upon hearing they hadn’t returned, our team literally jumped out of bed and began organizing with the remaining snowshoers to go and have a look. Everyone pitched in: hot drinks were made, first aid gear was rounded up, warm clothes were prepared, rappel
gear organized and we headed back up. Thankfully the snowshoers were quickly located at the top of a cliff band and were in remarkably good shape. Three of us climbed up to them prepared for the worst and found them only in need of being pointed in the right direction. They descended off the steep terrain to the valley below.
Things can happen to any of us out here. This was a reminder to me of how easy it is to get into trouble, and how important it is to be prepared for that. And it was an honour to share this place with such selfless kindred spirits. It was—a great trip! Jeff Beaudry is an Ottawa Section member.
From left, Jeff Beaudry, Mark Isaacs, Frank Spears, Eileen Hunsaker and Val Hunsaker approach the summit ridge of Mount Resplendent. p hoto by Andi Hasler
Climbin’ Kili ain’t no gimme
Yes, Virginia, there is a glacier on the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. photo by Mark Andreassen by
I
Margaret Imai-Compton
know climbers die on mountains. I know high altitude climbing can be risky. I know there’s a delicate dance between proper acclimatization and potential death. What I didn’t know is that on a stunningly brilliant morning, when all was right in my world and I was closing in on the summit of Kilimanjaro, I’d have to detour around a dead climber. The lone climber was recently deceased when our team came upon the “situation” at Stella Point, about an hour’s trek from Uhuru Peak, the highest point on Kilimanjaro (5,895 metres). Ben Jones, our Alpine Ascents lead guide, and our Tanzanian guiding team skillfully steered our team higher up the crater rim and away from the site of the tragedy. We learned later it was a lone Japanese climber with a Tanzanian guide. How could this have happened? Brian McCrindle, my fellow Alpine Club of Canada friend on the trip who is a pediatric cardiologist, guessed High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE) or High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE). Or maybe it was a significant breakdown in communication? How does Japanese get translated into Swahili in a panic situation? Or maybe the Tanzanian guide was trying to turn back a stubborn climber who was determined to climb through his physical distress? Whatever the reason, it seemed unjust that he should die so close to his objective, the “Roof of Africa.” As one of the coveted Seven Summits (the highest peak on each of the seven continents), Kilimanjaro is commonly 14 Alpine Club of Canada
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described as a “walk in the sky” by non-climbers. “It’s basically a hike, isn’t it? I’ve heard you walk a trail all the way to the top.” Truthfully, I shared this belief and assumed it would be a relatively benign trek; after all, I’d been higher than 6,000 metres on technical climbs elsewhere in the world, so how could Kilimanjaro possibly pose a problem? I remembered Alpine Ascents’ description of the Kilimanjaro expedition in their briefing package. “Kilimanjaro, at 19,344' is an extreme, high altitude climb and is perhaps the most underestimated of the seven summits. The most frequent
comment we have received over the years is that climbers have underestimated the fitness level needed to fully enjoy their trip.” Of the 15,000 annual Kili summit aspirants, fewer than 45 per cent actually reach Uhuru Peak. But, of the 11 members in our team, appropriately named The Lucky Charms, the success rate was 100 per cent. It wasn’t that we were a par‑ ticularly elite or athletic team, but rather that Alpine Ascents uses the Machame Route, which takes six days for the trek, while the more popular routes such as the Marangu or Coca-Cola routes are accomplished in four and a half days. The difference of 36 hours of additional acclimatization on the mountain, plus the fact that the Machame Route includes a “climb high, sleep low” day in the itiner‑ ary, accounts for their spectacular success rate; about 95 per cent of Alpine Ascents’ clients reach the summit. What makes Kilimanjaro difficult (and deadly) is the rapid rate of eleva‑ tion gain and the ability (or not) of the body to acclimatize sufficiently without suffering serious consequences such as Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) or the dreaded edema—cerebral or pulmonary edema. From start to summit on most routes, the elevation gain is approximately 4,900 metres over four days (standard routes) or five and a half days (Machame
Margaret Imai-Compton salutes the world from Africa’s summit. photo by Ben Jones
route). The rapid rate of ascent is typically what thwarts the 55 per cent of summit trekkers who turn back at various points on the mountain. When you bring 11 people of both genders ranging in age from 29 to 69 with varying degrees of experience in the outdoors together on expedition, team dynamics can be tricky, even at the best of times. But with only six days together on Kilimanjaro, The Lucky Charms—our team of three Canadians, eight Americans and our guide Ben Jones—cared for each other in a deeply profound way that forged lasting friendships. It began first with a few of us having upset tummies which quickly produced offers of probiotic pills, Ciproflaxin and Imodium from teammates. Then head‑ aches and nausea became a common ailment on the second and third days, so the group cache of Advil, Gravol and ginger candy was shared liberally in the dining tent. By mid-week, some of us were weakening from lack of appetite and continuing tummy problems, so electro‑ lytes and hot power drinks were passed from tent to tent. And as one steri-pen after another ran low on batteries, those still working were quickly pressed into service to treat the team’s drinking water. I believe the spirit of generosity and care, of looking out FOR each other, and looking AFTER each other, was the real reason for our team’s success. Our Tanzanian guides and support team provided security and comfort for the trip by doing the heavy lifting, but most importantly, they fuelled our morale. Kilimanjaro Africa’s Highest Mountain 5895 m / 19340 ft.
Upon arriving at each night’s camp, the 50 porters, cooks and guides greeted us with joyous singing and dancing, which energized and encouraged us at the end of each day. On summit day, at 1:30 a.m., as we started out from Kosovo high camp bracing ourselves against battering winds, we were startled to hear our lead Tanzanian guide singing. Then, one after another coming from the blackness of the night, deep rich baritones harmonized in an intricate Swahili chorus that envel‑ oped us with warmth and optimism as we headed upwards in the dark. Back in Canada, I hear the adage about Kilimanjaro being “just” a hike in the sky, so when I talk to people about my adventure, I tell them, “climbin’ Kili ain’t no gimme. It was harder than I expected, but I wouldn’t take back any of it.” Margaret Imai-Compton is an ACC Toronto Section member who contributes stories to the Gazette regularly.
Trekkers, porters and guides hike through the Moorlands (sub-alpine region) between 3,400 and 4,000 metres on Kilimanjaro. photo by Mark Andreassen
New ACC Board members announced
A
big thank you goes out to all Alpine Club of Canada members who took the time to vote for their favourite candidate to serve as the Club’s first Vice President for Sections. Thanks also go to former ACC President Ken Hewitt and Yamnuska Adventures’ owner Len Youden for acting as independent tellers. And finally, really big thanks go to Elfrieda Bock and Sandy Walker for contributing the effort it took for them to run for the position, and congratulations to Sandy Walker, who won the election. Also, congratulations and thanks go to Jasper/Hinton Section member Wayne Campbell for agreeing to serve as Vice President Access & Environment. Congratulations also to Honorary President David Toole.
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Gazette
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2013 15
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Margaret and Bruce Fraser soak in the splendour of Fairy Meadow. Fraser collection photo
What my ACC means to me by
Bruce Fraser
W
ith more than 60 years of membership, the Alpine Club of Canada has been a major influence in my life. I moved to Calgary in 1951 from Toronto and joined the Calgary Section in 1953 where I was welcomed into the mountaineering community. Over the next few decades, I developed skills and confidence and met some of the most remarkable people of what I consider the “Golden Age of Canadian Mountaineering.” I climbed with many of the people who are now considered icons of the ACC: Bob Hind, Jim Tarrant, Rex Gibson, Hans Gmoser, Kiwi Gallagher, Ferdl Taxbock, Glen Boles and Don Forest, to name a few, and one young lady, Margaret Stather, who became my wife and lifelong friend. The Club has meant many things to me over the years. It was once described as “a seething hotbed of romance,” as many lifelong partnerships developed. Most of my friends I met through the ACC. It also continues to amaze me as it has the ability to reinvent itself, devel‑ oping from the staid old reputation it once had as the “Old Boys Club” into a vibrant, ever-changing organization that embraces change and new techniques. Its Clubhouse, Canadian Alpine Centre and the alpine huts must be the envy of the worldwide mountain community. The 18 Alpine Club of Canada
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Summer 2013
current variety of opportunities to explore new ideas and to attend an immense var‑ iety of programs is a tribute to the many hundreds of people who continue to invest their time, talent and enthusiasm in support of this great organization. Here is my ACC story... Fresh from Toronto, I needed to meet people. As I was interested in outdoor activities due to some exposure through church camps such as Camp Artaban on Lake Simcoe in Ontario, I joined the Youth Hostel Association [now Hostelling International], and there met Marjory Bugler (later Marjory Hind), who was a member of both the ACC and
the YHA. I joined the HA in 1952 and the ACC in 1953. I tried trips with the Hostellers—hiking and cycling. Later I was introduced to a climbing trip to Banff with the ACC’s Calgary Section. Unfortunately it rained and we weren’t able to do any mountains, but we did some rock climbing. I thought it was scary, but fun, and the people seemed really interesting. For my first big ACC trip, I was invited to join a week’s climbing in the Bugaboos with Bob Hind, Jim Tarrant, Jo Kato and Hal Worrall. I’d been quite active climbing with the Calgary Section the summer of 1953 and was thrilled to be invited with these experienced people. This was an amazing adventure as the truck hired to take us up to the Bugaboos had to drive through two feet of water in the Columbia Valley, which was flooded. The truck was unable to get as far as the old hut near where Bugaboo Lodge is located and we had to pack huge packs from below Bugaboo Falls up to the camping meadows where Conrad Kain Hut now sits. There was much snow, and finding open space for our tents was diffi‑ cult. We climbed Crescent Spire, Pigeon Spire and were stormed off Bugaboo Spire just below the gendarme crux. After the Bugaboos, I attended the 1954 ACC General Mountaineering Camp at Ice River valley where I climbed Martins Peak, Zinc Mountain and Mount Ennis, and attended some ice and rock schools. I was hooked! My most memorable climb was the Northwest Arête of Mount Sir Donald in B.C.’s Glacier National Park, which I
Bruce Fraser’s contributions to the ACC include: ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●●
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Served on Calgary Section Executive 1956, 1959, 1960; as Chair 1961, 1966 and 1973. Chair of ACC Ski Camp Committee and ran camps at Stanley Mitchell Hut/ Little Yoho, 1966; Tonquin Valley/Wates-Gibson Hut, 1967. Organized inaugural Family Camp, Wheeler Hut, 1971; attended 1974 Little Yoho Family Camp with his five children. Organized and ran Hermit Meadows Climbing Camp, 1977. Camps Committee Chair, 1981. Attended 18 GMCs as amateur rope leader between 1954 and 1988, including the Club’s 50th anniversary camp in Glacier National Park, 1956; the French Military Group, 1964, where he received the Silver Rope Award for Leadership; the Steele Glacier Centennial Camp, Yukon, 1967; and the Vowell Glacier Camp, 1982, where he was also Camp Manager. Distinguished Service Award, 1982.
have done three times; once at the 1956 General Mountaineering Camp with Hans Gmoser, once with ACC President Roger Neave and once with Calgary Section member Ernie Kinsey. The latter two climbs I led alternate pitches. The last two trips we downclimbed the same route. My most terrifying experience was almost next door, being stormed off Eagle Peak in a violent thunderstorm when I was leading two ropes up the North Ridge. Over the years, most of my climbing with the ACC has been as a volunteer and invited amateur leader to the GMC. I organized three winter ski camps and one family camp. I’ve served on climbing committees, hut committees, hut and Clubhouse work parties and have been a hut keeper at several ACC huts. From these trips, and through my membership with the ACC, I learned a great deal about patience and how to pace myself. I also learned to obey my gut feelings when it felt like the time to turn back before the summit when time and conditions dictated. I think it reasonable to say that my association with the ACC and the people I met through it have shaped my entire life. I am very pleased to have the oppor‑ tunity to express what membership has meant to me. Bruce climbs high on Bugaboo Spire’s classic Kain route in 1958. Fraser collection photo
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ACC Grants awarded in 2013
T
he Alpine Club of Canada is pleased to award more than $13,700 in grants this year to a number of worthy mountain-related projects. The Environment Fund is divided between: ●● Ryan Scanlon for his project that aims to recreate the historic mass balance of Robertson Glacier in Kananaskis Country, Alberta Rockies. ●● Peter Wood (Vancouver Section) for his project titled Saving the Flathead Bioblitz, Flathead River southeast B.C. The Jen Higgins Memorial Fund is divided between: ●● Emelie Stenberg (member from Revelstoke, B.C.), Holly Walker and Vince Shuley (both Whistler Section) for their Flow of the Fedenchenko Expedition. ●● Amelie Goulet-Boucher (Rocky Mountain Section) and Andrea Eitle (Calgary Section) for their Climbing in Chile’s “Lost City of Gold” trip to the Cochamo Valley, Chile. The Jim Colpitts Memorial Fund assists young people in pursuit of mountain-related training courses such as avalanche training, wilderness first aid, rock/crevasse rescue, mountain leadership training and ACMG training. Applicants between the ages of 17 and 24 can apply for up to $500. This year’s fund is shared by Marilyn Morand (Golden, B.C.) and Bianca Lavoie-Mallette (Rocky Mountain Section), $500 each. The Karl Nagy Memorial Award is granted to aspiring guides and amateur leaders in alternating years. The award consists of a trip to the Club’s General Mountaineering Camp, where the award recipient is able to shadow and learn from full mountain guides. This year’s award is presented to Rocky Mountain Section member and ACMG assistant ski guide, Olivia Sofer. To learn more about the ACC’s financial grants and awards, visit www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/grants/index.html Club alpin du Canada
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2013 19
New Zealand a trip to Middle Earth by
Bibiana Cujec
T
he email came in May, 2012 from my friend Helen Sovdat, an ACMG guide. “Zac Robinson is going to New Zealand in February 2013 to do research on Otto Frind’s trip there in 1913. He is going to do some climbing in the Mount Cook area. Do you want to come?” I immediately said yes and started planning my schedule to have the time off work. Ultimately, we were a group of seven Alpine Club of Canada members: our guide Helen Sovdat, mountain his‑ torian and ACC VP for Activities Zac Robinson, Helen’s long-time climbing partner Marg Saul, Winnipeg geologist Len Chackowsky, Montreal astrophysicist David Hanna, Prince George community medicine professor Josée Lavoie, and me, a cardiologist from Edmonton. Since it would be too late in the season to attempt Aoraki-Mount Cook, our plan was to climb Mount Aspiring, a Matterhorn-like peak that, at 3,027 metres, is the highest in the southern Alps outside of the Aoraki-Mount Cook region. We would then trek (or “tramp” as New Zealanders call it) in the Mount Cook area. On the 14-hour flight from Vancouver to Auckland we were welcomed to “Middle Earth,” compliments of Air New Zealand, by characters from The Hobbit who appeared in the airline’s very entertaining safety video. After a rigorous
check (and washing!) of our boots and tents by officials on arrival, we connected to Queenstown on the South Island. There we rented a van and Len drove us to our base hotel in Wanaka with Marg watching carefully lest he forget to drive on the “wrong side.” After we shopped for food supplies, Zac and Helen visited the Department of Conservation (DOC) to register our itinerary and reserve hut spaces. Thanks to our ACC memberships, we received a significant discount—half price huts! The DOC, similar in mis‑ sion to Parks Canada, has the motto “Conservation for Prosperity.” The next day we drove to Mount Aspiring National Park. The scenery was idyllic, with tidy farms in a long valley where sheep on the road moved away slowly to allow the van through. We took a helicopter to Bevan Col (1,851 metres) on the edge of the park and trekked across Bonar Glacier to the Colin Todd Hut (1,800 metres), a small metal struc‑ ture not unlike the ACC’s Balfour Hut, and one of 950 maintained by the New Zealand Alpine Club and the DOC. At the hut we were welcomed by Henri, a transplanted German woman with a Kiwi accent who was traversing the Southern Alps solo. We also met our first kea, a colourful parrot that, much like Canadian ravens, is a clever scavenger and trickster. After a two-hour shakedown
A cheeky kea investigates a backpack outside Colin Todd hut. p hoto by Marg Saul
excursion where we put a track in the snow/ice ramp from the hut to the begin‑ ning of the Aspiring route, we returned to the hut in time to catch the evening radio call from the ranger at Aspiring Hut in the valley. She routinely checked up on all the people in the nearby huts, asking their plans for the next day and delivering a weather forecast. Our group was soon known as “Zek’s party of sex,” ( Josée joined us later). A storm moved in overnight, keeping us in our bunks until the following afternoon. The evening forecast featured “a high pressure system lies across the land” followed by “weather tomorrow will be fine.” It was time to climb to Mount Aspiring, also known by its Maori name Tititea—Glistening Peak. Leaving the hut at 4:30 a.m., we fol‑ lowed our glacier track using headlamps to climb the long low-angle northwest rock ridge, then cramponed up steep snow to the summit under brilliant blue
From left, Zac Robinson, Helen Sovdat, David Hanna, Bibiana Cujec, Len Chackowsky and Josée Lavoie take a sun-lube break en route to Mount Sealy, Mount Cook in the background on the right. p hoto by Marg Saul
skies. On the summit snow cap, we met Tony, a Kiwi guide who was descending quickly on his own behind his two cli‑ ents who were roped together. When we questioned this guiding technique, he wryly replied, “It’s too dangerous to be roped to clients.” He then explained that they were on an instructional course. He had a typical Kiwi sense of humour; when his client asked him the next day what the plan was, he replied cryptically, “It shall all become clear to you in due course.” The following day we crossed the Bonar Glacier to Quarterdeck Pass (2,306 metres) and descended to the French Ridge Hut (1,426 metres). Along the way, we spotted the rare and terrifying Manitoba gargoyle (Len, naked, in a squatting position with tongue stuck out). The fabled gargoyle was known to only make rare appearances at the ACC’s GMC, so this really was a sight—a New Zealand first! The final day saw us reach the valley floor after two hours on a very steep track through a “jungle” where we resorted to using branches and roots as holds. After a day in Wanaka replenishing our supplies and doing laundry, we drove three hours north to Mount Cook Village. The views of Mount Sefton and Aoraki-Mount Cook were impres‑ sive—steep glaciated faces with frequent rumbling from serac fall and small avalanches. The following day we hiked up a steep trail, with 1,800 steps on the first half, to the Mueller Hut (1,800 metres). Josée commented that this was harder than any day on her recent (successful) Aconcagua trip. The hut was fully occupied, mostly by tourists in lightweight hiking shoes there to photograph the sunrise over Mount Cook. We set up our tents outside the hut and were able to use its facilities. The sky at night in the southern hemisphere is a visual feast, lit up with a multitude of stars. We kept the tent fly open and gazed at the Milky Way and Magellanic clouds. The next day we traversed boulders, scree and glaciers and front-pointed up a steep snow pitch to Mount Sealy’s 2,627-metre summit. The following day we descended with aching knees, limping back to Mount Cook Village.
From left, Marg Saul, Len Chackowsky, Zac Robinson, David Hanna and Bibiana Cujec show off big smiles on the summit of Mount Aspiring. p hoto by Helen Sovdat
Our final trip in the area was a twoday traverse up the Hooker Valley, over Ball Pass (2,120 metres) and down the Tasman Valley. With barely a trail over the pass navigation was difficult, but, thanks to Helen and Zac, we made it up the right couloir and rocky ledges. The views were incredible—clouds rolling off the Tasman Sea and forming halos around peaks and ridges, glaciated peaks and small alpine meadows. Our camp‑ site near the Caroline Hut, opposite its namesake face on Mount Cook, was spectacular. Back in Wanaka, we said goodbye to New Zealand, a beautiful mountain country with kind people who appreciate nature and have a wonderful sense of humour. Like any voyage of discovery, the people you travel with really enhance the experience.
A rare Manitoba gargoyle (aka Len Chackowsky) strikes a pose on the glacier below Quarterdeck Pass. p hoto by Zac Robinson
Club alpin du Canada
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2013 21
Members launch mountain fiction publisher by Lynn
O
Martel
n the heels of his Boardman Tasker Prize-nominated debut novel, Hooker & Brown, Jerry Auld submitted his second manuscript, a collection of short stories, to his publisher. And while the feedback was positive, Auld said it was apparent the mountain fiction genre was a small niche to fit into. “With the mountain community and the mountain audience, I knew this book had to be distributed not to a broad and shallow market, but to a narrow, deep and personal one,” Auld said. “Even my publisher said ‘maybe there’s a better home for this book.’ Nobody is doing mountain fiction.” But necessity, they say, is the mother of invention. Several years ago, Auld and fellow Alpine Club of Canada member Dustin Lynx, also a writer, were sharing beers at Canmore’s Georgetown Inn as part of a regular gathering of mountain writers. “It was something akin to a literary Fight Club,” Lynx explained. “We met at the Georgetown, not in the parking lot to fight it out, but inside. The only rules were that it had to be fiction and you had to be ready to read it out loud.” One night—possibly a dark and stormy one—unbeknownst to the writers, a gentleman was sitting within earshot. “He enjoyed the stories so much that he approached Jerry afterwards and asked when we met and if he could listen in,” Lynx recalled. “He was too old to be
interested in joining the club, but he was greatly amused by what he had heard.” The man, a part-time Canmore resident who prefers privacy, had eavesdropped on the group on several occasions. After the release of Hooker & Brown, the man took Auld aside and told him he would love to read more stories in the same genre of mountain fiction. Auld assured him he’d love to oblige, but explained there were no publishers in North America focussing on the moun‑ tain fiction genre. “There is now,” replied the man, who then pledged financial backing should Auld be interested in starting such a company. After much discussion—and mug lift‑ ing—Auld and Lynx settled on a suitable name: Imaginary Mountain Surveyors. Incorporated in 2012, the company was publicly launched in March. The name was carefully chosen: Imaginary denotes fic‑ tional; Mountain establishes their focus on the mountain environment; and Surveyors implies a look toward the future. “As surveyors, we look toward the future, beyond traditional models, and try new ways to tell stories,” Lynx said. “At the same time, we honour history such as the interprovincial boundary survey that opened up the Canadian Rockies a hundred years ago. Imagine being on that survey, crossing into the white spaces on the map and marvelling how vast is the world? We want to recapture that
HERITAGE CLUB HERITAGE CLUB HERITAGE CLUB HERITAGE CLUB HERITAGE CLUB
HERITAGE CLUB HERITAGE CLUB
Peter W. Hutchins from Westmount, Québec, Montréal Section Peter Lancaster from Calgary, Alberta, Calgary Section Hudson Vipond from Mont-Royal, Québec, unaffiliated member
HERITAGE CLUB
50 years
E
very 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 2013, 43 members reached the 25-year milestone, 17 members reached the 35-year milestone. This year we are honouring three 50-year members:
HERITAGE CLUB
Heritage Club milestones
Congratulations to everyone!
HERITAGE CLUB HERITAGE CLUB HERITAGE CLUB HERITAGE CLUB HERITAGE CLUB 22 Alpine Club of Canada
Gazette
Summer 2013
exploratory spirit when maps were blank.” Thus far, Auld’s collection of 33 short stories, Short Peaks, is IMS’s only title. While he admits to being “deeply” involved with IMS, Auld said he was happy to step back for the benefit of his own work and let IMS make decisions. While writers have already begun con‑ tacting IMS, Auld said plans are to only publish one project at a time. “We’re going to be a project-based publisher, each book will be self-sup‑ porting, funding will be project-specific,” Auld said. “Projects will only come out when they’re ready. There won’t be a spring catalogue.” None of the people involved in IMS is looking to make a living from publishing books, he added. “We already have day jobs,” Auld said. “We want to recognize the past, history, go back into the blank spots and imagine what might have happened there—tell the stories and get them out.” As for the format, Auld said IMS would definitely publish electronic books, but quickly added they planned to always publish paper volumes too. “We’ll always try to print copies,” Auld said. “My heart is with print.” Future plans include encouraging younger generations to express their own stories through a writing contest offered through local schools. “Operating in the micro-niche of mountain fiction allows us to break some rules, like publishing short stories, fictional guidebooks or maps that convey a story, or even video,” Lynx said. “We are allowing space for our vision to grow as we survey new territory. We’re excited to see where this goes; it’s terra incognita now.” In the shorter term, IMS will sponsor the 2013 Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival’s first ever award for mountain fiction with a substantial award. The Alpine Club of Canada is proud to be selling IMS’ titles in its online shop at www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/store . To learn more, visit www.imaginarymountains.com
Recycle this Gazette Leave it at your local library
Book ends compiled by Lynn
Martel
Wildflowers of Banff Park
by Jacinthe Lavoie and Ian Wilson From rosy pussytoes to glacier lilies to elliptic-leaved penstemon, this gem of a volume showcases 160 of the gorgeous wildflowers that grow from river valley forest to blustery alpine ridges throughout Banff National Park over the short but colourful summer months. Precisely organized by colour and family groups, the most useful and easy-to-use features of this book are the half-page-sized crystal clear full-col‑ our photos. As well, each flower includes neophyte-friendly botanical details and descriptors to assist with identification. With decades of Rockies hiking experience between them, the authors—both ACC mem‑ bers—share suggestions for their top-10 hiking destinations for wildflower viewing in the park, complete with a comprehensive list of flowers a sharp-eyed hiker might spot along the way. Published by Hyacinth Press, www.hyacinthpress.com
Bears: Without Fear
by Kevin Van Tighem Contrary to popular thinking, the risk of an automobile accident on the way to bear country far out‑ strips the risk of a close-range encounter with an actual bear. Still, says author Kevin Van Tighem, it’s the bear that worries people the most (illogically) as they hurtle down the highway driving 100 kilometres an hour. A biologist, naturalist and hunter, Van Tighem spent nearly four decades working in landscape ecol‑ ogy, conservation biology and nature interpretation in Canada’s parks, a career which culminated in his retirement as superintendent of Banff National Park in 2011. Author of more than 200 articles, stories and essays on conservation and wildlife, in Bears: Without Fear, Van Tighem confronts the realities facing these great animals as a result of humans’ ever-expanding population and bears’ ever-shrinking natural habitat, in attempt to demystify bears in order to promote a deeper understanding of these powerful yet vulnerable creatures. Published by Rocky Mountain Books http://rmbooks.com
Short Peaks – 33 Brief Mountain Tales
by Jerry Auld Following his Boardman-Tasker Prize nominated debut novel, Hooker & Brown, Jerry Auld’s Short Peaks is a rich, diverse and intriguing collection of 33 mountain-themed short stories. From angels on summits to ghosts on ledges, from madmen on diamox to malevolent gurus on mountaintops—and a goat—Auld explores the mountain world of his quirky and delightful imagination via many different voices, personalities and pursuits. Through unique characters and captivating settings, Auld amuses himself (and his lucky readers) with the mysteries of the alpine universe of the past, present and future. Do judge this book by its exquisite cover—an original illustration by Kansas City artist, Jeremy Collins, an unabashed fan of Auld’s talents. Once inside its pages, you’ll find reading from one of these stories to the next is a lot like climbing short, steep, fun mountains—as soon as you knock one off, you can’t wait to climb the next. Published by Imaginary Mountain Surveyors www.imaginarymountains.com
Rogers Pass Alpine Guide - The Heart of the Selkirk Range
by David P. Jones With spectacular Selkirks topography, pavement-to-parking lot trailheads and very fine quartzite, Rogers Pass in B.C.’s Glacier National Park is a dream destination for standard route scramblers and north face alpinists alike. Presented with publisher High Col’s trademark first-rate production values and jammed with more than 350 eye-grabbing photos—east side of Sir Donald, Hermit Meadows campsite, North Pillar Direct on Mount Macdonald—this book’s 320 climbs on 60 peaks are all well-organized geographically with extensive descriptions. And bonus—10 of the area’s unparalleled traverses/enchainments are showcased in their own section. With thoroughly-researched info on con‑ ditions, weather, climbing strategies, recommended climbs, detailed approaches and the rich history of the area woven together, this full-colour guidebook by master mountain explorer, David Jones, is worthy of one of North America’s finest alpine areas. For a preview, visit www.highcol.ca or purchase a copy from the ACC’s on-line store www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/store/ for a 15% discount. Club alpin du Canada
Gazette
é té
2013 23
TNF course expands sense of possible by
Mary Ann Rombach
T
o get yourself in the mood for Cyril Shokopoles’ fifteenth teaching of this course, just goo‑ gle YouTube for the first movement of Beethoven’s Fifth. Drama, tragedy and climax provide the perfect symphony for the Alpine Club of Canada’s 2013 The North Face Winter Leadership Training Course. With friends deceased in avalanches, and other friends having dug out sur‑ vivors from the 2003 Connaught Creek catastrophe in B.C.’s Glacier National Park, Cyril brings in his bones a personal background that charges the course with a lifetime of knowledge and skill to fight off the avalanche nemesis. Cyril has steeled himself in his trade. He is beyond passionate to drive into the consciousness of participants everything he knows, understands, feels and believes about avalanche dynamics. Matt Reynolds, an ACMG mountain guide and assistant instructor for the course, never missed a beat collaborating in this teaching effort. Directed by Cyril and Matt, TNF 2013 was a massive suc‑ cess in transferring avy knowledge and skills to the 10 participants selected from across Canada by their ACC sections. Participants came from all walks of life: teacher, firefighter, hydrologist, engineer, coal mine truck driver, lawyer, hydro worker, chartered accountant and
counselor. Ages spanned from twenties to 65. Andrew Williams (Red Deer), Holly Goulding (Whitehorse), Brian Hamilton (Hinton), Stephen Boorne (Whistler), Charlie Adams (Tiny, Ontario), Lida Frydrychova (Calgary), Mary Ann Rombach (Lake Windermere), Stefan Gessinger (Salt Spring Island), Jason Guptil (Canmore) and Mike Blarowski (Calgary) formed the cohort that flew into Mistaya Lodge on January 13. Three women and seven men prepared them‑ selves well before the foray into Cyril’s TNF: texts were read, assignments com‑ pleted and tests performed before we ever hit the ground at the lodge. The first few days had information hurled at us at a cyclonic pace. For some, like me, the language was often new, so it was like getting dropped into an immersion course with everything coming at you in rapid fire. I settled into grasping the concepts and felt by the end of the week that I had learned tons about weather, snowpack, avalanche dynamics, trip leading and route finding. Every morning started with weather analysis, locating through the Internet all sources of weather reports from Mistaya and surrounding environs such as Saint Nicholas Peak, Bow Summit and Golden, B.C. Every day a team of two partici‑ pants also catalogued weather info from the station right at Mistaya. This led to
Participants on the 2013 TNF winter leadership course put their route-finding skills to the test en route to Nexus Col. photo by Mary Ann Rombach
Twice a year ACC sections from across the country send their leaders to The North Face-ACC Leadership Course. YOU could be one of them! www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/tnf Application deadline for the winter course is November 1, 2013
projections of what we might currently expect in the field as to weather, and what the weather could possibly have done to the snowpack. The next step was to analyse the Canadian Avalanche Centre report of the day for Mistaya. Predicting levels of risk for the alpine, treeline and below treeline zones helped us prognosticate for the day as to what lay ahead for us in the snowpack. We’d then march off to perform a litany of tests: from hand shears and extended column tests to snow pit analy‑ sis and the Rutschblock test. I confess I was so excited about my new shovel I dug pits with my cohort that were twice the size of the instructors’ and thus deprived me of time to analyse important bits of data. This misplaced zeal will be corrected in the future! Cataloguing the temperatures of the snow in our pits helped us determine if we had more than 1° C difference in temperature every 10 centimetres. If so, we had the feeding ground for the creation of dreaded “facets,” those square little crystals that refuse to bond and form persistent weak layers, upon which slabs can slide and carry skiers down to the dreaded end. The weather was moderate at Mistaya for the beginning of the week, changing toward high winds and colder temps later on. We diagnosed the wind slabs for stability and ski-ability, and for the first time in my life, I came across
24th annual Mountain Guides Ball Fundraiser Silent Auction Four Course Dinner Live Music and Dance
Celebrating 50 Years!
ACMG
CA
SS
OC
IATION
OF
Association of Canadian Mountain Guides 50th Anniversary N A DI A N M O
A
CMG
TAIN GUIDE UN
a species of scalloped wind-slab snow called “sastrugi” just under a col. What a nightmare for skiing! Route finding was by far my favourite skill acquisition. For all, it is the very best way to keep out of avalanche terrain and secure a long life. What a joy to ski at the proper pace and contour around a slope using the preferred angle of ascent! This made our travels enjoyable and conserved energy for exploring, group care, possible rescue scenarios, and not least of all, powder skiing! Evenings were spent with more classes and reviews of the day, creating reports of conditions we found in the field, and de-briefing the learning achieved. For me, beyond the tremendous knowledge/skill acquisition, the most exciting and dramatic part of the week was co-leading our trip to West Peyto Peak whereupon we were met with 60 kilometre per hour winds at the col and a blinding whiteout. Chief Cyril disagreed with my idea that we’d have to turn back, exclaiming definitively, “This is not a whiteout.” Thereupon I released myself from
The Alpine Club of Canada and The Association of Canadian Mountain Guides
A
O
ne spring day in 1963, a group of mountain guides gathered in a cozy little cabin in Lac Des Arcs (east of Canmore, Alberta) to formally create a professional guiding association for Canada. Now with more than 800 members certified as hiking, gym climbing, skiing, rock climbing and full Mountain Guides, this year the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides celebrates its 50th anniversary. And throughout those 50 years, the Alpine Club of Canada has been hon‑ oured to partner with the ACMG as respected stewards of alpine pursuits in Canada’s mountains. In honour of this milestone, the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies is planning a feature exhibit to open in October in Banff. And the same weekend, on October 19, come celebrate with some of those ACMG guides, including several of the original founding members, at the ACC/ ACMG Mountain Guides Ball at Banff ’s Rimrock Resort Hotel.
2013 MOUNTAIN GUIDES BALL
S
ACMG celebrates 50th anniversary
For more information, visit:
www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/mgb/
doubt and followed up the mountain seeing only a small horizontal band of rock against the whiteness of the blowing gale. Jason learned quickly how to pack in steps in the snow for participants. Once above the col, the ferocity of the wind increased dramatically and climaxed
at the summit to 100 kilometres per hour. Having never before summitted in such weather, I learned that it could be done, and my sense of possibility in life expanded. Thanks to the ACC, TNF and my fellow participants!
Participants on the 2013 The North Face Winter Leadership Course were, from left, front row: Mike Blarowski, Mary Ann Rombach, Stefan Gessinger, Lida Frydrychova, Brian Hamilton, Charlie Adams. Back row: Stephen Boorne, Grant Coughlin (chef), Cyril Shokopoles, Matt Reynolds, Holly Goulding, Andrew Williams, Jason Guptil. p hoto by Mike Blarowski
Club alpin du Canada
Gazette
é té
2013 25
Le cours TNF élargit la notion de ce qui est possible par
S
Mary Ann Rombach
i vous voulez avoir une idée de l’atmosphère qui régnait à la quinzaine édition du cours TNF de Cyril Shokoples, cherchez sur YouTube le premier mouvement de la cinquième de Beethoven. L’émotion, la tragédie, et le point culminant de la pièce forment la parfaite trame sonore du Cours d’hiver de formation en leadership The North Face 2013 du Club Alpin du Canada. Certains des amis de Cyril sont décédés dans des avalanches et d’autres ont cherché des survivants lors de la catastrophe de Connaught Creek de 2033 dans le Parc national des Glaciers de Colombie-Britannique. Il apporte donc au cours une histoire personnelle unique et les connaissances de toute une vie de lutte contre les avalanches. Il s’est endurci en pratiquant son métier, et c’est avec plus que de la passion qu’il désire imprimer dans la conscience des participants tout ce qu’il sait, comprend, ressent, et croit au sujet de la dynamique des avalanches. Matt Reynolds, un guide de montagne membre de l’Association canadienne des guides de montagne (ACMG) et assistant instructeur du cours, a offert à Cyril une collaboration de tous les instants. Sous la direction de Cyril et Matt, le cours TNF a réussi de façon magistrale le transfert de connaissances et de capacités aux dix participants que le CAC avait choisis à
l’échelle du pays, par le biais de ses dif‑ férentes sections. Les participants, âgés de 20 à 65 ans, venaient de tous les horizons : ensei‑ gnant, pompier, hydrologue, ingénieur, conducteur de camion dans une mine de charbon, avocat, travailleur de l’hy‑ dro-électricité, comptable agréé, et conseiller. Andrew Williams (Red Deer), Holly Goulding (Whitehorse), Brian Hamilton (Hinton), Stephen Boorne (Whistler), Charlie Adams (Tiny, Ontario), Lida Frydrychova (Calgary), Mary Ann Rombach (Lac Windermere), Stefan Gessinger (Salt Spring Island), Jason Guptil (Canmore) et Mike Blarowski (Calgary) formaient la cohorte qui s’est envolée vers le Mistaya Lodge le 13 janvier 2013. Trois femmes et sept hommes, qui s’étaient préparés de façon extensive. Avant même de fouler le sol de l’hôtel, ils avaient lu des textes, complété des travaux, et passé des examens. Les premiers jours, nous avons reçu une multitude d’informations à la vitesse de l’éclair. Pour certains, dont je suis, la terminologie était nouvelle et devions absorber toute cette matière dispensée à un rythme effréné. Je me suis donc concentrée pour comprendre ces nou‑ veaux concepts et, à la fin de la semaine, j’avais acquis un nombre impressionnant de connaissances sur la température, le
From left, Stephan Gessinger, Cyril Shokoples, Stephen Boorne, Jason Guptill and Andrew Williams hunker down for a break en route to West Peyto Peak. photo by Mary Ann Rombach
Deux fois par année les différentes sections du CAC à travers le pays envoient leurs chefs de fil en plein air au cours de leadership offert par The North Face et le CAC. Vous pourriez être l'un d'eux! www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/tnf Date limite d'inscription pour le cours d'hiver est Novembre 1, 2013
manteau neigeux, la dynamique des ava‑ lanches, l’escalade en-tête, et la recherche d’itinéraire. Tous les matins, le cours commençait par l’analyse météorologique. Nous con‑ sultions toutes les sources d’information météo disponibles sur Internet pour Mistaya et les régions environnantes, dont le Pic Saint Nicholas, le Sommet Bow, et Golden, en Colombie-Britannique. De plus, chaque jour, une équipe de deux participants cataloguait l’information météo recueillie à la station située à Mistaya, ce qui nous permettait de faire des projections sur le temps qu’il ferait sur le terrain et sur l’influence de la météo sur le manteau neigeux. L’étape suivante consistait à analyser le rapport du jour du Canadian Avalanche Centre pour Mistaya. Évaluer les niveaux de risque pour la zone alpine, pour la zone de la limite forestière et pour celle située au-dessous de la limite forestière nous a permis de faire des prédictions quotidiennes concernant le manteau neigeux. Nous procédions ensuite à une série de tests : depuis le test « hand shears » jusqu’aux tests de colonne élargie, en passant par l’analyse de puits à neige et le test Rutschblock. J’avoue que, toute à la joie d’utiliser ma nouvelle pelle, j’ai creusé, avec ma cohorte, des puits deux fois plus gros que ceux des instructeurs, ce qui m’a empêchée d’analyser tout un
NO WB OO Alpine Club of Canada KIN G MOUNTAIN ADVENTURES Incredible summer adventures start here
Lida Frydrychova and Charlie Adams practise recording precise snowpack measurements. photo by Mike Blarowski
ensemble de données parce que je man‑ quais de temps. À l’avenir, j’éviterai cet excès de zèle ! Cataloguer les températures de la neige dans nos puits nous a permis de déterminer s’il y avait une différence de 1°C tous les dix centimètres, auquel cas les conditions étaient réunies pour la création des redoutés grains à faces planes, ces petits cristaux carrés qui refusent de se lier et forment des couches plus faibles persistantes au-dessus desquelles les plaques peuvent glisser, emportant les skieurs vers la mort. Le temps était clément à Mistaya au début de la semaine, mais il est devenu plus froid et venteux par la suite. Nous avons diagnostiqué les plaques à vent pour évaluer la stabilité et la skiabilité du terrain, et pour la première fois de ma vie, juste sous un col, j’ai vu des plaques appelées « sastrugi ». Un véritable cauch‑ emar pour les skieurs !! Pour ce qui est de l’acquisition des compétences, ma préférence est allée très clairement à la recherche d’itinéraire, la meilleure façon pour tous d’éviter les terrains avalancheux et de s’assurer d’une longue vie. Quelle joie de skier à la bonne vitesse et sur le bon sentier en choisissant le meilleur angle pour ce faire ! En plus de rendre nos voyages très agréables, ces moments nous ont donné de l’énergie pour l’exploration, le travail en groupe, les scénarios de sauvetages possibles, et dernier point mais non le moindre, le ski dans la poudreuse ! Les soirs étaient consacrés à d’autres
Photo: Brent Peters
10 Peaks in 10 Days
Peak-bagging camp, based out of the highest structure in Canada (the Neil Colgan Hut) in the Valley of the 10 Peaks in Banff. There’s an option for a half-trip as well. August 30 to September 8
$2,295
Photo: Tannis Dakin
Tombstone Trekking in the Yukon
Five days of backpacking in one of the most pristine parks in Canada. Insane autumn colours and northern Canadian wildlife. August 24 to 31
$1,895
Only with Canada’s national mountaineering club www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/adventures cours, au résumé de la journée, aux rap‑ ports sur les conditions du terrain, et aux comptes rendus sur ce que nous avions appris. Pour moi, au-delà du nombre fan‑ tastique de nouvelles compétences et connaissances acquises, la partie la plus excitante et la plus spectaculaire de cette semaine a été la codirection de notre voyage à West Peyto Peak, où nous avons expérimenté des vents de 60 km/heure au col, ainsi qu’un voile blanc aveuglant. Mais le chef Cyril n’était pas d’accord avec mon idée de rebrousser chemin et il affirma avec conviction : « Ceci n’est pas
un voile blanc ». Mes doutes ainsi dissipés, j’ai continué à monter, ne voyant qu’une petite bande de rochers qui se découpaient à l’horizon sur la blancheur du paysage. Jason a appris rapidement aux participants com‑ ment façonner des marches dans la neige. Une fois le col dépassé, la férocité du vent a augmenté de façon spectaculaire, pour culminer à 100 km/heure. Je n’étais jamais montée à un sommet par un temps pareil et j’ai appris que c’était faisable. Cela a élargi ma notion de ce qui est possible. Merci au Club alpin du Canada, au cours TNF, et à mes collègues du cours ! Club alpin du Canada
Gazette
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2013 27
Lyme disease 101 by
Michelle Gagnon
M
igratory birds are one of the leading causes for Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses becoming widespread and epidemic throughout the world (except Antarctica). Lyme disease (LD) can mimic virtually any disease, condition, syndrome or disorder, and diagnosing it can be tricky. Some people end up seeing numerous specialists and are incorrectly diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, Multiple Sclerosis, Lupus, Autism, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Morgellan’s dis‑ ease, ALS or Attention Deficit Disorder, among others. Lyme disease is caused by the spiro‑ chete bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi. It is found in mammals and birds and is transmitted to humans by ticks. If the Bb bacteria isn’t treated properly or caught early, it can spiral into tissues and
organs and become intra-cellular, hiding in the biofilms of the body or encapsu‑ lating itself into cyst form. This is called Chronic Lyme disease. The Borrelia bacteria can affect the central nervous system, joints, heart or other organs. Lyme is an opportunist and travels to where the body is weakest, which is why symptoms can vary from person to person and symptoms can change by the minute, day, week, month or year. Diagnosis and treatment is difficult and complex; therefore it is necessary to find a Lyme literate medical doctor (LLMD) who understands, diagnoses and treats Chronic Lyme disease. All forms of the bacteria need to be addressed with a variety of antibiotics and herbs, and usually other co-infections includ‑ ing babesia, bartonella and ehrlichiosis (anaplasmosis) are involved. Diagnoses and treatment is based on symptoms and
Prevention: ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●●
wear light coloured clothing to make it easier to see ticks wear long pants tucked into socks, long sleeve shirts and closed-toed shoes minimize walking through tall grasses or brush use insect repellant containing DEET or permethrin-sprayed clothing do daily tick checks on yourself and pets seek medical attention immediately if bitten
Tick removal: 1. Traditional method ●● do not squeeze, twist or traumatize the tick in any way as this can lead to regurgitation of its stomach contents ●● grab the tick close to the skin with tweezers and gently pull straight out ●● use antiseptic on skin and disinfect hands thoroughly 2. Straw and thread method developed by Dr. Murakami and Dr. Christie to reduce the risk of transmission ●● place a straw over the tick ●● tie an overhand knot at the base of the straw, grabbing the tick’s head and apply traction 3. Recommended method for doctors developed by Dr. Murakami and Dr. Shojania ●● a sub-dermal injection at the bite site with a solution of one per cent xylocain with adrenalin. Visit YouTube to view this method.
Websites: ●● ●● ●● ●● ●●
Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation: www.canLyme.com Dr. E. Murakami Centre for Lyme: www.murakamicentreforLyme.org Lyme Disease Association of Alberta: www.albertaLyme.org International Lyme and Associated Diseases: www.ilads.org Lyme Disease Association: www.Lymediseaseassociation.org
28 Alpine Club of Canada
Gazette
Summer 2013
is unique to each person. Dr. Ernie Murakami, an epi‑ demiologist and a Lyme literate medical doctor, is Canada’s Lyme disease specialist. In effort to increase awareness and education, he created www.murakamicentreforLyme.org as a support centre for education and research, and to clinically diagnose patients. “Lyme is called the ‘master mimic’ for a good reason,” Murakami said. “It resembles the symptoms of any disease in the book. This confuses a lot of people. Doctors say you have a problem with your muscles, go see a rheumatologist, you have trouble with your heart, go see a cardiologist or you have trouble with your brain system, go see a neurologist. They end up seeing countless numbers of specialists and they end up with the diag‑ nosis of being mental. Many people have committed suicide because the medical world says there is nothing wrong with them.” Testing for the bacteria is problematic. Canada and the US have a two-tiered system. The first test is the ELISA and if you test positive, then the Western Blot test is taken. The Western Blot is one of the best tests for finding Lyme disease, but it still has its challenges. Therefore, getting tested in Canada is not recommended, as you’re not likely to ever test positive if you have the bacteria. The IGeneX lab in California tests the most strains, but it only finds positive results for 70 per cent of people who have Lyme disease. Many patients who have a chronic form of the disease choose to use the specialized labs as recommended by their LLMD. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, “All laboratory tests have a margin of error which is why Lyme disease should be diagnosed clinically first and foremost.” The College of Physicians disagrees, Dr. Murakami said. “They say [with] the ELISA test, if you are negative, you don’t have LD. That
treatment in the US, which prevents them from being recognized in Canadian statistics. In Alberta alone, 16 species of ticks have been identified, with 28 per cent of the Ixodes scapularis species found to have the Lyme disease bacteria. Alberta Health Services has launched a program to identify the species of ticks found to determine the extent of LD in Alberta. If you find a tick in Alberta, place it in a zip-lock bag and call your local health inspector’s office. Susan McInnis, a suf‑ ferer of Chronic Lyme Disease who went undiagnosed for three years, created the Lyme Disease Association of Alberta (LDAA) to help Lyme patients get the support they need and to spread LD awareness. For all Canadians, Murakami said, awareness is key. “Education is the most important thing,” he said, expressing concern about people who need help now who must cross the border to get treatment from
a US Lyme literate doctor. One avenue of support comes from the naturopathic doctors and Murakami has been lectur‑ ing students annually at the Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine in B.C. and at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine in Toronto about evidence-based antibiotic treatment. Murakami’s motivation to educate medical officers, government officials and the public is simple. “I’ve had success all along,” he replied. “I spoke at a hospital in September and there was a doctor there who had been in a wheelchair for three years and they said it was everything else but LD. She had classic LD and started treatment. She phoned me five weeks later and said she could stand up for the first time in three years. This is the sort of thing that keeps me going.” ACC Rocky Mountain Section member Michelle Gagnon is a Chronic Lyme patient who was diagnosed in the US. Her health continues to improve with treatment. At Yamnuska, we know that food is a critical part of any trip to the backcountry.
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is ridiculous! The ELISA test is criminally negligent in its results.” Early diagnosis and treatment is crucial. Initial symptoms are flu-like and may develop up to several weeks after a tick bite. There may be fatigue, muscle and joint pain (stiff neck is common), chills, fever, headache or swollen lymph nodes. A bulls-eye rash is used to diag‑ nose, although less than half the people bitten develop the rash. “If you start within one month of a tick bite, then the length of treatment is one month,” states Seattle MD Marty Ross. There are two conflicting views on the treatment of Lyme. The Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) believes that chronic LD does not exist, whereas the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) believes that the chronic form does exist and requires long term antibiotics. “Doctors should be cautioned against following the Infectious Disease Society of America’s recommendations,” Dr. Ross said. “These recommendations are ser‑ iously flawed because they are based on opinion instead of science.” Dr. Murakami is presently retired from his regular practice due to pressure from the College of Physicians for not following the IDSA’s flawed guidelines. He remains true to his Hippocratic Oath by continuing to help others with this complex disease. “Seventeen American states now have a law protecting Lyme literate doctors to say they are not to be harassed, not to be restricted in treating LD, charts are not to be taken, they are not to be investigated at any level, and their licenses are not to be taken away,” Murakami said. Canada’s own Elizabeth May, Green Party leader, is hoping to pass a private member’s bill, Bill C442, to establish a National Lyme Disease Strategy. Canada needs to escape the flawed system and follow guidelines for diagnoses and treatment from Lyme literate doctors. Currently, patients are forced to seek
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Club alpin du Canada
Gazette
é té
2013 29
Open air: Cooperative competition by Lawrence White
T
he highly respected US President Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “Competition has been shown to be useful up to a certain point and no further, but cooperation, which is the thing we must strive for today, begins where competition leaves off.” I find this statement somewhat intuitive and draw many parallels with our climbing pursuits. Consciously or not, we compete with others in our drive to succeed. In fact, that drive itself is in competition with ourselves. So one must ask, is competition inherent in who we are? Arguably it’s the very thing that has perpetuated our species, so when you test yourself against another, is it not access‑ ing one of our most basic instincts? Certainly, Roosevelt recognized that cooperation in pursuit of an objective often proves more successful than indi‑ vidual effort. No mountain was climbed without the cooperation and collective input of many. This group effort has, for the most part, made us very successful. I’ve heard varying views as to whether or not the Alpine Club of Canada should be involved in “competitive sport;” climbing, ski mountaineering and ice. I’m con‑ vinced that these seemingly individual pursuits ultimately lend themselves to collective achievement and growth—for the individuals, for our community, and for the broader pursuits themselves. Canada recently hosted its second ever World Cup Bouldering competition in Hamilton, Ontario. Some people may remember the first one we hosted in Canmore one snowy day in May in 2011—the athletes involved certainly do. I was fortunate to attend both events with ACC President, Peter Muir. As the gov‑ erning body for the sport in Canada, we sometimes get to swoop in on the coat‑ tails of all the immense effort involved in these events to shake hands and hand out medals. What consistently impresses me at these competitions is the very lack of competition. No one in the crowd is Team Canada. Back row (from left): Jason Holowach, John Bowles, Miles Adamson, Marc Eveleigh, Ayo Sopeju, Sean McColl. Front row (from left): Kelly Drager, Erica Carlson, Stacey Weldon, Elise Sethna, Marieta Akalski, Alyssa Weber, Kerry Briggs, Bonnie de Bruijn. photo by Miguel Jette / Bonuel Photography 30 Alpine Club of Canada
Gazette
Summer 2013
jeering any of the foreign competitors as seems natural to do at, say, a hockey game. No athlete is basketball-like trash-talking the other as they wait for their turn to climb a problem. In fact, just the opposite occurs, and is actually writ‑ ten into the rules of the sport. All of the competitors are given time to view the boulder problem they’re meant to tackle individually, collectively. This observation period is one of collegial information sharing and tactical discussion. It’s truly amazing to watch the athletes mime the movements they think will work to reach the top. Discussion is free-flowing and highly collaborative. What’s more, once the individual is on the problem, the crowd enthusiastically cheers them on regardless of their nationality. It is by far the most inclusive sporting event I have ever attended. Roosevelt was right that competition is useful to a certain point and that it’s cooperation that ultimately achieves the greatest results. Isn’t it wonderful when both can combine to take us all higher? As another well-known thinker said, “Great things are done when (wo)men and mountains meet.” Congratulations to all the Team Canada athletes who competed in Hamilton!
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