THE FILMS
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F I L MS
WERNER HERZOG BIOGRAPHY
ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF THE WORLD
HAPPY PEOPLE: YEAR ON THE TAIGA
WINGS OF HOPE
GRIZZLY MAN
WHITE DIAMOND
THE FESTIVAL
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FE S T
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TRAI L
THE TRAIL HISTORY WILDLIFE CONSERVATION
HISTORY LOCATION SCHEDULE
PACKING GUIDE
THE FILMS
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WERNER HERZOG BIOGRAPHY Film maker, profiler, adventurer Born in 1942 in Munich, Germany, Werner Herzog debuted his first feature film in 1968. He worked with actor Klaus Kinski on several projects, including Aguirre: The Wrath of God (1972), Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979) and Fitzcarraldo (1982). More recently, Herzog directed Rescue Dawn (2006) with Christian Bale. He also directed several documentaries, including 2011’s Into the Abyss.
“Facts do not interest me much. facts are for accountants. truth creates illumination.” EARLY LIFE Born Werner Herzog Stipetic in Munich, Germany, on September 5, 1942, famed director Werner Herzog spent his early years in a small Bavarian town called Sachrang. In his early teens, he and his mother moved back to Munich after his parents’ divorce. Herzog grew up in post-World War II Germany. He later explained what it was like for him during this time to Psychology Today: “People think growing up in the ruins was a such a bad thing for children. On the contrary, it was wonderful. We were the kings of bombed-out blocks in the cities.” Around the age of 13, Herzog first encountered Klaus Kinski, his future film star; the pair lived in the same building for a time. While he received little encouragement in school, Herzog began writing scripts at a young age.
Opposite: Pyrimid Mountain, Jasper ab. Maligne Lake Valley, Jasper, AB. Big Sur, CA
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IT IS THE HUMAN SOUL THAT IS VISIBLE THROUGH THE LANDSCAPES PRE SENTED IN MY FILMS.
OFFBEAT VISIONARY In 1968, Werner Herzog released his first feature-length film, Signs of Life. He quickly became a leading avant-garde director in Europe, known for his challenging film shoots. For Aguirre: the Wrath of God (1972), Herzog brought his cast and crew to the jungles of Peru. The film, which stars Klaus Kinski, tells the story of a Spanish conquistador on a mad quest to find the legendary El Dorado. The combination of the jungle’s damp, brutal heat and the actors’ heavy historic clothing nearly proved to be too much for the cast. Kinski threatened to quit the film, and, in return, Herzog threatened to shoot him. Herzog later told Cineaste magazine:
“I told him I had a rifle and he would only make to the next bend in the river before he had eight bullets in his head—the ninth would be for me,” Despite their stormy relationship, Herzog and Kinski worked together on the film Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979)—Herzog’s retelling of the classic 1924 F.W. Murnau silent movie about a Dracula-like vampire. Around this same time, Herzog took on another epic film project, Fitzcarraldo, which explores one man’s odd obsession to build an opera house in the wilderness. Part of accomplishing this goal involved dragging a huge steamship over a mountain. Committed to realism, Herzog insisted that a real ship be pulled
DARING DOCUMENTARIAN In addition to feature films, Herzog has made numerous documentaries throughout his career. He turned his lens to a personal subject with 1999’s My Best Fiend, about his relationship with actor Klaus Kinski. Not a traditional biographical project, Herzog told Cineaste that the film “is as much about me as it is about him, about our strange relationship.” The director later explored a story of man and nature with Grizzly Man (2005), a documentary following the work of Timothy Treadwell, who lived with and studied grizzly bears in the wild. In 2009, Herzog released two documentaries: Cave of Forgotten Dreams, which explores some of the earliest human drawings found on cave walls in southern France, proved to be one of the top-grossing non-fiction films of the year. Happy People: A Year in the Taiga, which Herzog co-directed with Dmitry Vasyukov, looks at life in a Siberian village. Herzog has always maintained a strong stance against the death penalty. In 2011, he delved into this issue with Into the Abyss, a documentary about Michael Perry, a prisoner who was sentenced to death. Herzog revisited the topic in the 2012 television miniseries On Death Row, which generated enough interest to spur a follow-up series. Around this same time, the director reportedly began working on a documentary series examining hate crimes, entitled Hate in America.
PERSONAL LIFE Herzog has been married to his third wife, Lena, since 1999. The couple lives in San Francisco, California. Herzog has three children—a son named Rudolph with his first wife, Martje Grohmann; another son, Simon, with second wife Christine Ebenberger; and a daughter, Hanna Mattes, from his relationship with actress Eva Mattes. © 2013 A+E Networks. All rights reserved.
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HAPPY PEOPLE: YEAR ON THE TAIGA Release date: January 25, 2013 With Happy People: A Year in the Taiga, Werner Herzog takes viewers on yet another unforgettable journey into remote and extreme natural landscapes. The acclaimed filmmaker presents this visually stunning documentary about the people living in the heart of the Siberian Taiga. Deep in the wilderness, far away from civilization, 300 people inhabit the small village of Bakhtia at the river Yenisei. There are only two ways to reach this outpost: by helicopter or boat. There‘s no telephone, running water or medical aid, The locals, whose daily routines have barely changed over the last centuries, live according to their own values and cultural traditions. With insightful commentary written and narrated by Herzog, Happy People: A Year in the Taiga follows one of the Siberian trappers through all four seasons of the year to tell the story of a culture virtually untouched by modernity.
AWARDS Official Selection — Telluride Film Festival Official Selection — Vancouver Film Festival
REVIEWS “Another EXTRAORDINARY human story for a MASTER DOCUMENTARIAN.” — Total Film “...an engrossing look at a culture that many viewers have never been exposed to, and as usual, Herzog’s even-paced, accented narration is a joy to listen to.” — Jonah Flicker, Paste Magazine “Remarkable. [Happy People] will inspire many viewers to imagine a go at this fat-of-the-land life.” — Alan Scherstuhl, The Village Voice “Consistently compelling. Featuring scenes of such haunting natural beauty…it’s enough to make even the most devoted city dweller long for a sojourn in an unscarred wilderness.” — Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter “Spectacular! You don’t want to miss ‘Happy People’” — James Verniere, Boston Herald
Opposite: stills from the film Happy People
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WINGS OF HOPE Release date: February 1, 2000 An incantational film about the impulse to survive despite all odds, Herzog meets Juliane 26 years after her first inhuman yet miraculous ordeal. She agrees to re-live her adventure step by step for him, even to the extent of sitting in the same numbered, lucky airplane seat, 19 F, that she was sitting in during her ill-fated crash. In 1971, as her plane passed through a lightening storm, it nose-dived 15,000 feet into the ground. Juliane survived the initial crash, strapped to her row of three seats. She was somehow saved by the combined effects of updrafts, aerodynamics and the cushion of the jungle canopy. But that was just the start of a breathtaking escape from the jungle, which is brilliantly recounted here. It was her scientific knowledge of the jungle which saved her, having grown up in the area on her parent’s ecological out-station. It was a methodical application of survival skills and will. Despite all odds, real and imagined: alligators, infested wounds and hallucinating from starvation she made it back through the ocean of jungle, following the inevitable path of running water which finally led her to life. This is a film about recreated memory and memory confronted. It is a film about the triumph of positivist, optimistic and human spirit. — One World Film Festival
AWARDS Nominated: Adolf Grimme Award
Opposite: stills from the film Wings of Hope
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“I AM ALWAYS READY FOR ADVENTURE, I AM ALWAYS READY TO LEAVE.”
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ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF THE WORLD Release date: September 1, 2007 Herzog and cinematographer Peter Zeitlinger go to Antarctica to meet people who live and work there, and to capture footage of the continent’s unique locations. Herzog’s voiceover narration explains that his film will not be a typical Antarctica film about “fluffy penguins,” but will explore the dreams of the people and the landscape. They begin at McMurdo Station and interview some maintenance and support workers, as well as iceberg geologist Douglas MacAyeal. They travel next to a nearby seal camp supervised by zoologist Olav Oftedal. Next they join the film’s composer/producer, research diver Henry Kaiser at his diving camp, and interview cell biologist Samuel Bowser and zoologist Jan Pawlowski. Kaiser and Bowser stage a rooftop guitar concert. Herzog and Zeitlinger return to McMurdo for some more interviews, and visit the preserved original base of Ernest Shackleton. After some brief footage at the South Pole, Herzog interviews penguin scientist David Ainley. This footage includes a shot of a penguin marching in the wrong direction, walking to a certain death in the barren interior of the continent.
AWARDS Nominated for Best Documentary — 2008 Independent Spirit Awards Nominated for Best Documentary — 2008 National Board of Review Nominated for Best Documentary Feature — 2008 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Nominated for Best Documentary Feature — 2008 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
REVIEWS “The images captured by Herzog and cinematographer Peter Zeitlinger are dazzling all on their own, finding the disorienting psychedelia that is nature at its weirdest.” — Los Angeles Times, Mark Olsen “An enjoyable example of this extraordinary director’s documentary work.” — San Francisco Chronicle, Walter Addiego “Through Herzog’s eyes it is a desolate, strangely beautiful frozen hell where the planet, having shaken out its pockets, lets the loners, fanatics and cosmologist-crackpots fall to bottom.” — Philadelphia Inquirer, Carrie Rickey
Opposite: stills from the film Encounters at the End of the World
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THE WHITE DIAMOND Release date: January 24, 2005 The White Diamond is a 2004 documentary film by Werner Herzog. It illustrates the history of aviation and depicts the struggles and triumphs of Graham Dorrington, an aeronautical engineer, who has designed and built a teardrop-shaped airship which he plans to fly over the forest canopies of Guyana. It features music composed by Ernst Reijseger, which was re-used in Herzog’s 2005 film The Wild Blue Yonder. Most of the film focuses on Dorrington’s flights near Kaieteur Falls, in Guyana. Dorrington discusses the mechanics of his flight, as well as his own struggles with uncertainty and the “heaviness” he feels after the death of the cinematographer Dieter Plage. The film also explores the Kaieteur Falls themselves, a local man named Marc Anthony Yhap, a local diamond miner, and the white-tipped swifts (Aeronautes montivagus) which roost in an inaccessible cave behind the falls.
AWARDS Official Selection — Telluride Film Festival Official Selection — Vancouver Film Festival
REVIEWS “Werner Herzog may lack heroes, nowadays, who seem adequate to his fierce capacity for wonder. When occasion demands, however, he can still turn the world upside down.” — The New Yorker, Anthony Lane “Herzog’s eye for the weird sometimes makes the docu feel strained, but engaging characters imbue the pic with depth and emotional appeal.” — Variety, Russell Edwards “The film, breathtakingly beautiful images of the green, wet Guyanese jungle and a monumental waterfall that cuts through it, is driven less by narrative than by ideas and impressions.” — The New York Times, Dana Stevens “Magnificent shots of waterfalls and other natural phenomena abound, but it’s far too late in the history of nature photography to expect anyone to gawk at them.” — New York Post, Kyle Smith
Opposite: stills from the film White Diamond
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GRIZZLY MAN Release date: January 25, 2013 Grizzly Man is a 2005 documentary film by German director Werner Herzog. It chronicles the life and death of bear enthusiast Timothy Treadwell. The film consists of Treadwell’s own footage of his interactions with grizzly bears before he and his girlfriend Amie Huguenard were killed and eaten by a bear in 2003, and of interviews with people who knew or were involved with Treadwell. The footage he shot was later found, and the final film was co-produced by Discovery Docs, the Discovery Channel’s theatrical documentary unit, and Lions Gate Entertainment. The film’s soundtrack is by British singer songwriter and guitarist Richard Thompson.Awards Timothy Treadwell spent 13 summers in Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska. Over time, he believed the bears trusted him and would allow him to approach them; sometimes he would even touch them. Treadwell was repeatedly warned by park officials that his interaction with the bears was unsafe to both him and to the bears. “At best, he’s misguided,” Deb Liggett, superintendent at Katmai and Lake Clark national parks, told the Anchorage Daily News in 2001. “At worst, he’s dangerous. If Timothy models unsafe behavior, that ultimately puts bears and other visitors at risk.” Treadwell filmed his exploits, and used the films to raise public awareness of the problems faced by bears in North America. In 2003, at the end of his 13th visit, he and his girlfriend Amie Huguenard were attacked, killed, and partially eaten by a bear; the events which led to the attack are unknown.
AWARDS Best Documentary — 2005 National Society of Film Critics Best Documentary — 2005 New York Film Critics Circle Best Documentary — 2005 Chicago Film Critics Association Best Documentary — 2005 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Best Documentary — 2005 Online Film Critics Association
REVIEWS “Werner Herzog’s magnificent tragedy, Grizzly Man, a Shakespearean character study that packs the sheer terror of “The Blair Witch Project.” — Philadelphia Inquirer, Carrie Rickey “Mr. Herzog is also no ordinary filmmaker. It is the rare documentary like Grizzly Man, which has beauty and passion often lacking in any type of film, that makes you want to grab its maker and head off to the nearest bar to discuss man’s domination of nature and how Disney’s cute critters reflect our profound alienation from the natural order.” — The New York Times, Manohla Dargis “The documentary is an uncommon meeting between Treadwell’s loony idealism, and Herzog’s bleak worldview.” — Chicago Sun-Times, Roger Ebert
Opposite: stills from the film Grizzly Man
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THE TRAIL
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“THIS PLACE WORKS AS NATURAL SELECTION FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE INTENSION TO JUMP OFF THE EDGE OF THE MARGIN OF THE MAP.”
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FESTIVAL HISTORY Watching the films selected for this festival give a taste of life past the boundaries of the map and beyond the paths that most people ever have the opportunity to take. These places offer rare experiences, astounding natural beauty and a deeper connection to the earth. They are not for the faint at heart. The adventures chronicled by Werner Herzog show people that find their limits and push past them to discover what they are truly capable of. As an outside observer the films take on a whole new meaning if one has also take on the vast beyond and knows what it is like to push one`s limits. That is the reason we have chosen to celebrate these amazing films in the stunning back country of the Berg Lake Trail in British Columbia Canada. A Mecca for backpackers and adventure seekers, this trail has been quenching adventurers thirst for a unique experiences for generations. Here you have to carry everything you will need for a five day journey on your back. Long trails, rough terrain and steep elevation make the views even sweeter. Kinley Lake and the Valley of a Thousand Waterfalls are just the beginning as the trail rounds Mount Robson to give views that are not accessible by any means other than trekking up the trail. Breathtaking and heartstoppingly beautiful do now come close to summing up what you will see on this trail. Every night after tents have been pitched and dinners cooked we will gather to watch one of our five films on a portable screen with a battery powered projector. What better backdrop for a Werner Herzog film than the last beams of light dancing over the summit of Mount Robson leaving streaks of vibrant colors.
Opposite: Big Sur, CA, Utopia Pass, AB. Opal Hills, AB, Moss Point, CA
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“WHEN I CAME HERE I HAD A FEELING THAT MY DREAMS HAD COME TRUE.”
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SCHEDULE Spanning the length of the festival location
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AUGUST 1 White Horn Campsite 6:30PM
HAPPY PEOPLE:
YEAR ON THE TAIGA
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AUGUST 2
Emporor Falls Campground 4:00PM WINGS OF HOPE
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AUGUST 3
Berg Lake Campground 7:00PM
GRIZZLY MAN
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AUGUST 3
Berg Lake Campground 4:00PM THE WHITE DIAMOND
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AUGUST 2
Emporor Falls Campground 4:00PM WINGS OF HOPE
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KINLEY LAKE
LOCATION 53°8’44”N 119°9’28”W Berg Lake is a lake on the Robson River just below the river’s source located within Mount Robson Provincial Park, at the doorstep of the north face of Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. It is partly fed by the Berg Glacier.
“THIS IS THE LIFE THEY LOVE.”
The turquoise colored Berg Lake is dotted with icebergs even in the middle of summer. Berg Lake can be reached by following a marked hiking trail for 19 kilometres from the parking lot. To reach the parking lot, follow the #5 highway north from Valemount to the #16 highway and head east 50 kilometres. Or, follow the Yellowhead Highway 16 west from Jasper townsite for 84 kilometres to the Mount Robson Viewpoint centre. On the north side of the highway, follow a two-lane paved road for 2 kilometres, ending at the parking lot.
The trail climbs gradually alongside the Robson River before reaching Kinney Lake. After crossing a steel bridge at the end of Kinney Lake, it is just 2.8 kilometres to the Kinney Lake campground. After leaving the Kinney Lake campground the trail climbs and then descends a small bluff. After descending the bluff the trail splits for less than a kilometre, giving the hiker the option of traversing the flats, which is not recommended in the early summer because of high water, or continuing on in the forest. At the end of the Kinney Lake flats the trail starts climbing up to the Valley of a Thousand Falls. After several kilometres the trail crosses the Robson River on a suspension bridge and enters Whitehorn campground at the 11 kilometres mark. After leaving the campground the trail eventually crosses a second steel bridge. At this point the trail starts a steep climb with numerous switchbacks. Over the next few kilometres, the trail passes White Falls, Falls-of-the-Pool and Emporer Falls. Finally, once above this valley, the trail levels off and dips down toward the river, providing the first glimpses of the Emperor Face of Mt. Robson. After climbing just over 500 metres in 5 kilometres, the trail enters Emperor campground. From here the trail continues on for 3 kilometres until reaching the shores of Berg Lake and Marmot campground. If you carry on for a further 2 kilometres you will reach Berg Lake campground. There are three popular day trips from this campground, Hargeaves Glacier/Mumm Basin Traverse, Toboggan Falls and Snowbird Pass. At the 22 kilometres mark and 23 kilometres mark there are two more campgrounds, Rearguard and Robson Pass.
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BERG LAKE TRAIL
MOUNT ROBSON PROVINCIAL PARK Park Size: 224,866 hectares The Berg Lake Trail is a world-renowned back country hiking trail. Gaining just under 800 meters in 23 kilometers, the trail traverses three biogeoclimatic zones. 30km of glaciers, turquoise, history, rocks, trees, and falls This trail takes hikers to some of the best scenery in the province. Beyond Kinney Lake, the trail enters the Valley of a Thousand Falls. Fed by the massive Mist, Berg and Robson glaciers, visitors often see huge sections of ice break off or “calve” into the blue/green, silt-laden waters of Berg Lake. Berg Lake campsite is 21 km from the trailhead parking lot. Use one of the campgrounds as a base and take in some day hiking or continue past Robson Pass campground for a challenging excursion. Difficulty: Opportunities for beginner and advanced hikers.
“On every side the snowy heads of mighty hills crowded round, whilst, immediately behind us, a giant among giants, and immeasurably supreme, rose robson’s peak”
— Milton and Cheadle, 1865 Mount Robson Provincial Park, the second oldest park in British Columbia’s park system, is truly one of the world’s crown jewels. The mountain for which the park is named guards the park’s western entrance. At 3,954 meters, Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, towers over the lesser surrounding peaks; winter or summer, this is one of the finest views in the Rocky Mountains. Just as the early trappers, hunters and explorers felt in awe at the mountain’s magnificence, travelers today experience the same feelings. With Alberta’s Jasper National Park as its easterly neighbor, Mount Robson Provincial Park comprises a portion of one of the world’s largest blocks of protected areas. Designated as a part of the Canadian Rocky Mountains World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1990, Mount Robson provides everything from developed, vehicle-accessible camping to remote valleys that seldom see a human footprint. Mount Robson Provincial Park also protects the headwaters of the Fraser River. From its pristine alpine source, the Fraser River gains strength and size to match any of the world’s major rivers. Future generations will surely appreciate the protection of this great river’s source within Mount Robson Park. Flora and fauna are typical of the western slope of the Rocky Mountains, North Continental Range. One is able, on some trails, to travel between three different vegetation zones during a day hike. Over 182 species of birds have been documented in the park. All wildlife indigenous in the Rocky Mountain can be found here. Mule and Whitetail Deer, Moose, Elk and Black Bear call the lower elevation home while Grizzly Bear, Caribou, Mountain Goat and Mountain Sheep inhabit the higher elevations. With over 217,000 hectares of mostly undisturbed wilderness available, wildlife populations are allowed to ebb and flow with minimal intervention by humans.
Opposite: Mount Robson, BC
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MOUNT ROBSON HISTORY Established 1913 Established by a special act of the British Columbia legislature in 1913, Mount Robson Provincial Park is the second oldest park in the Province of British Columbia’s park system. It was designated as a world heritage site, part of the Rocky Mountains World Heritage Site, in 1990 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Mount Robson has a colorful early history of trade and transportation. From the early 1800s with trappers, explorers, hunters, prospectors and ordinary folks seeking the end of the rainbow, to the present day. Transportation is still important through the park with a national highway (Highway 16), a national railway, a national fiber optics system and a major pipeline that connect the prairies to the Pacific Ocean. Now as then, all transportation corridors are confined to a narrow valley bottom strip keeping the vast majority of the park as wilderness. Many locations in the park recognize the role played by early explorers. Magnificent Overland Falls, at the parks western entrance, honors the journey undertaken in 1862 by 115 men and one woman.
WILDLIFE To date, 42 species of mammals, four amphibians, one reptile and 182 species of birds have been recorded in the park. These species are typical of the moist, western slope of the Rocky Mountains. From the valley bottom-loving Moose to the Mountain Goats and Golden eagles of the Alpine Tundra Zone, all four biogeoclimactic zones within the park provide habitat for varied species that favor the unique characteristics found in each zone. This is not to say that species like Grizzly bear or Mule Deer find suitable habitats in only one zone, but generally certain zones or elevations attract specific species.
Excellent opportunities for wildlife viewing are available within the park. mule deer, whitetail deer, moose, elk, wolf, coyote, black bear, grizzly bear and a large variety of waterfowl. In the spring, cow Elk become extremely protective of their new calves. Moose and deer will also actively defend their young but the Elk seem most prone to short tempers when confronted with anything they perceive as a threat to their young. In the fall of the year it’s the males of these species that can become aggressive. The “mating or rutting” season in September and October can make even the most seemingly docile Elk, Moose or Deer aggressive. Although they are beautiful to look at, keep clear of all wildlife and give them the space they need to ensure their safety and yours. Binoculars are a great aid to the traveler in Mount Robson Park. Mountain slopes, slide paths and cliffs can be safely examined from the highway corridor. Mountain Goats and Grizzly bears can often be spotted while other travelers miss the show.
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BERG LAKE TRAIL CAMPSITES Spanning the length of the festival location
TRAIL HEAD Parking is available but all hikers must register at the Park
11 KM
Headquarters before traveling the trail.
WHITEHORN This campground is named after the prominent peak to the north
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west. A popular site for hikers going both up and down the Berg Lake Trail. The westerly slopes of Mount Robson loom above and the fantastic Valley of a Thousand Falls lies ahead. A good destination for hikers that only have one night on the trail. Pack plenty of water beyond this point as the 3
7 KM
EMPEROR FALLS
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A small campground located at the top of the Emperor Hill, named after the largest of the waterfalls in the Valley of a Thousand Falls. Easy day hike access o Berg Lake, to feeling of solitude.
11 KM
MARMOT
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A great campground for folks that are not into crowds. With only 7 tent pads, Marmot Campground is well suited fort hose seeking a quieter experience. A stunning landscape and interesting geology are featured at this campground.
ROBSON PASS The lastsite on the Berg Lake Trail,the Robson Pass Campground is
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named after the British Columbia /Alberta inter provincial boundary to the north east. This campground is popular with climbers due to it’s proximity to the Robson Glacier and it’s routes to the summit of Mount Robson. Adjacent to Jasper National Park and numerous day hike opportunities. This is one of the designated sites for school and commercial groups so it can be quite busy, particularly prior to June 25,the last date each year when large school groups are permitted. Jasper National Parks North Boundary Trail and Mount Robson Park’s Moose River Route can be accessed from this location.
2 KM
REAR GUARD The smallest of the 7 campgrounds on the Berg Lake Trail, Rearguard is
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named for the peak just east of Berg Lake. With only 5 tent pads one can experience a quiet, uncrowded back country setting with views that will inspire all
1 KM
BERG LAKE
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The incredible combination of water, ice, rock and sky make this site a world class destination. The views from the Berg Lake Campground are some of the finest in the British Columbia park system. Numerous day hikes can be accessed from the Berg Lake Campground. A ranger station is located 1.5 KM north east of this campground for hikers requiring information or assistance. Her at the most popular site on the Berg Lake Trail, you’ll find a restored
2 KM
heritage building called the Hargreaves Shelter. This historic log chalet is available for day use only. A great place to meet fellow hikers from all every corner of the world.
“WITNESS THE BEAUTY OF SPACE, COLD AND SILENCE.”
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CONSERVATION Mount Robson Park provides full representation of the North Continental Ranges’ landscape. The park protects a complex mountain ecosystem represented by four biogeoclimatic zones. From Interior Cedar Hemlock (ICH) in the valley bottoms, the vegetation communities change as the elevation increases. Sub-boreal Spruce (SBS), Englemann Spruce-subalpine Fir (ESSF) and finally up slope to the Alpine Tundra (AT) zone. As these vegetation communities change, so do the birds and animals. The diversity of species is very much a product of elevation change. 182 species of birds have been recorded in the park. Predator/ prey relationships are maintained within the 80% of the park-zoned wilderness. Vast areas and intact watersheds carry a wilderness conservation zoning label where all human use is unsupported by facility or trail development. In fact, our most important “customers” in these large wilderness areas are the wide variety of flora and fauna that depend on an undisturbed, intact wilderness. In addition to protecting the largest peak in the entire Canadian Rockies, Mount Robson at 12,972 feet / 3,954 m., the park also protects the imposing Ramparts formation that forms a portion of our border with Jasper National Park. Beautiful, expansive alpine areas, clear rivers, lakes and highly valued wetland habitat is also protected. While big mountains and imposing rock formations inspire and awe us, the main feature of the park, at least from a conservation perspective, is the headwaters of the Fraser River. Protected for all time within Mount Robson Park are the headwaters of one of the world’s great rivers.
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Coming into the province of British Columbia from Alberta, one crosses over a small, crystal clear creek. It’s almost beyond belief that this is the same river that empties into the Pacific Ocean, over 1,200 kilometers away in Vancouver. The very source of the great river lies in the south east corner of the park in Fraser Pass.
Imagine dipping your cup and drinking the water from the very of start of one of the great rivers on this planet. Future generations will no doubt praise the wisdom of protecting over 100 kilometers of the Fraser River’s headwaters within Mount Robson Park. Recent boundary additions on the west end of the park, the result of the Robson Valley Land, Resource Management Plan, will add important Interior Cedar Hemlock variants. These additions also help in making the previous straight line boundary more logical from a management and ecological perspective. In order to maintain viable levels of species and genetic diversity, it is critically important to consider how the land is managed on a larger scale. Working with our neighbors, be it the National Parks or the various forest companies, remains a high priority to ensure Mount Robson Park does not become an isolated biological “island”.
SAFE T Y NOTES A number of the trails, walks and back country areas are in hazardous terrain. Slippery rocks, cliffs, uneven trail surfaces and fast flowing rivers and waterfalls can all be dangerous. Children should be supervised on all trails, hikes and walks in the park. Never let small children get so far ahead of you on the trail that you are unable to observe their actions or quickly respond in the event of a problem. Carry a first aid kit while away from your campsite and have a good understanding of how to manage basic first aid emergencies. All staff at Mount Robson Park have first aid training and can offer assistance when required. As with animal hazards, your best protection will be preparation and knowledge. Consumption of mushrooms and other natural items like berries, in addition to being illegal if picked in the park, can be hazardous to the untrained. When in doubt, don’t eat it. All surface water sources should be either boiled, filtered or treated prior to use.
Opposite: Big Sur, CA, Utopia Pass, AB. Opal Hills, AB, Moss Point, CA
JANA HEYER
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Integrated Communications Fall 2013, Academy of Art Aniversity janaheyer@gmail.com