The Jasper Local May15, 2017 by The Jasper Local

a lt e r n at i v e +

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monday, may 15, 2017 // ISSUE 97

COMRADES IN ARMS // INITIAL ATTACK FIRE CREW MEMBERS SEAN BUCKLE, BRETT HAUG, BEAU MICHAUD AND DANE OLINKIN HUG IT OUT DURING A HELICOPTER SLING CERTIFICATION DRILL AT THE JASPER AIRFIELD MAY 11. THE CREW WILL SOON BE ON THE PYRAMID BENCH IMPLEMENTING A FIRE GUARD BURNING PROGRAM. // BOB COVEY

Moberly Bridge lights to be installed post-summer Traffic lights will be installed at the Moberly Bridge, but not until after the summer is over.

Parks Canada has confirmed that safety improvements will be

made at the intersection of Highway 16 and Maligne Lake Road to help manage increased traffic, but the majority of work is expected to be done from September to November.

the intersection on weekends during the summer.” Other aspects of road construction work will impact travel in and around Jasper National Park. Construction on highway and bridge projects will generally take place from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and bridge lane reductions and lane width narrowing are in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

“Investments in visitor infrastructure will ensure the “To reduce impacts on the travelling public during the quality and reliability of visitor facilities for years to come busiest part of the summer, no work will be done at this and continue to allow Canadians to connect with nature,” intersection in July and August,” said public relations Zebrowski said. officer, Joseph Zebrowski. “Traffic control will be in place at

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editorial //

Local Vocal Hey, we’re four! When a box containing Volume 1 of The Jasper Local arrived on my doorstep May 15, 2013, it was a cause for celebration. We were looking at the product of a whole lot of hard work from our tiny editorial team and a ton of good grace from a small but significant percentage of Jasper’s business community. I remember being so excited to distribute the first edition, at one point I was standing in the middle of Patricia Street, flagging down drivers I assumed would want nothing more than to get a four-page news sheet shoved in their face. Four years, nearly 100 issues and many all-nighters later, I’ve toggled that assumption down a few notches, but I still feel a sense of excitement when the paper arrives at my doorstep (or is that relief?). I still feel blessed when people reach for it on the newsstands, approach me with a story idea or tell me something they learned as a result of our publication. So what have I learned in four years?

Last call, summer’s almost here

Certainly the area where the learning curve has been steepest for me has been the administrative functions of the business. I’ve realized that these elements are precisely the ones which can lead to leaks in the ship, should one choose to ignore them.

Last call for downtown dog walkers, large assembly group flockers, worryfree stroller coasters and walk-andtext social posters. Right now, with your head down you can still head downtown and not be greeting too much ice cream eating.

On the flip side, I’ve reaffirmed what brought me to the crazy decision to start a newspaper in a digital age in the first place: I like telling stories about Jasper. The people that call this place home continue to inspire and interest me. The more I learn about our history, the more humbled by our forebears’ experiences I become. And the list of spaces and places in the Rockies I hope to someday explore continue to pile up. The newspaper industry is challenging. Digital media is constantly encroaching on the print landscape—both in terms of advertising dollars and editorially—and the financial realities of owning a small business have given me a deeper appreciation for entrepreneurs everywhere. Despite these difficulties, and considering we don’t fit into the typical mould of a community weekly, I still have faith in the basic model we are working with. As we put the 97th issue of The Jasper Local to bed, I feel privileged to have had the chance to work with so many talented contributors, and am grateful for the support from our loyal advertisers. The main thanks, however, must go to our readers. I know I still have a lot to learn about this business, but the one thing I am deeply aware of is that without you picking up the paper, this whole exercise wouldn’t be possible. Happy fourth birthday to us. bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

For now, drivers still stop still at the crosswalk and streets that say one way, stay that way. Last chance to not be stopping when you’re walking or shopping. If you want gas, soon the time will have passed when you don’t have to act that fast. Either at night or at first light will be when the queues aren’t too tight, so go downtown now while no one’s around; it won’t be very long before

that’s all gone. Last call to glide your ride against the tide. If you try that in July and get spied, expect an outcry—at least from this guy. Besides, you’ll get more likes if you hike that bike. Last call for bear jam-free roads and nodes. Wherever you go, soon the flow will be no mo.’ Since May days won’t stay, while they’re here I must say: Embrace the pace; don’t race. You’ve got many days in the next phase to give chase. Make it your mission to accept this position. You’ll soon be wishing for the next transition. - Bob Covey

The Jasper Local //

Jasper’s independent alternative newspaper 780.852.9474 • thejasperlocal.com • po box 2046, jasper ab, t0e 1e0

Published on the 1st and 15th of each month Editor / Publisher

Bob Covey.................................................................................... bob@thejasperlocal.com Art Director

Nicole Gaboury.................................................................. nicole@thejasperlocal.com Advertising + sales

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monday, may 15, 2017 // issue 97 // the jasper local// page A3

LEG UP // LESLIE KREFFER, JUSTIN REIDLER AND JORDAN SALES TEST OUT THE JASPER WILDERNESS ACCESS PROGRAM’S TRAIL RIDER, SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT TO HELP THOSE WITH MOBILITY CHALLENGES GET ONTO JASPER’S TRAILS. THE WILDERNESS ACCESS PROGRAM IS LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS TO HELP RAISE MONEY FOR THE PROGRAM VIA THE GRANFONDO JASPER ON JUNE 10. CONTACT NICHOLE CAMBRIDGE AT COMMUNITY OUTREACH SERVICES, 780-852-2100, FOR DETAILS. // BOB COVEY

Fondo to support Wilderness Access Program The 2017 GranFondo Jasper has selected the Jasper Wilderness Access Program as its charitable organization, and those connected to the program are looking for your support.

On June 10, some 400 riders will race in one of four Fondo events, ranging from 65 km to 190 km, but for Community Outreach Services’ Nichole Cambridge, the true winners of the day will be future participants of the Wilderness Access Program. “This is an awesome program that gives residents and visitors the opportunity to more fully participate in mountain life in Jasper,” Cambridge said. The Wilderness Access Program helps people with mobility challenges access the trails, lakes and vistas that Jasper is famous

for. The program’s specialized equipment includes a Trail Rider and a Dual Sit Ski. Now that the hiking season is staring to shape up, Cambridge wants to get the word out that the Trail Rider is available for people wanting to take accessibility to a whole new level. “It’s a great tool to help people with mobility restrictions explore our worldclass hiking trails,” she said. To help raise the profile of the Wilderness Access Program, Cambridge is looking for volunteers for the GranFondo Jasper. If she can help fill the required number of spots, the Wilderness Access Program will benefit from the GranFondo’s fundraising. “We have an opportunity with the GranFondo to do something special for the Wilderness Access Program,” she said. “We’re hoping the community embraces it.”

BLAST OFF // BRADY BANGLE (NO. 502) POSITIONS HIMSELF FOR AN EVENTUAL PODIUM FINISH AT TOTEM SKI SHOP’S ANNUAL MOTHER’S DAY SPRING RUN OFF. THE 10 KM RUN TOOK PLACE MAY 14. // BOB COVEY

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Local rescue //

Earn your turns? More like burn those berms!

// NICOLE GABOURY TESTS OUT VALEMOUNT’S BIKE PARK // BOB COVEY

// TWO YEARS AGO, JASPER’S MIKE MAHONEY WROTE A LETTER TO THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN GOAT, VALEMOUNT’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER. IN IT, HE PRAISED THE VILLAGE FOR ITS VISION IN CREATING A MOUNTAIN BIKING MECCA. THIS PAST WINTER, MAHONEY MOVED TO VALEMOUNT AND NOW COMMUTES TO HIS JASPER JOB. “I’LL ALWAYS LOVE CROSS COUNTRY RIDEING BUT SOMETIMES YOU GOTTA HUCK YOUR MEAT,” HE LAUGHED. // VICKI GARFORD

// JASPER’S LAURA DZIOWSKI BANKS A CORNER ON THE TRAIL KNOWN AS BACON -- PRESUMABLY BECAUSE EVERYBODY LOVES IT. // BOB COVEY

Hinton-based helicopter company flying high in new rescue role with Parks Canada As the snow starts to melt and the valley bottom greens up, hikers, scramblers and climbers are looking forward to getting on local routes, rocks and alpine objectives. At the same time, Jasper National Park rescue leaders are preparing for what is anticipated to be an incredibly busy summer; on May 11 and 12, the visitor safety team was re-certifying their personnel for helicopter sling rescue operations and setting up mock-scenarios. As part of the drill, rescue personnel attended to injured park users requiring emergency evacuation. “With a busy summer ahead of us, we want to be as prepared as possible,” said Parks Canada’s Deryl Kelly. Last summer, rescue technicians responded to approximately 20 incidents including stranded climbers, injured cliff jumpers, searches for lost hikers and other medical emergencies. Perhaps no one is more aware of the imminent “rescue season” than Hinton’s Steve Wotton. Wotton is the owner of, and one of two pilots for, Peregrin Helicopters. Last year, Peregrine began working with JNP’s visitor safety team. Flying into high-angle terrain with a rescue technician dangling 100 feet below the machine on a sling requires a unique skill set and a steady nerve. Although Wotton has thousands of long line

flying under his belt, the learning curve with “live cargo” leaves no margin for error, he said. “You have people counting on you 100 per cent,” he said. Now, coming into his second summer working with Jasper National Park, the pilot says he’s excited to continue his progression as a rescue pilot—and JNP is happy to have Peregrine onboard. “It’s great for all of us to work from the ground floor,” Kelly said. “We’re seeing daily improvements in how we work together.” An incident that occurred on top of Pyramid Mountain last year underscored the technical demands of the job. When a young scrambler lost her footing on loose, unsupported rock and was subsequently stranded, Wotton had to delicately drop a rescuer in place, then quickly move his machine away from the scene so the helicopter’s rotor wash didn’t knock down any more rocks. Working above the mountain, he had no reference points to go off of. At 2,700 metres elevation, it was the highest he’d ever flown in a rescue scenario. “It was a tricky situation,” he said, but the outcome was a safe and grateful patient—another upshot of slinging people to safety, rather than heavy equipment to a well site. Flying rescue missions was new to Peregrine last summer, but the winter season, too, held some interesting challenges for the company’s pilots. A particularly potent avalanche cycle

PEREGRINE HELICOPTERS’ STEVE WOTTON (LEFT) AND LYN ROBINSON, ALONG WITH PARKS CANADA’S DERYL KELLY, ARE PREPARING FOR A BUSY RESCUE SEASON. // BOB COVEY

in 2016/17 meant public safety staff were required to do more controlled avalanche bombing than most winters. Even with 10,000 hours of flying in every province in Canada for all kinds of industries, pilot Lyn Robinson admitted the bombing missions were special. “We got to see some pretty cool things,” Robinson said. Part of the reason Peregrine was able to sign a contract with Jasper National Park was because seasoned rescue pilot, Dale Brady of Yellowhead Helicopters, is no longer based out of Valemount. The new relationship with

Peregrine means a machine is only 20 minutes away, should rescuers require it, Kelly said. “It’s a little closer to home, our response time can be that much quicker,” he said. While the optimal situation is that no rescues are required, if the call does come, Wotton is excited to be part of the program—not just for the unique flying, but for the unique opportunity to help those in distress. “We feel extremely fortunate to be able to work with Jasper,” Wotton said. “It’s nice to be able to help.” bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

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Local literature //

10 things you didn’t know about Ben Gadd Author, interpreter, geologist and conservationist Ben Gadd is well regarded in the Canadian Rockies for an encyclopedic knowledge about the natural world; is equally loved and maligned for his strong stances on environmental issues; and is heralded by the International Guiding Association as the creator of “The Bible,” his 800 page tomb—Handbook of the Canadian Rockies—which articulates the geology, plants, animals and history from Waterton to the Yukon.

mapping the entire Three Valley Confluence. So the next time you’re somewhere between here and Maligne Canyon and you pull up to a trail sign, find the pin that represents your position and figure out your next turn so you can get back home, you can thank Ben. 7. He’s mountain biked the Skyline Trail and the Tonquin Valley loop

Say what? So you missed your chance in 2004 when the wardens went on strike, and now you hear that the very guy who had a hate-on for mountain bikers his whole career in Jasper

“Yes, you heard that right: Gadd was rolling a fatty before they were cool—before mountain biking was cool, in fact.”

Before he was known for articulating the difference between a Green-winged teal and a Northern pintail (they’re all ducks to me), Gadd was one of the pioneer route setters on Canmore’s famous slab, Yamnuska. Rookie rock climbers still test their mettle on the 5.6-grade “Ben’s Route” on the east end of the mountain and Gadd’s contemporaries include some of the Rockies’ best-known alpinists, including Chic Scott, Don Vockeroth and Lloyd MacKay. 9. Ben Gadd was building and riding fat bikes before you were born

4. His second job in Jasper was with the Jasper Park Chamber of Commerce

In another surprising stop-over during Gadd’s unique path, in 1981, the penniless future author of Raven’s End got a job churning out newsletters for the very business community he would soon butt heads with over development issues. Guy’s gotta eat! 3. Gadd and his young family lived at Hilda Creek Hostel for a year

After deciding to go all John Muir and get the heck out of the city, Gadd packed up Cia and the kids and moved to Hilda Creek Hostel, where he and his wife were employed as “Houseparents.” The cabin needed a ton of work but when they weren’t painting, cleaning and repairing, the Gadds were constantly hiking, climbing and skiing in the area. That experience taught them that they were done with the city. Their next home was a compromise between totally off-grid and fully serviced: they moved to Jasper.

But there is much about Gadd that, because of preconceived notions of a granola-crunching, big business-hating, Parks Canada-fighting environmentalist, people aren’t aware of. In anticipation of his upcoming memoir, An Orogenous Life (geology joke alert!), here are 10 things that you didn’t known about the 70-yearold former Jasperite. 10. Ben Gadd was a bad ass rock climber

will, as soon as the Athabasca Glacier moraine gets too sketchy to drive a bus onto, attempt to build a gondola to the top of Wilcox Pass, picked up a paycheque there? It might be hard to believe, but it’s true: Gadd worked as a maintenance manager for the Icefields Chalet in 1980. He only lasted a few shifts, and it was mostly to give him the opportunity to put an offer on a house in Jasper, but Ben Gadd’s CV includes employment with Brewster.

AUTHOR, NATURALIST AND FORMER JASPERITE, BEN GADD, IS RETIRING AFTER A HIGHLY ORIGINAL CAREER // B COVEY

actually got to ride the two most drool-worthy trails in the park? It’s true! Gadd, who was helping Parks Canada study the difference on trail impact between horses and bicycles in the early 80s, took his studies to the field. What he concluded was that biking in the alpine is outrageously fun, but detrimental to other users’ experiences. As a result, he pledged never to bike in the wilderness again. Sigh. 6. He worked for big oil

2. Gadd was the first ever licensed (private sector) park interpreter

In 1985 Gadd went down to the town administrative office in Jasper to apply for a business license: he wanted to be a freelance interpreter. The problem was, no one had ever heard of such a job. There were boat guides, mountain guides and horse guides, but no interpretive guides. The license he walked out contained the words: “Mr. Gadd will do park interpretation. He will be a guide like all the others, but different.” 1. Gadd is totally in favour of the proposed Icefields Trail

Yes, you heard that right: Gadd was rolling a fatty before they were cool—before mountain biking was cool, in fact. In 1980, when Gadd was mapping out Jasper National Park’s labyrinth of trail systems in the Three Valley Confluence, he needed to speed up his progress; walking the trails was taking too long. In order to make more miles, Gadd thought he could simply bike the trail network. The problem was the tires on his 10-speed were too skinny and mountain bikes—the use of which had recently debuted in the mountain parks—were too expensive. Gadd’s solution? Build his own fat tired rig. Hipsters, take note: Gadd had a beard before those were cool, too.

Before Gadd made the move to Jasper, he lived in Calgary, where he started a geology degree and pursued work at an oil firm. As he quickly became disillusioned with that industry, he moved the family to Lethbridge to finish his studies, whereupon he got work with an environmental consulting company. The problem was he didn’t find much difference between the people that were extracting the resource and those who were responsible for mitigating the processes’ effects. “They were all wrecking the environment I loved,” he said. The saving grace was that Gadd learned all about the geology of the Canadian Rockies, a passion he would pursue, albeit in a much different way, for the rest of his career.

Despite his vehement opposition to biking in the backcountry, rafting on the Maligne River and expanding Jasper’s commercial footprint, Gadd is 100 per cent on board with paving over a 109 km piece of pristine montane beside the very cycle-able Icefields Parkway, pinching off an already crowded wildlife corridor and throwing money at whatever else infrastructure is deemed necessary to support a tiny number of potential trail users for no more than four months per year. Ok not really. He actually thinks it’s a terrible idea. But the rest of the list is the Gadd’s truth.

8. Those brown and yellow maps that you use to navigate out of the woods when you’re lost? Gadd’s handiwork.

5. His first job in Jasper was with Brewster

The International Guides Association is hosting a retirement party for Gadd on May 25 at Pine Bungalows. For more details, call Jasper’s IGA representative, Wendy Niven, at 780-852-3556.

Related to the little-known-fact directly above, Gadd, while working on behalf of the Friends of Jasper National Park, was the project lead on

Come on! Granola Gadd worked for big Brewster? The same guy who calls the Glacier Skywalk “evil” and predicts that the company

bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

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FEATURE // STORY AND PHOTOS BY BOB COVEY

SPARKLE YOU DESPITE GLOOMY SKIES, AN

DURING MENTAL HEALT

Dozens of sparkle-adorned runners, bikers, strollers and skaters stuck out the spotty weather May 13 to take part in the fourth annual J9 Sparkle Run. Conceived to raise awareness for mental health issues and to raise funds for mental health initiatives, the event also honours the memory of one of Jasper’s most sparkling personalities, Jeanine D’Antonio.

too. There is no stopwatch; at 5km, it’s a short distance; and participants are invited to take part any way they like, whether pushing a stroller, walking a dog, biking or rollerblading. “We wanted the event to be active because Jeanine was such an active person and when it comes to mental illness, being active is such an important part of being healthy,” Wilson said. Participants are encouraged to dress up—another of D’Antonio’s trademarks.

“She was always volunteering, always up for a good time and she brought a lot of energy to make things fun in a really inclusive way.”

“She was really bright, sparkly and put many beautiful things into the world,” Wilson said. D’Antonio lost her battle with

mental health in 2013. In the past, the J9 Sparkle Foundation has raised money for Canadian Mental Health Services, the Road to Mental Readiness initiative and the Elephant in the Room Campaign.

“Jeanine was a really active member of our community,” said Niki Wilson, who emceed the event. “She was always volunteering, always up for a good time and she brought a lot of energy to make things fun in a really inclusive way.” The Sparkle Run is designed to be inclusive,

Wilson said the event wouldn’t be possible without the support of the community in the way of donations and volunteer resources. “The list is long, we’re really grateful,” she said. bob covey //

bob@thejasperlocal.com

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Local artisans //

Artists pay tribute to ancestors while unearthing rich Métis culture

More than a century after Mary Schaffer admired the detailed embroidery that Rocky Mountain homesteader Suzette Swift sewed onto her handmade gowns, moccasins, coats and gloves, descendants of that pioneering Jasperite are following in her stitch marks.

Artists Kristi Bridgeman and Lisa Shepherd are distant relatives of Suzette Swift, but it was only through the shared experience of creating Métis art that they discovered a familiar thread linking them with Jasper, and to each other. They have been following that thread ever since. “What we’re sharing is our authentic story,” said Shepherd, who created the intricate beadwork which compliments Brideman’s detailed paintings of local flora and fauna. “We’re trying to preserve that piece of history.” However, as rich as that history may be, it’s not just a slice of the past that Brideman and Shepherd are trying to shine a light on. Their work is a statement on the continuing evolution of Métis artistic expression. “We’re here today—two Métis women—continuing to celebrate our culture through modern times,” Shepherd said. A chance meeting brought the artists together. Bridgeman and Shepherd were two of more than 1,800 creators who submitted beaded moccasin designs to a commemorative art exhibition in support of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. For some reason, the piece that Bridgeman sent in jumped out at Shepherd. “[Kristi’s moccasins] grabbed my attention,” Shepherd said. “They felt so familiar.” As it turned out, the connection wasn’t just familiar, it was familial. As they began to piece together their common ancestry, the pair realized, excitedly, that an artistic collaboration was inevitable. A large part of the excitement, the artists explained, was because of the potential to unearth stories and traditions that had been buried for more than 100 years.

//KRISTI BRIDEMAN AND LISA SHEPHERD AT THE EXHIBIT OPENING // BOB COVEY

TWO PIECES FROM FORGET ME NOT METIS ROSE // SUPPLIED

“So much of this tradition was almost lost,” Bridgeman said. “We’re putting the puzzles pieces back together, bit by bit.” While Shepherd brought a rich repository of knowledge about Métis culture to the artists’ budding relationship, Bridgeman’s stories contained a direct lineage to Suzette Swift: Swift was Bridgeman’s great great grandmother. Bridgeman’s connection to the pioneering homesteader was so tangible, in fact, that she recalled to Shepherd her grandmother’s description of the taste of soopalali, a Métis delicacy also known as Indian ice

cream. In response, not only did the pair eventually create a work of art celebrating the traditional dish and the ceremony that would have accompanied it, but they recreated the bittersweet dessert, right down to the soapberries. “We thought ‘the grandmothers and Suzette would be smiling now,’” Bridgeman said. “We’re here today— It wasn’t the first two Métis women— time that Bridgecontinuing to celebrate man and Shepherd felt the presence our culture through of their ancestors modern times” while engaged in the project. Many times, as they were creating the works that would become the main components of Forget-Me-Not, Métis Rose, they had a sense that they were going through the same processes as their forebears. That feeling emboldened their creative spirit. As they tell it, Bridgeman and Shepherd were rediscovering ancestral designs, memories and traditional knowledge. “As I was working on it I began to feel like I was creating in exactly the same way as [Suzette] would have,” Bridgeman said. The result is a stunning hybrid of modern and traditional—fine art that pays tribute to the toil that must have been never-ending in the Swift’s lives. Bridgeman and Shepherd have created nine works, each one interpreting important elements of the local ecosystem while paying tribute to their ancestors. Mary Schaffer recognized the talent, patience and dedication that Suzette Swift poured into her embroidery. Now, thanks to the collaboration of Swift’s descendants, those traditions are finding a new audience. “It’s almost like it’s not entirely just artwork, it’s like our hands are doing the work that needed to be done,” Shepherd said. “It feels like something more. It feels like something bigger.” Forget-Me-Not, Métis Rose runs at the Jasper-Yellowhead Museum and Archives until May 22.

bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

monday, may 15, 2017 // issue 97 // the jasper local// page B6

Local history //

Frank Smythe: passionate and professional

In the 1940s, a mountain climber visited the Jasper region. He was British, and widely regarded as one of the first professional mountaineers. His name was Frank Smythe. At the time, Smythe’s documented climbs included two new routes on the Brenva Face at Mont Blanc in Europe, and an ascent that he led on Mount Kamet in the Himalayas, about which he made a film. Smythe had ascended Everest three times in the 1930s, arriving within 1,000 feet of the top. In fact, years before the body of climber Leigh Mallory was recovered from atop Everest, Smythe had spotted his remains through a telescope on one of his ascents.

Glacier, the Columbia Icefields, and high nearby peaks. There were also abundant mountain huts, chalets, and trails. During this time, Smythe scaled Mount Athabasca with three other mountaineers— including Major Rex Gibson, an instructor with

After climbing Snow Dome, where Smythe said he experienced the foulest wind he’d seen since Everest, he landed in the hospital for an appendix and gall bladder extraction. He returned to England for his long and slow recovery. Two years later, Smythe was back in Jasper, this time with his New Zealand-born wife, Nona, and their three children. Jasper became a base for a variety of short trips.

During this time, Smythe helped to make a publicity film about climbing for the National Film Board. He climbed Mount Victoria, Mount Colin (Symthe used a piton on Colin his first one during an ascent in 30 years) and Mount Hungabee, and attempted Mount Robson and Mount Assiniboine. His greatest challenge in the Rockies was likely in 1946 when he attempted Mount Alberta, // FRANK SMYTHE BASED OUT OF JASPER FOR PIONEERING fifty miles southwest of MOUNTAINEERING EXPLOITS. // JYMA Jasper. (Even today with modern equipment, that “Smythe became the British mountain is rarely climbed.)

Back then, writing about climbing for a general audience was regarded by members of the British Alpine Club as ungentlemanly. Nevertheless, Smythe was a pioneer in this regard also. He // JASPER YELLOWHEAD MUSEUM AND wrote twenty-eight books that sold Army’s chief instructor for ARCHIVES Smythe passed away after contracted extremely well, even during the a deadly strain of cerebral malaria on high-mountain warfare depression. These books did much his last climbing trip to India. He was the Lovat Scouts to popularize climbing and give people a better training.” just days away from his forty-ninth at Jasper who appreciation for the sport. birthday. later became During World War II, the Brits wanted to train president of the Stuart Taylor // one of their regiments in the Canadian Rockies as Canadian Alpine Club. On the descent, Gibson preparation for alpine conditions in Europe. The Stuart Taylor is an amateur historian and suddenly broke through into a crevasse. An Lovat Scouts were the chosen regiment and soon member of Hinton Town Council. Let him know inexperienced corporal had allowed considerable made a new home near Jasper. what you think of his historical features or suggest slack in the rope, and all the climbers were another subject for him to cover. Smythe became the British Army’s chief dragged after Gibson toward the precipice. Only instructor for high-mountain warfare training. Email: info@thejasperlocal.com by a desperate and combined effort did they stop He found the region to be ideal for the needs of the slide and eventually rescue Gibson. the British. There was access to the Athabasca

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