Arctic experience unimaginably majestic L`expérience arctique : une

Alpine Club of Canada | Club Alpin du Canada
Vol. 29, No. 1
Spring | printemps 2014
Arctic experience
unimaginably majestic
page 6
L’expérience arctique : une
rencontre majestueuse
publication
# 40009034
page 8
Preserving, practicing and promoting Canadian mountain culture and self-propelled alpine pursuits. | Préserver, pratiquer et promouvoir la culture alpine canadienne et les activités non motorisées en montagne.
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What’s Inside...
Mountaineering / Climbing
6 Arctic experience unimaginably
majestic
8 L’expérience arctique : une rencontre
majestueuse
14 Group accomplishes lots at ACC
Marmot climbing camp
15 Totem cams pass review test
18 ACMG advocates climbers carry
avalanche gear
20 Preparing for international
mountain travel risks
22 Bernier scores top-ten WC finishes
23 Walsh, Kadatz represent Canada in
Scotland
26 Battling Tödi the Cruel
28 Vancouver Island Youth
Mountaineering Camp
29 Newfoundland and Labrador
section hosts youth comp
30 Travel insurance as important as
gear
30 L’assurance voyage : aussi
importante que l’équipement
Huts
10 Hut reno team strikes alpine
permafrost
15 Des Poilus Hut one step closer
Members
4 Route finding
5 UIAA elects ACC President Peter
Muir as NA delegate
5 Recherche d’itinéraire
12 Wild Mount Meru
22 Club offers chance to meet
mountains, passionate people
23 Le Club: une myriade de
possibilités
Mountain Culture / Science
24 Book ends
Editorial / National News / Awards
4
21
29
31
Short rope
Don Lyon passes
Summer job opportunities
Open Air: learning the ropes
What’s Outside...
facebook.com/alpineclubofcanada
Cover photo: Hubert Sagnières prepares dinner at the day 6 campsite on the
Sverdrup Glacier. Photo by Luc Sagnières. See story on page 6.
twitter.com/alpineclubcan
Hubert Sagnières prépare le dîner au 6e jour de l’expédition sur le
glacier Sverdrup. Photo: Luc Sagnières. Voir le récit en page 8.
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Club alpin du Canada
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Route finding
By Peter Muir
M
Lynn’s all smiles in anticipation of a long powder
run down from the top of Avalanche Crest in
Rogers Pass, Glacier National Park, BC. photo by
Magdalena Kosior
Short rope
by Lynn
A
Martel
funny thing happened during a
conversation at a party not long
ago. Talking with a friend and
fellow Alpine Club of Canada member
I’ve known for years, I excitedly described
a fine summer day when, after reaching
the broad, flat summit of Sunwapta Peak
after a 1,735-metre uphill hike, my four
companions and I proceeded to lie down
to soak up the warm, windless sunshine
and the stupendous 360-degree Canadian
Rockies views—for two solid hours.
At the end of my tale, to my surprise
my friend replied, “I don’t think I’ve ever
sat on a summit for two hours.”
To be sure, this friend has climbed
many, many more mountains than I have,
and stood on a quite a few summits in
numerous exquisite places I’ll never have
the skills, money or even inclination to
visit.
Still, I only felt one reaction.
Bummer!
But then, one of the things I find
fascinating about climbing is how the
mountains attract—and hold—such a
diverse range of interests, passions and
personalities.
In the wake of the 2014 Winter
Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, it’s
impossible to not be inspired by athletes
who dedicate themselves to their craft
to the exclusion of many of life’s other
pleasures all for the reward of pushing the
4 Alpine Club of Canada
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Spring 2014
y term as Alpine Club of
Canada President will end
not too long after this article
appears, and I have been reflecting on the
experience and what it has meant to me
and to the Club.
Over the past five years I have
enjoyed the opportunity to serve as your
President. I have met some fascinating
people, had some memorable experiences
and learned a great deal.
I believe the Club has made strides
as it begins to realize the benefits of its
governance realignment and our strategic
priorities bear fruit.
But it is personally that route find‑
ing through being President has been
most beneficial. I received more—both
in terms of opportunities and personal
growth—than I ever felt I was called
upon to contribute. And for that I am
truly grateful.
In Autumn 2004 I wrote a Gazette
article on why I became involved. It
still resonates with me but more so
now; in part it said “all in all, it seems
pretty simple to me. You have a skill. I
could learn from it and the ACC could
benefit from it. You should volunteer in
whatever capacity you feel you can—you
might surprise yourself at how far you
can go and isn’t that really why you are
a climber? You and I together will never
keep everybody happy but, because it is
better than complaining and because,
even with my idiosyncrasies, I am a dif‑
ferent person from when I started out, I
know we will grow in some way together
and the ACC will come with us.”
I ended with a quote from a Steve
Ashton climbing article and it seems
appropriate for him to sum up my term.
“At the end of the traverse we took
the usual wet weather option and roped
off from the broomstick sapling in a small
meadow above the lower roof. Just in case
the sapling pulled I abseiled in an upright
position so that the impact would be
absorbed by crumpling leg bones instead
of a crumpling spine. I did not want to
end up paralyzed from the waist down.
I suppose that’s what commitment is all
about; stepping into the future, for better
or worse, because there’s nowhere else to
go. There’s no risk in that. You took the
risk when you tied the knot.”
Thanks again, and mind yourself out
there.
Peter Muir, ACC President (for a little
while longer).
limits of human potential. Among them,
for the first time ever, on an outdoor wall
built by UIAA member organization,
the Russian Mountaineering Federation,
were ice climbers swinging their tools
at Olympic Park. Those climbers
included ACC members Jen Olson, Gord
McArthur and Nate Kutcher, all of whom
devoted themselves to pushing their own
limits to earn their spot representing
Canada in the demonstration event.
Pushing beyond previously believed
limits is one of humanity’s greatest attrib‑
utes, the very one that makes living in
a culture and social environment where
having the time and opportunity to pur‑
sue recreational passions is made possible
in the first place.
But if there’s one thing every high
performance athlete knows, it’s the
importance of taking time to rest.
For my part, I can’t think of a better
place to do that than on the summit
of a mountain—unless that summit is
a tiny pile of crumbly Rockies rubble,
or encroaching weather renders such a
delight unsafe (and undelightful!).
Or, come to think of it, an Alpine
Club of Canada hut—such as the new
one the ACC will build at the east end
of the des Poilus Glacier, now that it has
received final approval—is another great
place to rest and admire the view, or the
nighttime stars.
Wherever you take—or make—the
time to lie back, rest and enjoy the view, I
hope mountains are in the picture.
And maybe you’ll even have a copy of
a Gazette—paper or electronic—to help
inspire you.
Recycle this Gazette
Leave it at your
optometrist’s office
Recherche d’itinéraire
par
Peter Muir
M
Peter Muir takes the helm during an Icelandic
sail and ski trip that was a catalisyt for one of the
following year’s ACC’s adventures.
hoto by Sandy Walker
p
PSST!
Do you dream of being a
best-selling author? Ok, how
about just a published writer?
Contact the Gazette editor at
gazette@alpineclubofcanada.ca
to have your article, story or
event published in the Gazette.
on mandat à titre de président
du Club alpin du Canada se
terminera peu de temps après
la parution de cet article, et j’ai réfléchi
à ce que cette expérience a représenté,
autant pour moi que pour le Club.
Au cours des cinq dernières années,
j’ai eu la joie d’être votre président. J’ai
rencontré des gens fascinants, vécu des
expériences mémorables, et appris un
grand nombre de choses.
Je crois que le Club a réalisé de grands
progrès et qu’il commence à récolter
les fruits de la réorientation de sa gou‑
vernance et de ses nouvelles priorités en
matière de stratégie.
Mais c’est au point de vue personnel
que la recherche d’itinéraire en tant
que président m’a été le plus bénéfique.
Tant en termes d’opportunités que de
croissance personnelle, j’ai reçu plus que
ce que l’on m’a demandé comme contri‑
bution. Et pour cela, je suis sincèrement
reconnaissant.
En automne 2004, j’ai écrit un article
dans la Gazette expliquant les raisons de
mon engagement. Il résonne encore en
moi en ce moment, mais avec plus de
force. On pouvait y lire, entre autres :
UIAA elects ACC President Peter Muir as
NA delegate
A
big congratulations to outgoing Alpine Club of Canada President Peter
Muir, whose term ends at the Club’s Annual General Meeting in May, for
being elected as the North American delegate to the UIAA Management
Committee. The UIAA is the International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation
that represents member clubs in more than 60 countries, including, of course, the
ACC. http://theuiaa.org/
« Tout bien considéré, pour moi, c’est très
simple. Vous avez un talent. Je pourrais en
tirer un enseignement et le CAC pourrait
en bénéficier. Alors, quel que soit ce tal‑
ent, vous devriez le partager en devenant
bénévole. Vous pourriez être surpris de
voir jusqu’où cela pourrait vous mener. Et,
en fait, n’est-ce pas la raison pour laquelle
vous faites de l’escalade ? Bien sûr, vous et
moi ne pourrons jamais faire plaisir à tout
le monde. Mais parce que cela vaut mieux
que de se plaindre et que, malgré ce qui
me caractérise, je ne suis plus la même
personne qu’à mes débuts, je sais que
nous grandirons ensemble d’une façon ou
d’une autre, et qu’il en sera de même pour
le CAC. »
Je terminais par une citation tirée d’un
article de Steve Ashton sur l’escalade, qui
résume bien ce que fut mon mandat.
« À la fin de la traversée, nous avons
fait le choix habituel lorsqu’il pleut, et
sommes descendus en nouant une corde
autour d’un petit arbre situé au-dessus du
dernier surplomb. Et juste au cas où le
jeune arbre se briserait, je suis descendu
en rappel en me plaçant bien à la verticale
pour que l’impact soit absorbé par le
bris de mes jambes et non celui de ma
colonne vertébrale. Je ne voulais pas me
retrouver paralysé des pieds jusqu’à la
taille. J’imagine qu’il en est de même pour
l’engagement; il faut avancer résolument
vers l’avenir, pour le meilleur et pour le
pire, parce qu’il n’y a pas d’autre issue. Le
risque n’est pas là. Le risque, on l’a pris
lorsqu’on a noué la corde. »
Encore une fois, merci, et prenez soin
de vous.
Peter Muir, président du Club alpin du
Canada (pour encore un petit moment).
Club alpin du Canada
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Hubert Sagnières skis toward the toe of the Sverdrup Glacier. photo by Luc Sagnières
Arctic experience unimaginably majestic
by Luc
O
Sagnières
ut in the distance, on the sea ice below us, a yellowish spot disappeared behind
an iceberg. I turned toward Mike Beedell, my father’s old friend and our exped‑
ition guide to make sure he saw it too. Negative. It might just have been my
imagination, but I was sure I saw something large move at the toe of the glacier.
The three of us had been looking for a way to ski down the Sverdrup Glacier for two
days, and we had just found an easy slope down to the ice. I raised my head again. That
time I was sure. A bear. I tried to tell the others but as soon as I called out for them, the
yellow spot slipped away behind another large piece of broken glacier. Tired yet motiv‑
ated, we moved on warily.
Our goal was to be dropped near
the highest point of Devon Island, the
largest uninhabited island in the world, at
around 1,525 metres, then ski down to the
Sverdrup Glacier, get on the ice and head
to Cape Hardy. We would have a total of
10 days on the ice.
We left Resolute Bay, Nunavut in a
Twin Otter and when the pilots brought
us down, they must have thought we were
crazy. They were leaving three guys with a
few bags in the middle of nowhere. It was
after they took off that I actually realized
it was indeed the middle of nowhere.
Luc Sagnières and Mike Beedell enjoy dinner in their snow kitchen at the toe of the Sverdrup Glacier with
Cape Hardy in the background. p hoto by Hubert Sagnières
White. Left, right, ahead and behind us.
No mountain in sight, no tiny rock or
animal track around.
Taking out our GPS we found they
had dropped us 50 kilometres off course.
That meant we would have to cover more
ground to stay on schedule. We skied
for a few days without seeing anything
other than the snow in front of our feet.
Then, shapes started forming out on the
horizon. Mountains grew closer and
the slope grew steeper. We were finally
making our way down to the ice, passing
some incredible landscape on the way. At
such a high northern latitude, the eternal
summer sun was forever setting on the
mountains around us: “lumière biblicale,”
as Mike called it. We reached the toe
of the glacier a couple of days later but
spent another two full days trying to find
a way down. A 30-metre drop stretched
between the ice and us. It was on the
third day, after crossing the entire toe
west to east, that I saw our little friend.
Dad and Mike weren’t sure if they had
seen anything, so we cautiously made our
way down. It was getting late and we were
tired. Arriving close to the edge of the
glacier, we dropped our gear and Dad and
I set up camp on a flat surface as Mike
searched around to see if he could find a
way to get completely down. Ten minutes
later he returned and told me in a low
voice, “Luc, get your camera. He’s here.”
A rush of excitement came over me.
A huge smile on my face, I turned to Dad
who responded in the same way. Armed
with a rifle and our cameras, the two of
us followed Mike quietly. We made our
way gently to the very edge of the glacier,
trying not to make a sound. We could see
it was maybe a five-metre drop to the sea
ice. Closer and closer we crept. My heart
was pumping with a force impossible for
me to describe, a mix of excitement and
fear.
Just as we were two or three metres
from the edge, the gigantic beast jumped
up, surprised by our presence, and
sprinted toward an iceberg not too far
off. Click, click, click, our cameras fired
trying to capture the animal’s flight. Not
a single one of us could have predicted
what happened next.
As the bear reached the iceberg, it
didn’t stop as we expected. No. It jumped
up, dug its claws into the vertical ice in
front of it and started climbing, one paw
after the next, up to the very top. It was a
majestic sight. Once it reached the high‑
est section of the iceberg, it looked back
at us. We could hear its heavy breathing.
It took rapid breaths, maybe from fear,
maybe from the effort it took to get up.
It circled the top of the iceberg for a bit,
looking right back into our eyes every few
seconds to make sure we weren’t moving.
Then, suddenly, it lay down on the side of
the iceberg. With one paw dangling out
in front of him, it started sleeping.
We stayed there in awe of what we
had just witnessed, taking pictures of the
beast in front of us for at least an hour.
Finally, we left the bear in peace and
returned to camp. While we were cooking
dinner, we could see the iceberg a short
distance away with the bear on top, not
moving a single hair.
After dessert it quickly climbed down
and made its way along the mountain,
getting as far away from us as it could.
That was the only animal sighting we
had for the rest of the trip. A few skidoos
found us a couple of days later to take us
to Grise Fjord from where we would fly
back home. It was the end of our trip.
Once in Ottawa, I had only been
home for a few hours and was already
feeling nostalgic. I had a thirst for a new
arctic adventure. I went to bed that night
but I couldn’t sleep. As I looked back on
our wonderful journey, I kept thinking
about our furry friend and his never-end‑
ing arctic adventure.
A polar bear downclimbs off an iceberg at the toe of the Sverdrup Glacier. photo by Luc Sagnières
Club alpin du Canada
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Après quelques jours, alors qu’ils skient sur la calotte glaciaire de Devon, Luc Sagnières et Mike Beedel commencent à voir des éléments de relief se dessiner à
l’horizon. photo : Hubert Sagnières
L’expérience arctique : une rencontre majestueuse
par Luc
A
Sagnières
u loin, sur la glace marine que
nous survolons, une tache
jaunâtre disparaît derrière un
iceberg. Je me tourne vers Mike Beedell,
le vieil ami de mon père et notre guide
d’expédition, pour m’assurer qu’il l’avait
bien vue lui aussi. Non. Ça n’était peutêtre que mon imagination. Et pourtant,
j’étais certain d’avoir vu quelque chose de
gros bouger au pied du glacier.
Nous cherchions tous les trois un
moyen de faire une descente à ski de deux
jours sur le glacier Sverdrup et venions
juste de trouver une pente facile qui
nous mènerait à la glace. Et comme je
Hubert Sagnières et Mike Beedell sortent
l’équipement du Twin Otter peu de temps après
leur atterrissage à une altitude de 1525 m sur la
calotte glaciaire de Devon. p hoto : Luc Sagnières
8 Alpine Club of Canada
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Spring 2014
levais de nouveau la tête, cette fois, aucun
doute. C’était un ours. J’ai tenté d’avertir
les autres, mais la tache jaune a aussitôt
disparu dernière un autre bloc du glacier.
Fatigués mais motivés, nous avons donc
continué le voyage en scrutant le paysage
avec une certaine inquiétude.
Nous voulions atterrir près du point le
plus élevé de l’île Devon, la plus grande
île inhabitée du monde, à une altitude de
1525 mètres, puis descendre à ski vers le
glacier Sverdrup, atteindre la glace et nous
diriger vers Cape Hardy. Nous passerions
un total de 10 jours sur la glace.
Nous avions quitté Resolute Bay, au
Nunavut, à bord d’un Twinn Otter, et
quand les pilotes nous ont déposés, ils ont
dû nous prendre pour des fous. Ils s’ap‑
prêtaient à laisser trois types et quelques
sacs au milieu de nulle part. Et lorsqu’ils
ont décollé, j’ai réalisé que nous étions, en
effet, au milieu de nulle part. À gauche, à
droite, devant ou derrière nous : rien que
du blanc. Aucune montagne en vue, pas
même un petit rocher ou la trace d’un
animal.
Nous avons alors sorti notre GPS,
pour réaliser que l’on nous avait déposés
à 50 km du lieu d’atterrissage prévu, ce
qui allongeait d’autant notre parcours.
Pendant quelques jours, nous avons skié
sans voir rien d’autre que la neige. Puis,
des formes ont commencé à se dresser à
l’horizon, et à mesures qu’elles se rappro‑
chaient, la pente devenait plus abrupte.
Nous descendions enfin vers la glace, au
milieu de paysages à couper le souffle. Au
nord, à cette latitude très élevée, le soleil
de minuit se déclinait en couchers de
soleil spectaculaires qui nous enveloppai‑
ent pendant des heures d’une « lumière
biblique », selon l’expression de Mike.
Quelques jours plus tard, nous atteignions
la base du glacier, après avoir du consacrer
deux jours entiers à chercher une voie
pour descendre. Une falaise abrupte nous
séparait de la glace, 30 mètres plus bas.
C’est le troisième jour, après avoir
franchi toute la distance d’ouest en est,
que j’ai revu notre petit ami.
Mon père et Mike n’étaient pas
certains d’avoir vu quelque chose. Nous
avons donc continué notre descente avec
précaution. Il était tard et la fatigue nous
gagnait. En arrivant au bord du glacier,
nous avons déposé notre équipement.
Mon père et moi avons monté le camp
sur une surface plate, pendant que Mike
cherchait aux alentours un endroit où
l’on pourrait descendre jusqu’à la glace.
Dix minutes plus tard, il est revenu et
m’a chuchoté : « Luc, prends ta caméra.
Il est ici. »
Quelle poussée d’adrénaline ! Tout
souriant, je me suis tourné vers mon père,
qui a réagi de la même façon. Armés
d’une carabine et de nos appareils photos,
nous avons suivi Mike en silence. Nous
nous sommes approchés lentement tout
au bord du glacier, en essayant de ne faire
aucun bruit. La glace marine se trouvait
à environ 5 mètres plus bas. Nous avons
rampé de plus en plus près. Mon cœur
battait à une force impossible à décrire,
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un mélange d’excitation et de peur.
Juste comme nous arrivions à un ou
deux mètres du bord, une bête gigan‑
tesque a sauté, surprise par notre présence,
et a fait un sprint vers un iceberg qui se
trouvait tout près. Click, click, click, nos
appareils photos ont tenté de capturer sa
fuite. Mais aucun d’entre nous n’aurait pu
prévoir la suite des événements.
Quant l’ours a atteint l’iceberg,
contrairement à nos attentes, il ne s’est
pas arrêté. Non. Il a sauté, a enfoncé ses
griffes dans la paroi de glace verticale
et a commencé à grimper, une patte
après l’autre, jusqu’au sommet. Quelle
image majestueuse ! Lorsqu’il a atteint
la plus haute section de l’iceberg, il s’est
retourné et nous a regardés. Nous pouv‑
ions entendre sa respiration bruyante. Il
prenait de courtes respirations, à cause,
peut-être, de la peur ou de l’effort qu’il
avait dû déployer pour monter. Pendant
un certain temps, il a fait le tour du
sommet de l’iceberg, nous regardant droit
dans les yeux toutes les quelques secondes
pour s’assurer que nous ne bougions pas.
Et puis, soudain, il s’est couché sur le côté
et, avec une patte qui pendait devant lui,
il s’est endormi.
Ébahis de ce que nous venions de voir,
nous somme restés là au moins une heure
à prendre des photos de l’animal qui était
devant nous. Finalement, nous avons
laissé l’ours en paix et sommes retournés
au camp. Pendant que nous cuisinions
notre dîner, nous pouvions voir à une
courte distance l’iceberg et, à son sommet,
l’ours qui ne bougeait pas d’un poil.
Après le dessert, l’ours est rapidement
descendu de l’iceberg et a filé vers la
montagne, pour s’éloigner de nous le plus
possible. De tout le reste du voyage, nous
n’avons vu aucun autre animal. Quelques
jours plus tard, des motoneiges nous ont
trouvés pour nous ramener à Grise Fiord,
d’où nous allions nous envoler vers la
maison. Notre voyage était terminé.
À Ottawa, j’étais à peine de retour à
la maison depuis quelques heures, que
j’étais déjà nostalgique. J’avais soif de
nouvelles aventures dans l’Arctique. Ce
soir-là, je me suis couché, mais je n’ai
pas pu dormir. Et lorsque je repense à ce
merveilleux voyage, je ne cesse de penser
à notre ami l’ours et à son aventure sans
fin dans l’Arctique.
• Packaged and prepared in
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Après avoir escaladé un iceberg, un ours polaire fixe le groupe de trois êtres humains, avant de décider
de ce qu’il ferait par la suite. p hoto : Luc Sagnières
Club alpin du Canada

Gazette

p
rintemps
2014 9
Hut reno team strikes alpine permafrost
by
I
Karl Ricker
n late July, 2013 the amazingly
well-anchored Alpine Club of
Canada Neil Colgan Hut was given a
long-overdue facelift. Its precarious perch
on the col between Mounts Little and
Bowlen in the Valley of the Ten Peaks is
an engineering marvel. Obviously, when
constructed in the 1980s, a lot of site prep
was carried out to provide a space wide
enough to accommodate the spacious
hut. Its outhouse, located a hundred-plus
metres away, sits on an even more delicate
perch. Winds from the north and south
blast both structures, and the anchors
needed to hold them in place are a unique
design challenge. However, the outhouse
was leaning and its time to go had
arrived.
The hut maintenance crew visited the
Colgan in late spring after burning up the
remains of the second Fay Hut [destroyed
by fire in 2009]; sadly, the solar-powered
outhouse and wood shed got the torch
upon the persistence of Parks Canada
to remove them. After the inspection,
the July work force of seven began the
reno work. The exterior of the metal-clad
Colgan building had lost about 50 per
cent of its paint over the three decades of
wind-induced abrasion. The remainder
was wire-brushed away. Two coats of
silver paint, plus a blue trim around the
windows, door and corner edges were
applied. The old deck was removed and
replaced with a more robust and slightly
larger one, and preparations for a new
outhouse were begun.
Siting of the outhouse had its lim‑
itations because adequate space was
wanting, and slopes of unstable rock,
covering bedrock, are unsuitable for a
foundation. The only place to avoid the
challenging terrain was next to the hut on
the side facing the Moraine Lake valley.
In order to fit in an outhouse, which had
to be below roof level of the main build‑
ing, a basement was excavated, hopefully,
to two metres below floor level of the
cabin. It had to be two metres wide at
required depth and had to extend at right
angles from the cabin until it reached
daylight over the slopes falling away from
the cabin site, roughly five to six metres
in length.
Three of us set out to dig, making
good progress over the first two days.
The upper 40 centimetres was easy (fine
rubble fill used to prepare the cabin site);
the next layer, about 40
centimetres, was in shat‑
tered rock consisting of
lime-dolomite stone with
shaley partings to ease in
breaking it up. Around day
three, the excavation crew
began to hit severe resist‑
ance—firm bedrock that
Neil Colgan Hut is revitalized!
hoto by Darren Enderwick
p
Neil Colgan Hut, the highest
permanent structure in Canada,
sits on a narrow ridge in the
col between Mounts Little and
Bowlen. photo by K arl Ricker
10 Alpine Club of Canada

Gazette

Spring 2014
The damp earth in the foreground is alpine
permafrost, which created extra challenges for
the work crew building a new outhouse at Neil
Colgan Hut to replace the one in the background,
which was removed. p hoto by K arl Ricker
would not easily break apart despite use
of heavy steel pry bars, supplemented by
drilling. What little that could be chipped
off was very cold and ice crystals glistened
on a few fractured faces. Bloody perma‑
frost was impeding progress! So, tactics
had to change; expose the rock and let
it thaw for a day. Chisel the thaw away;
re-expose the frozen rock for another
day and slowly the minimum acceptable
depth of 1.2 metres was achieved.
Excavation was then stopped to allow
the bedrock floor to thaw, and on days
eight and nine we were able to pour
concrete footings for the structure.
The outhouse, completed in
September, has the most solid anchorage
of any structure at Neil Colgan. Climate
warming will thaw the alpine perma‑
frost and could eventually destabilize
the entire narrow ridge that connects
Mount Little to Mount Bowlen. At 2,940
metres, the highest alpine hut in Canada
dictates, however, that it will be a while
before thawing slowly strikes. Any young
scientist want an interesting long-term
monitoring project? It’s a set-up to do so!
Long-time Alpine Club of Canada
member Karl Ricker is a retired geologist
living in Whistler who never tires of volunteering to help maintain the Club’s huts.
Think outside.
At the age of 19, a young Croatian by the name of Petar Rikić
decided to travel around the world
by motorcycle. Naturally, he
experienced an immense diversity
of peoples, landscapes, languages
and cultures. In doing so, he came
to the life-changing conclusion that
in order to become more alive and
free, we need to erase the borders
and boundaries that confine us
politically, emotionally, culturally
and psychologically.
An eclectic collection of 11 global
walks and hikes, the book includes
destinations on every continent but
Antarctica. From one-day saunters
to two-week odysseys, readers will
find the in-depth story behind each
trail, combined with maps and
archival and contemporary images
from contributors located around
the world.
$30
$25
Nuptse and Lhotse are back for
another marvellous adventure,
this time in the Canadian Rockies. When Mrs. Jasper, a very large
grizzly, loses her twin cubs Yoho
and Kootenay, she needs Nuptse
and Lhotse to help her find them.
In a land full of mountains, the cats
and Mrs. Jasper will need to follow
clues and their imagination to find
out where these cubs have gone. As
they make their way through this
world-famous landscape, the cats
learn what makes the mountain
lakes turquoise, what the fastest
way down a couloir is, what not to
do when you are in a canoe, how to
cross an icefield and why bringing
your most favourite thing on an
adventure might just save the day.
$12
The second edition of this bestseller
contains 49 new routes besides the
65 of the first edition, along with
a large collection of full-colour
photos and maps. Kananaskis is
covered comprehensively, and between this edition and Alan Kane’s
Scrambles in the Canadian Rockies,
all of the major, named peaks in
Waterton National Park are outlined. The Castle too is thoroughly
covered, including a handful of
terrific ascents around Middle
Kootenay Pass and a new section
for multi-peak-baggers titled The
Ultimate High-Level Ridgewalks.
Several new scrambles in the
Crowsnest, Banff, Highway 93
North and Yoho are also included.
$30
Wild Mount Meru
by
Chris Lam
A
klipspringer, caught in the beams of our headlamps,
bounces back into the darkness. It is 12:40 a.m. and
we have just departed Saddle Hut on our final ascent
to the summit of Mount Meru, an inactive volcano and
Tanzania’s second highest peak. My wife, Nancy, daughter
Rebecca and I are led by ranger Geofrey Kyando, with guide
Mcloud Koweru and his assistant Hassan bringing up the
rear. On this cold, misty April night as we walk pole pole (pro‑
nounced polay polay, which means slowly in Kiswahili), a few
thoughts cross my mind: Are we packing enough water? Will
the elevation affect us? Are we fit enough?
R
We spent a few days in Arusha
enjoying wildlife safaris in the Serengeti
(around 1,500 metres altitude) and
Ngorongoro Crater (2,000 to 2,700
metres) with Classic Tours and Safaris,
Arusha. Our love of the wilderness and
wildlife was our motivating force for
joining this walking safari and mountain
trek.
Our journey had begun two days
earlier with a 50-minute drive from
Arusha town through Arusha National
Park to Momella Gate (1,500 metres).
Six people, including a cook and porters
carrying food, cooking fuel, kitchenware
and other gear trekked ahead of us. A
guide and a park ranger accompanied us.
The necessity of having a ranger with a
rifle became obvious shortly into our walk
through a glade. About 100 metres away a
small herd of African buffalo stared at us.
The two that were lying down stood up. I
quickened my pace slightly, edging closer
to the ranger. As instructed, we made not
a sound. Buffalo can charge at the drop
of a hat. In fact, two days later we would
learn that a buffalo charged a porter;
luckily the porter took refuge in a hut and
no shots were fired.
Local water buffalo lounge in the glades.
hoto by Chris Lam
p
Geof, Nancy and Chris trek through spectacularly lush montane forest on the first
day of their hike. p hoto by Chris Lam
Once in the lush forest we were
surrounded by the sounds of birds
and cicadas. A cacophony of croaky
growls came from black-and-white
colobus monkeys, warning others of our
encroachment. They swung acrobatically
between branches of junipers and leapt
from tree to tree with white bushy tails
trailing them. The fog enveloped the
montane forest as we steadily ascended
along the northern route. We had to
watch our step to avoid buffalo paddies
and trails of safari ants (I can attest to
their painful bite!). We marvelled at
footprints of antelopes, a leopard and its
scat, and even the track of a python, 12
centimetres wide.
In the sunny afternoon we reached
An arboreal
black-and-white
colobus monkey
swings around
in his home.
photo by
Nancy Lam
Miriakamba Hut (2,500 metres) where
we were the only visitors. A hearty supper
was served in a spacious dining room.
Rebecca, who relied on us completely to
organize this trip, had advised Classic
Tours of our food preferences, and they
were most accommodating. In the woods
that evening creaky calls of tree hyraxes
were joined by a chorus of colobus
monkeys.
On the second day of a four-day trek
we hiked through the dense misty forest,
taking a nutrition break at a viewpoint
called Mgongo wa Tembo, “the back of
an elephant.” Further on, the trees gave
way to smaller bush and scrub. That
afternoon we reached the Saddle Huts
(3,500 metres), in the col between Mount
Meru and, to the north, Little Meru
(3,820 metres).
R
Now we advance toward the summit.
As we take a break at Rhino Point—so
named because that’s where rhino bones
The Saddle Huts are visible in the lower left; the highest point on the hill
in the foreground is Rhino Point; Mount Meru’s summit is the high point
in the distance. p hoto taken from Little Meru (3,830 metres) by Rebecca Lam
40 YEARS YOUNG!
Come celebrate with us
ospreypacks.com
Fourty Years Young - ACC Gazette 1_2H.indd 1
were
found—we wonder what a rhino
was doing at this desolate place at 3,800
metres. Further on, the terrain becomes
barren and more challenging with scree,
lava sand and ash. We cross a virtual
Mars-scape as the sunrise approaches.
Traversing narrow ledges with steep
drops on both sides, we walk gingerly.
Scrambling across steep and bare rocky
areas, we go on all fours like monkeys—
only much less nimbly. Negotiating
grey lava rocks from rubble to car-sized
boulders, we wend our way upward. After
trekking for more than six hours my inner
child whines, “Are we there yet?” Patience
is a virtue.
Now the sun is up and we see the
Tanzanian flag—the summit! Arriving
first, Geofrey, normally a reserved man,
whoops it up and hugs a surprised
Rebecca. We offer mutual felicitations
at the 4,566-metre peak. Rebecca sends
a text message to her brother Joshua in
Calgary, “Happy birthday from the Meru
Summit.” He responds, “That’s amazing!”
We do have adequate water but not
enough goodies to eat, the energy bars
taste terrible. Ascending pole pole helps us
avoid altitude sickness, but I wish I was
a lot fitter. Quite humbled, I realize that
relief from suffering is primal joy. After a
long descent back to Miriakamba Hut we
finally sleep like babies.
R
On the fourth day we crossed the
Meru Crater floor, some 2,000 metres
below the peak, and travelled 14 kilo‑
metres along the picturesque southern
route. We encountered bushbucks, various
birds, blue monkeys, baboons, another
herd of buffalo, a warthog and a giraffe,
and enjoyed rest stops at beautiful Maio
and Tululusia waterfalls. By the time we
reached Momella Gate, poor Mcloud
had developed quite a headache (perhaps
from being a guardian angel to us?). I was
happy to give him acupressure, which
helped.
Without the assistance of the ranger,
guide and porters, this marvellous jour‑
ney would not have been possible for
us. With heartfelt gratitude we thanked
them, Asante sana! and handed them
well-deserved tips. Rebecca, in her softspoken way, disclosed to Nancy and me;
“If I’d known how difficult this climb is,
I wouldn’t have allowed you to go.” That’s
2/4/14 10:38 AM
our daughter, the rock climber.
As we
looked back at Mount Meru’s cliff face in
the distance, we felt at once incredulity,
awe and joy.
Alpine Club of Canada members Chris
and Nancy Lam live in Victoria, BC.
Rebecca, Chris and Nancy Lam stand with the
Tanzanian flag at the summit of Mount Meru.
Photo by Mcloud Kowera
Club alpin du Canada

Gazette

p
rintemps
2014 13
Group accomplishes lots at ACC Marmot climbing camp
by
I
Eva Klassen
t was a cool morning and the sun was
barely over the mountains when we
arrived at the small general store in the
village of Brisco, BC. My friend Janet and
I had travelled from Ottawa to meet our
guides and the other participants of the
Alpine Club of Canada Marmot Women’s
Climbing Camp. The 2013 camp was
based from the ACC’s Conrad Kain Hut
in the Bugaboos, a location I had wanted
to explore since I was a child growing up
in BC’s Okanagan Valley. There was a
lot of excitement and anticipation in the
air as the women I would spend the next
six days with got out of their vehicles to
introduce themselves. There were women
from Washington State, BC and Ontario,
with participants from the Ottawa area
making up half the camp.
Our guides, Kirsten Knechtel and
Lydia Marmont, and camp manager
Sonja Findlater kicked off the trip with
a quick greeting before organizing rides
for our drive down a dirt logging road,
radioing ahead for logging trucks along
the way. Once we arrived in the parking
lot we organized gear, got our new bright
green Marmot ACC jackets (score!) and
porcupine proofed the cars (who knew?)
by wrapping them in chicken wire. We
then started our hike up to the Conrad
Kain Hut, ascending 695 metres over
4.5 kilometres. We passed through alpine
meadows and crossed rocky streams with
our destination always in sight, growing
nearer and nearer. When I arrived at
Eva Klassen rappels with confidence from the
summit of Eastpost Spire in the Bugaboos.
hoto by Sonja Findlater
p
14 Alpine Club of Canada

Gazette

Spring 2014
From left, Leslee Probasco, Carol Kucel, Kirsten Knechtel, Eva Klassen, Karla Khuaric, Janet Campbell and
Lauren Hunter watch as Lydia Marmont demonstrates how to rope up for glacier travel at the Summer
2013 ACC Marmot Women’s Climbing Camp. p hoto by Sonja Findlater
the hut and saw the peaks and glaciers I
would be exploring for the next five days
I was in awe.
We awoke the next day, green jackets
on hand, and got ready for snow school,
a day of reviewing and learning the tech‑
nical skills we would need when travelling
on snow or ice.
The following day we reviewed rock
anchor systems and multi-pitch transi‑
tions before heading up Eastpost Spire,
where we got a chance to put our rock
skills to the test by doing practice leads
and rappelling.
Then we pulled together what we
knew and had learned about snow and
rock systems on day four when we
climbed Hound’s Tooth. It was a great
day and my favourite peak of the trip
because it gave me a chance to use the
glacier travel and rock skills that we had
reviewed over the previous two days. I
enjoyed the approach and having to navi‑
gate through the crevasses, as well as the
route finding discussions that we had as a
group and as a team. And it was also just
a great day from a weather perspective!
Finally on the last day of camp, we
climbed up Snowpatch Col and com‑
pleted the beginning of the Kain Route
on Bugaboo Spire. The original plan was
to complete a circumnavigation of Pigeon
Spire, but changes in the weather that
morning resulted in the group backing
off from that objective. Climbing the Col
was a feat in and of itself, and getting
back down in soft snow was also chal‑
lenging. Our guides set up a rappel to
get us down the steep section using two
60-metre rappels on the climbers’ left side
of the bergschrund. The beginning of the
Kain route was challenging with such a
large group, but I enjoyed the chance to
use more of my rock skills as the focus of
much of the trip had been snow and ice.
On the final morning at the hut we
reviewed crevasse rescue systems. As we
worked to set up pulley systems to haul
our friends to safety, I found that my
training in self-rescue and partner rescue
for rock climbing helped immensely
(thank you Hai and Chissy!). This final
challenge accomplished, we packed up
and hiked back down to the parking lot.
Team Green, as we were now known,
accomplished a lot during our time in
the Bugaboos. We gained new skills,
confidence in our abilities, and made new
friends along the way.
We would all like to thank the ACC
and Marmot for supporting us in our
quest to become leaders of outdoor
pursuits!
An ACC Ottawa Section member since
2010, Eva Klassen was thrilled to satisfy her
long-time dream of visiting the Bugaboos,
all the more so as a participant of the Alpine
Club of Canada Marmot Women’s Climbing
Camp.
Totem cams pass review test
by
I
Brad Hughson
contacted Totem, a Spanish climbing
equipment manufacturer, to propose
to their sales team that I review
their Totem cams. After a few months
of communication, I was fortunate to
receive a beautiful set of Totem cams in
the mail. Upon first inspection, the cams
seemed very well engineered. Since I’m a
mechanical engineer by profession, I can
appreciate all the design and testing effort
that went into producing them.
These cams have a few differences
from what most would call conventional
camming units. A series of cables allow
the user to activate the cam lobes and also
carry the load from the clip-in point to
the lobes. These cams allow the user to
place and clip into a single set of lobes,
making what were scary marginal place‑
ments into confidence building points of
aid. The manufacturer does not recom‑
mend placing a single set of lobes for free
climbing as it essentially halves the fall
rating.
I have been out playing with these
cams a few times and am quite impressed
with how easily they place and how well
they hold in falls. I even grabbed one in
a panic, unable to find the trigger. But
when I finally placed the cam in that
oddly flaring crack and took my whip
on it, it held fast! These cams would be
an asset to any trad or aid climber’s rack.
I wouldn’t recommend anything more
than a single set of Totems due to their
larger racking size. You may not find that
odd flaring or shallow pod too often, but
when you do you’ll be glad you’ve got
them! www.totemcams.com
Thunder Bay Section member Brad
Hughson is a keen trad climber and gear
aficionado.
Des Poilus Hut one step closer
T
he Alpine Club of Canada’s proposal to build a two-storey, 18-person hut
midway between Stanley Mitchell and Bow Huts received a recommendation
to proceed from Parks Canada’s Advisory Development Board in January.
Envisioned as a demonstration site for green technologies and a showcase of the
Club’s commitment to long-term sustainability in off-grid alpine locations, the hut
will serve as a connector on the world-class Bow-Yoho ski traverse. Construction is
slated to begin this summer, with the first guests skiing in by next winter. To contrib‑
ute to the project, visit the ACC’s fundraising website www.accnewheights.ca
Alpine Club of Canada MOUNTAIN ADVENTURES
First Summits Camp
55+ Climbing & Trekking Camp
June 28 - July 2 | $1095
August 9 - 15 | $1595
Hut based introductory
mountaineering camp on
the Wapta Icefields
Best of the Bugs Climbing Camp
Classic trip for those 55 years and
older that combines glacier travel
with easy to moderate climbs
and scrambles and a hut to hut
experience on the Wapta Icefield
August 1 - 5 | $1695
Fresh Air Artists Camp
Designed for the elite climber looking
for a more challenging climbing
and mountaineering experience
August 16 - 21 | $1295
Family Camp at Wheeler Hut
August 10-14 | $TBA
Family bonding, guided day
hikes, learning about nature and
proper backcountry/hut etiquette
is what this camp is all about!
www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/adventures/
adventures@alpineclubofcanada.ca
Helicopter accessed camp in the
Frenchman Cap in the Monashee
range designed to blend hiking
and inspiration from the outdoors
to fuel the artist in you
Long Range Traverse Backpacking
August 31 - September 6 | $TBA
Orienteer your way over a dramatic
mountain landscape of glacier
carved fjords, lush valleys and
arctic alpine barrens of Gros
Morne National Park, Nfld
Photo: Christina Brodribb
30 Backcoun
Ben Ferris (Great Cairn) Hut,
Northern Selkirks, BC.
Photo by Trevor Ward
ntry Huts
Find yours!
www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/huts
ACMG advocates climbers carry avalanche gear
by Lynn
B
Martel
ackcountry skiers do it, and
Canada’s professional guiding
association is publicly advocating
that ice climbers and mountaineers also
embrace the practice of carrying ava‑
lanche safety gear whenever they travel in
avalanche terrain.
Early this winter, the Association of
Canadian Mountain Guides announced,
“the ACMG is promoting the use of
avalanche safety gear for waterfall ice
climbing as well as for summer moun‑
taineering when avalanche hazard may be
present.”
The motivation behind the decision
stems from the ACMG’s prime directive:
the protection of the public interest.
The practice of not carrying avalanche
safety equipment—shovels, probes and
transceivers—while ice or alpine climbing
is not a uniquely Canadian one.
“Internationally, and not just in
Canada, if you ask climbers about carry‑
ing avalanche gear while ice climbing or
mountaineering, many will say they have
never thought about it,” said Canmore
mountain guide Marc Piché, who cur‑
rently serves as the ACMG’s Technical
Director. “The culture of climbing, histor‑
ically, is to be as fast and light as possible,
while carrying minimal equipment.
Often, when decisions are being made
about what to bring, avalanche rescue
equipment doesn’t make the cut.”
Ice climbers expose themselves to
lots of avalanche risk, particularly on
approaches and descents, explained
ACMG President Marc Ledwidge,
recently retired from serving as visitor
safety manager for Banff, Yoho and
Kootenay national parks.
“In some cases it may be reasonable
to leave it at the base of the climb, and
not carry it while actually on the climb,”
Ledwidge said. “Gear used to be heavy
and unwieldy, but there’s a lot of really
lightweight, easy-to-use gear these days.”
Unfortunately, the consequences
of not carrying gear can be serious. In
Europe on Mont Blanc’s normal climbing
route, a big avalanche two summers ago
resulted in multiple burials and several
deaths. Rescuers arrived quickly but
chances of survival are higher when the
person buried is wearing a transceiver.
A similar situation on Manaslu in the
18 Alpine Club of Canada

Gazette

Spring 2014
Alpine Club of Canada members Manfred Czechak and Marg Rees descend Mount Huber on a summer
mountaineering trip. photo by Lynn Martel
Himalaya revealed most people involved
didn’t have the necessary equipment
to deal with the avalanche rescue that
ensued.
In the Canadian Rockies, accidents on
popular routes have resulted in climbers
being buried by avalanches when neither
they nor their partners were equipped
with the necessary gear to perform
self-rescue.
“There have been a number of close
calls over the years,” Ledwidge said.
“About five years ago an avalanche
that came down on some ice climbers
resulted in a full burial. If the partner had
even had a probe, it could have made a
difference.”
Another related concern is the safety
of rescue teams called in to retrieve
bodies, as searchers expose themselves to
avalanche hazard for longer looking for
unequipped people.
While the topic has been discussed
on an international scale among the
members of the IFMGA Accident and
Risk Management Commission, of
which Piché is chair, the ACMG is the
first national guiding association Piché is
aware of to take a public position.
“It’s a cultural shift in terms of putting
avalanche risk at the forefront of decision
making in climbing activities,” Piché said.
Still, said Parks Canada Public Safety
Specialist Steve Holeczi, the decision
whether to carry avalanche safety gear is
an individual, and a group one.
“Everyone has to make their own
decision,” Holeczi said. “Some people
don’t want to carry the extra weight,
others say they won’t go if they think the
hazard is too high, and some may not
even think about it. People mainly talk
about huge avalanches on ice climbs,
as there are acres of avalanche terrain
above many ice climbs. But even small
avalanches can bury an ice climber, as
most are in gullies, which are terrain
traps. Wearing avalanche safety gear
should not make people go where they
normally wouldn’t, but it is there if things
go south.”
Among the logistics climbers should
consider are whether the planned climb
involves exposure to avalanche hazard,
whether the hazard is on the approach or
on the actual route, and what the current
public avalanche bulletin hazard rating is.
“Is it a good day to be on that par‑
ticular climb in the first place?” Holeczi
said. “And probably the biggest logistic is
getting your partners on board with the
concept of carrying avalanche safety gear.
Everyone in your climbing party needs
to have a functioning beacon, probe, and
shovel and know how to use them.”
Just like the cultural shift that took
place in the 1980s when skiers became
accustomed to the availability of ava‑
lanche transceiver technology, nowadays
very few go ski touring without avalanche
gear, Ledwidge said.
“We recommend that as a best prac‑
tice, whether we have skis, crampons or
boots on our feet,” Ledwidge said. “We’re
not trying to tell people what to do; it’s
just part of our [ACMG’s] mandate to
encourage best practices with the tech‑
nology available.”
B
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Preparing for international mountain travel risks
by
Bill Hanlon
O
n June 22, 2013, ten international
climbers and one local guide
were targeted and killed by a
group of suspected terrorists at Nanga
Parbat basecamp (4,200 metres) in
northern Pakistan. This event, and others,
including a spring 2013 incident between
some Sherpas and Westerners on Everest,
in Iran in 2009, Kyrgyzstan in 2000 and
Kashmir in 1995 and ’98, have sparked
worldwide discussion on the safety and
potential risks to travellers adventuring
into remote, politically sensitive places.
The Nanga Parbat incident particu‑
larly stunned the local and international
community as multinational climbers
were targeted and the event occurred in a
previously peaceful area. This incident had
an enormous impact on the families and
friends of the victims.
This was the intent of the small group
of militants who carried out this attack.
Their objective was also to decimate the
already fragile tourist economy of the
area.
I recently returned from working
north of this area and have seen the pro‑
found impact the incident has had on the
health, economic, social and emotional
lives of the local population. I witnessed
empty hotels, and unemployed, well edu‑
cated and disillusioned young adults, and
Dr. Bill Hanlon, third from left, poses for a shot with villagers and community leaders in the Upper Hunza
region of northern Pakistan, north of Nanga Parbat, where he has been working on a health project for
three years. photo courtesy of Bill Hanlon
parents/grandparents with few resources
struggling with depression and alcohol
related issues. This area has also been
subjected to many large natural disasters
and significant geopolitical tension.
So how do we evaluate risk going to
such places? Should we go or stay home?
We all have our own perception and
tolerance of risk. Our perception is often
influenced by previous travel and life
experience. It is also influenced today
by the rapid transfer of images and text
Pre-travel:
●●
●●
Do your homework regarding past and current situations.
Try to get information (verbally/electronically) from local guides/Canadian
Department of Foreign Affairs www.voyage.gc.ca/dest/intro-en.asp and other
travellers who have recently visited the area. Keep in mind this information may be
outdated and no longer accurate.
While travelling:
●●
●●
●●
●●
●●
●●
●●
●●
●●
●●
●●
Develop a strong situational awareness.
Be aware of higher risk locations, such as airports/markets/checkpoints/political
meetings/demonstrations/informal road blocks/nighttime travel.
Contact local Canadian Embassy/Consulate with travel plans.
Inform/update family/friends regarding your plans.
Stay informed while travelling via Internet cafés and news sources when possible.
Be contactable/traceable while travelling via cell/satellite phone/SPOT.
Make copies of passport/visas/contact addresses.
Have a contingency/evacuation plan in case things go wrong.
Be aware and sensitive to cultural norms, dress, ritual, language and religious
practices. Wear appropriate dress and behave respectfully of the culture.
Avoid flaunting signs of Western affluence.
Behave with sensitivity in public places.
20 Alpine Club of Canada

Gazette

Spring 2014
through electronic media often with a
sensational bias. Pre-travel counselling
data indicate that the most feared, but
least likely causes of death while trav‑
elling include airplane crashes, shark
attacks, murders, terrorist attacks (one
in 9.3 million travellers) and natural
disasters. The two most common causes
of death in travellers are road traffic
accidents and acute medical problems.
Our tolerance of risk is often determined
by our past experience, our dependents,
fellow travellers and team members.
Everyone needs to find their own
comfort level when it comes to risk
tolerance. What works for one person
may be a disaster for another. We need
to put as much work into researching
the unique political, economic, social
and cultural context of a region as we do
preparing route details of a climbing or
trekking objective. In the past few years
I have personally delayed, cancelled and
returned early on trips to Pakistan and
Tibet because of the political situation.
We cannot eliminate risk. Sometimes
when the risk evaluation is difficult, we
can modify our objective and still have
a great experience, such as visiting a
Recycle this Gazette
Leave it at your
local travel bureau
Don Lyon 1936-2014
different valley or drainage. I have taken
that decision in the past while working in
India, Tibet and Pakistan and climbing in
West Papua and in the Caucasus.
Sometimes our presence can have
more of a negative than positive impact
on the local population we plan to visit.
Sometimes staying at home is the right
decision.
So, if we cannot eliminate risk, how
do we minimize it?
Travel to politically unstable areas is
often very complex and requires detailed
understanding of the current political,
social, economic and cultural situation on
the ground.
Characteristics of modern military
conflicts have changed in recent years
with targeting of civilians, aid workers,
specific nationalities and suicide bomb‑
ers. Degree of danger is a complex and
dynamic determination. The risk of an
adverse event while travelling can some‑
times be linked to the traveller’s own
behaviour and inability to adapt to the
B
orn in Vancouver in 1936, Don
Lyon was an Alpine Club of
Canada Life Member who participated
in several landmark Canadian climbs.
In 1959 he was a member of the first
Canadian team to summit Mount
Logan, via the East Ridge, an epic
expedition led by Hans Gmoser and
Willi Pfisterer, which included ACC
member Karl Ricker. Lyon was also
a member of the team to make the
first ascent of Denali’s Pioneer Ridge
in 1961, and in 1964 he participated
on the first Canadian expedition to
Sangemarmur in the Himalaya, which
was forced to retreat within reach of
the summit. He worked with ava‑
lanche control in Rogers Pass, and was
a teacher with the Burnaby School
District for more than 20 years. Lyon
retired to Nelson, BC where he served
as Museum Board president and was
admired as an “extreme volunteer.” He
was 77.
Look for a full obit, and others, in
the 2014 Canadian Alpine Journal.
shifting political and security environ‑
ment on the ground. In making travel
plans we should also consider how much
risk our presence puts on the destination
communities.
Risk however, to some degree, is an
inherent part of adventure travel.
One wonders when Dervla Murphy,
the iconic Irish travel writer, set out on
her bicycle in the winter of 1963 from a
small village in Ireland heading towards
Delhi, if she would have changed her
mind if she had had access to Facebook
or Twitter and the electronic news feeds
we have today.
Somehow, I don’t think so.
Alpine Club of Canada member Dr. Bill
Hanlon lives in Cochrane, Alberta when he’s
not visiting some of the world’s most challenging places in pursuit of adventure, and in
his capacity as founder and medical director
of Basic Health International, a charity that
supports primary health projects in remote,
high-needs communities living at high altitude. http://basichealthinternational.org
Mark your calendar !
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Lotteries for the 2014/2015 winter at Kokanee Glacier Cabin
and Fairy Meadow Hut open April 14 and run until May 18.
$925.00 / week, including helicopter access to the hut.
Find out more at www.alpineclubofcanada.ca
NB: For a Pilot Project with BC Parks, Kokanee will have a capacity of 15 this year.
Club alpin du Canada

Gazette

p
rintemps
2014 21
Club offers chance to meet mountains, passionate people
by
Maryse Morel
F
ollowing a separation in 2010, I
found myself all alone when I
wanted to go climbing. It doesn’t
really work well when you have no one
to belay you. In 2011, I met a climber
who introduced me in a positive way to
the Alpine Club of Canada. He was part
of the Laurentian Section. I tasted the
ACC for the first time in 2012, following
an invitation from a friend (my beautiful
Julie) to go hiking and I really appreci‑
ated it. Following this outing, I visited the
ACC website and I was surprised by the
variety of all the activities available. So I
joined the Club in January 2013 with the
Montreal Section.
For me, the ACC gives me the oppor‑
tunity to practice different activities in
a group with experienced people who
know the mountains well. Being soli‑
tary by nature and not accustomed at
all to big groups, I had to adapt, but I
integrated myself to the group rapidly.
And what touches me the most is when
I meet passionate people talking of their
adventures—I just love it! When that
happens, I feel like a little girl listening
to a grand tale.
At my first ice climbing outing as a
member in February 2013, I met a woman
named Maria Mitea and every time I see
her I feel flickering. It was love at first
sight. We developed a strong friendship.
Not being the kind of person to talk only
about the rain and nice weather, I realized
that Maria is really deep, not common at
all. We can discuss everything. It did me
good to meet someone I have confidence
in, who is honest and passionate. After
I had an accident in July, where I fell 12
metres to the ground rock climbing, she
boosted my moral a lot. I feel very lucky
(thanks to life) that only my left wrist was
broken. So we had girls’ activities outside
Maryse Morel takes a break between climbs at Lake Willoughby, Vermont in February 2013.
hoto by Gaétan Castilloux
p
of the ACC for a while.
Having only one hand for a few
months, my main activity was hiking.
Hiking helps me to be centered. As
soon as my wrist is strong enough, I will
caress the rock again and I will be able to
ice climb. Climbing allows me to defy
gravity, to let go of everyday life and
not to have expectations—expectations
towards myself, my climbing partner or
toward our climbing day. I don’t know
if it’s experience, but when the expecta‑
tion is too great, there is a risk of being
disappointed. I savour tasting the present
moment, breathing and being myself,
being cradled by the wind, the sun brush‑
ing my cheeks, laughing at my partner’s
silliness.
When I meet a mountain, I feel
privileged. For me, the mountain is not
a claim; we must respect it all the time.
Our beautiful planet is here to sustain us
Bernier scores top-ten WC finishes
C
anadian National Ski Mountaineering Competition Team member
Melanie Bernier continues to build on last season’s strong performances
on the World Cup circuit by taking second place in the sprint race and
fourth in the individual event at the French national championships at Oz-EnOisans in January. Later in the month at the Courchevel World Cup she finished
sixth in the individual event and ninth in the vertical race. Way to go Melanie!
Follow the Canadian skimo team at www.skimocanada.org/ and Bernier’s blog at
www.skintrack.com/skimo-racing/world-cup-skimo-racing-melanie-bernier/
22 Alpine Club of Canada

Gazette

Spring 2014
and to help us to be nearer to ourselves
when we seek adventure. Sometimes, we
confront our fears and emotions—sad‑
ness, anger, incomprehension—and we
leave the mountain strengthened in a
way. In this particular case, I am talking
for myself. It is what makes a mountain
magical. Its beauty, complexity and at the
same time, its simplicity, its curves that
make us sway, all the energy that we put
in to meeting the mountain by dissecting
guidebooks and maps. Would it be right
to say that it gives to us without counting
and without asking anything in return?
The mountain is there, arms extended,
ready to greet us, sometimes with cli‑
matic conditions that can be as special
as an 18-degree Celsius October day in
Charlevoix, Quebec. By its presence, we
always feel welcomed.
The ACC gives me this opportunity
to meet the mountain and so many pas‑
sionate people, to combine adventure and
friendship. That’s what my ACC means
to me.
Bilingual ACC Montreal Section member Maryse Morel wrote both the English
and French versions of this story.
Recycle this Gazette
Leave it in your art gallery
Le Club: une myriade de possibilités
Par Maryse Morel
S
uite à une séparation en 2010, je
me suis retrouvée toute seule pour
grimper. Ça ne va pas très bien
quand tu n’as personne pour t’assurer.
Mais en 2011, un grimpeur m’a parlé en
bien du Club Alpin du Canada; il faisait
partie de la section Laurentides. J’ai goûté
au CAC pour la première fois en 2012,
suite à une invitation d’une amie (ma
belle Julie) à faire de la marche en mon‑
tagne, et j’ai bien apprécié l’expérience.
Suite à cette sortie, je suis allée sur le site
du CAC et j’ai été surprise par la variété
des sorties offertes. Je me suis donc ins‑
crite en janvier 2013 à la section Montréal.
Pour moi, le Club alpin du Canada me
donne l’opportunité de pratiquer diverses
activités en groupe avec des gens d’expéri‑
ence qui connaissent bien la montagne.
De nature solitaire et n’étant pas habituée
aux grands groupes, j’ai dû m’adapter,
mais je me suis vite intégrée. Et ce qui
me touche le plus, c’est de rencontrer des
gens passionnés par leurs activités, qui me
parlent de leurs sorties. J’adore. Quand ça
se produit, je me sens comme une petite
fille qui écoute un conte.
Lors de ma première sortie en esca‑
lade de glace en tant que membre en
février 2013, j’ai rencontré une femme du
nom de Maria Mitea, qui me fait vaciller
à chaque fois que je la vois. Ça a été un
coup de foudre instantané. Nous avons
donc développé une amitié. N’étant pas
du genre à parler seulement de la pluie et
du beau temps, je me suis rendu compte
que Maria est d’une profondeur hors du
commun. Nous pouvons discuter de tout.
Cela m’a donc fait beaucoup de bien de
rencontrer quelqu’un en qui j’ai confiance,
qui est honnête et passionnée. En ce
moment, elle m’aide beaucoup morale‑
ment pour m’aider à passer à travers un
accident subi en juillet 2013, suite à une
chute de 12 mètres en escalade. Je me
trouve chanceuse (merci la vie !) d’avoir
subi seulement une fracture du poignet
gauche. Nous en profitons donc pour
effectuer des activités hors du CAC.
Pour l’instant, la marche en montagne
demeure l’activité que je pratique le plus.
La marche m’aide à me recentrer sur moimême. Mais à mesure que mon poignet
reprend de la force, je peux enfin caresser
la roche à nouveau et revenir à l’escalade
de glace.
L’escalade me permet de défier la
gravité, de lâcher prise du quotidien et
de ne pas avoir d’attentes, qu’il s’agisse
d’attentes envers moi-même, mon
coéquipier, ou ma journée de grimpe. Je
ne sais pas si c’est l’expérience, mais je
Walsh, Kadatz represent Canada in Scotland
A
lpine Club of Canada Ambassador Jon Walsh and Calgary ice climber Michelle
Kadatz represented Canada in fine form at the Scottish Winter Meet, which
took place Feb. 7/8. Climbing venues included Glencoe, Ben Nevis, Creag Megaidh,
Glen Shiel and Argour, not to mention a few local pubs serving fine single malt. Look
for a trip report in the Summer Gazette.
Kilimanjaro
Africa’s Highest Mountain
5895 m / 19340 ft.
trouve que lorsque les attentes sont trop
grandes, on risque d’être déçu. Il vaut
mieux goûter le moment présent, respirer,
être soi-même. Se laisser bercer par le
vent, se faire effleurer les joues par le
soleil, rire des blagues de l’autre…
Lorsque je rencontre la montagne,
je me sens privilégiée. Pour moi, la
montagne n’est pas un droit acquis; nous
devons la respecter en tout temps. Notre
merveilleuse planète est là pour nous
soutenir et nous aider à être plus près
de nous-mêmes lorsque nous partons à
l’aventure. Parfois, nous affrontons nos
peurs; toutes nos émotions, comme la
peine, la colère, l’incompréhension refont
surface, et on en ressort grandi. Telle est
mon expérience personnelle. La montagne
est magique, tant par sa beauté, sa com‑
plexité, sa simplicité, et ses courbes qui
nous font chavirer, que par l’énergie que
nous mettons pour aller à sa rencontre
en épluchant les guides et les topos. Ne
serait-il pas juste de dire qu’elle nous
donne sans compter et sans demander
quoi que ce soit en retour? Elle est là, bras
ouverts pour nous recevoir, dans des con‑
ditions climatiques parfois assez spéciales
(comme par exemple un 18°C pour un
mois d’octobre dans Charlevoix), mais de
par sa présence même, nous nous sentons
toujours accueillis.
Le CAC me donne donc l’opportunité
d’aller à la rencontre de la montagne et de
tous ces gens passionnés, et d’allier aven‑
ture et amitié. Je vous souhaite à tous une
très belle saison!
Membre bilingue de la Section Montréal
du Club alpin du Canada, Maryse Morel a
écrit les versions anglaise et française de cette
histoire.
DIK DIK
H o t e l & To u r s
Individual safaris in Tanzania
Kilimanjaro climb & Safari Specialist
Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire, Manyara
Holidays in Zanzibar
dikdik@habari.co.tz
www.dikdik.ch
It is the Swiss family’s Vision &
Commitment to provide top quality
accommodation, food and service in a
friendly atmosphere.
Club alpin du Canada

Gazette

p
rintemps
2014 23
Book ends
compiled by Lynn
Martel
Rock Paper Fire: The Best of Mountain and Wilderness Writing
edited by Marni Jackson and Tony Whittome
Sailing by homemade boat in devil winds in the Baja, tracking a lost horse for 24 hours through
dense, remote northern BC Rockies, or solo climbing Norway’s sinister Troll Wall, this anthology
expresses the drama, the magic and the earth-shaking lessons that can only be learned by spending
time in wilderness. With the authors of these two dozen stories, including ACC member Barry
Blanchard representing some of the most talented and captivating writers to have participated in the
Banff Centre’s Mountain and Wilderness Writing Program under the sharp tutelage of Jackson and
Whittome, these finely crafted stories are as enjoyable as a 360-summit view on a windless bluebird
day.
Published by the Banff Centre Press www.banffcentrepress.ca
Summits & Starlight: The Canadian Rockies by Paul Zizka
An outhouse perched on a precipice, ripples from a canoe creasing a glassy-calm lake,
stars twinkling above a bivy tent set aglow by headlamp, a rock climber shrouded by the
spray of Takakkaw Falls, and a rainbow of northern lights exploding across the night sky
above Lake Minnewanka—these and many other exquisite images from the Canadian
Rockies by Banff photographer Alpine Club of Canada Rocky Mountain Section member
Paul Zizka showcase the freshest, most intriguing and original photography in decades to
come from one of the most photographed places on earth.
Published by Rocky Mountain Books www.rmbooks.com
IceLINES: Select Waterfalls of the Canadian Rockies
by Brent Peters
The first new ice climbing guidebook for the Canadian Rockies since 2002,
IceLINES: Select Waterfalls of the Canadian Rockies is a 150-page guidebook show­
casing 53 waterfall ice climbs, and listing another 265 named routes in close
proximity to those featured, all geared toward new or visiting climbers. Peters’
organizational skills and instructional talents honed through his profession as an
ACMG Alpine Guide with Yamnuska Mountain Adventures have created a userfriendly book jammed with colour photos and oodles of essential route beta.
Published by Peakstratagem http://peakstratagem.com
n’t ut!
o
D so
s
mi
In the Frenchman Cap area of the Monashees
2014 GENERAL MOUNTAINEERING CAMP
.
Five week-long camps from July 12 - August 16
Gazette

Spring 2014
Photo: Roger Laurilla

Photo: Chelsea Selinger
24 Alpine Club of Canada
Photo: Chelsea Selinger
Photo: Chelsea Selinger
www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/gmc
This remote area is the perfect venue for introductory to experienced climbers alike.
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Battling Tödi the Cruel
by
I
Martin Naroznik
n April, 2012 Anja, Seb and I ski to
the Fridolinhütten to tackle Tödi. At
3,614 metres it is the highest summit
on our traverse of the Glarus Alps in
Uri, the smallest canton in the Swiss
Confederation. There are only two other
guests so the hut keeper is unhappy and
rooms are cold. Everyone sleeps under
two blankets. At 5:15 a.m. the alarm sounds under
clear skies and a young moon. Leaving
at 6 a.m., billions of tiny silver shiv‑
ering dots surround us on the ground
and above. Seb sets the course toward the
lower icefall of Bifertenfirn and we glide
in silence through predawn stillness. The
mountain wakes an hour later, clouds
start forming and as we ascend the lower
icefall they thicken and descend. Light
wind wafts down the mountain. Tödi
seems unhappy with us bothering him.
At the top of the upper icefall we
encounter a rather strong, and for April,
unusually cold wind. Layers come out.
We rope up and follow Anja toward
the summit, crossing a few foot-wide
crevasses. The wind intensifies again,
visibility decreases. Anja stops talking.
Around 3,000 metres the wind
increases another notch. The GPS
confirms our direction. My bindings,
contracting in the now almost arctic con‑
ditions, start squeaking. Hands are cold,
fingers colder; I am already wearing my
warmest gloves. The wind is mixed with
tiny crystals, giving us a free, but painful,
facial peel. The temperature drops again,
the wind starts to approach uncomfort‑
able speed. With our heads down we round the
south ridge of Glarner Tödi and start
switchbacking up the final steep part. The
only way to stay warm is to keep moving,
yet Tödi increases the stakes, playing with
the wind direction like a deranged piano
virtuoso. With Swiss precision he deftly
manipulates the wind to blow directly
into our faces. A switchback later, instead
of a momentary respite we face the wind
again head-on. Cruelty redefined, we
unwillingly participate in Tödi’s S&M
endeavour.
Anja Häussler and Seb Bouron ascend the second
icefall. p hoto by Martin Naroznik
Martin Naroznik strikes a pose beside the
ubiquitous summit cross on the 3,614-metre
summit of Piz Russein, the highest peak of the
Tödi massif. p hoto by Seb Bouron
Finally, the summit with its obligatory
cross and—unbelievably—no wind, leave
me wanting to drop to my knees and
pray to a higher entity. Instead, modern
sensibility takes over. I raise my arms
and Seb takes a summit picture for my
Flickr photostream.
Hints of other summits appear below
us, but mostly it is a cold, barren place
surrounded by various shades of hori‑
zontal grey bands, their rugged edges
slowly torn by Tödi’s invisible hands. The
moment is sublime, like standing before a
Rothko wondering whether I am erudite
or just a fool. A few moments later it is
obvious that erudition has never been
part of ski mountaineering and the fool
turns to descend.
The wind-free moment fills us with
hope that the mountain monster is
done with us. We are wrong. As soon
as we put the skis back on and face the
descent, Tödi returns with vengeance.
The wind picks up and comes directly
again. Frozen and muted by the roaring
wind we are unable even to cry. We ski
the first 200 metres like puppets guided
by a drunk, then we manage to steal the
next 200 metres of beautiful wind-free
turns under a blue sucker hole when the
mountain monster takes a break to
tweet: playing with three dolls fun stuff
#playinggod #pooptweet
At the 3,160-metre contour we adjust
our course to 190 degrees; Tödi adjusts
his torture screws and we head toward
Porta da Gliems, our exit from the tor‑
ture chamber. With luck and GPS we
make the pass despite a tricky, barely
visible wind lip that looked small but was
actually a few metres high. Crashing into
hard sastrugi at the bottom never felt
better, mostly because for a few seconds
I escape the ferocious wind. The absence
of snow crystals hitting my face triggers
memories of my childhood trip to the
beaches of the Black Sea—sun, warm
water, ice cream, laughing kids building
sand castles while lazy adults slump under
umbrellas.
“Are you OK!” Seb screams at me.
“Are you OK?” I nod, leave the imaginary
warmth and return to the immediate
matter of getting off this frigid moun‑
tain-ogre. We peer into the abyss.
Crystals hit us again. We see a harrowing
rappel of unknown length obscured by
snow blowing against us. The rappel
would be under an overhanging cornice,
perfectly positioned, of course. The map
indicates a steep feet-only section of 100plus metres. None of us have been here
before. Yet another change of wind dir‑
ection does not surprise us, but no more
dancing with the mountain-devil. We are
heading back. Skiing down Quasimodo style with
one eye peering out for visible landmarks
and the other on the GPS we retreat
along our long-gone skin track. At
one point the clouds part and we see
Grünhornhütte, a small shelter built in
1863 as the first hut of the just-established
Swiss Alpine Club. We ponder skiing the
Schneeruss, a good-looking couloir on
the north side of Biferten Glacier but opt
for a faster and seemingly safer descent
along our up-track.
A scary section on the upper icefall
produces enough adrenalin to defrost my
urinary track; I feel the most satisfying
relief ever. Pissed on, Tödi again whips
up the wind and blows us off the icefall
to the snout of Biferten Glacier where
we encounter a section of breakable crust
sprinkled with wind sculpted features
usually found in terrain parks. One of
them launches Anja into a forward flip,
which she almost lands. In case breakable crust does not break
our flailing spirits, Tödi floods the whole
Biferten Valley with fog. But with lower
elevation the wind-monster is losing
his strength and, after all we have been
through, skiing crappy snow in milk
bottle conditions is a walk in the park.
After a hundred-too-many jump turns
through mashed potatoes on a forested
slope above Hinter Sand, we hit valley
bottom. A few kilometres of road skiing
later, a patch of green grass confirms we
are officially out of death-mountain’s
domain. The sun comes out and without
turning back I know that behind us Tödi
is sulking in a coat of thick clouds. An Alpine Club of Canada member
since 2004, Vancouver resident Martin
Naroznik received the Eric Brooks Leader
Award in 2011. For info on skiing Tödi
visit runningclouds.net/toedi
Martin Naroznik
gains Ochsenstock,
at 2,265 metres on
the approach to
Fridolinhütten with
the towers of Vorder
Schiben and Hinter
Schiben ((2,987
metres/3,084 metres) in
the background. Photo
by Seb Bouron
Anja Häussler skis the upper icefall of Biferten Glacier. p hoto by Martin Naroznik
Club alpin du Canada
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Vancouver Island Youth Mountaineering Camp
by
I
Nadja Steiner
n August, 2013 a group of nine youths
between the ages of nine and 17, plus
their parents, returned home excit‑
edly from the inaugural Alpine Club of
Canada’s Vancouver Island Section Youth
Mountaineering Camp in the Sutton
Range on Vancouver Island.
Enriched with new and refined skills
and enhanced friendships, many of the
participants had summitted a mountain
via a snow ascent using crampons and
ice axes for the first time. The camp
commemorated the Section’s youth
mountaineering group’s fifth year. Some
of the youths had been participating since
the beginning, receiving mountaineering
training in four to six outings a year,
including day hikes, weekend climbing
camps, overnight mountaineering trips
and winter camps. The 2013 camp, how‑
ever, was something special.
Provided with the Section’s base‑
camp equipment, a financially feasible
hike-in location with heli support was
chosen. After several logistical setbacks,
the choice fell to the Sutton Range. The
youths (and parents) had prepared well
with several pre-meetings designated
for rope work, climbing and rappelling
practices, leadership skills, an ice axe
workshop and a relaxed weekend on the
beach discussing expectations, as well as a
trip agreement.
From left, Harry, Nadja, Raven, Finn (hidden), Piper, Keith (back), Anna-Lena, Lindsay, Iain, Evelyn, Cees
and Malachite practice snow skills while Arno and Derek (far right) look on. p hoto by EJ Hurst
On August 17 the group found itself
with camp co-leader Nadja Steiner
stranded on the logging road, while camp
leader Harry, camp manager Mike, and
set-up helper Finn, were stuck in the
helicopter hangar waiting out the thick
cloud cover creeping in from Thasis Inlet.
Luckily, blueberries were plenty and spir‑
its high on the logging road, while plenty
of trout in Gold River kept the boredom
in the hangar at bay.
From left, Malachite Miller, Iain Sou, Arno Dirks, and Keith and Piper Battersby test the bear hang at
Sutton basecamp, Vancouver Island. photo by Nadja Steiner
28 Alpine Club of Canada
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After a day of waiting, basic camping
supplies and limited food were removed
from the gear-pile and the group hit
the trail, rain or shine. Ascending to the
ridge the clouds became thicker, quench‑
ing the hope for helicopter sounds. As
always, one youth was the designated
leader tasked with finding the way based
on interrupted GPS tracks and limited
flagging. Just in time for lunch, a glimpse
of sun did in fact attract the helicopter,
and gear and camp crew arrived just 30
minutes before the hike-in group. The
hurrahs were plentiful and supported
by excited tail wagging by the white
shepherd, Amy, finally reunited with her
master.
All tiredness vanished as everybody
set up camp before dinner. Not a minute
too soon, since the night brought in a
storm that required ever more lines and
heavy bags to be added to keep the tents
from lifting off. Luckily, storms tend
to blow away the worst and over the
course of the next morning the clouds
disappeared. Day one was filled with final
set ups, including a bear cache, which
naturally required proper testing by some
rope swinging kids.
Finally, it was time for mountain‑
eering: helmets, harnesses, ice axes and
crampons were distributed and the group
headed out to the closest snowfield.
Secured via ice anchors the kids started
Newfoundland and Labrador section hosts youth comp
by Lynn
T
Martel
he Newfoundland and Labrador
Section hosted its first nationally
sanctioned Youth Climbing
Competition in February at Wallnuts
Climbing Centre in St. John’s. A quali‑
fying match for the Eastern Regional
Championships taking place Toronto in
April, the event was a roaring success,
drawing 45 climbers from Newfoundland
and Labrador and neighbouring prov‑
inces. To learn more about the ACC’s
newest section visit www.accnl.ca
sliding down the snowfield to practice
self-arrests. Snow school continued
most afternoons, including ascents and
descents with ice axes and crampons,
controlled sliding and specifics for group
travel and glacier walks. A spectacular
60-metre rappel station in alpine terrain
added some thrill to the week. Each
night’s dinner was followed by planning
meetings for the next day. The rule was
that youths needed to be accompanied by
their own parent in more technical ter‑
rain, and could stay with another adult in
a 2:1 ratio around camp or on easier trips.
Since not all parents could lead and some
trips only allowed for a limited number
of participants, planning was rather
challenging.
Explorations included a smaller
unnamed peak visible from basecamp
reached via a ridge with beautiful quartz
deposits and a somewhat challenging des‑
cent via blueberry bushes, rocks and scree;
and a youth planned trip to a smaller
summit which included a splashing con‑
test in a pond. The main summit, Sutton
Peak, was attempted either via a rather
exposed scrambling route, which required
the set up of belay and fixed ropes for
some of the younger participants; via a
spectacular snow ascent applying the pre‑
viously practiced snow mountaineering
skills; or via a shortcut through the gully
route. The latter had its own challenge
due to deteriorating weather. Sutton Peak
welcomed many smiling young faces that
week, including the christening of some
brand new youth mountaineers. The last
group on the summit decided to create
a summit register. A water bottle now
contains our dinner menu with a short
account of our youth Sutton Peak summit
mountaineers.
One of the responsibilities of the
youths was to maintain regular radio
contact with basecamp. Sometimes that
required relaying via another group or
more inventive engineering solutions such
as extending the antenna with a hiking
pole. Lindsay used this method success‑
fully to connect with Piper and Keith at
the other side of the ridge, as they had
ventured on a rather challenging lake
exploration. In-camp activities included
knot sessions, crevasse/rock rescue and
pulley building practices, but also henna
art, dam building and board games. A
camp debrief brought some suggestions
for improvement, but the general consen‑
sus was: It was awesome and the camp
was too short! A huge thank you goes out
to all our supporters.
Finn Steiner and Iain and Derek Sou navigate the
Sutton Peak snow route. photo by Harald Steiner
Summer Job Opportunities
The Alpine Club of Canada is looking for two team members to work
and enjoy a memorable summer season as full time Custodians at the
Kokanee Glacier Cabin from June 1 thru to December 1, 2014.
In addition to having current standard
First Aid and CPR certification, ideal
candidates will be:
●●
●●
●●
●●
●●
●●
Honest and reliable
Customer service oriented
Experienced in backcountry travel
Physically fit and healthy
Mechanically minded and handy with tools
Knowledgeable and passionate about the
outdoors
Custodians are scheduled on a two-week-on,
two-week-off basis; they receive a daily rate of
$125, a car allowance and a performance-based
bonus at the end of the season.
Deadline for applications is April 4, 2014.
Recycle this Gazette
Leave it at your
local swimming pool
Please submit your resume to:
Rob Shears, Facilities Manager
rshears@alpineclubofcanada.ca
Box 8040, Canmore, Alberta T1W 2T8 OR fax: (403) 678-3224
Club alpin du Canada
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2014 29
Travel insurance as important as gear
by Leah
P
Chang
lanning a spring climbing trip? Travel insurance is just as
important to pack as any other piece of climbing gear on
a big trip.
In climbing there’s always room for human error. At the same
time, a climbing-related accident or injury might not be your
fault: falling rock or a stove incident at the campsite could hit
you anytime. If you’re climbing in a remote area, how will you get
to a medical facility? Safety conditions, road access and trans‑
portation can be unreliable. Even the best re-bolting efforts in
world-famous sport climbing areas can’t guarantee your safety.
No matter your level, if you’re climbing outside of your home
province for a weekend at Penticton, BC’s Skaha Bluffs, or trav‑
elling abroad for a month-long climbing holiday to Railay Beach
in Thailand, travel insurance should be a no-brainer. Make sure
you’re covered in case you get sick or injured while climbing.
Climbers shouldn’t have to pay extra for travel insurance;
certain Emergency Medical Plans will cover climbing. But, if
your plan doesn’t cover climbing, then take advantage of the
insurance provided by Travel Underwriters, which you can pur‑
chase through the Alpine Club of Canada.
Ask specifically if your work-sponsored Emergency Travel
Medical covers climbing related accidents.
Injured a tendon bouldering before a big trip? You won’t
lose any money if you’ve purchased Trip Cancellation/Trip
Interruption Insurance.
There is a lot to prepare for climbing adventures. As a fellow
climber, I sure do love my gear, and I hope you’ll think of travel
Leah climbs The Best Route in Minnesota on Escher Wall, Railay, Thailand.
photo
by Leonard Chong
insurance as important as your harness or your rope on your next
climbing holiday.
Climber Leah Chang works for Travel Underwriters. For more
info, visit www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/activities/insurance.html
L’assurance voyage : aussi importante que l’équipement
Par Leah Chang
V
ous planifiez un voyage d’escalade
au printemps? Il est tout aussi
important de se procurer une
assurance voyage que de préparer son
matériel d’escalade pour un grand voyage.
Peu importe votre niveau, vous
devriez avoir une assurance voyage si
vous faites de l’escalade hors de votre
province de résidence ou si vous voyagez
à l’étranger pour un séjour d’escalade.
Que vous veniez en voiture de l’Alberta
pour passer une fin de semaine dans les
falaises de Skaha à Penticton ou que vous
partiez pendant tout un mois à Railay en
Thaïlande, l’assurance voyage devrait être
une évidence! Les grimpeurs de loisir ne
devraient pas payer plus pour une assur‑
ance voyage; certains régimes d’assurance
médicale d’urgence les couvriront. Donc,
Recycle this Gazette
Leave it at your
local brew pub
30 Alpine Club of Canada

Gazette

Spring 2014
à moins que vous ne soyez un dieu de la
grimpe sponsorisé ou un professionnel
du Tour de Bloc, cherchez un fournisseur
d’assurance. Le Club Alpin du Canada
vend l’assurance voyage médicale d’ur‑
gence de Travel Underwriters. Elle couvre
les accidents reliés à l’escalade; c’est une
chose de moins qui vous préoccupera
l’esprit lorsque vous grimperez en tête une
voie difficile.
Une erreur humaine est toujours
possible quand on fait de l’escalade. Il se
pourrait qu’un accident d’escalade ou une
blessure ne soit pas votre faute : une chute
de pierres, un accident de réchaud au
terrain de camping ou même une intoxi‑
cation alimentaire (tout comme le fameux
« Tonsai tummy ») peuvent vous arriver à
tout moment.
Si vous grimpez dans un coin isolé,
comment ferez-vous pour vous rendre à
un établissement médical? Les conditions
de sécurité, l’accessibilité et le transport
sont parfois peu fiables. Même les meil‑
leurs efforts pour remplacer les points
dans les destinations de grimpe popu‑
laires ne peuvent garantir votre sécurité.
Assurez-vous que vous êtes couvert au cas
où vous tomberiez malade ou vous vous
blesseriez en grimpant.
Vous vous êtes blessé un tendon en
faisant un mouvement de bloc bien dur
avant un grand voyage? Vous ne perdrez
pas d’argent si vous avez acheté l’assur‑
ance annulation/interruption de voyage.
Il y a plein de choses à préparer pour
un voyage d’escalade. Comme tous les
grimpeurs, j’aime mon matos, et j’espère
que vous serez d’avis que l’assurance
voyage est aussi importante que votre
baudrier ou votre corde lors de votre
prochain voyage d’escalade.
Leah Chang est une grimpeuse qui travaille pour Travel Underwriters. Pour de plus
amples informations, visitez www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/activities/insurance.html
CLASSIFIEDS
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Skype: summitclimb
Open Air: learning the ropes
by
Chelsea Selinger, ACC Programs Director
U
nlike many of the people I now
spend much of my free time
with, I did not grow up in the
mountains pursuing adventure sports.
Living smack dab in the middle of the
Prairies sure didn’t lend itself to climb‑
ing or skiing weekends. I spent lots of
time camping with my family, but I still
consider my first real “adventure” to be a
weekend ice climbing trip with friends
in B.C. when I was 22 years old. I specif‑
ically remember saying to a classmate, “I
thought you were going to teach me how
to climb?” He took me out the following
weekend and I thought he was crazy—it
was February! I had no idea that ice
climbing was a sport and I was about to
dive in head first.
NOTICES
Upcoming Meetings
AGM, Board of Directors & Section
Council meetings:
●● May 24, 2014 at the Canadian
Alpine Centre, Lake Louise
Stay on top of the climbing news
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Chelsea experiences her first ice climb. photo by Johan Royseland
Summer Leadership Course for ACC Volunteers
Twice a year, ACC sections from across
the country send their leaders to
The North Face – ACC
Leadership Course
Photo: Cyril Shokoples
Subscribe to the ACC NewsNet, our
weekly e-bulletin.
You will receive climbing related
news and events, ACC national and
regional news and events, grants and
discount offers, unusual climbing
or ski conditions, announcements
of new climbing and guide books,
relevant career and volunteer postings,
mountain culture, access, environment
and much more.
Click the Subscribe to our eBulletin
button on the ACC home page.
Looking back, I’m still not sure how
I enjoyed that weekend: ripped ski pants,
bruised knees, and screaming barfies
weren’t on my usual weekend agenda.
Nonetheless, I was hooked and still look
at that weekend as my very own version
of a Prairie girl’s TSN Turning Point. I
wouldn’t be where I am today, loving so
much of what I do, without that first leap.
While my first adventure experience
was several years before my involvement
with the Alpine Club of Canada, I see
a strong connection between our vol‑
unteer section trip leaders and the
classmate who took me climbing. I was
lucky to have a very knowledgeable and
safety-conscious classmate teach me the
ropes (literally). I realize how fortun‑
ate ACC members are to have section
and national leaders to introduce new
members (and old) to the joys of the
mountain environment, just as my class‑
mate did for me.
I also have the pleasure of working
with the Leadership Development
Committee, which assists in equipping
our section and national leaders with
skills and knowledge to ensure all of our
members have a safe and enjoyable time
in the mountains. It’s an important role,
and we’re lucky to have a dedicated group
of volunteers working on the develop‑
ment of a training curriculum.
A big thank you goes out to the ACC’s
Leadership Development Committee
members for their continued work on
developing a curriculum for recreational
leadership. And thanks also to all our
leaders, from a Prairie girl turned moun‑
tain enthusiast.
2014 Location: Frenchman Cap area of the Monashees (GMC week 3: July 26 – Aug. 2)
Deadline for applications: May 15th, 2014 | www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/tnf
Club alpin du Canada
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