The Breeze

March 2001

March General Meeting

Wayne Vibert - Nepal through slides

Come watch Wayne Vibert - our resident raconteur - show slides and provide his insights into this wonderful backdrop to the world’s premier expedition mountain.

Note the change of venue for this meeting only...

March 20th, 7:30 PM
The Winterlake Room
Sheraton Hotel
10235 - 101 Street

Parking is available, for a charge, at Oxford Tower or in the lot near Staples on 101 Street.

(A suitable location will be found for the après-meeting)

Coming Soon

In this Issue

Report from your Executive

During the February Executive meeting, it was agreed that a short note on what was covered during each meeting would be published in the Newsletter. This duty would be passed onto each executive member over the year.

To begin, the Edmonton Section would like to thank Jason Doyle for his contributions as Course Coordinator and we wish him well in his new work endeavors. The executive would also like to welcome Roger Marchand to this position and hope that you would forward any course interests to him.

Several points were raised by the Breeze editors: Do we continue with the coloured mast head for the Newsletter, what regular contributions would you like to see in the newsletter, and can members request the newsletter via Internet? Our newsletter is the single largest expense to the club; therefore, we assume that those who request an Internet copy would not also require a hard copy. We welcome any comments on these issues.

We have not been able to settle on a date with Andy Evans; therefore, it may be another year before we see him in Edmonton. Thanks to the efforts of George Stefanick, the Edmonton Section soon will be proud owners of at least one large cooking tent that can be utilized for Section camps.

The climbing chairs have been busy establishing dates for a sport climbing clinic as well as a family afternoon at the climbing wall at the University of Alberta. These events will be posted in the Breeze.

Each year Alberta Sections meet at the beginning of the year to discuss how past and present funding was used from the Alberta Sport, Recreation, Parks and Wildlife Foundation (ASRPWF). The annual meeting is an opportunity for sections to see what other sections are doing. For example, the Jasper/Hinton section has taken on hut renovations at Mt. Robson, the Calgary Section hosted an annual Ice Climbing Camp, and the Rocky Mountain section has raised awareness of environmental impacts of fuel changes at the cement plant by Exshaw. The Edmonton Section has by far the most diversity in activities held by any section, and our new Mountaineering Web Book has definitely caught everyone’s attention. We will see if this also becomes a new launch site for the Canadian Accidents in Mountaineering!

If you wish to become involved in the executive, we would certainly welcome your input. For example, we could use someone to assist with special events (see below) or to find archived photos for the annual wine and cheese.

Trip Change

The 4-day Yoho Traverse has been rescheduled from March 30-April 2 to April 6-April 9.

Contact Dan Doll at (403) 541-0570 (h) or dan@mindtomarket.ca.

Are you Social?

The Club could use a Social Coordinator to help out with special events such as organizing the Annual Wine and Cheese (November) and Club Barbecue (June). If you’re interested in helping, just contact any member of the executive.

Check out our new Web Page

Our new webmaster - Chris Wood - has revamped the website. Check it out at http://alpineclub-edm.org. While you’re there, why not mosey over to Chris and Eddie’s Excellent Adventures by clicking on Related Sites under Links. And, there’s lots to find elsewhere on the site.

Incidentally, the national ACC site is www.alpineclubofcanada.ca. You can find that one and the individual sections by following the links.

Join ListBot and be Connected

While you’re looking at our excellent website, why not subscribe to ListBot? You’ll get "hot-off-the-wire" reports of upcoming events. For example, you would have known of the Beyond Gravity film premiere (2 Mar) and Ice-a-thon (3, 4 Mar) a couple of weeks before this newsletter arrived if you had been on "the List." Other events happen too quickly to even make it into the Breeze on time.

Skills Review at the Wall

The Mountaineering Skills Review nights continue to run at the Wall on the first Wednesday of each month. They generally begin at around 8:45 or 9:00 and finish up at 10:00. The schedule, which is subject to change without notice, is as follows:
Mar 7th Compass and GPS use
April 4th Crevasse Rescue
May 2nd Setting Anchors and Stations
June 6th Short Roping
These review nights are led by some of our experienced members who volunteer their time, but they are intended to be review nights, not instruction nights. You should come equipped with your own gear - harness, prussiks and 'biners for crevasse rescue reviews; compass, map and GPS (if available) for compass and GPS reviews; rock gear for station and anchor setting; and harness for short roping. This will ensure that you will get a chance to further familiarize yourself with your own gear. If you don't have your own, extra bits and pieces will usually be available for you to work with. See you at the Wall!

Awards and Competitions

Helly Hansen Awards

ACC is pleased to announce that it has entered into a new partnership arrangement with Helly Hansen, the manufacturer of high-quality mountaineering and other outdoor clothing. Under the arrangement, Helly Hansen will provide ACC with $6000 per year for a new grant program to be known as the Helly Hansen Mountain Adventure Award. Each year, two or more cash grants will be awarded to projects that are judged by ACC as best meeting one or more of the following broadly based selection criteria:

To be eligible, potential grant recipients must be Canadian citizens. The actual implementation of the project can take place inside and/or outside Canada.

This award will be handled much like the ACC Endowment Fund grants program, i.e., annual applications will be made to ACC by Dec 31, an ACC volunteer committee will review the applications and make recommendations, the ACC Board will approve the grants, a grants announcement will be made by March 1, and the grants money must be used between March 1 and Dec 31.

The application deadline for the first Helly Hansen Mountain Adventure Awards will be Dec 31 of this year, with the resulting grants to be announced and paid out in 2002.

Details (including application forms) will be made available in due course on the ACC national website: www.alpineclubofcanada.ca.

2001 Banff Mountain Photography Competition

The Banff Mountain Photography Competition is seeking entries for its 6th annual event. And, judging from the quality of slides and prints that have been submitted to our annual photo contest (during the November Wine and Cheese), we certainly have a few potential winners in the Edmonton Section of ACC.

Details are as follows:

Entry forms and rules are available on their website at www.banffcentre.ca/CMC/ or from:

Banff Mountain Photography Competition
The Banff Centre for Mountain Culture
107 Tunnel Mountain Drive
Box 1020
Banff, Alberta, Canada, T0L 0C0
FAX: (403) 762-6277
e-mail: CMC@banffcentre.ca

The Banff Mountain Photography Competition is a program of the Banff Centre for Mountain Culture. The Banff Centre for Mountain Culture promotes understanding and appreciation of the world's mountain places by creating opportunities for the people to share - and find inspiration in - mountain experiences, ideas and visions.

Upcoming Events

Nordegg Tri-Ice-A-Thon

3 March 2001, Nordegg AB

Events Include: Timed Novice, Weighted Pack, Round the Wotld, Leap Frog, Blind Folded, Single Axe, Swimsuit Competition, Timed Pro's, Relay, and more.

Entry Fee: $100.00 per climber

Fees Include: Accomodation Friday night, Breakfast Saturday morning, Dinner and Juke 'n Jam on Saturday night (does not include Saturday night accomodation).

Registration: Friday evening at Nordegg Community Hall from 6:00pm to 11:00pm. Registrations will NOT be taken on Saturday morning. Pre-registration will be accepted by phone (403) 721-2208 (ask for Cheri). Start time on Saturday is 10:00am.

All climbers must provide their own equipment, ie. harnesses, helmets, crampons, axes. Ropes will be provided at each wall. Some rental gear will be available as well. Sponsors will be bringing demo gear for you to try!

Waivers for the use of the walls mist be signed at registration on Friday.

All Mixed Up: Mixed Climbing Audio Visual Presentation

A modern mixed climbing adventure in the Canadian Rockies by Sean Isaacs:

Thursday, 15 Mar 2001, 7 - 9pm
Tory Lecture Hall rm. 12 - U of A campus
Tickets: $6.00
Available through:
- Steeps: the urban teahouse
- Track 'n Trail
- Valhalla Pure
- Mountain Equipment Co-op
- Campus Outdoor Centre

Presented by Steeps: the urban teahouse www.steepstea.com.

Further info: e-mail Brendan Waye at Brendan@steepstea.com

Beyond Gravity: the Edmonton Premiere

A new climbing film - featuring Peter Croft, Greg Child, Lynn Hill, Barry Blanchard, Katie Brown, Sean Isaac and many others - is showing in Edmonton in early March:

Friday, March 2, 2001
Provincial Museum of Alberta
Showtime 7:00pm, doors open at 6:30pm
Tickets $10.00 at Track 'n 'Trail (432-1707)

The film is produced by Black & White Productions of Vancouver. You can have a sneak preview by checking out their website at www.beyondgravity.net.

"By far the best cinematography of any climbing film, bar none" - Climbing Magazine
"Spectacular" - Rock & Ice
"A film that powerfully delivers the spirit of climbing" - www.mountainzone.com
"Breathtaking" - Vancouver Sun

Osprey Sale

Osprey is having a huge winter blowout sale. All clothing is 15- 30% off - accessories are 50% off! These are great deals that will never be seen again!

As many of you know, Osprey is changing gears and has moved. The Edmonton operation will continue to repair all your outdoor clothing and gear: just drop off any items @ Track 'n Trail. Osprey’s Golden, B.C., operation will be working primarily with the Heli Ski industry, making high-tech custom clothing.

ACC Edmonton Section members wish all the best to Lisa and Terry!

Gear Rental / Loan Policy Practice

Club Gear

The ACC Edmonton section has a variety of gear available to members and to trip leaders. The Gear is available by contacting the Winter Chair, Edwina Podemski, well in advance of the trip. Gear should to be picked up by Thursday night of the weekend you are planning to use the gear and should be returned by Tuesday night of the following week. We go away on trips, too, so please don't expect to get hold of us at the last minute!

Rentals

Transceivers are available for rent at $4.00 for a ski-day or $25.00 for a ski-week. The transceivers are not rented with batteries; renters should supply and carry new batteries to guarantee satisfactory transceiver performance. Avalanche probes are also available for rent at $2.00 per day. Please make cheques payable to "ACC Edmonton Section."

Gear for loan to Edmonton Section trip leaders only

New Rope Policy

From the spring of 1995 to the summer of 1999, three club ropes were damaged and one of them was retired from use. Since June of 1999, we have experienced unusually high rates of rope damage. We have had to cut damaged sections out of ropes on nine occasions. On three of these occasions it has resulted in the ropes being cut approximately in half and retired from use at an approximate loss of $550.00 to the club. One of these retired ropes was on its first trip and a second one was out for its second trip at the time of the damage! We are not sure why the rate of damage has increased exponentially, but we sure hope the trend stops soon!

If you are borrowing club ropes we ask that you remind all trip participants to be extra careful with the ropes. In particular, do not step on them (especially with crampons) and ensure that the ropes are not running over any sharp edges! When transporting ropes, please ensure that they are on top of the other gear and baggage and are kept away from any sharp vibrating edges (i.e., skis, adze edges, crampons) or other bits of gear. Please try to keep them clean and away from mud, oil, gas or other spills in your vehicle. We ask you to check the ropes over thoroughly for damaged sections when coiling them. If you find a damaged section, please tie it off in a bight and point it out when returning the ropes. We are also interested in knowing how the damage occurred, if possible. In short, treat club ropes as if they are your own personal gear, purchased with your own hard earned cash!

To try to recoup some of our losses, the Executive has decided to institute a policy of charging a nominal rope use fee of $1.00 per participant, per day, on trips where club ropes are used. Trip leaders are exempt from this fee but are asked to collect money from all trip participants to put into the gear fund. We would be grateful to receive any additional donations from the people who have been using this gear. Donations are being collected by Edwina and Chris at the time of the return of the ropes or at ACC meetings.

We are also currently selling sections of rope for shortroping or anchor slings as follows:

9-mm Edelweiss Stratos dry rope, used only on 2 trips! 36 m for $65.00
9-mm Edelweiss Stratos dry rope, used only on 2 trips! - 24 m for $45.00
10.5-PMI dry rope, used on 12 trips - 38.5 m for $70.00
10.5-PMI dry rope, used on 12 trips - 21.5 m for $40.00

Rentals, gear loans or rope purchases can be arranged by contacting:

Edwina Podemski or Chris Wood
11251-35 ave.
436-5474 (h) 424-8600 (w)
E-mail: winterchair@alpineclub-edm.org

Please do not call after 9:30 PM as some of us get up at 5:00 am!

Arrangements can also be made to pick up and drop off gear at Edwina's office downtown, if necessary.

Rock Shoes For Sale

Call Reinhard or Alik Berg @ 439-6822

Trip Reports

Editor’s Note: A few of Wayne Vibert’s trip reports got lost in cyberspace and delayed, so don’t think his reports on trips past are tardy. (Our apologies, Wayne: keep them coming in.) Read on, everyone!

Don't Eat the Red Snow (ACC Ice Climbing February 3/4, 2001)
Wayne Vibert

Was there ice? You bet. Were there lawyers? Maybe....

To Whistler Hostel Friday. We find out how big our gang really is at 6:30 AM on Saturday.

Todd and Rick head to Beauty Creek. The rest head to Tangle Ridge(9 AM) through the blowing snow. The sunshine arrived just in time for the passing tour bus. Snow plows clatter and crunch (we want the concession for grader-blades). We cramponed through the aftermath of Larry’s nose nicks. That ice stuff is always good for a nose-job or two, and we had at least two. The five ropes were kept busy. Chris ran an introductory ice course, screwing and whacking for public consumption. 5 PM saw us on the way back to the hostel.

The Queen
Photo: Edwina Podemski

Todd provided a competing "Nose Trophy". It was granted for his cool work with "Adze You Like It". We heard a tale about an oncoming, car-spin-out, that occurred just as we were departing Tangle Ridge on Saturday. That event tested Rick and Todd’s guardian angels. The other car ended up meeting a guard rail. Our gang went on to meet at Jasper Pizza.

Sunday, another 6:30 AM wake-up call. To Maligne Canyon by 8. Chris returns to the hostel for forgotten gear. A 20-minute trudge to the top of the Queen and Last Wall. Three ropes down Last Wall. One rope down the Queen. Later, another group rappelled down by the Queen and set up a second rope.

Maligne Canyon
Photo: Edwina Podemski 		We were tempted to direct ice toward the passing tour groups, but our legal counsel intervened. Snow began to fall later in day. Much bodies falling off the Queen. Much pictures taken. Back to cars by 5 PM and to L+W (Hinton) for munchies till 7:30.

We have heard a rumour that the Weeping Wall was sensuous for Todd and Rick on Sunday. That could add another chapter to the ever-fun, "Adventures with Eddie+Chris".

Great roads, great weather and great ice.

Great red snow? We await the lab report.

Icers: Bill, Brett, Chris, Darren, Edwina, Jen, John, Larry, Mark, Mike, Simons(2), Vic, Wayne, and occasionally, Colin, Rick, Todd

FLASH
Reinhard Berg

"Ow. Ow. Daddy, can you haul me up?

No recollection of Alik hurtling past me. Just: "Take", then the rope going slack; 2 seconds later I get violently snapped against my anchor tree. Hanging in mid-air below me, he feels surprisingly heavy for his 12 years. How would a 220-pound adult have felt?

In those first minutes, my thoughts are exclusively practical. Tie him off with a prussik. Free the hands. Can I rig a Bilgeri? Is he in any shape to implement it? How would I get him up if he's incapacitated? Maybe I should yell down to find out what sort of shape he's in?

Just as I lean over the edge to call to him, his bloodied head (no helmet) comes into view. He decided to prussik up the rope (something he'd never done before; fortunately this time he hadn't refused to carry prussiks on the lead!)

Now, as we discuss our further course of action, other thoughts come crowding in. I find out he fell backwards and head first, that he hit and slid through the sloping bush, which turned him upright. Does he realize how close he came to becoming a quadriplegic? How could I have lived with that? Or even with his dying? Is he considering these things? What are his views on mortality? Does he believe, like Shakespeare, that a person's life is "a scene played by a madman, signifying nothing?" That, by extension, intelligent life on this planet (and on billions of others?) is a random occurrence, leading to nothing, signifying nothing? Did he have an out-of-body experience? Did his life flash before his eyes? I keep intending to ask him these things, and yet somehow never get around to it.

Our few years together as a climbing team do begin to flash in front of my eyes: Alik, till age 6, completely eclipsed by his sister Nadia (see Climbing with Nadia and Alik, CAJ 1998, p. 53). Alik, age 7, still doing nothing harder than 5.5 (but ascending and descending Rundle Ridge barefoot!). Alik, age 8, bivvying with us on Calgary ("Daddy, may I go to sleep now?"); later that summer padding barefoot up Banana Peel, holding the end of the belay rope issuing from Nadia's device as she belays me (ostensibly as a safety, should she let go). Suddenly doing not 5.5, but 5.9 at Bog Wall. On the back seat of the car, memorizing the Yamnuska guidebook (the first of many; this remains his premier pastime). Alik turning 3-ft boulders into 2000-m big walls, with routes and bivvies marked in his imagination. Alik, age 9, doing his first leading, and taking his first leader fall. Creating aid routes on the underside of our open staircase at home. Refusing to lead even 5.7 on limestone gear climbs. Age 10, still letting me lead on limestone, venturing into 5.9 sport. Age 11, leading 5.9 on granite, 5.10 on bolts, coming with me to Smith Rock and Leavenworth at the drop of a hat. We are quite a team now, sleeping in the back of my Volvo, I taking care of the feeding and housecleaning, Alik taking care of everything else: planning our summer, selecting the day's climb, selecting a rope, choosing & sorting the gear. His hands are now big enough to help with rope coiling. What we share are the dreams. Dreams of going on the road when Alik is finished school, living in a van for a year. Dreams of climbs to do next, far too many for any one summer. So many climbs I thought I'd never do in this lifetime suddenly become at least potential reality. 1999 is the year we're most perfectly matched, regularly swinging leads (although I still have to lead on limestone). Thank you Alik; where is there another father whose son has given him so much joy and pleasure? 15 years ago I had given up hope of ever finding a compatible steady climbing partner. I only wish I had conceived you 15, or even 20, years earlier. What a team we could have become!

This summer (2000) starts off with The Wraith at Ghost River. Already Alik is taking over most of the leading (and catches me doing a "following" fall). Ditto on Yak Peak. What are we going to do when, inevitably, Alik develops to the point where I can no longer follow his leads? I do not yet realize that this point will be reached in less than 2 weeks! (At the time of this writing there are very few climbers in Edmonton able or willing to keep up with Alik on difficult multipitch climbs; most of them seem to be moving to Squamish in the spring.) (It's the same problem I had 20 years ago).

At the Chief, we suddenly find ourselves flashing Angel's Crest. We plan to do Half Dome in 2001, decide we need aiding practice, attempt University Wall and do Zombie Roof, Alik always leading. Come back to Neat and Cool, which Alik redpoints (after I have fallen off), together with Flying Circus. Alik decides to try leading Kangaroo Corner, and to both our amazement, makes it up on the first try. This gives him the confidence to try Clean Crack on the Malemute (which he manages after a few falls). In two days he has progressed from 10c sport to 11b gear. All of a sudden, next summer's trip to California seems not urgent any more: too many new climbs in Canada have become possible. I manage to scrape and cheat my way up Clean Crack; we conclude that now there's really nothing to stop us from doing the Grand Wall.

As we start up Apron Strings the next morning, Alik requests, ostensibly for the sake of speed, to lead all the pitches. I quickly accede; far be it from me to stand in the way of talent (but I'm already starting to miss the excitement of leading!) (Is Alik the youngest to ever lead the entire Grand Wall? Am I the oldest (55) to ever follow it?) Alik rests a few times on the Split Pillar and has to be lowered to pick up gear from lower on the lead. However, he flashes the Sword and rests once on Perry's Layback. A moderate pitch traversing rightward, then he starts up the 10b pitch, the second-last pitch below Bellygood. Puts in a stopper, then a #3 ballnut, tests them, then leans back to survey the rest of the pitch. That's when the rope went slack.

Sitting on the ledge with Alik, trying to apply some antibiotic to his scalp wound, gazing into his eyes to see if his pupils are dilated or contracted, asking him if he's feeling nauseated, trying to convince him to spend the night here; a party's sure to come by tomorrow; how can we reverse the traversing pitch? Alik, as always, keeps his cool and knows exactly what to do. He rappels/leads back to the top of Perry's, secures the bottom of the rope for my rap and pulls me in as I near bottom. We lack the topo for the rap route, but no problem, Alik has it all memorized.

As I get ready to rap, I look down at my left leg. It's twice its normal size. I had not felt anything.

Arriving at the base in failing light; my leg is starting to hurt. The night in the Volvo is quite painful. Next morning we drive to Squamish Hospital. After a week of fruitless recuperation I revisit the hospital and the decision is made to slice open what has turned out to be a haematoma. A half-litre of dark blue blood sloshes onto the hospital floor. It is three weeks before I can climb again. I understand very well now why the textbooks always insist on keeping your anchor as short as possible.

Alik is climbing again 4 days after the accident. He fell 50 feet

Mt. Temple: 11,680ft (3543m) - August 19,2000
Wayne Vibert

No Bears or Snow

At 8:30 AM, sunny skies accompanied us into Larch Valley bear country (Momma Grizz plus two two-year-old cubs). We spread out along the trail, finding varying rhythms and speeds. We re-grouped periodically, first at the bench/Y in the trail and later at Sentinel Pass(10:30 AM). It was a cool hiking day, with the breeze becoming very brisk as we moved higher.

Jim and an advance crew departed Sentinel Pass first while Larry, Darren and I donned wind-pants and munched some lunch. The trail from the Pass and on to Temple angles sharply up. At the first rock band, we climbed the rocks to the right and avoided the sloppy, snow-filled gully. The scree above the third band was not as loose as in other years. There were probably 60 people stretched out across and up the slopes, including at least one other ACC Section group.

The advance group summited at 1 PM. I summited and was downclimbing by 1:30 PM. I had met Jim, Karen, Jack, Dave and Frederick coming off summit. Distant cloud now cut out the view of higher summits. There was very little accumulated snow on summit ridge, but there were lumps hanging over the Moraine Lake side. The usual snowfield sat above Louise Townsite, and some ventured out on the snowfield to take pictures. Just off the summit, I met Larry and Darren, and we discussed the approaching dark clouds. Light snow had fallen sporadically, but initially, it appeared that the brunt of the storm would by-pass.

Jim, Frederick and I joined forces at the last rock band. We by-passed Sentinel Pass by cutting across scree slopes. Jim fell back to talk to a couple about hiking and GMCs, and later caught up to us. Frederick counted the10 switch-backs below Larch. To the cars by 5 PM. We took pictures of Moraine Lake’s spectacular aquamarine hue from rockpile at the east end. We watched for Larry, Karen and the others, talked with Jack and said goodbye to Frederick.

The rains arrived but they were too late. It had been a great day.

Trekkers: Darren B., Dave S(Calgary ACC), Frederick L.(Montreal), Jack S., Jim B., Karen H., Larry D, Wayne V.

In The Company of Karl ACC GMC 15-22 July, 2000
Wayne Vibert

Brad Harrison and his crew had set up the majority of tents on the upper level of the moraine, bracketed by two trails (100 paces in length) to the lower level’s service tents. These “downstairs” tents included dining, shower, outhouse, tea and drying. Hand-washing stations had been added, upstairs and downstairs. As well, Brad had travelled the soggy, log-infested trail from Fairy Meadows to Swan Creek (and back) with his chain-saw to clear brush plus add ribbons.

On the Saturday, we gathered at The Sawmill in Golden at 6 AM. The convoy departed at 7:15. 20 miles north on Highway 1, just past Donald Station, we waited for a B.C. family who had confused the time zones (Golden is on Alberta time). Then it was 100 km along Columbia Reach, past Kinbasket Lake, to Swan Creek, for a 10:30 departure up the trail (unless you decided to invest in a chopper ride). The helicopter gathered duffel-bags in a suspended sling for the 3-minute ride up the valley. We chicken-wired the cars, and then it was off to the Brad-refurbished trail, log-hopping and slab-clambering. Four hours later, we arrived at the top of the moraine (6500 ft) with its colourful row of tents. That trail was decidedly not for wet weather, and even its strategically placed, knotted ropes would be of minimal assistance.

At the camp, fresh water was provided by a clear plastic line set high on the local stream and running down to the corner of the kitchen tent. Brad had installed a tap on the end of the line.

The climb schedules were exhibited in the tea tent by 5 PM and they were quickly filled in. In a departure from previous years, the climbs did not necessarily go to those who were quick to get their names on the list. The guides had developed a private selection process. By 9 PM, we knew our assignments for the following day. Departures ranged from 4 AM to 7:30 AM, depending on the distance to be covered, and the breakfasts (always porridge plus fruit, bacon, pancakes, quiche) were substantial.

A horn had been attached to the dining tent to summon the hungry. At the top of the moraine, because the horn could not be heard, the iron triangle had been brought out of storage and placed at the end of the “upstairs” tents. We shared the clanging role with Eddie. Dinner time varied somewhat, but 6 P.M. was the norm. Evening meals included curried or BBQ chicken, Yorkshire Pudding, lasagna, turkey, tacos. There was always a nourishing soup and everyone was allowed many helpings of any of the three courses, including dessert. The meal was followed by tales of the days’ activities, trip by trip, and the stories got better and better as the week rolled on. Each evening, right after dish-washing, everyone prepared their own lunch for the following day.

Doctor Bob repeated again and again the need for cleanliness, especially hand-washing. Later in the week he reported that his inspection of the outhouse suggested a touch of diarrhea might be prevalent. Bob was thereafter referred to as the camp “stoolie”.

Almost all climbs involved significant step-kicking and the glaciers, for the most part, were snowfields. Later in the day, glissading would be the norm. Peaks over 10,000 feet were avoided because of avalanche danger, and thus most climbs were short, with much time for picture-taking and basking in the always-present sunshine. 4 AM starts decreased as the week wore on.

The vistas were stunning, the mosquitoes voracious. Brad and his staff provided a warm and wonderful ambiance.

The guides were competent, caring and awesomely fit. And for that first week, one of the guides was a “GMC Regular”, Karl Konrad Nagy, who was to die in a rockfall on August 29, 2000, while instructing junior guides on Mount Little in the Valley of the Ten Peaks.

In other words, “GMC As Usual”, including the very special presence of Karl Nagy.

Big Sister: 9,629ft (2936m) - Calgary Section Trip
Wayne Vibert

Shoulda had an ice-axe.

Meet at Shouldice Parking Lot 6:45 AM. Gather into two vehicles.

On trail on Spray Lakes Road by 9:45 AM. The start is quickly up, up—similar to Rundle at its toughest. Top the ridge and a water-break, at 10 AM. Move above the tree-line to clamber onto the slabs. Down-climb to the sometimes non-trail, to the right, below the higher slabs. We skirt the prominent buttresses on their left. Passed by father and (9-year-old?) son with no gear and no protection who stomp out steps in snow-gullies and gain the scree area above. We join them in the snow after short belay down a rock face.

Two Everest-aspirers pass us and continue ahead. We can now step into kicked steps, some of which contain ice (our fearless leader preferred the ice to deep snow on his bare legs). Discuss a plan to by-pass iced sections on the way down. Meet down-climbing father and son who are having difficulties with snow. Off rope and abandon it for summit-ridge push. Just before 1 PM, join two predecessors on summit for cloud/sun view of Canmore. Munch lunch and take pictures. Spec out trail on Middle Sister. Back down to rope-up and move into snow—trepidation for some. Attempt to by-pass iciest sections. Short-rope up and over rock-face and then off ropes and back on to slabs. Periodic belays and short-roping for those who choose. Almost miss turn-up to top of slabs. Regroup and move into tree line. Back to cars by 6 PM.

Rain clouds rush in. Gather cokes in Canmore. We are in a warm vehicle moving down the highway as the rain pelts down (Big Sister is obliterated from view).

We note the now-ominous, black-cloud-filled Bow Valley, in the rear-view mirror. Back to Calgary by 7:30. A fulfilling day with moments of concern but great company and good climbing weather.

Trekkers: Marc Santerre, Evelyne Coulombe, Gary Taylor, Jo Caulfield, Wayne Vibert.

Emerald Award Nominee

Several groups — including the Native Plant Council, the Northwest Voyageurs Canoe and Kayak Club, and the Edmonton Section of ACC — are joining forces to nominate Alison Dinwoodie for an Emerald Award in the Individual Commitment category. According to the awards criteria, “applicants in this category are individuals committed to protecting the environment through personal initiative, or by educating or inspiring others.” We certainly believe that Alison fits that description as she has been a tireless steward of the environment for each of our organizations, and others.

Upcoming Camp

Edmonton Section 2nd Annual Climbing/Family Camp at Ghost River

Co-ordinator: Reinhard Berg 439-6822
Dates: ca. July 2-5, 2001
Cost: none

In July, 2000 we found that the road in was not nearly as bad as feared. There is pleasant hiking towards Lake Minnewanka, up the side valleys, and along the front of the Front Ranges. Good sport/practice climbing possibilities on the lower cliffs above camp, which will again be on the Banff Park Boundary. The climbing starts at ca. 5.7; the rock is pretty well the best limestone in the Rockies. This is a car-camping area in a flat-bottomed valley, so is suitable for young children. Rainy-day escapes to civilization are quite possible. Arriving earlier/later or leaving later/earlier are entirely possible. Sleep in vehicles or tents; shared fire & sanitary facility. A do-it-yourself-easy-come-easy-go sort of week!