Peaks and People

                                                          Legend of the Silver Ice Axe In the last blog post of Blank Spaces of the Canadian Rockies Part 1 , we recounted the first chapter of the mountaineering history of Mount Alberta. We followed the Japanese team up the mountain and watched as they planted the ice axe in a cairn near the summit. In the aftermath of the first ascent a rumor began to spread throughout the mountaineering community that the ice axe left by the Japanese climbers was made of pure silver and that it had been presented to them by the Emperor of Japan himself. Continue reading to discover what happened next… On the 30 th of July, 1948 (23 years after the first ascent) the second ascent of Mount Alberta was made by Americans Fred Ayres and John Oberlin. During their ascent one of their ice axes had to be us...

The First Ascent of Mount Alberta During the Golden Age of mountaineering in the Canadian Rockies it was not uncommon for first ascents to be attained by non-Canadians. In fact, it was more likely that a peak would be climbed by a European or an American than a Canadian. The first ascent of Mount Alberta in Jasper National Park is no different in that regard. However, the legend that followed, and the international relationship that was formed after that first ascent was very different. As told in Robert William Sandford's book Called by This Mountain: The Legend of the Silver Ice Axe and Early Climbing History of Mount Alberta, the story, the people and the objects involved push the physical, mental and international boundaries involved in mountaineering.  "Called by This Mountain" by Robert William Sandford from the ACC Library Collection Mount Alberta is located in Jasper National Park at the northern edge of the Columbia Icefields. It is the 3 rd highes...

The Portraits of Nicholas de Grandmaison Igor and Andrei admiring Nicholas de Grandmaison's painting of his wife Sonia.  Three weeks ago author Igor Krasnov stopped at the Whyte Museum while on vacation to view the artworks of the man he'd been researching and writing about for the last decade: Nicholas de Grandmaison. What began as an interest in learning about his new home in Victoria, B.C. after emmigrating from Russia, evolved into a journey to discover the story of fellow Russian immigrant and renowned artist Nicholas de Grandmaison.  His quest began at his local library where he discovered the famous Canadian painter Emily Carr. Known for her modernist depictions of the Pacific Northwest Coast lifestyle, Carr's lack of Indigenous Peoples portrayed in her paintings surprised Krasnov. Upon further research Krasnov discovered a story in one of her books explaining why she didn't paint portraits of Indigenous Peoples. According to Carr, she once tried...

Name: Wilf Carter (Wilfred Alfred Charles Carter) Nicknames: Father of Canadian Country Music, Montana Slim Birth: December 18th, 1904 - Port Hilford, Nova Scotia Death: December 5th, 1996 - Scottsdale, Arizona Occupation: Yodeling Cowboy  Some people might find it odd that a boy from Port Hilford, Nova Scotia wanted to be a cowboy, but for those who have been lucky enough to go after a dream and see it realized in the West, it doesn't seem so crazy.  First inspired by a touring Swiss vaudeville artist known as 'The Yodeling Fool' when he was ten years old, Wilf made the decision to move to Alberta in the early 1920's. He began his career performing at dances, camps, bunkhouses, and house parties, eventually joining the Canadian rodeo circuit where he also competed. By 1929 he had moved to Calgary and was singing on a Calgary radio station, CFCN, as well as CFAC, and nationally on CRBC.  By this point Wilf had also taught himself how to play guitar. In re...

"I must admit that I have attacks of qualms every time I look at the empty shelves in my office, but I know they are in good hands, and will be looked after better than I can, and that they will be occasionally used. The collector is the one who has received the greatest pleasure from the library and no one else can possibly capture that feeling." - Edward C. Porter in a letter to Vancouver Public Library librarian Elizabeth B. Walker on December 18th, 1963 The life of an object is something that museums, archives, libraries and galleries all try to discover because it tells a story. Whether that story is about a memory of a loved one or an epic mountaineering tale, it's the stories that give objects value.The following is the story of the Alpine Club of Canada's Library Collection and its' journey from the private collection of an avid mountaineer to The Alpine Club of Canada.   From the very beginnings of The Alpine Club of Canada it was intended that...