Search Results - Research Collections - Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies

Scope & Content: Fonds constitutes the principal resource for the study of the history of Canadian mountaineering. It provides a wealth of information on individual alpinists, expeditions, mountains, national parks, conservation, climbing, alpine organizations, publications, guiding, scientific study and the Alpin…

GMD: Motion picture; Film; Video; Photograph; Album; Negative; Photograph print; Postcard; Transparency; Sound recording; Cassette; Textual record; Organization record

Accession Number: 698, 1040 (unproc), 1224, 1299 (unproc), 1807, 1813, 2141 (unproc), 2376 (unproc), 3160 (unproc), 3296 (unproc), 3298 (unproc), 3382 (unproc), 3560 (unproc), 3757 (unproc), 3970 (unproc), 5012, 5114, 5200, 5215 (unproc), 5330 (unproc), 5343, 5357, 5396 (unproc), 5438, 5454, 5455, 5456, 5457, 5458, 5459, 5460, 5461, 5462 (unproc), 5463 (unproc), 5464, 5465, 5466, 5474, 5538 (unproc), 5541, 5569 (unproc), 5591 (unproc), 5592, 5605, 5631 (unproc), 5632, 5633, 5634, 5635 (unproc), 5680 (unproc), 5724, 5950, 6062 (unproc), 6332, 6337, 6375, 6376 (unproc), 6396, 6437, 6451, 6457 (unproc), 6459 (unproc), 6465 (unproc), 6470 (unproc), 6623 (unproc), 6624, 6625, 6626, 6627 (unproc), 6628, 6765 (unproc), 6766 (unproc), 6767 (unproc), 7774 (unproc), 7779 (unproc), 8002 (unproc), 2021.32 (unproc)

GMD: Motion picture; Film; Video; Photograph; Album; Negative; Photograph print; Postcard; Transparency; Sound recording; Cassette; Textual record; Organization record

Physical Description: ca.42 m of textual records. -- ca.12,500 photographs: prints, stereographic prints, transparencies, slides, negatives, postcards. -- 85 photograph albums. -- 8 motion pictures: films, video recordings. -- 3 sound recordings

History / Biographical: The Alpine Club of Canada, the national mountaineering club, was co-founded in 1906 by A. O. Wheeler and Elizabeth Parker, and other like-minded climbers. The club espoused scientific study and exploration, cultivation of art, public education, acquisition of climbing skills, and preservation of natural areas within the mountainous regions of Canada. Through a national executive, local sections and volunteer committees, the club provided climbing camps, clubhouse, huts, and publications, including the Canadian Alpine Journal. ACC expeditions and projects resulted in pioneer exploration, first ascents, and included mountain warfare training during the Second World War. In recent years, the club's membership has increased dramatically with the popularity of climbing and its programs have evolved to serve the needs of unguided climbers using sophisticated technical aids.

Scope & Content: Fonds constitutes the principal resource for the study of the history of Canadian mountaineering. It provides a wealth of information on individual alpinists, expeditions, mountains, national parks, conservation, climbing, alpine organizations, publications, guiding, scientific study and the Alpine Club itself.; The fonds consists of four Sous-fonds: I. Alpine Club of Canada records; II. Mount Everest Expedition (1982) records; III. Personal papers and photographs; IV. Other material. Club administration records (series I.A.) pertain to executive positions; head office; finance; camps, climbing and treks; expeditions; huts and properties; clubhouses; library; publications; photography; other committees; other activities; and other. Other club records include section records (series I.B.), hut registers and summit records (series I.C.).

Subject Access: Environment; Exploration, discovery and travel; Sports, recreation and leisure

Access Restrictions: Some restriction/s on access; Copyright, privacy, commercial use and other restrictions may apply

Finding Aid: Finding aids and reference tools: sous-fonds, series and sub-series description; electronic finding aid for processed material

Category: Environment; Exploration, discovery and travel; Sports, recreation and leisure

This material is presented as originally created; it may contain outdated cultural descriptions and potentially offensive content. Read more.

Scope & Content: Fonds pertains to 3 photograph prints of members of the St. Elias expedition in the Yukon, a large-format black and white print of a mountain range [possibly including St. Elias], 11 typed letters to Wright from W.E. (Smoke) Blanchard dated January-May 1965 discussing the expedition, 2 typed one-pa…

Physical Description: 1 cm of textual records (18 pages ; 21.6 x 27.9 cm) ; 4 photographs : b&w and col. ; 29.2 x 21.8 cm or smaller

History / Biographical: Dr. Gerald Wright (1917-2007) grew up in Brecon, South Wales, and studied medicine in Wales and London, England, throughout the 1940s. He served in the British Army in the Royal Army Medical Corps from 1942-1946 in North Africa and Italy. In 1951 Wright moved to Lethbridge, Alberta, due to its close proximity to the Canadian Rockies, where he maintained a general practice as a member of the Hunt Clinic. He went on to serve as Chief of Medicine at St. Michael's Hospital and the Lethbridge Municipal Hospital until his retirement in 1988. Shortly after arriving in Canada he became a member of the Alpine Club of Canada and attended many annual camps, often as camp doctor. He also participated in ACC expeditions to Mount St. Elias (1967, unsuccessful), Mount Alberta (1967, successful as part of the Alberta Team), and Mt. Waddington (1969). He also successfully summited Mt. Robson on his third attempt at the mountain. Wright hiked extensively throughout Nepal, Switzerland, South America, and New Zealand in addtion to the Rockies. He was also a member of the Skyline Trail Hikers of the Canadian Rockies and was a founding member of the Castle-Crown Wilderness Coalition, where he served on the Board of Directors, helping to plan and lead many annual hiking trips.

Scope & Content: Fonds pertains to 3 photograph prints of members of the St. Elias expedition in the Yukon, a large-format black and white print of a mountain range [possibly including St. Elias], 11 typed letters to Wright from W.E. (Smoke) Blanchard dated January-May 1965 discussing the expedition, 2 typed one-page summaries of the attempt on the mountain [one written by Blanchard and includes a hand-drawn map of the area around the mountain], a Xerox copy of a letter written on University of Oregon Medical School letterhead listing the members of the St. Elias party and recommended medical tests to have completed prior to the expedition, a two-page typed list of gear & equipment, and a hand-written list of expedition members and the University of Oregon Medical School doctor and their contact information.