Fonds consists of untitled manuscript by Alex McCoubrey includes excerpts and elaborations of his mountaineering diaries, 1927-1953. Pertains to early climbing experiences with his father, 1927; climbing trips with various companions, 1932-1938; descriptions of ski and ski mountaineering trips an…
Alex McCoubrey, b.ca.1916, of Winnipeg, Manitoba was introduced to mountaineering in the Canadian Rockies at the age of eleven by his father, A. A. McCoubrey. Alex McCoubrey was also involved in early ski mountaineering, making his first trip at the age of seventeen.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of untitled manuscript by Alex McCoubrey includes excerpts and elaborations of his mountaineering diaries, 1927-1953. Pertains to early climbing experiences with his father, 1927; climbing trips with various companions, 1932-1938; descriptions of ski and ski mountaineering trips and first ascent of Mount Field, 1934-1938; 1942 season of climbing; ACC ski camps, 1943; ACC summer camps, 1952-1953; account of being lost near Mount Brown, 1953. Provides detailed accounts of travels, climbs, friends and acquaintances, particularly Grahame Cairns, Norman H. Brewster, Ken Jones; also Margaret Fleming, Bob Hind, Roger Neave and Rex Gibson. Geographic areas discussed include: Lake O'Hara, Lake Louise, Yoho, Glacier, Skoki, Jasper and Vancouver Island areas.
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…
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.).
Fonds consists of seven series: I. Personal and professional series, 1937-1993 (diaries, correspondence, filing systems and papers pertaining to awards, memberships, biography and other); II. Business series, 1948-1982 (pertaining to guiding, outfitting, trail riding, ranching, Andy Russell and S…
6 m of textual records and printed material. -- ca.6100 photographs : prints, negatives, transparencies. -- 1 photograph album (49 prints). -- 29 motion pictures. -- 5 sound recordings
History / Biographical
Andy Russell, 1915-2005, was a trapper, guide and outfitter, writer, photographer, cinematographer, lecturer and environmental advocate in the Pincher Creek, Alberta, Canada.
Russell was born in Lethbridge, Alberta and spent his childhood on a ranch in the foothills near Pincher Creek. He became a skilled horseman, hunter, fisherman and trapper, and, in 1936, was employed by Bert Riggall, a pioneer guide and outfitter of wilderness pack trips in the southern Rockies since 1907. He became Riggall's partner in 1939 and took over the business when Riggall retired in 1946. Andy Russell and Kathleen (Kay) Riggall married in 1938 and raised five children at their ranch bordering Waterton Lakes National Park, where family businesses included guiding, saddlehorses and ranching. Children are: Richard "Dick" H. (b.1938); Andrew Charles "Charlie" (b.1941); Harold John "John" (b.1944); Hugh Gordon Riggall "Gordon" (b.1947); Lorenda Anne "Anne" (b.1952).
Russell continued as a renowned guide and outfitter with a wealthy repeat clientele until he was forced out of guiding by 1960 with the advance of the oil industry concerns upon wilderness areas in southern Alberta and British Columbia. Russell began to write nature articles in 1945 and after 1960 concentrated upon writing, photography, film making, lecturing and ranching. He wrote for numerous magazines and newspapers, produced radio broadcasts, and, using colour motion picture photography, developed programs on wildlife and wilderness habitat research for live public performances. Russell's films launched his career as an author of popular wildlife and mountain culture books, which included Grizzly Country. In later years, he was an active writer, consultant and advocate of wilderness and environmental management and received numerous awards and honours, including Member of the Order of Canada.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of seven series: I. Personal and professional series, 1937-1993 (diaries, correspondence, filing systems and papers pertaining to awards, memberships, biography and other); II. Business series, 1948-1982 (pertaining to guiding, outfitting, trail riding, ranching, Andy Russell and Sons, royalties and lecturing); III. Writing, broadcasting and public appearances series, 1908-1990 (papers and photographs pertaining to writing, book projects, columns, broadcasts, reviews, advertising, promotion and other); IV. Photography and cinematography series, 1909-1990 (details below); V. Wildlife study and conservation activities series, 1945-[198-]; VI. Other activities series, 1931-[199-] (politics, interviews, information files); VII. Russell family series, [1867]-1983.
Photography and cinematography series consists of: Riggall/Russell guiding activity photographs, 1909-1962, ca.280 items; Andy Russell and Sons Production Ltd / Andy Russell professional photographs and films, ca.1940- ca.1990, ca.4200 photographs (mainly transparencies), 28 motion pictures, accompanied by some textual and printed items; personal and family photographs, 1916-1989, ca.1550 items; collected photographs, ca.1940-197-, ca.75 items. Professional photography and cinematography primarily arose from field work by Andy, Dick and Charlie Russell and pertains mainly to flora, fauna and landscape of the Canadian Rockies in continental divide region, British Columbia, Yukon and Alaska.
Motion pictures, ca.1950-1974, include original film "Grizzly Country" by Dick, Charlie and Andy Russell, produced by Evan J. Anton, ca.1969, copy print of same; also unedited wildlife and landscape footage of Waterton area, Yukon and British Columbia.
Sound recordings are interviews with Andy Russell, [ca.1970]-1988.
Fonds consists of two series: I. Expeditions and trips series, 1946-1974; II. General files series, 1913-1978. Expeditions and trips series pertains to mountaineering expeditions and trips of Arnold Wexler and companions to western and northern Canada and locations in the United States. Canadian…
Arnold Wexler was responsible for the creation of most material. Fonds also contains material created by A. C. Faberge, Alvin E. Peterson, Donald Hubbard, William L. Putnam, Samuel V. Moore, Mike Banks, and others
Date Range
1913-1978, predominant 1946-1974
Physical Description
ca.4100 photographs (ca.3000 transparencies, ca.700 negatives, ca.400 prints). -- 7 photograph albums (ca.190 prints). -- ca.40 cartographic records. -- 16 cm of textual records. -- 5 cm of print material. -- 5 graphic records
History / Biographical
Arnold Wexler, 1918-1997, was a research engineer and mountaineer in the Washington, DC area of the United States. He was a member of numerous scientific and mountaineering organizations and was actively involved in the testing of mountaineering equipment. Wexler climbed extensively in North America, Europe and South America, and also travelled throughout Asia. He is credited with over 100 ascents, almost half being first ascents.
Wexler was a key organizer and participant of expeditions to western and northern Canada beginning in 1946. Noteworthy ascents of that first expedition, to the northern Selkirks of British Columbia, were the second ascent of Mount Sir Sandford and first ascents of Sentinel Peak, Unicorn and East Blackfriar. Also, near the end of that trip, an accident claimed the life of an expedition member. Wexler and his associates made annual expeditions and trips to Canada from 1946 until 1955, and subsequently in the years 1961, 1962, 1963, and 1970 through 1974
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of two series: I. Expeditions and trips series, 1946-1974; II. General files series, 1913-1978.
Expeditions and trips series pertains to mountaineering expeditions and trips of Arnold Wexler and companions to western and northern Canada and locations in the United States. Canadian expedition destinations included the Selkirk Mountains, Cariboo Mountains, Rocky Mountains, Monashee Mountains, Coast Range, Bugaboo Mountains, Logan Mountains, Battle Range and Adamant Range. Mountaineers involved were Arnold Wexler, Sterling B. Hendricks, Donald Hubbard, Alvin (Pete) E. Peterson, Alex C. Faberge, Chris G. Scoredos, Charles C. Haworth Jr., Samuel V. Moore, Arthur Lembeck, Norman Goldstein, W. L. Putnam, A. J. Kauffman and others. Series includes extensive photographs, trip diaries and maps.
General files series consists of files pertaining to mountaineering, equipment, locations, climbing associates and expeditions. Includes correspondence, checklists, exhibition prints, climbing portraits, and research material in the form of topical files, maps and print material
Fonds consists of notes, correspondence and articles pertaining to the Astley family and early history of Lake Louise and Lake Minnewanka areas. Fonds includes correspondence between Willoughby Astley and J. A. Jaffary of the Provincial Library, Alberta, 1928-1929, re place names in the Lake Louise…
Willoughby John Astley, 1859-1948, came to Banff in 1888 and built the Beach House Hotel at Lake Minnewanka. He moved to Lake Louise in 1889. Brother, Charles D'Oyley Astley, 1849-1937, and Lucy Ann Astley continued to operate the hotel until 1907 when they retired to Banff. The hotel was destroyed as part of power development at Lake Minnewanka, ca.1912.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of notes, correspondence and articles pertaining to the Astley family and early history of Lake Louise and Lake Minnewanka areas. Fonds includes correspondence between Willoughby Astley and J. A. Jaffary of the Provincial Library, Alberta, 1928-1929, re place names in the Lake Louise area; scrapbook of clippings re World War I, including a list of Banff men who enlisted; Beach House Hotel guest register, 1890-1906, recording name and residence of guest, and occasionally record of fish caught; Astley family photographs, ca.1886-1930s. Photographs pertain to fishing and boating on Lake Minnewanka; Beach House Hotel and Lady of the Lake steam launch; Devil's Canyon, Bankhead and Banff; views of avalanche clearing in Roger's Pass by Byron Harmon. Includes one panorama view of group at Lake Minnewanka.
Fonds consists of records pertaining primarily to Christian and Evelyn Bakgaard's honeymoon trip in the Skoki area with the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies in 1956. Records include b&w prints and colour negatives re the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies, ca.1956; letters from Ray Bagley, a…
Christian Buur Bakgaard, b.1930 in Hammerum, Denmark was a carpenter and general contractor.
Evelyn May Bakgaard (née Rieger), b.1924 Delia, Alberta, d.2003 Calgary, Alberta, attended Delia High School with her twin sister Alice, graduating with honours in 1942. Evelyn attended the Edmonton Normal School, the University of Alberta and the University of Victoria, B.C. Evelyn's first teaching position was at Haven School near Beaverlodge, Alberta and was followed by a number of rural teaching positions from 1946 to 1957. After 14 years of teaching, Evelyn retired in order to devote her attention to her children and her parents.
Evelyn married Christian Buur Bakgaard in 1953 and in the summer of 1956 they took a belated honeymoon to the Skoki area with the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies. Evelyn and Christian were both novice horseriders and the Skoki trip was their only trail ride.
Evelyn and Christian Bakgaard were divorced in 1983.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of records pertaining primarily to Christian and Evelyn Bakgaard's honeymoon trip in the Skoki area with the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies in 1956. Records include b&w prints and colour negatives re the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies, ca.1956; letters from Ray Bagley, a staff member of the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies, 1955 and 1956; Trail Riders bulletin, brochures, and an annotated map, 1955-1957.
Fonds contains correspondence, minutes, plans, reports, legal and financial records of committees and officers involved in planning, building, financing and operation of the Banff Recreational Centre. Included is material from the Calgary Olympic Development Association, building plans and constru…
The Banff Recreational Centre at Banff, Alberta, Canada was built during the 1960s following discussions beginning in 1954 and continuing during the late 1950s. By 1958, an organizational committee had the commitment that a civic centre would be funded jointly by the federal government and the community. The centre was to include curling rinks, a skating rink and a public library. Efforts to obtain the 1968 Winter Olympic Games for Banff and area influenced plans and negotiations. With the aid of a provincial grant, the community raised part of the funding. Federal funding took the form of a loan, which the organizers found difficult to pay back. The final recreational centre was built in several stages. The curling rink opened for curling and limited skating in 1962 and construction of a skating rink began in 1968.
Scope & Content
Fonds contains correspondence, minutes, plans, reports, legal and financial records of committees and officers involved in planning, building, financing and operation of the Banff Recreational Centre. Included is material from the Calgary Olympic Development Association, building plans and construction specifications, and agreements with concessionaires and the Banff Curling Club.
Fonds includes: I. Administrative files, 1949-1974, 8 cm; including minutes, correspondence and general files. II. Ski meets, 1962, 1967-1973, 12.5 cm; pertaining mainly to the International Intercollegiate Ski Meet. III. Financial records, 1963-1973, 6.5 cm. IV. Other, 1953-1973, 1980, 16 items.
The Banff Ski Runners of the Canadian Rockies was established in 1931 as the Ski Runners of the Canadian Rockies with the support of the Canadian Pacific Railway. The club promoted alpine and nordic skiing for pleasure and sport through competitions, training and facilities. The Talewag was the official bulletin of the Ski Runners of the Canadian Rockies which published articles and images related to skiing in the Canadian Rockies. More recently, the organization has emphasized cross-country activities.
Scope & Content
Fonds includes: I. Administrative files, 1949-1974, 8 cm; including minutes, correspondence and general files. II. Ski meets, 1962, 1967-1973, 12.5 cm; pertaining mainly to the International Intercollegiate Ski Meet. III. Financial records, 1963-1973, 6.5 cm. IV. Other, 1953-1973, 1980, 16 items.
Fonds consists of minutes of annual meetings and executive meetings from the organization's establishment by Banff sportswomen in 1931. Meetings pertain primarily to events, competitions and policy.
Fonds consists of minutes of annual meetings and executive meetings from the organization's establishment by Banff sportswomen in 1931. Meetings pertain primarily to events, competitions and policy.
The Banff Tennis Club, established in 1926, included local and summer temporary residents and played at various times on their own courts, at the Banff Springs Hotel and on public courts. The club executive organized competitions, raised funds and established policy.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of minutes, 1926-1961, membership lists, 1950-1961 correspondence, 1933-1961, and financial records, 1933-1963.