Fonds consists of materials pertaining to Ben Gadd's personal life and career as an environmental researcher, educator, interpretive guide, publisher, public speaker and author, ca.1956-2018. Fonds includes maps, research materials, publication notes/drafts, correspondence, contracts, photographs, …
ca. 7.9 metres of textual records -- ca. 274 maps -- 29 VHS tapes -- ca.15 discs with digital files -- 21 cassettes -- photographs -- oversized materials -- USB stick with 15 sldeshows
History / Biographical
Ben Gadd (1946-) is a retired naturalist, guide, geologist, instructor, freelance writer and award-winning author based in the Canadian Rockies.
Ben was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1946. He met his wife, Cia (Langdon) Gadd at Colorado College in 1965, and the couple married four weeks later. Ben and Cia had two sons, Will and Toby. Ben and his family relocated to Jasper in the late 1960s. Ben later attended the University of Lethbridge and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Earth Science in 1972.
Between 1976 and 1980, Ben taught classes at Mount Royal College and the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology; he later taught additional classes at Grant MacEwan College and Lakeland College. From 1981, Ben also worked as a seasonal naturalist/guide for Parks Canada. Ben left Parks Canada in 1985 to start an independent naturalist guiding business with Cia based in Jasper and other parts of the Canadian Rockies, which the couple continued to operate for over two decades.
Ben published his best-known work, "Handbook of the Canadian Rockies", through his publishing company Corax Press in 1986. The second edition of "Handbook of the Canadian Rockies" received multiple awards after its release in 1995. Ben's fiction book, "Raven's End" won the title of Best Canadian Rockies Book at the Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival in 2001 and became a Canadian bestseller. Overall, Ben has authored or co-authored 11 books and received nearly one dozen awards for his achievements as a writer, researcher and guide.
Ben continued to lead guided hikes and school programs until his retirement in 2016.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of materials pertaining to Ben Gadd's personal life and career as an environmental researcher, educator, interpretive guide, publisher, public speaker and author, ca.1956-2018. Fonds includes maps, research materials, publication notes/drafts, correspondence, contracts, photographs, video and sound recordings, and other related material. Materials donated in 2024 include one USB stick containing
Notes
Ben Gadd fonds arrangement:
Series I : Personal records
- Subseries A : Travel guides and maps
- Subseries B : Education and early writings
- Subseries C : Personal interest files
- Subseries D : Other personal and collected
Series II : Research and publication records
- Subseries A : Handbook of the Canadian Rockies
- Subseries B : Other publications
Series III : Professional records
- Subseries A : Parks Canada Records
- Subseries B : Interpretive guiding
- Subseries C : Teaching records
- Subseries D : Other contracts and projects
Series IV : Legal and financial records
- Subseries A : Legal records
- Subseries B : Financial records
Fonds consists of photographs, published booklets and film reels which belonged to William Royle. Content pertains to the Banff Boy Scouts: local events, including Banff Winter Carnival, Banff Indian Days and Banff's Centennial Parade in 1967; hiking, camping, skiing and other recreational activiti…
ca.348 photographs (204 b&w and col. prints, 144 col. transparencies) -- 0.5 cm of textual records -- 7 film reels
History / Biographical
William "Bill" Royle (1905-1980) moved to Banff from Lethbridge in 1952 with his mother (Mary Elizabeth) and two young sons (Bernard and Walter), following the death of his wife. William started the business Banff Plumbing and Heating Ltd., which he operated until his death. William and his brother, John J. Royle, were also involved with a laundromat business in Banff. From its inception in 1953, William also worked as director and president of the Banff Park Savings and Credit Union (now Bow Valley Credit Union). In his spare time, William volunteered with the Banff Boy Scouts, as well as St. Mary's Church in Banff, the Seniors' Society and the Alberta Council of the Aging.
William's son, Bernard, tragically passed away in a plane crash in 1969 while searching for new heliskiing routes in British Columbia with his friend, John Gow, who survived.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of photographs, published booklets and film reels which belonged to William Royle. Content pertains to the Banff Boy Scouts: local events, including Banff Winter Carnival, Banff Indian Days and Banff's Centennial Parade in 1967; hiking, camping, skiing and other recreational activities; Bernard Royle and friends; the Banff High School curling team; natural views and wildlife in Alberta and British Columbia; and other related subjects.
Includes three visual series: I - Prints ; II - Motion pictures ; III - Transparencies. Series I includes five sub-series: A - Boy Scouts [includes o.s. items] ; B - Banff Indian Days ; C - Banff Winter Carnival ; D - St. Mary's Baptist Church ; E - Misc.
File consists of April 1, 1904 Lease between King Edward VII and Joseph Sadler. Lot 14 Blk 6 Banff Townsite. Ref. No. 874633 Document is affixed with a red seal with embossed crown - the Minister of the Interior.
File consists of April 1, 1904 Lease between King Edward VII and Joseph Sadler. Lot 14 Blk 6 Banff Townsite. Ref. No. 874633 Document is affixed with a red seal with embossed crown - the Minister of the Interior.
File includes the first 2 pages of the Minutes of the 71st Annual General Meeting, a report from the Huts Committee in 1976 for the Board, a report from the Camps Committee from January 1977, and a report from the Summer Camps Committee to the Board of Management.
File includes the first 2 pages of the Minutes of the 71st Annual General Meeting, a report from the Huts Committee in 1976 for the Board, a report from the Camps Committee from January 1977, and a report from the Summer Camps Committee to the Board of Management.
File includes the Membership Statistics December 1977, a proposal and reports on the location the Annual General Meeting from 1977, correspondence of an endorsement for Roger Marshall from the ACC to climb Mount Everest in 1982, and a Report of the Nominating Committee for the 1978-1980 Board of Ma…
File includes the Membership Statistics December 1977, a proposal and reports on the location the Annual General Meeting from 1977, correspondence of an endorsement for Roger Marshall from the ACC to climb Mount Everest in 1982, and a Report of the Nominating Committee for the 1978-1980 Board of Management. Also includes a report of the Club Manager to the Board of Management in 1978.
Notes
Financials have been separated into M200 / II / A / 53 [1977-1978] accn. 6376.
Files consist of summit notes and summit registers from the Alberta Centennial Mountain Expedition 2005 produced by the Alpine Club of Canada between 2005 and 2017. Summit records include entries from visitors to the various summits which pertain to individuals' hiking and climbing trips; details o…
Summit Registers and Notes produced by Alpine Club of Canada
Date Range
2005-2017
Physical Description
25 cm of textual records
12 volumes
History / Biographical
The Alberta Centennial Mountain Expedition 2005 was a way for the Alpine Club of Canada, the Rocky Mountain Ramblers and other climbing groups to celebrate the Centennial of Alberta. These groups climbed various mountains throughout Alberta and placed registers on their peaks for climbers to commemorate their climbs during the centenary period. Various summits were reached including Mount Aylmer, Pigeon Mountain, Mount Niblock and others.
Scope & Content
Files consist of summit notes and summit registers from the Alberta Centennial Mountain Expedition 2005 produced by the Alpine Club of Canada between 2005 and 2017. Summit records include entries from visitors to the various summits which pertain to individuals' hiking and climbing trips; details of specific events which occurred while at the summit, wildlife sightings, trail updates, and related topics.
Files consist of:
M200 / V / A / 14: Mount. Aylmer 2005
M200 / V / A / 15: 2005 Alberta Centennial Mtn. Expedition Summit Register – Pigeon Mtn., Aug 2005 – July 2006
M200 / V / A / 16: Summit Register + Notes – Big Sister, Aug 2005 – Aug 2007 (AB. Centennial Mtn. Expedition 2005 Register)
M200 / V / A / 17: Sentry Mountain Summit Register 2005 - 2017
M200 / V / A / 18: Mount Niles [summit register] [2005-2017]
M200 / V / A / 19: Alberta Centennial Mtn. Expedition, 2005 Summit Register – MT. Niblock, July 2006 – July 2009
M200 / V / A / 20: 2005 AB. Centennial Mtn. Expedition Middle Sister July 2006 – July 2007
M200 / V / A / 21: 2005 AB. Centennial Mountain Expedition, Yamnuska, 2005 – 2006. Summit Register
M200 / V / A / 22: Summit Register – Crowsnest Mtn., July 2005 – July 2007 2005 AB. Centennial Mtn. Expedition
M200 / V / A / 23: Alberta Centennial Mountain Expedition. [Part 1 of 2].
M200 / V / A / 24: Alberta Centennial Mountain Expedition. [Part 2 of 2].
M200 / V / A / 25: [unidentified Alberta Centennial Mountain Expedition Log]
File consists of a signed work agreement, correspondence, research notes, reference materials, newspaper articles and other related documents pertaining to an article titled "The Ravens & the Road: Life & Death on National Park Highways", which Ben wrote for Alberta Views magazine between 2004 and …
File consists of a signed work agreement, correspondence, research notes, reference materials, newspaper articles and other related documents pertaining to an article titled "The Ravens & the Road: Life & Death on National Park Highways", which Ben wrote for Alberta Views magazine between 2004 and 2005.
File consists of the agenda for the Board Meeting on October 14, 1979, the minutes of the Annual General Meeting of the Banff Section that took place in October 1978, a report of the Nominating Committee for a New Executive 1978-79, and the meeting minutes for the Banff Section's meetings between 1…
File consists of the agenda for the Board Meeting on October 14, 1979, the minutes of the Annual General Meeting of the Banff Section that took place in October 1978, a report of the Nominating Committee for a New Executive 1978-79, and the meeting minutes for the Banff Section's meetings between 1975 and 1979. File also includes the minutes of the Board Meeting that was held on January 28 and 29, 1978 in Victoria, B.C., the minutes of the Board meeting on October 15 and 16, 1977 in Calgary, AB, and the minutes of the Board meeting on October 16 and 17, 1976 in Toronto, ON.
Sub-series of hut registers from the Balfour (Rob Ritchie) Hut produced by the Alpine Club of Canada between 1966 and 2019. Registers include entries from visitors to the huts which pertain to individuals' hiking and climbing trips; details of specific events which occurred while staying at the hut…
According to the Alpine Club of Canada's website:
"The Rob Ritchie Hut, also known as the Balfour Hut, is found on low, rocky hills at the toe of the Vulture Glacier, approximately 28 km northwest of the town of Lake Louise, AB. It is east of Balfour Pass and the Continental divide, just inside the Banff National Park boundary.[...]
The Rob Ritchie Hut, also known as the Balfour Hut, is found on low, rocky hills at the toe of the Vulture Glacier, approximately 28 km northwest of the town of Lake Louise, AB. It is east of Balfour Pass and the Continental divide, just inside the Banff National Park boundary.
This is the half-way mark for the Wapta Traverse and is usually used in conjunction with the other huts in this chain while attempting this classic cross-glacier ski trip. Usual approach is from Bow Hut through the Olive/St. Nicholas Col then down the gentle and pleasant Vulture Glacier to Balfour Pass, where the hut sits on a section of moraine beneath the impressive bulk of Mt. Balfour.
Though most people will spend one night at the R.J. Ritchie (Balfour) Hut before continuing on to Scott Duncan, there is potential for good skiing here, especially on the Diableret Glacier which sits northwest of Mt. Balfour and makes for a fantastic run on a clear day! There is also an optional route to the summit of Mt. Gordon from this hut, which would be an excellent loop trip if combined with the normal route back towards Bow Hut. Use your imagination and some neat trip ideas will present themselves!"
Scope & Content
Sub-series of hut registers from the Balfour (Rob Ritchie) Hut produced by the Alpine Club of Canada between 1966 and 2019. Registers include entries from visitors to the huts which pertain to individuals' hiking and climbing trips; details of specific events which occurred while staying at the hut, wildlife sightings, custodial issues and updates, and related topics.
The sub-series is separated into individual hut registers, arranged by date:
M200 / IV / I / 1: Balfour Hut [Register] [1966-1971]
M200 / IV / I / 2: Balfour Pass Hut [1971-1972]
M200 / IV / I / 3: Balfour Pass Hut Register [1973-1974]
M200 / IV / I / 4: Balfour Pass Hut [register 1974-1982]
M200 / IV / I / 5: "Balfour Hut" [register] Sept. 2, 1982 - Nov. 17, 1989
M200 / IV / I / 6: Balfour Hut Journal Nov. 22, 1989 - Apr. 25, 1997
M200 / IV / I / 7: Balfour Hut Register [1997 -2001]
M200 / IV / I / 8: Balfour Hut Register 2007 - 2015
M200 / IV / I / 9: Balfour Hut register 2011 - 2019
File pertains to 59 b&w & colour prints of the Banff Centre. Includes interior and exterior shots of campus buildings and the 1980 Banff Centre Car Rally, the Banff Centre Wilderness Course from the mid-1970s - a course that combined mountaineering and photography, and portraits of Centre Director …
59 photographs : b&w & col. ; 20.3 x 25.4 cm or smaller
History / Biographical
See fonds level description
Scope & Content
File pertains to 59 b&w & colour prints of the Banff Centre. Includes interior and exterior shots of campus buildings and the 1980 Banff Centre Car Rally, the Banff Centre Wilderness Course from the mid-1970s - a course that combined mountaineering and photography, and portraits of Centre Director Dr. Paul Fleck.
Also includes newspaper clippings and documents pertaining to the High Altitude Wilderness Course.
File consists of 14 colour and b&w oversized promotional posters and information boards for Banff Indian Days celebrations, promoted by Canadian Pacific. Posters largely feature identified and unidentified Indigenous people, notably Chief Spotted Eagle and Blind Eagle. Art medium includes oil pain…
Published and artwork attributed to Ernie Kehr, W.L. Kihn, G.H.W. Ashley, Crag & Canyon Press, Palenske, Canadian Pacific and Multi Color Poster
Date Range
[ca. 1930-1950]
1936
1937
1949
Physical Description
14 posters : colour and b&w ; 35 x 56 cm or smaller
Scope & Content
File consists of 14 colour and b&w oversized promotional posters and information boards for Banff Indian Days celebrations, promoted by Canadian Pacific. Posters largely feature identified and unidentified Indigenous people, notably Chief Spotted Eagle and Blind Eagle. Art medium includes oil paint process mounted on cardboard made in Canada and distributed by Exhibits Branch Canadian Pacific, lithographic prints, and a mounted drawing attributed to Palenske. Some have annotations or stamps on the back.
Notes
Possibly unassociated shipping packing material addressed to Norman Luxton at the Trading Post from E.A. Kehr found in box - this has not been assigned a number.
D3-10, a lithographic promotional material from 1936 has an identical design to LUX / II / F1 / 47, an Indian Days poster from 1928
Items LUX / I / D3 / 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14 were originally associated with LUX / I / D3a / 6, which contains brochures and a flyer from Banff Indian Days
LUX / I / D3 / 8, Palenske may have potentionally used photograph LUX / I / D3a / PA-26 as reference
Material Details
Some posters have foldable cardboard stand at back to place upright on surface, adhesives, and perhaps mounting additives.
File consists of a draft, final copy and related correspondence pertaining to a fact sheet titled "The Geology of Banff National Park", which Ben Gadd produced for Parks Canada in 1980.
File consists of a draft, final copy and related correspondence pertaining to a fact sheet titled "The Geology of Banff National Park", which Ben Gadd produced for Parks Canada in 1980.
File includes hand written Minutes of the March 28, 1974 meting, minutes of the September 9, 1974, November 1974, and December 1974 meetings. Also includes the agendas for the Executive meeting in November and December 1974, as well as the agenda for the January 1975 meeting. Also includes the meet…
File includes hand written Minutes of the March 28, 1974 meting, minutes of the September 9, 1974, November 1974, and December 1974 meetings. Also includes the agendas for the Executive meeting in November and December 1974, as well as the agenda for the January 1975 meeting. Also includes the meeting minutes of the March 6, 1975, October 29, 1975 and December 1, 1975 meetings of the Banff Section Executives.
File consists of the meeting minutes of the Executive Meeting of the Alberta Sections of the Alpine Club of Canada, as well as the meeting minutes of the Banff Section of the Alpine Club of Canada, from 1983 to 1987.
File consists of the meeting minutes of the Executive Meeting of the Alberta Sections of the Alpine Club of Canada, as well as the meeting minutes of the Banff Section of the Alpine Club of Canada, from 1983 to 1987.
File consists correspondence to and from the President of the Banff Ski Runners, bills, cheque stubs, and annual reports pertain to the club and club activities. Also includes one insert: the original folder the papers were kept in.
File consists correspondence to and from the President of the Banff Ski Runners, bills, cheque stubs, and annual reports pertain to the club and club activities. Also includes one insert: the original folder the papers were kept in.
File consists of notes, correspondence and other documents pertaining to Ben Gadd's work researching and writing text for an exhibit about Bankhead, on behalf of the Government of Canada in 1981.
File consists of notes, correspondence and other documents pertaining to Ben Gadd's work researching and writing text for an exhibit about Bankhead, on behalf of the Government of Canada in 1981.
File consists of textual records pertaining to a brochure describing the history of Bankhead, which Ben Gadd researched, designed and produced on behalf of Parks Canada in 1981. File includes research notes, reference maps, correspondence, paste-up drafts and finished copies of the brochures.
File consists of textual records pertaining to a brochure describing the history of Bankhead, which Ben Gadd researched, designed and produced on behalf of Parks Canada in 1981. File includes research notes, reference maps, correspondence, paste-up drafts and finished copies of the brochures.
File consists of two reports on Section Rebates to the Board of Management in 1980, scans of reports to the Board from the 1970s that has a header titled: cc: Board of Management, May 7, 1980, at the top. Also includes a 1980 report on the re-evaluation of the Club's U.S.A. section, a report on The…
File consists of two reports on Section Rebates to the Board of Management in 1980, scans of reports to the Board from the 1970s that has a header titled: cc: Board of Management, May 7, 1980, at the top. Also includes a 1980 report on the re-evaluation of the Club's U.S.A. section, a report on The Alpine Club of Canada Its Role In Promoting Mountaineering from 1982, also includes recommendations from the Executive of the Banff Section regarding strategy for membership growth, and a Proposed policy on membership growth and Club Development from 1983. Also includes a 1984 report on Section Affiliate Status & Membership Categories.
Notes
Financials have been separated into M200 / II / A / 44 [Board of Management: ca. 1970-1984 records] accn. 6376.
