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 interviews, research notes,manuscripts, printed and digital photographs, and other materials produced and collected by Chic Scott between 1982 and 2021. Content pertains to Chic's various publications and research projects, the Canadian Himalayan Foundation, the Canadian '82 Evere…
Sound recordings: 224 audio tape cassettes, 7 audio tape reels. -- 78 CD-ROM. with digital files -- Moving images: 148 videocassettes: 133 Hi8, 15 VHS. ; 149 DVDs -- 4.2 m textual records
History / Biographical
Charles (Chic) C. Scott, b.1945, is a mountaineer, mountain guide and writer based in Banff, Alberta, Canada. Scott climbed extensively in the western Canada and the Himalayas until the mid-1970s. He guided extensively in the European Alps for five seasons, ca.1970, and worked as a climber for "The Eiger Sanction," a Hollywood movie starring Clint Eastwood. Scott resumed climbing in 1988, after a period working at the University of Calgary. His publications include "Alpinism," editor, "Ski Trails in the Canadian Rockies," "The History of the Calgary Mountain Club", "Summits and Icefields", "Pushing the Limits: the Story of Canadian Mountaineering", "Powder Pioneers : Ski Stories from the Canadian Rockies and Columbia Mountains", and "Deep Powder and Steep Rock : the Life of Mountain Guide Hans Gmoser".
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of interviews, research notes,manuscripts, printed and digital photographs, and other materials produced and collected by Chic Scott between 1982 and 2021. Content pertains to Chic's various publications and research projects, the Canadian Himalayan Foundation, the Canadian '82 Everest Expedition, and collected and personal materials. Items in fonds are arranged mostly by individual projects/areas of research.
Notes
Fonds consists of 15 series:
Series I : Pushing the Limits
Series II : Mountain Romantics
Series III : Summits and Icefields
Series IV : Powder Pioneers
Series V : Deep Powder and Steep Rock
Series VI : Ski Trails of the Canadian Rockies
Series VII : Hans Gmoser Film Collection
Series VIII : The Canadian Himalayan Foundation
Series IX : The Book of Mortimer
Series X : Tommy and Lawrence
Series XI : The Yam
Series XII :Calgary Mountain Club
Series XIII : Young at Heart
Series XIV : Chic Scott personal records
Series XV : A LIFE IN THE WILD: The Story of Mountain Explorer John Baldwin
Access to interviews limited to VHS reference compilations.
File consists of three compact discs containing a total of 38 JPG image files and 14 PDF files. Images were used in the creation of an exhibit titled "Operation Bow-Athabasca" at the Canmore Museum and Geoscience Centre, which Ben Gadd contributed to in 2012. Some content from discs was also used i…
Images in file V810/III/D/DF-3 originally produced by Barry Corneil between 1965 and 1966.
Date Range
2012
Physical Description
3 CDs : 38 JPG files, 14 PDF files
Scope & Content
File consists of three compact discs containing a total of 38 JPG image files and 14 PDF files. Images were used in the creation of an exhibit titled "Operation Bow-Athabasca" at the Canmore Museum and Geoscience Centre, which Ben Gadd contributed to in 2012. Some content from discs was also used in Ben's published book, also titled "Operation Bow-Athabasca". Images, exhibit and book pertain to a geological survey of the Canadian Rockies between Canmore and Jasper, including Banff National Park and the Columbia Icefields.
Notes
Contents of individual discs:
V810 / III / D / DF - 3 : "Barry Corneil OBA pics '65-'66" [18 JPG files]
V810 / III / D / DF - 4 : "PDFs of OBA panels 2012 Full-res, as imaged by West Canadian Graphics, May 2012" [14 PDF files]
V810 / III / D / DF - 5 : "Operation Bow-Athabasca photos Ray Price collection" [20 JPG files]
Sub-series consists of textual records and photographs collected by Ben Gadd. Content pertains to various research subjects, current events and other topics of interest, including: environmental science; wildlife; sports and recreation; Parks Canada; clubs, charities and organizations; natural hist…
ca.180 cm of textual records -- 5 CDs with digital image files -- 1 floppy disk -- ca.122 photograph prints : b&w and col. -- 2 negatives : b&w ; 6 x 7.5 cm -- 26 film strips : col. negatives ; 35 mm
Scope & Content
Sub-series consists of textual records and photographs collected by Ben Gadd. Content pertains to various research subjects, current events and other topics of interest, including: environmental science; wildlife; sports and recreation; Parks Canada; clubs, charities and organizations; natural history; and conservation.
Notes
Subjects are arranged alphabetically by title. Original titles and arrangement of materials by Ben Gadd has been preserved. See file-level descriptions for content details.
File consists of 39 recording discs which contain image files and video recordings collected and/or created by Chic Scott. Content pertains to mountain expeditions and travel, the Alpine Club of Canada, personal website content, slide show material, a fireside chat with Don Mickle in 2013, and othe…
File consists of 39 recording discs which contain image files and video recordings collected and/or created by Chic Scott. Content pertains to mountain expeditions and travel, the Alpine Club of Canada, personal website content, slide show material, a fireside chat with Don Mickle in 2013, and other related subjects.
Notes
Contents of discs:
V40 / XIV / 1 : "Wapta Rogers Pass Mar 04"
V40 / XIV / 2 : "The Mountaineer and the Artist: The Alpine Club of Canada Centennial Exhibition" [2006]
V40 / XIV / 3 : "Steve Smith's JPEG Catalog"
V40 / XIV / 4 : "Chic Scott CMH Ski Images History Book Proj[ect]"
V40 / XIV / 5 : "My Slides Scanned for Website"
V40 / XIV / 6 : "Yamnuska Photos Sept 3, 02"
V40 / XIV / 7 : National Parks of Canada Presents: "She Climbs to Conquer" [Georgia Engelhard]; "Skiing at Lake Louise"; "Skiing in Cloudland"; "Sunshine and Powder-Snow"; "Winter Wonderland"
V40 / XIV / 8 : "1958 Bugaboos to Rogers Pass Traverse"
File consists of 59 discs containing digital images and videos which were collected and/or created by Chic Scott. Content includes images used in slideshows and publications, including displays at the Georgetown Inn, an article in Backcountry Magazine and program "On the Road Again" by CBC; photogr…
File consists of 59 discs containing digital images and videos which were collected and/or created by Chic Scott. Content includes images used in slideshows and publications, including displays at the Georgetown Inn, an article in Backcountry Magazine and program "On the Road Again" by CBC; photographs for slideshows pertaining to travel in Scotland and various expeditions within the Canadian Rockies, including trips organized by the Alpine Club of Canada; interior views of Chic Scott's home; and other related materials.
Notes
Contents of discs:
V40 / XIV / 39 & 40 : "Chic's New Pics: Some of Chic's Best Images" (TIFF format, n.d.)
V40 / XIV / 41 : "Chic's May Slides" (n.d.)
V40 / XIV / 42 : "Nine Would Not Do : The Life of Leo Grillmair, Mountaineer" (n.d.)
V40 / XIV / 43 : "Leo scans Apr. '09"
V40 / XIV / 44 : "Centennial Expedition [with] titles : Mathematics Department Camp, Canada's Centennial" 1967
V40 / XIV / 45 : "Mt. Louis Heli Skiing Permission to Print for Georgetown Display Dec. 06, 2004"
V40 / XIV / 46 : "Marmot Basin Avalanche Control History" (n.d.)
V40 / XIV / 47 : "3 images for G[eorge] Town Project: 3 Sisters, Lizzie's Cabin, Yamnuska" (n.d.)
V40 / XIV / 48 : "Jasper/Banff March 2010 Thoare[?]"
V40 / XIV / 49 & 50 : "Filming the Eiger Sanction, 1974"
V40 / XIV / 51 : "B+W scans - Heli skiing 3 Images - Brian Greenwood" (n.d.)
V40 / XIV / 52 : "ACC Slide Show Canmore Jan 13, 2010 Audio Recording; Chic Scott in The Alps"
V40 / XIV / 53 : " "Touching the Void" 2003 UK : Film Four (et al)"
V40 / XIV / 54 : "Images for Gmoser/Grillmair Story for Backcountry Magazine" (n.d.)
V40 / XIV / 55 : "First Bugaboo - Rogers 1958 100 slides Phot CD Bob French" (n.d.)
V40 / XIV / 56 : "Images Scanned by CBC for On the Road Again" (n.d.)
V40 / XIV / 57 : "Photos Winter 2004 Chic Scott"
V40 / XIV / 58 : "Georgetown Inn Photos 5x7 Proofs Dec. 14 /04"
V40 / XIV / 59 : "Nov 2009 Core Slide Show Scotland - Leysin[?]"
V40 / XIV / 60 : "CJSW Emission "Spéciale Montagne" Le 17 octobre 2005"
V40 / XIV / 61 : "Drum Scans Feb. 18 /11"
V40 / XIV / 62 : "Jim Davies Skiing - 3 scans Made by Rod Plasman Oct 7, 2009"
V40 / XIV / 63 : "Scottish Images for Ian's Show" (n.d.)
V40 / XIV / 64 : "Chic's Slide Show Draft 1: 5/26/10"
V40 / XIV / 65 to 68 : "Full Resolution TIFFs [10-128, 129-230, 231-330 & 331-363]" (n.d.)
V40 / XIV / 69 : "Eiger Scans" (n.d.)
V40 / XIV / 70 & 71 : "Georgetown Inn '03 [discs 1 and 2]"
V40 / XIV / 72 : "Spring 2008 Mt. Assiniboine Lodge Allenby Pass Battle Abbey"
V40 / XIV / 73 : "2008 Summit of Excellence"
V40 / XIV / 74 : "Don Vockeroth - Summit of Excellence Photos"
V40 / XIV / 75 : "Chic + tomasz [?] 2007"
V40 / XIV / 76 : "Trip to Jumbo Glacier" (n.d.)
V40 / XIV / 77 & 78 : "Uptown Show May 14, 2009 [discs 1 and 2]"
V40 / XIV / 79 : "The Bill Davidson Story" (2004)
V40 / XIV / 80 to 82 : "Powder Paradise [discs 1, 2 and 3]" (n.d.)
V40 / XIV / 83 : "Chic Scott Portrait July 23 /05"
V40 / XIV / 84 : "Interneg Scans" (n.d.)
V40 / XIV / 85 : "Charlie Locke" [n.d.]
V40 / XIV / 86 : "Cascade Fire Rd. Ski Jan. '07"
V40 / XIV / 87 : "P[hilippe] Delesalle S. of E. Images" (n.d.)
V40 / XIV / 88 & 89 : "Gregg [Gronn?] Rogers Pass Pics" (n.d.)
V40 / XIV / 90 : "Bonnington Traverse 2010"
V40 / XIV / 91 : "Leonard Cohen Live in London"
V40 / XIV / 92 : "Loreena McKennitt: Nights from the Alhambra" (n.d.)
V40 / XIV / 93 : "Peter Amaans Video of Little Yoho 2006" - 3 videos which includes ACC Little Yoho Valley Centennial Camp July 2006, Out-takes and Mike Mortimer
V40 / XIV / 94 : "Chic's Bathroom Images" (n.d.)
V40 / XIV / 95 : "Assiniboine Spring 2008"
V40 / XIV / 96 : "Raw Files 1449-1675 : Aug 2011 - Feb. 2012"
V40 / XIV / 97 : "Rossland Photos" (n.d.)
V40 / XIV / 98 to 130 - misc. personal
V40 / XIV / 106 : "Au Pays Du Avalanche : Rogers Pass"
V40 / XIV / 107 : "Mountain World : High Horizons Banff Alberta Canada"
Fonds consists of photographs pertaining to Placido Monachello and family; and a bound publication titled "Machinery's Handbook", 1943, which belonged to Placido. 12 photographs pertain to Placido's experiences at the Alternative Service Corps work camp at the Spray River Trail near Banff Springs H…
ca.172 photographs : b&w prints -- 3 digital files : col. JPG images -- 4 cm of textual records (1 volume)
History / Biographical
Placido Monachello (1920-2018) received a conscription notice to join the war effort between 1940-1941. Placido opposed the conscription notice, identifying himself as a Conscientious Objector who refused to participate in the war. After appealing his case in court, Placido was sentenced to one year of work in an internment/work camp. Placido completed his year of work at the Alternative Service Corps work camp, located near the Sunshine Road/Brewster Creek area (ASW Camp No. 1). While at the work camp, Placido aided in the clearing of land and road construction around Banff. Placido returned home to Hamilton, Ontario in 1942, where he worked odd jobs as a labourer and farm hand.
Placido married his partner, Leonarda "Leona" (Borsellino) Monachello (1920-2019) in 1944, with whom he later had two children, John and David. Placido sent numerous letters and photographs to Leona during his time at the ASW camp. While Placido was in Banff, Leona directly supported the war effort as an employee at Westinghouse in Hamilton, Ontario, where she produced high-tech military components. Placido and Leona ran two delicatessen businesses together after the war, one of which was initially funded by her parents. The couple sold their business in the 1970s, after which Placido worked for Stelco (a steel manufacturing company) until 1985. Placido and Leona took a trip to visit Banff together in 2010.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of photographs pertaining to Placido Monachello and family; and a bound publication titled "Machinery's Handbook", 1943, which belonged to Placido. 12 photographs pertain to Placido's experiences at the Alternative Service Corps work camp at the Spray River Trail near Banff Springs Hotel (ASW Camp No. 1). ca.160 photographs pertain to Placido's family and personal life, including his wedding to Leonarda (Leona) in 1944 and their children [ca.1950s]. Fonds also includes 3 digital images of Placido and Leona visiting Banff in 2010.
The classic guidebook to cross country ski trails in Waterton, Banff, Kootenay, Yoho and Jasper National Parks as well as Mount Assiniboine and Mount Robson Provincial Parks and Kananaskis Country, now greatly expanded to includes ski trails in the front ranges of the Rockies, in the Crowsnest Pass and in the Columbia Valley. Jointly authored with Darren Farley.
This book also covers topics such as accommodation, regulations, weather and snow conditions.
Scope & Content
Series consists of 3 CD's with photo scans pertaining to the creation of Ski Trails of the Canadian Rockies.
These are your dream books; “When the first snows fly in November, sit down in front of the fire and dream of endless powder slopes, dazzling icefields and wilderness cabins under northern lights.” Couloir Magazine called Summits and Icefields “The best guidebook yet published in North America.”
Now available in two volumes (The Canadian Rockies and The Columbia Mountains) these books are a skier's guide to Rogers Pass, the classic ski ascents of the Rockies, the backcountry lodges, the grand traverses and much, much more. They also contain a taste of the exciting ski history of these ranges.
Scope & Content
Series consists of image scans pertaining to the creation of the book Summits and Icefields.
In 2010 Assiniboine Publishing undertook to reissue, on behalf of the Lake O'Hara Trails Club, Tommy and Lawrence, the Ways and the Trails of Lake O'Hara. Published originally in 1983, this book tells the story of George K. K. 'Tommy' Link and Lorenzo 'Lawrence' Grassi, the two colourful individuals who designed and built the majority of the trails at Lake O'Hara.
No digital material was available from the first edition so it was necessary to completely rebuild the book adding many new photographs and a map of the Lake O'Hara region.
Scope & Content
Series consists of images pertaining to the creation of the book Tommy and Lawrence [later edition].