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.).
I. Literary papers, ca.1960-1990, 154.5 cm of textual records: A. Projects (book files, Carl Rungius project, Peter and Catharine Whyte portfolio papers, other projects); B. General literary papers (loose papers and writing notebooks) includes Jon Whyte's concrete poetry; C. Career documents; D. Wo…
4.5 m textual records. -- ca.7600 photographs: ca.6400 transparencies, ca.1200 prints and negatives. -- 27 electronic records (425 files): computer diskettes. -- 39 sound recordings: audio tape reels, audio cassettes. -- 5 motion pictures
History / Biographical
Jon Anthony Whyte, 1941-1992, was an author, poet, writer, editor, journalist, broadcaster, publisher, environmentalist and museum curator at Banff, Alberta, Canada. Whyte was born in Banff to Jack White, son of merchant Dave White, and Barbara Carpenter Whyte. After public school education in Banff and Medicine Hat, Alberta, he received a B.A. in English from the University of Alberta in 1964, followed by a Masters degree in Medieval English in 1967. Subsequently, he received a Masters in Communications from Stanford University, California in 1974. His thesis at Stanford was a film documentary, "Jimmy Simpson, Mountain Man". During his time at U of A, Whyte worked as a broadcaster for CKUA Radio and as a sessional Instructor at U of A, 1965-1967.
Upon returning to Banff, ca.1968, Whyte managed the Book and Art Den and helped establish Summerthought Press. In 1969 he became a columnist for the "Crag and Canyon," continuing until 1991, and in 1970 became a board member of the Peter Whyte Foundation (now Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies). From 1980 until his death, Whyte was Curator of the Heritage collections at the museum. He continued to write and publish extensively throughout the 1980s. He was involved with the formation of the Writer's Guild of Alberta and was elected its president in 1990. He received the WGA's Stephan Stephansson Award for Poetry in 1983. Whyte was also active in numerous other organizations, including the League of Canadian Poets, Alberta Museums Association, Canadian Museums Association, Interpretation Canada, Bow Valley Naturalists and the Alberta Wilderness Association.
Scope & Content
I. Literary papers, ca.1960-1990, 154.5 cm of textual records: A. Projects (book files, Carl Rungius project, Peter and Catharine Whyte portfolio papers, other projects); B. General literary papers (loose papers and writing notebooks) includes Jon Whyte's concrete poetry; C. Career documents; D. Works by other writers and artists.
II. Personal / professional papers, 1948-1991, 325.5 cm of textual records: A. School and university papers; B. Correspondence; C. Alphabetical files; D. Travel papers; E. Organizations (incl. Writer's Guild of Alberta, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Bow Valley Naturalists, others); F. Other.
III. Electronic records, 1984-1991, 27 computer disks (425 files); files are mainly literary, with some letters and files pertaining to organizations, including the Whyte Museum
IV. Photographs and films, ca.1950-1991, ca.7600 items (mainly transparencies): A. Transparencies. Included in this sub-series are The Princess of the Stars musical drama performed in Banff National Park; B. Prints and negatives; C. Collected photographs; D. Films (5 items)
Fonds consists of the records of the Skyline Hikers of the Canadian Rockies and reflect the society's organisation, activities, events, and membership. Photographic records include 22 photograph albums documenting Skyline camps, hikes and members; photographs collected by Marian Goldstrom during r…
Previously known as Skyline Trail Hikers of the Canadian Rockies
Date Range
[1933]-2000
Physical Description
22 photograph albums. -- photographs: ca.160 transparencies; 35mm, ca.30 prints, 2 videocassettes. -- 1.3 m textual records. -- 4 audiocassettes
History / Biographical
In the 1920s John Murray Gibbon, Head of the Publicity Department of the Canadian Pacific Railway, recommended the creation of new activities and recreational pursuits for tourists visiting the national parks. Gibbon decided that horseback riding and sleeping outdoors in tents, teepees, or railway bungalow camps would appeal to many tourists and the Skyline Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies was established. Outdoor enthusiasts who visited Banff annually along with Banff and area residents proposed a similar organization for hikers. Gibbon responded with the Skyline Trail Hikers of the Canadian Rockies, with their inaugural hike occurring in 1933. The first annual meeting of the Skyline Trail Hikers of the Canadian Rockies was held immediately following the first hike and N.B. Sanson, retired meteorologist of Banff, became the Club's first president. The five vice-presidents elected were: Major Selby Walker of Calgary, Peter Whyte of Banff, Carl Rungius of New York, Ian Somerville of Philadelphia, and Miss Georgina Englehard of New York. A secretary-treasurer and council members were also elected and a certified hiking mileage of 25 miles in the Canadian Rockies was set as the criteria for admission of new members.
In 1961 C.P.R. sponsorship ceased for both the Trail Riders and the Trail Hikers of the Canadian Rockies. Both groups re-organized as separate volunteer, non-profit organizations and the Skyline Trail Hikers of the Canadian Rockies was renamed the Skyline Hikers of the Canadian Rockies. The offices of the five vice-presidents as well as the honourary president were discontinued and replaced with an executive commitee consisting of President, Vice-President, Executive Secretary, and Committee Chairperson.
The Skyline Hikers of the Canadian Rockies establish a new base camp location each summer and coordinate five 1-week camps from that base camp throughout the summer.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of the records of the Skyline Hikers of the Canadian Rockies and reflect the society's organisation, activities, events, and membership. Photographic records include 22 photograph albums documenting Skyline camps, hikes and members; photographs collected by Marian Goldstrom during research for "Fifty Years of Trails and Tales, Skyline Trail Hikers of the Canadian Rockies," published in 1982; ca.160 35mm transparencies in 2 Kodak carousels containing promotional slides, presenter's guidelines and 4 sound track audio-tapes; 1 BASF videotape containing a recording of CBC mini-report about Skyline Hikers; 1 TDK videotape "Skyline Camp at Sunset Pass 1998" by Moe Bilous.
Textual records include Skyline Hikers minutes of meetings, 1961-1980 and 1980-1997; minutes, agendas, and reports, 1991-1995 and 1996-1997; marketing articles and advertisements; guest lists, 1949-1975; membership lists, 1973-1986; by-laws, 1961-1976, 1986; outfitter's agreement, 1998-99; hostess guidelines, 1991; camp and membership lists, 1991-2000; correspondence with Parks Canada and miscellaneous; budgets, 1994-1997; legal insurance, completed evaluations, 1994-1996; cardex files of membership cards and inactive members.
Fonds include three sous-fonds related to the 1982 Canadian Mount Everest Expedition :
M562 - Textual;
V787 - Visual;
S56 - Sound
M562 contains five series:
A. Expedition Planning and Logistics;
B. General;
C. Correspondence;
D. Periodicals;
E. Newspaper Clippings;
F. Posters
V787 contains four s…
Peter Spear (April 1, 1940 - ) was a teacher, administrator, mountain ski patroller at the Lake Louise Ski Area, member of the Canadian Ski Patrol System, and base camp manager for the 1982 Canadian Mount Everest Expedition based out of Calgary, Alberta.
Scope & Content
Fonds include three sous-fonds related to the 1982 Canadian Mount Everest Expedition :
M562 - Textual;
V787 - Visual;
S56 - Sound
M562 contains five series:
A. Expedition Planning and Logistics;
B. General;
C. Correspondence;
D. Periodicals;
E. Newspaper Clippings;
F. Posters
V787 contains four series:
A. Photographs;
B. Oversize Photographs;
C. Transparencies;
D. Negatives
S56 contains 34 audio cassettes
Notes
There are artefacts in the heritage collection associated with this fonds - flags, shirts, logos, pins, business cards, luggage tags etc.