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
File consists of one VHS tape containing a recorded episode of "Take an Alberta Break!" featuring Ben Gadd and cave tours which he led through Cadomin Cave. Ben discusses bat habitats, cave crawling, and vandalism issues.
File consists of one VHS tape containing a recorded episode of "Take an Alberta Break!" featuring Ben Gadd and cave tours which he led through Cadomin Cave. Ben discusses bat habitats, cave crawling, and vandalism issues.
Notes
Running time is approx. 3 minutes [episode], followed by recorded advertisements
File consists of one disc containing footage of the launch of Ben Gadd's book, "Canadian Rockies Geology Road Tours", at the Geological Survey of Canada building in Calgary in 2008.
File consists of one disc containing footage of the launch of Ben Gadd's book, "Canadian Rockies Geology Road Tours", at the Geological Survey of Canada building in Calgary in 2008.
Notes
Original annotation on front of disc:
"Canadian Rockies Geology Road Tours Launch at GSC [Geological Survey of Canada] Calgary, 4 Nov 2008 Video by Perry Davis"
File consists of one VHS tape containing rough footage of Ben Gadd and two other environmentalists discussing plants, ecosystems, geological history and related topics pertaining to areas near Cardinal Divide and Cardinal River. Video was possibly produced as part of a legal dispute concerning the …
File consists of one VHS tape containing rough footage of Ben Gadd and two other environmentalists discussing plants, ecosystems, geological history and related topics pertaining to areas near Cardinal Divide and Cardinal River. Video was possibly produced as part of a legal dispute concerning the Cheviot Mine project in 1996.
Notes
Film starts at 2 minutes running time; Ben Gadd appears throughout video, with speaking part beginning at 7 min. 25 sec.; total running time 36 minutes
File consists of 7 cassette tapes and 10 VHS tapes re: Nicholas Morant and the Canadian Pacific Railway. Includes 6 cassette tapes with recorded 1986/1987 interviews with Nicholas Morant; 1 cassette recording of steam locomotive sounds used for a Revelstoke Museum exhibit on Nicholas Morant; and 10…
File consists of 7 cassette tapes and 10 VHS tapes re: Nicholas Morant and the Canadian Pacific Railway. Includes 6 cassette tapes with recorded 1986/1987 interviews with Nicholas Morant; 1 cassette recording of steam locomotive sounds used for a Revelstoke Museum exhibit on Nicholas Morant; and 10 VHS tapes containing various content, including footage of Nick Morant receiving the Order of Canada in 1990, TV and film features on Nicholas Morant and TV news broadcasts discussing CP Rail and/or Nicholas Morant.
Notes
Originally stored in box for mandarin oranges, accompanied by business card for J.C. Edgar Rozon.
S20/III/A6/10: Order of Canada Awards - Rideau Hall - October 24, 1990
S20/III/A6/11: Nick Morant Tape 1 1986 Interviews
S20/III/A6/12: Nick Morant Tape 2 cont.'d 1986 1986 interviews continued
S20/III/A6/13: Nick Morant tape #3 1986 Interviews N. Morant
S20/III/A6/14: Nick Morant Tape #4 1987 Interviews
S20/III/A6/15: Nick Morant Tape #5 1987 1987 Interviews
S20/III/A6/16: Nick Morant Tape #6 1987 Interviews
S20/III/A6/17: CPR Sounds. Nick Morant Steam Locos [On front of cassette:] "NICHOLAS MORANT DEDICATION OF RVELSTOKE [sic] MUSEUM - STEAM LOCO SOUNDS - EDITED TO 9 mins."
File consists of four VHS tapes with videos pertaining to interviews with Ben Gadd, which were published by CFRN Television and CBC between 1985 and [ca.2000]. Content pertains to Cadomin Cave, Maligne Canyon, and Ben's professional life.
Produced by CFRN, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Date Range
1985-1986
[ca.1990-2000]
1993
1995
Physical Description
4 VHS tapes
Scope & Content
File consists of four VHS tapes with videos pertaining to interviews with Ben Gadd, which were published by CFRN Television and CBC between 1985 and [ca.2000]. Content pertains to Cadomin Cave, Maligne Canyon, and Ben's professional life.
Notes
Individual contents in file:
V810 / III / / D / NV - 2 : "Cadomin Cave, June 1985 (CFRN TV clip, with Fred Kazakoff + [A?] Watson"; "Maligne Canyon, 23 [February] 86 (CBC clip, with Ted Barrus + Lee MacKenzie)"
V810 / III / / D / NV - 3 : "CBC News 6/2/93 6 PM"
V810 / III / / D / NV - 4 : "Great Albertans - Ben Gadd" [CFRN Television, October 4, 1995]
V810 / III / / D / NV - 5 : "Ben on CBC TV news re: Maligne Canyon Teahouse" [n.d., ca.1990-2000]
File consists of three VHS tapes containing video footage depicting proposed areas for the Cheviot Mine project led by Cardinal River Coals Ltd. between 1995 and 2005. Ben Gadd was involved in a legal dispute against the company with the goal of preventing the proposed mining project.
File consists of three VHS tapes containing video footage depicting proposed areas for the Cheviot Mine project led by Cardinal River Coals Ltd. between 1995 and 2005. Ben Gadd was involved in a legal dispute against the company with the goal of preventing the proposed mining project.
Notes
Contents of file:
V810 / IV / A / NF - 1 : "Cheviot video raw footage" [footage may have been collected for use in a film project called "Mountain Parks" by Ben Gadd and Lee Godby]
V810 / IV / A / NF - 2 and 3 : "Cheviot Haul Road Jan. 2005" [footage was possibly compiled by Ben Gadd as legal evidence]
File consists of five discs containing video files and three VHS tapes, which were collected by Ben Gadd. Videos pertain to mountaineering and mountain sports; documentary footage about Mount Robson and other regions in the Canadian Rockies; icebergs; ice climbing in Maligne Canyon; and a talk abou…
File consists of five discs containing video files and three VHS tapes, which were collected by Ben Gadd. Videos pertain to mountaineering and mountain sports; documentary footage about Mount Robson and other regions in the Canadian Rockies; icebergs; ice climbing in Maligne Canyon; and a talk about the Association of Mountain Parks Protection and Enjoyment (AMPPE) presented in the Jasper Chamber of Commerce.
Notes
Individual contents in file:
V810 / I / D / NV - 1 : "A Life Ascending" [produced by Stephen Grynberg]
V810 / I / D / NV - 2 : "Mt. Robson: Giant of Canadian Rockies"
V810 / I / D / NV - 3 : "Aweberg!" [video about icebergs, attributed to Ben Gadd]
V810 / I / D / NV - 4 : "The Rockies: A two-part documentary by Stefan Tolz in cooperation with Fritz Pleitgan and Gerd Ruge" [Ben and Will Gadd appear in video]
V810 / I / D / NV - 5 : "Queen of Maligne Feb. '06" [video of Ben and Will Gadd ice climbing in Maligne Canyon]
V810 / I / D / NV - 6 : "Northlands 12/6/88" [wildlife footage with commentary]
V810 / I / D / NV - 7 : "The Rockies - Fine Cut" [n.d., no audio; footage of wildlife, landscapes, etc.]
V810 / I / D / NV - 8 : Dave Day / Jasper Chamber of Commerce [n.d.; discussing AMPPE and membership, issues in Banff National Park]
File consists of three VHS tapes with recordings of an episode of "Down to Earth" by Zephyr Films Limited which pertains to Ben Gadd. File includes a "rough cut" copy of the episode, and two full copies (one including closed captions).
David Acomba and Sharon Keogh co-wrote and co-produced two seasons of the documentary ecology series "Down to Earth" in the early 2000s. The series featured "remarkable Canadians and the landscapes that inspire them". The series was published by Zephyr Films Limited.
Scope & Content
File consists of three VHS tapes with recordings of an episode of "Down to Earth" by Zephyr Films Limited which pertains to Ben Gadd. File includes a "rough cut" copy of the episode, and two full copies (one including closed captions).
Notes
Approximate running time for complete video is 23 min. 46 s.
File consists of one VHS tape containing episode 32 of the series "Great Canadian Parks", featuring Mount Robson Provincial Park. Ben Gadd appears in the video, discussing the mountain's elevation and first impressions from tourists.
File consists of one VHS tape containing episode 32 of the series "Great Canadian Parks", featuring Mount Robson Provincial Park. Ben Gadd appears in the video, discussing the mountain's elevation and first impressions from tourists.
Notes
Ben Gadd appears in video at 6 min. 35 sec.; total running time 23 min. 5 sec.