An exciting and heart-pounding look at one of Western Canada’s most adventurous individuals, known as a pioneer pilot of the heli-ski industry and as the first mountain-rescue pilot in the Canadian National Parks system.
Jim Davies is an icon of competence and courage as the first heli-skiing pilot in Canada. But it is his groundbreaking work as a helicopter rescue pilot for Parks Canada that made him a legend to all who worked with him. His stellar career as a pilot overshadowed his other talents as a ski racer and artist.
Jim received several awards for his work in mountain rescue, including the Helicopter Association International – Pilot Safety Award of Excellence, the Alberta Achievement Award for excellence in helicopter flying, the Summit of Excellence Award at the Banff Film and Book Festival, and the Robert E. Trimble Memorial Award for “distinguished performance in helicopter mountain flying.” He is now retired and living in Banff, pursuing his love of painting and photography.
(From Rocky Mountain Books)
Special hardcover edition with enclosed DVD of three Hans Gmoser films. DVD was originally released as a Banff Mountain Film festival tribute to Hans Gmoser in 2006, titled Retro reels: Hans Gmoser - filmmaker remembered. The DVD archival footage from Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies Hans Gmoser fonds (V68).
Summary: Emo Henrich, Hans Gmoser, and Mike Wiegele brought Austrian alpine culture to the Americas, developed some of America's premier destination ski resorts, and taught thousands of Americans how to ski. Also features CMH Heli-skiing
producer, script writer Hans Gmoser ; executive producers Marge Saul, Chic Scott ; producer, editor, director Will Schmidt; Hans Gmoser original scripts narrated by Michael Hintringer
Publisher
Banff, Alberta, Canada : Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies ; Canmore, Alberta : Sky Light Pictures
Published Date
2014
Physical Description
10 digital video discs : sound, colour ; 12 cm + 1 booklet
During the 1950s and 60s the late Hans Gmoser produced ten feature length films of ski touring, rock climbing and mountaineering adventures—capturing the alpine magic of the era. Hans Gmoser was one of the greatest mountain filmmakers in North America. Hans Gmoser donated his films to the Whyte Museum Archives in the 1990s. Hans Gmoser passed away in 2006, and in 2009 the Hans Gmoser Film Project was initiated when Chic Scott and Marg Saul, a Calgary Mountaineer, decided to pull the films from the Archives of the Whyte Museum and revive them. This project came with a number of significant challenges. Firstly, the films had to be digitized and then have music and narration added to them. One of the greatest concerns was to make sure these new editions were inline with the original films. Will Schmidt of Sky Light Productions was hired. Hans had originally given live narrations with the films during the original screenings, so his nephew Michael Hintringer, was used to narrate, using Hans' original scripts. Thanks to the tireless work of Chic Scott, Marg Saul, Will Schmidt and multiple donors the Hans Gmoser Film Preservation Project was completed in 2014. The set not only contains the ten films but also new interviews by Chic Scott with some of the stars of the films.
Notes
Disc 1 (75 min.): With skis and rope (1957-1958) ; contains interviews with Renate Belczyk and Leo Grillmair
Disc 2 (82 min.): Vegabonds of the mountains (1959-1960) ; contains interviews with Renate Belczyk, Karl Ricker, Philippe Deledalle, and Leo Grillmair
Disc 3 (62 min.): Of skiers and mountains (1961-1962) ;contains interviews with Jim Davies, Philippe Delesalle, and Jim McConkey
Disc 4 (56 min.): Deep powder and steep rock (1961-1962) ; contains interviews with Franz Dopf, Scott Henderson, and Jim McConkey
Disc 5 (58 min.): To the forbidden snowfields ; contains interviews with Jim Davies, Jim McConkey, and Mike Wiegele
Disc 6 (88 min.): Skis over McKinley (1963-1964) ; contains interviews with Linda Crutchfield and Gunti Prinz
Disc 7 (75 min.): Adventure bound (1964-1965) ; contains interviews with Linda Crutchfield, Lilo Fuhrer, Leo Grillmair, and Scott Henderson
Disc 8 (82 min.): Roving skiers (1965-1966) ;contains interviews with Jim Davies, Margaret Gmoser, Leo Grillmair, Scott Henderson, and Jim McConkey
Disc 9 (73 min.): High road to skiing (1966-1967) ;contains interviews with Jim Davies, Lloyd Gallagher, Margaret Gmoser, and Scott Henderson
Disc 10 (67 min.): Rendezvous in the Selkirks (1967-1968) ;contains interviews with Linda Crutchfield, Lloyd Gallagher, Scott Henderson, and Jim McConkey
Summary: Hans Gmoser was one of the greatest mountain filmmakers in North America. During the 1950s and 60s he produced 10 feature length films of ski touring, rock climbing and mountaineering adventures, capturing the alpine magic of the era. Now, after 50 years, it is once again possible to view these historic films, complete with classical music soundtrack and narration.
