Canadian Alpine Journal/Volume 1/Number 1/Report of Chief Mountaineer

by M. P. Bridgland

AN AWKWARD CORNER
Mount Vice-President

A PIECE OF ROCK WORK
Mount Vice-President

REPORT OF CHIEF MOUNTAINEER

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The mountaineering was in charge of M. P. Bridgland, assisted by H. G. Wheeler, both of the Topographical Survey of the Rocky mountains. Two Swiss guides, Edouard Feuz, Jr., and Gottfried Feuz, of Interlaken, were loaned by the Canadian Pacific Railway Company, and one of these usually accompanied each official climb. A number of other gentlemen, who had had experience in mountaineering, rendered good service to climbing and exploring parties, viz.: The Rev. Dr. Herdman, J. D. Patterson, E. O. Wheeler, Rev. A. M. Gordon, P. D. McTavish, the Rev. Geo. Kinney, Rev. A. O. MacRae, D. N. McTavish and Rev. J. H. Miller.

MT. VICE-PRESIDENT

(10,049 feet above sea level).

The camp was opened officially on July 9th. On the 8th the chief mountaineer, accompanied by the two Swiss guides, the Rev. Dr. Herdman and P. D. McTavish started for Mt. Vice-President, to select the best route for the ascent by other members of the Club. The object was to choose a route as varied as possible, affording, not only rock-work, but also some work on snow and ice; further to select suitable resting places and to establish a 9,000-feet elevation, so that advantage could be taken of the privileged rates to climbers reaching that height above sea level.

Leaving the camp at 6 a.m., the party followed the trail to the summit of the Yoho pass and then, turning to the right, headed for the lower part of the shoulder extending southward from Michaels Mt. The bushes were wet and everyone was soaked, but in about half an hour the shoulder was crossed near timber-line. The party then traversed a long rock slide and worked its way up some steep snow slopes to the arete between Michaels Mt. and the main mass of the mountain, reaching it at 8:30.

From this point the way led along the arete, which was badly broken in places, offering some very interesting bits of rock-work. In one spot it narrowed down to a knife-edge, descending abruptly to the glacier on either side. About two hours' climbing along this arete brought the party to Angle peak,^[1] beyond which it was an easy walk across the snowfield to the final peak, about a mile distant and one hundred feet higher. The summit, 10,049 feet above sea level, was reached at 12:30 p.m., after six and a half hours of steady climbing.

A short time was spent at the summit for rest and refreshment, and then the descent was commenced. Near Angle peak, the party turned to the right and travelled down the centre of the snowfield, enjoying a short glissade near the crest. A little further, a large cave was crossed on a snow-bridge and some steep snow slopes descended to the lower part of the neve. A short walk across the snowfield followed, and then a number of crevasses. These were crossed on a narrow neck of ice and, passing directly below a group of seracs, the party worked its way down to the level tongue of the glacier below, which afforded an easy path to the lateral moraine. It was now a simple matter to cross the rock-slide and go down through the forest to the trail leading to the camp, which was reached at 6 o'clock.

On July 10th the first official climb in connection with the camp was undertaken. The party was in charge of M. P. Bridgland and the Swiss guide, Gottfried Feuz, assisted by the following active members of the Club, viz.: J. D. Patterson, Rev. Geo. R. B. Kinney and P. D. McTavish. The trail to Inspiration point was followed until above the heavy timber, when turning sharply to the left, the open alps below Michaels Mt. were passed through and the shoulder crossed a little higher up than on the previous occasion. The rock-slide was then traversed and the same route followed as on the 8th.

From the time the rock-slide was crossed until the summit was reached, rain fell steadily, accompanied by a cold wind, and much of the time it was impossible to see more than a few yards ahead. The party remained at the summit half an hour. It was too cloudy to see anything and too cold to remain long.

The descent was by the route selected on the previous occasion as far as the shoulder of Michaels Mt., where the party turned to the left and crossed over to the trail by the way followed in the morning.

Left camp at 5:30 a.m. and reached the summit at 11:30. The descent was commenced at 12 o'clock and camp reached at 3:25 p.m. Time of ascent, 6 hours; time of descent, 3 hours 25 minutes; total for climb, 9 hours 25 minutes.

The following graduated to active membership:

• Dr. A. M. Campbell
• R. Haggen
• Miss E. B. Hobbs
• Stanley L. Jones
• T. Kilpatrick
• C. R. Merrill
• H. W. McLean
• Miss K. McLennan
• D. N. McTavish.

On July 11th the party was in charge of M. P. Bridgland and the Swiss guide, Edouard Feuz, assisted by the active members, P. D. McTavish and the Rev. J. H. Miller.

The day was fine and the route followed the same as on the previous day. The party remained at the summit one and a half hours.

Left camp at 6 a.m.; arrived at the summit at 1:30 p.m.; commenced descent at 3 p.m., and arrived at camp at 6:30.

Photo, Rev. Geo. B. Kinney

THE UPPER SNOWFIELD—MOUNT VICE-PRESIDENT

Time of ascent, 7 hours 30 minutes; time of descent, 3 hours 30 minutes; total for climb, 11 hours.

The following graduated to active membership:

• T. A. Hornibrook
• Mrs. Stanley Jones
• J. W. Kelly
• Miss L. E. Marshall
• S. H. Mitchell
• W. Nicholson
• Miss A. R. Power
• Rev. J. R. Robertson
• Miss A. M. Stewart

On July 12th the party was in charge of H. G. Wheeler and the Swiss guide. Edouard Feuz, assisted by the active members, E. O. Wheeler and the Rev. A. M. Gordon.

With the exception of a few slight showers towards evening, the weather was all that could be desired.

The party left camp at 6 a.m. and reached the summit at 12:30. The descent was commenced at 1:30 and camp reached at 5 p.m. Time of ascent, 6 hours 30 minutes; time of descent, 3 hours 30 minutes; total for climb, 10 hours.

The following graduated to active membership:

• F. C. Brown
• J. A. Campbell
• P. M. Campbell
• Miss M. T. Durham
• Geo. Harrower
• H. G. Langlois
• Rev. A. O. MacRae
• Miss Jean Parker
• Miss F. Pearce
• C. B. Sissons
• Miss K. R. Smith
• H. M. Snell
• D. Warner

On July 13th the party was in charge of M. P. Bridgland and H. G. Wheeler, assisted by the active members, Rev. G. R. B. Kinney, Dr. A. M. Campbell and D. N. McTavish.

The weather was showery during the morning and fine and bright for the rest of the day. The same route was followed for the ascent, but as it had been found that the snow-bridge over the cave was unsafe, owing to the continued warm weather, the party when returning followed the arete a short distance past Angle peak, and then descended to the snowfield. reaching camp by the usual route.

A start was made from the camp at 6 a.m. and the summit reached at 1 p.m. The descent was commenced at 2 p.m. and the camp reached at 6:10.

Time of ascent, 7 hours; time of descent, 4 hours 10 minutes; total for climb, 11 hours 10 minutes.

The following graduated to active membership:

• Rev. Alex. Dunn
• Miss I. W. Griffith
• B. Harmon
• Miss A. L. Laird
• D. H. Laird
• A. H. Smith
• Miss E. Sutherland

MT. PRESIDENT

(10,287 feet above sea level).

On July 14th the party was in charge of M. P. Bridgland and the Swiss guide, Edouard Feuz, assisted by the active member, E. C. Barnes.

The weather was all that could be desired, bright sunshine prevailing throughout the day. As it was a small party, the route was changed so as to give a most interesting rock climb up the face of Michaels peak to its summit, from which point the arete was followed to join the line of previous ascents.

On reaching the summit of Mt. Vice-President, it being an ideal day, the guides continued the climb to the summit of the President, while the party was resting. A steep descent led to a snow col about two hundred feet below the summit of the Vice-President, and a similar ascent on the opposite side led to the summit of the President. The trip there and back took an hour, a short time being spent in building a cairn on the highest rock point.

The party left camp at 5:50 a.m. and arrived at the summit at 12:45. The descent was commenced at 3 p.m. and camp reached at 6:35. Time of ascent, 6 hours 55 minutes; time of descent, 3 hours 35 minutes; total for climb, 10 hours 30 minutes.

The following graduated to active membership:

• J. H. Graham
• H. G. H. Neville
• Miss J. M. Porte
• Miss J. L. Sherman

Taken as a whole the official climb was a marked success. Forty-two graduated to active membership. Of this number fifteen were ladies. There was not one case of failure, a fact that speaks well for the stuff of which our graduating members are made. While the climb was not a dangerous one, it was distinctly strenuous, and the facts that it presented nearly all the varied conditions of mountain climbing and for the best time made took 9 hours and 30 minutes show that it was a feat of very considerable magnitude for young men and women in their first attempts at mountaineering, and one well worthy of commendation.

In addition to the official climbs a number of others were made:

MT. BURGESS

(8,463 feet above sea level).

On July 10th a party in charge of the Swiss guide, Edouard Feuz, Jr., made the ascent of Mt. Burgess, a climb of considerable difficulty.

The names of those participating were as follows:

• J. A. Campbell
• Miss A. G. Foote
• Miss A. R. Power
• Rev. J. R. Robertson
• Miss E. R. Smith
• H. M. Snell
• Miss A. M. Stewart

MT. WAPTA

(9,106 feet above sea level).

On July 11th the following gentlemen made the ascent of Mt. Wapta, under the guidance of Gottfried Feuz, viz.;

• Dr. P. M. Campbell
• Rev. A. M. Gordon
• Rev. Dr. MacRae
• D. Warner
• E. O. Wheeler

A CLIMBING PARTY
Mt. Burgess

DESCENDING THE GLACIER
Mt. Vice-President

The party started at 8 a.m., spent 45 minutes on the summit and returned to camp at 2:15 p.m. The climb was made from the Burgess trail by way of the west face.

On July 12th a party, consisting of M. P. Bridgland, Miss L. E. Marshall and P. D. McTavish made the ascent of Mt. Wapta via the southwestern arete.

On July 13th the third climb of Mt. Wapta was made, by way of the west face, under the leadership of Edouard Feuz, Jr. Those who took part were as follows:

• S. H. Baker
• S. H. Mitchell
• Miss Jean Parker
• Miss Francis Pearce
• C. B. Sissons
• E. O. Wheeler

On July 14th a fourth climb was made of the same mountain by D. N. McTavish and C. R. Merrill, under the guidance of Gottfried Feuz. The climb was made up the northeast face and was found to be a difficult one, taking from 9:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. for the ascent. The descent, by the usual route, was commenced at 4 p.m. and camp reached at 5:50.

MT. COLLIE

(10,315 feet above sea level).

On July 12th, J. D. Patterson, accompanied by the Swiss guide, Gottfried Feuz, ascended Mt. Collie from a camp pitched the night before at the foot of the Twin falls. The ascent was made by way of the Yoho glacier and the return on the opposite side of Yoho peak, by way of the Twin falls. By a curious coincidence, the peak was climbed on the same day by Miss Henrietta L. Tuzo, a member of the Club, but one who was not visiting the camp. Under the care of the Swiss guide. Christian Kaufmann, she made the ascent by a different route, and the two parties met upon the summit.

MT. FIELD

(8,645 feet above sea level).

On July 12th, under the guidance of the Rev. J. C. Herdman, the following party made the ascent of Mt. Field:

• Rev. Alex. Dunn
• J. W. Kelly
• Miss A. L. Laird
• D. H. Laird
• S. H. Mitchell

MTS. AMGADAMO AND MARPOLE

(9,537 feet and 9,822 feet above sea level).

On July 16th, in charge of the Swiss guides, Edouard Feuz, Jr., and Gottfried Feuz, the Rev. A. O. MacRae, the Rev. Alec. Gordon and the Rev. Alex. Dunn made the first ascent of Mt. Marpole, and en route made the first ascent of the peak which they named Amgadamo. An account of the climb will be found among the pages of the mountaineering section of this volume.

Respectfully submitted.

M. P. Bridgland, Chief Mountaineer.

TRIPS

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Among other events of the camp week the following trips require special mention, viz.:

A two-day trip around the Yoho valley, starting out by the lower trail and returning by the upper. A night was spent at a camp close by the Laughing falls. This trip took in all the varied and strikingly beautiful alpine scenery of the valley and presented a seemingly endless panorama of towering peaks, waterfalls, glaciers, snowfields, ice-cascades, precipices, lakes and forest, almost bewildering in their spectacular effects, and filling the beholders with wondering delight.

Four such trips were made, on consecutive days, and in all sixty persons were taken round the valley. Each party was accompanied by a number of ponies to carry the baggage for the night out, for crossing mountain torrents and to afford mounts for those who were tired. This trip was voted the feature of the camp.

Three trips were made, under the leadership of the Rev. J. C. Herdman, to the glacier below the northeastern escarpment of the President range, known as the Emerald glacier.

Twenty-seven persons participated in these trips, and much enjoyment and general information concerning glaciers were derived therefrom.

A special trip was made to the close vicinity of the Takakkaw falls, under the leadership of H. G. Wheeler. The party consisted of nineteen, and were greatly delighted with the trip.

On the 14th and 15th, a special committee, representing the Scientific section of the Club, made a trip to the Yoho glacier for the purpose of initiating yearly observations of its various changes and rate of flow. A full report of the expedition will be found in the Scientific section of this volume.

In addition to the above, trips were made daily to Inspiration point, reached by a corkscrew trail branching from the Upper Yoho valley trail at a point near the camp. This point is well named, for the view from it not only takes one's breath away in wonder, but fills the mind with an inspiration that it never again loses. Also, to Lookout point on the Lower Yoho valley trail, presenting a magnificent view of the full majesty of the Takakkaw falls, with its thousand feet of a sheer drop. The Burgess trail seemed a favorite, and many visitors came to and returned from the camp by that route, from which the Presidents range and Emerald mountains with their glaciers, icefalls and torrents, are seen to the greatest advantage; while below, Emerald lake nestles in a setting of deep green forest.

LAUGHING FALL CAMP

LAUGHING FALL CAMP
Yoho Valley Trip

1. Angle peak, as indicated by the name, is a sharp angle of rock rising above the north escarpment of the Vice-President ridge, about a mile east of the summit of the mountain. The name was first applied by the Rev. James Outram and is here used for lack of a better.—Ed.