Yesterday I visited the Alpine Club Of Canada incredible place at Canmore. This is where we stayed on my first trip to Canada in 1983. It is set just about a few miles from Canmore in the woods an ideal location, with great views of the Rockies. The boys are staying here tonight and I went and booked it with Dan. It has changed since my early days when we stayed here, it was the scene of many great nights and relaxing after some superb climbing. It now hosts some offices for the Alpine Club but the library and lounge are still there,what surroundings to be in. There is still superb accommodation all at a moderate price. I could not find the copy of” “Cold Climbs” a book on the best British Ice Climbs of the times that we gave to the Alpine club for their library, I wanted to see what we had written all those years ago! I wonder where it went?The boys did Professor Falls yesterday but did not do the top pitch due to the high avalanche hazard, it snowed most of yesterday. In the lounge of the Alpine Club is an ice axe from one of the great mountaineers Edward Whymper above the fireplace, it is an incredible place to be. Whymper a British mountaineer of great fame was employed by the Canadian Pacific Railway to publicise the Rockies for mountaineers and tourists at the beginning of the century.It is amazing to think that Whymper was making a living out of the mountains in these early years. Look at the difference in axes from the one at the beginning of the Blog! You wonder what he would say today as Canada is a winter playground for ice -climbers?
It will soon be time to go back to UK where they are having an heat wave it is still cold here and trying to snow again. There are only 4 of us left as Ian left today from Calgary ned taking him up where he hopes to get information on a job in Canada. Dan and Geoff are still climbing and are up at Louise Falls, they cannot get enough. I met an old friend from my RAF days yesterday Grant and Karin and we had a lovely meal at Dave and Sue’s. It is still winter here and snowing again, dark and gloomy unlike yesterdays great day at Chantilly Falls in the sun. The forecast is pretty poor for the next few days, so will have to start getting ready to come home, to the Scottish sun!
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