Canmore-based Alpine Club of Canada answers those 'desperately seeking summits' in the Canadian Rockies
by Amanda Follett
Desperately Seeking Summits: Mountain-loving individual seeks same. Must enjoy arduous climbs through steep mountain terrain, freezing limbs and appendages in adverse weather conditions and dining on frozen Power Bars in remote locales. First aid training also an asset.
When it comes to mountain-dwelling folks, no one ever seems to stay still for long, explaining why, after the birth of her son, Bonnie Hamilton found that her skiing partners had all left her in their tracks.
But that didn't hold the energetic Canmore resident back for long. Shortly after, she began leading trips with the Alpine Club of Canada's Rocky Mountain Section and, more recently, worked as camp manager for one of the club's national-level trips. Besides offering up a great group of adventurous people to venture into the mountains with each weekend, Hamilton says her involvement with the ACC has given her the chance to take part in courses like first-aid, transceiver searches and crevasse rescue.
"It's a really good way to keep your skills up," she says, but adds that the best part is "connecting with people."
With its headquarters based right here in Canmore, the ACC is a great way for anyone new to the area or looking to expand their knowledge of the mountains to meet people and learn new techniques. From fully catered and guided weeklong national club trips to single-day or weekend amateur-led section trips, programs are available for all levels and outdoor objectives.
A group of women on an Alpine Club group excursion test some new rope skills while they enjoy a day of camaraderie in the mountains.
"It's a great way for people to meet other like-minded individuals," says the ACC's director of mountaineering, Nancy Hansen. "These trips, I would say, are the heart and soul of the Alpine Club, because it's getting people out there in the mountains, enjoying themselves, challenging themselves and also caring for our mountain environment."
Far more than just a walk in the park, ACC trips range from single-day hiking trips to two-week mountaineering adventures to photography clinics and indoor climbing. Apart from the opportunity to get out and about with others who are experienced in the mountains, the trips offer the chance to share information and expand knowledge of flora and fauna, responsible backcountry travel and safety skills.
National level trips, most of which run from a few days up to a few weeks and cost in the neighbourhood of a couple thousand dollars, are marketed to ACC members across the country and offer high-caliber backcountry experiences. The all-inclusive cost provides for ACMG-certified guides, catered meals, hut accommodation and the occasional helicopter lift. Apart from requiring, as all ACC courses do, a basic fitness level, the trips offer the chance to experience a range of backcountry activities, like beginner to intermediate mountaineering and ice climbing to some 'extreme' skiing in the steep couloirs of the Coast Mountain Range.
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The Alpine Club of Canada, based in Canmore, offers group excursions in the backcountry, with volunteer leaders from its Rocky Mountain Section. This group of skiers enjoys the beauty of the Canadian Rockies on a high alpine ski trip.
But the ACC is also divided into 18 regional sections across the country, each offering their own local excursions and adventures. The Rocky Mountain Section, which encompasses Canmore and Banff, offers its own programs led by amateur trip leaders on a volunteer basis and tending to be day or weekend trips. Although section trips offer a more basic experience, they still provide the opportunity to meet locals familiar with the area and connect with the same, glorious Rocky Mountain scenery. The only cost for section trips are those incurred by the club, such as hut fees.
"The trip leaders for the ACC are doing it because they want to give back to the mountains and the club, because that's how they started," Hansen explains.
Section trips tend to see more local involvement and are a great way to be introduced into the mountaineering community, she adds. There is also the opportunity to move into the role of trip leader through the club's leadership development courses, which brings about a whole new set of challenges in the backcountry.
But to truly immerse yourself in the mountaineering community, Hansen calls the ACC's general mountaineering camp the club's "flagship camp". The ACC began holding its GMC in 1906 - the same year the club formed - and to this day it remains the most popular choice for adventure-seeking mountain-lovers. Held from early July to mid-August in a different locale each year, six week-long sessions accommodate 40 people per week at a remote backcountry camp.
Held this year at a fly-in camp in the Moby Dick area of the Selkirk Mountains' Battle Range, the GMC offers the chance to sign up each day for a number of excursions ranging from moderate scrambles to technical mountaineering. Cost for the camp is $1,295 per week, which includes certified guides, meals and helicopter flight in.
"People love it. It fills up every year because the camaraderie and atmosphere are so fantastic," Hansen says. "People come back psyched from these trips, too. That's fun."
So, what are you waiting for? There's an ACC group at your level heading into the mountains this weekend. For more information on Alpine Club of Canada programs or to become a member, visit www.alpineclubofcanada.ca.
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