Experience The Mountain Parks Blog

...all about the Alberta-to-British Columbia mountain parks, including life in and around the parks. Not all our news and stories are here, though, so you might want to check our news section and Bob's "tweets" —conveniently placed in the upper right of each page.

Canada’s mountain guides celebrate 50 years of excellence

Thursday, January 31, 2013

In 1961, Peter Fuhrmann, a German climber working in Banff, arranged to take his professional mountain guide’s exam with Walter Perren, the Swiss mountain guide heading Parks Canada’s public safety program.

At the appointed rendez-vous, Fuhrmann learned Perren was conducting a rescue. Driving to Castle Mountain, he scrambled to where he could see Perren climbing solo up south-facing cliffs.

“He yelled down, ‘come up, give me a hand and bring my pack,’” Fuhrmann, now 80, recalled. “So I put his pack on top of my pack and then I climbed up the right hand ridge of Eisenhower Tower.”

Reaching the summit, he found Perren with three climbers who, although uninjured, lacked the skills to descend. Perren suggested that Fuhrmann descend with one of the climbers as an examination exercise. That task completed, the following day Fuhrmann climbed Mount Victoria, backdrop to Lake Louise, with Perren, who declared him certified.

Today, candidates hoping to earn professional certification follow a more structured and rigorous program through the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG). Extensive outdoor experience is required to gain acceptance; on average the multiple exams take seven years to complete. This year, now 850 members strong, the association formed by Fuhrmann and eight other guides in 1963 celebrates its 50^th anniversary.

Among those founding members was Hans Gmoser who had established himself as western Canada’s preeminent guide since emigrating from Austria in 1951. Like Perren, who certified him in 1956, Gmoser advocated for a Canadian association. The group—the majority Europeans — elected Fuhrmann as the ACMG’s first president. Those already holding licences were grandfathered in.

In Europe’s alpine nations, the guiding profession is long-established and highly respected. Historically, people feared the alpine as home to evil dragons, but by the first ascent of the Alps’ highest, Mont Blanc, in 1786, attitudes began changing. Rail travel brought tourists eager to view peaks, glaciers and wildflower meadows. Among them, wealthy Brits and Americans hired locals to lead them safely to claim virgin summits. Chamonix, France claims guiding’s oldest professional association, established in 1821.

In Canada, the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) in 1885 lured mountaineers west. In 1897, friends of Phillip Stanley Abbot, who died climbing Mount Lefroy the previous summer, hired Switzerland’s Peter Sarbach—the first professional guide to work in Canada. In 1899, CP began employing Swiss guides to lead its hotel guests to summits in the Rockies and Selkirks, a program that continued until the early 1950s. Perren was one of CP’s last guides.

As chair of the ACMG’s technical standards committee, Gmoser set the qualification bar high. As his helicopter skiing business, Canadian Mountain Holidays (CMH) flourished through the 1970s and ’80s, demand for professional guides increased. While the ACMG certified a growing number of Canadians, dozens of European guides eagerly worked in the exciting new industry. Many of them stayed.

In 1973, two of those Swiss guides, Hans Peter Stettler and Rudi Gertsch (a second-generation guide) attended the annual meeting of the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations (IFMGA) in Liechtenstein, intent on demonstrating that Canadian standards matched Europe’s. In 1974, the ACMG became the IFMGA’s first non-European member.

Since then, the ACMG has steadily evolved, expanding to encompass mountain, hiking and climbing gym programs. In addition to safely guiding mountaineers around the world, today’s ACMG guides work as highway safety technicians, avalanche experts, coroner’s consultants, army instructors and as riggers for Hollywood productions. Under the direction of Fuhrmann (who succeeded Perren) and Jasper’s Willi Pfisterer, they also developed Parks Canada’s world-class public safety program.

“Standards are usually minimums, and in Canada we had the chance to set higher standards from the beginning,” said Gertsch, whose own son, Jeff, is an ACMG ski guide. “We can be proud. Canadian guides are leaders, some of the best in the world.”

While climbing for a living might appear glamorous, mountaineering days can easily last upwards of 12 hours demanding that guides evaluate rockfall and avalanche hazards at every step; glacier traverses involve consecutive nights in tents eating dehydrated dinners. Seasonal employment means irregular schedules and incomes. Injuries are costly; physiotherapy visits essential.

Still, for those who pass the gruelling and expensive examination process, few imagine doing anything else.

A Calgary native, Jen Olson earned her ACMG mountain guide certification in 2008, one of eight women in Canada with that qualification. She’s guided clients in Italy’s Dolomites and Argentinean Patagonia as well as her backyard Rockies and Selkirks.

Internationally recognized certification allows her to explore new wilderness areas while providing her clients an adventure far beyond what they could manage on their own.

“I like teaching, I like to travel and I like introducing people to a lifestyle I value,” Olson said. “To travel as a guide really makes a difference.”

Even at 70, when Ferdl Taxbock is not hiking, backcountry skiing or rock climbing recreationally, he guides part-time. Every summer he runs the Alpine Club of Canada’s 55 Plus Summer Trekking and Climbing Camp out of Stanley Mitchell Hut in Yoho National Park.

“I still really enjoy guiding,” said Taxbock, who emigrated from Austria in 1967. “It’s fun to be with other people who also love the mountains and to help them enjoy the scenery or to help them move on exposed rock safely. “And,” he added, “It gets me out too!”

From traversing the Wapta Icefields to backpacking in Jasper to climbing in Mongolia, ACMG guides are trained and eager to make your adventure dreams reality.

~By Lynn Martel

Photos:
Top photo from the 1967 ACMG guides course includes, back row, from left, Don Vockeroth, Ottmar Setzer, Bob Geber, John Gow, Charlie Locke and Bernie Royle. Seated in the front row, from left, are Leo Grillmair, Lloyd Gallagher, Hans Gmoser, Peter Fuhrmann and Hans Schwartz. Credit: Chic Scott collection.

Bottom photo: ACMG Hiking and Ski Guide, Félix Camiré (front left) leads two Alpine Club of Canada amateur trip leaders on a backcountry ski touring skills course in the popular Rogers Pass area of BC’s Glacier National Park. Photo by Lynn Martel.

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What you ought to know about these blockbusters

Saturday, July 14, 2012

We're launching a new series about movies filming locations.

Did you know lots of blockbusters or TV series were actually partly or fully filmed in Alberta and/or British Columbia?

So we'll start with our first round in Alberta. This first list is far from being exhaustive as we intend to continue on.

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)
Partly filmed in Canmore, Edmonton, Calgary.

John Q

John Q (2002)

Partly filmed in Canmore, Cochrane, Calgary.

The Edge

The Edge (1997)
Partly filmed in Canmore, Banff National Park, Edmonton.

Death Hunt

Death Hunt (1981)

Partly filmed in Canmore, and Drumheller.

Mystery Alaska

Mystery Alaska (1999)
Partly filmed in Canmore, and Banff National Park.

Snow Dogs

Snow Dogs (2002)

Partly filmed in Canmore, and Calgary.

Night Breed

Night Breed (1990)
Partly filmed in Canmore, Calgary, Bragg Creek, and Drumheller.

Wild America

Wild America (1997)

Partly filmed in Canmore, Calgary, Bragg Creek, and Drumheller.

Last of the Dogmen

Last of the Dogmen (1995)
Partly filmed in Canmore, and Banff National Park.

I'll be Home by Christmas

I'll be Home by Christmas (1998)

Partly filmed in Canmore.

Harry Tracy, Desperado

Harry Tracy, Desperado (1982)
Partly filmed in Canmore, and Jasper.

Nikki, Wild Dog of the North

Nikki, Wild Dog of the North (1961)

Partly filmed in Canmore, and Banff National Park.

The High Country

The High Country (1981)
Partly filmed in Canmore, and Banff National Park.

Inception

Inception (2010)

Partly filmed in Fortress Mountain (Kananaskis Country), and Kananaskis Village.

The A-Team

The A-Team (2010)
Partly filmed in Cold Lake.

Tucker and Dale vs Evil

Tucker and Dale vs Evil (2010)

No details but entirely filmed in Alberta.

Open Range

Open Range (2003)
Partly filmed in Calgary, Longview, Morley, and Stoney Indian Reservation.

Brokeback Mountain

Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Partly filmed in Calgary, Cowley, Crossfield, Fort Macleod, Irricana, Kananaskis Country, Lacombe, Rockyford, and Seebe.

Unforgiven

Unforgiven (1992)
Partly filmed in Calgary, Brooks, Drumheller, High River, and Longview.

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

Partly filmed in Banff National Park.

X-Men 2: X-Men United

X-Men 2: X-Men United (2003)
Partly filmed in Kananaskis Country.

Legends of The Fall

Legends of The Fall (1994)

Partly filmed in Calgary, Ghost River (Kananaskis Country), Morley.

Good Luck Chuck

Good Luck Chuck (2007)
Partly filmed in Edmonton.

Superman

Superman (1978)

Partly filmed in Calgary, Drumheller, and High River.

This was our first random installment...To be continued, stay tuned!

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Kananaskis Country — 4 Easy Hikes 4 U

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Chester Lake, 4.0 km

Trailhead: East side of the Smith-Dorrien Trail (Road 742), 44 km south of Canmore

Lakes abound in the limestone high country of Kananaskis. Many are set in remote valleys. This well-beaten path through forest and meadows leads to a beautiful tarn in a more open setting. It’s a great hike for birding and for botany. The wild flower displays of early summer can be superb, especially the blooms of glacier lilies near the lake.

Rawson Lake, 3.9 km

Trailhead: In Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, at the Upper Kananaskis Lake Day Use Area

Two lakes bookend this outing; one a massive reservoir, the other a jade gem nestled in a deep limestone pocket. Between them you climb through a tract of dense subalpine forest. Split log boardwalks span wet areas as you near the lake shore. Snow sometimes lingers until mid-July - which makes this a great place for wildflowers that prefer the cool and damp: white globeflower, alpine but-tercup, and evergreen violet. Mt. Sarrail (3174 m) is the backdrop at the lake.

Elbow Lake, 4.0 km loop

Trailhead: East side of Kananaskis Trail (Highway 40), 61.7 km south of Highway #1

Elbow Pass is a gentle break in the ragged limestone wall on the east side of the Kananaskis Valley. The road-width trail makes a quick ascent, crossing the pass to where you make the circuit of Elbow Lake. Mt. Rae (3225 m), named for a 19^th century Arctic explorer, rises to the southwest. Listen for the calls of all three of the Rockies’ thrush species: Swainson’s thrush, hermit thrush, and varied thrush. You may also hear white-crowned sparrows and yellow-rumped warblers.

Ptarmigan Cirque, 4.4 km loop

Trailhead: West side of Kananaskis Trail (Highway 40), in Highwood Pass,
66.9 km south of Highway #1

Ptarmigan Cirque is a miniature version of hundreds of other glacial valleys in the Rockies. Plants and animals cling tenaciously to life; the hallmark of ice is every-where. The bedrock reveals the fossilized remains of lifeforms that lived in ancient seas. Walk north from the parking area on a wide, gravelled path through Highwood Meadows. Look for bighorn sheep. Cross Highway 40 and climb through an up-per subalpine forest of spruce, fir, and larch. Snowcover, wind, and temperature, limit and sculpt the vegetation at treeline. Areas of permafrost underlie some of the meadows. A cirque is a bowl-shaped valley eroded by a glacier. The white tailed ptarmigan ('TAR-mih-gan') is a ground-dwelling grouse-like bird. Its feathers change colour from mottled brown, gray, and black in summer; to white in winter.

~ By Graeme Pole

Graeme Pole is a local avid hiker and author of excellent guide books, as well as a contributor to this website and Experience The Mountain Parks printed guide.

You might want to check our May 3, 2012 blog post. Here's your chance to win one of the 10 sets of 3 companion guides!

Photo credit: Rawson Lake, courtesy of John Den Hoed

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Who Else Wants to Golf The Trans-Canada Highway?

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Course

After canning an eight-footer for double bogey (hey, everyone is capable of having a good hole every now and then), I kissed my lucky wand and sauntered over to the famous fourth. The view took my breath away. The punchbowl green — some 170 yards away — was perfectly positioned on the other side of one of the prettiest little mountain lakes on the planet. Surrounding the green was a stunning collection of artistic bunkers that not just anyone could concoct. But, then again, this is the Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Course, a Stanley Thompson masterpiece and one of the finest mountain golf courses in the world.

A journey down the Trans-Canada Highway — between Calgary and Revelstoke — will take you to a handful of unforgettable mountain golf courses. And, after playing these Rocky Mountain masterpieces, in places like Kananaskis, Canmore, Golden, and Revelstoke, you’ll undoubtedly be convinced that Canada is king when it comes to the mountain golf genre.

Certainly, other destinations in North America — Colorado, Montana, and Idaho come to mind — might have something to say about that. And, no doubt, there are some very good mountain golf courses in those parts. However, when you consider the history, the hotels, the overall quality of the courses, and the unspoiled, all-encompassing beauty of the surroundings, the mountain golf courses in Canada make a compelling case for being the best collection of mountain golf courses in the world.

Not surprisingly, many of the top courses here are located near the historic mountain towns, along the storied Canadian Pacific Railway, and along the super-scenic Trans-Canada Highway (Hwy #1).

Kananaskis Country Golf Course

Travelling west from Calgary, the first opportunity for world-class mountain golf is just an hour away in Kananaskis. True, you’re going to need to venture fifteen minutes off the Trans-Canada down Highway #40 to find the Kananaskis Country Golf Course, however, the experience here is worth every mile.

Designed by architect Robert Trent Jones Sr., the two 18 hole courses at Kananaskis: Mount Lorette and Mount Kidd, are perennial favourites in these parts. With great value, peak season rates are under $100 and Alberta residents receive an additional discount — eye-popping scenery, beautiful bunkering, and a natural, unspoiled setting, this is the type of place where it’s easy to kick back, relax, and stay awhile. Thankfully, just down the road from the course is the Delta Lodge at Kananaskis, one of the top hotels in the Canadian Rockies. Stay and play packages are readily available.

Approximately 40 km further west on the Trans-Canada is the pretty, mountainside town of Canmore. Enveloped with an energetic mountain vibe, Canmore is certainly a great home base for a mountain golf “tour". The three golf courses here — Stewart Creek, Silvertip, and the Canmore Golf Club — are all top-notch mountain golf experiences. All are decidedly different in character and design.

The Canmore Golf & Curling Club, established in 1926, is a classic, tree-lined course with a secluded, “private club” feel. Although busy with locals and members, the charming club has been welcoming visitors since its inception.

Stewart Creek might be the finest mountain golf course built in Canada in the past ten years. Designed by talented Canadian architects Gary Browning and Wade Horrocks, Stewart Creek is a wide, rolling, and beautifully sculpted layout that will appeal to every type of player.

Similar to the fourth at Banff, the opening tee at Stewart Creek — which sits atop a rocky perch with a wide, inviting fairway well below — is another one of my favourite spots in mountain golf. The realization that 18 awesome holes await only adds to the pleasure!

Across the majestic Bow River from Stewart Creek is another 18-hole treat that shouldn’t be missed. The Silvertip Golf Course is a wild, roller-coaster ride that requires a slightly different approach. Many of the holes here are tighter and less forgiving, so caution off the tee is vital! However, with stunning rock work, frequent wildlife sightings, and wonderful views of the famous Three Sisters massif, the visuals and the overall experience are highly memorable.

Unquestionably, the Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Course is anything but a one-hole wonder. Besides the 4^th, voted one of the 500 greatest golf holes in the world by Golf Magazine, the beauty and strategic merit of this historic, 100-year-old course is on full display throughout the entire route. The run of holes along the Bow River, for example — the 8^th through the 13^th — is one of the finest stretches of golf in all of Canada. With numerous shots played straight towards the grand Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in the distance, these great golf holes are vintage Canadiana!

Speaking of scenic stretches, this section of the Trans-Canada Highway is full of memorable stops and classic photo-ops. Both Lake Louise and Moraine Lake, for example (they are just minutes off the highway), are iconic locations that shouldn’t be missed. If you’re a nature lover, a summer sunrise at Moraine Lake — with the Valley of the Ten Peaks reflected in the gorgeous baby-blue water — is spellbinding. Unfortunately, you’ll need to be there between five and six in the morning to capture it!

A couple other stops I’ve always enjoyed are the Spiral Tunnels (in between Lake Louise and Field) and Takakkaw Falls. An engineering marvel of railroading, the Spiral Tunnels were built to soften the severe pitch of the original tracks in this rugged location.

Takakkaw Falls, located in Yoho National Park, is the highest waterfall in the mountain parks and are absolutely beautiful. Golfers looking for that rare, away-from-it-all experience in a natural setting will find the Golden Golf & Country Club beautiful as well. This scenic, underrated course features secluded, pinelined holes, glacier-fed creeks, and a friendly group of locals who love to swap stories with visitors on the spacious, sun-soaked patio.

Golden Golf & Country

The drive from Golden to Revelstoke - through the historic Roger’s Pass - is one of the most famous high-mountain routes in Canada. After enjoying some of the sights along Roger’s Pass (The Meadows in the Sky Parkway in Mount Revelstoke National Park is a great little side trip), a closing round at the Revelstoke Golf Club would be time well spent. Yet another tucked-away gem, the Revelstoke Golf Club affords a classic Canadian Rockies golf experience. Spindly pines line the fairways and the smooth-flowing waters of the mighty Columbia River add a measure of greatness to the experience.

Revelstoke Golf Club

Of course, at this point, after playing a number of the best mountain golf courses in North America, you will have experienced a number of courses that easily fit the “greatness” descriptor. And, hopefully, the quality of your own game matches the lofty character of these special courses!

~By Andrew Penner

Andrew and Dawn Penner live in Calgary with their four boys. They enjoy travelling together and love finding cool things to do in the great outdoors. Andrew is a 20-year member of the CPGA, a freelance writer and outdoor photographer. He has been published in The Calgary Herald, Golf Magazine, Golf Canada, and others. Dawn is an elementary school teacher and spends plenty of time editing Andrew’s work. Andrew is the successful writer of the book called "One Flew Over the Caddyshack".

Buy Andrew's book here, through our Amazon Associates Book Store!

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Kanada, Albertas Schönste Nationalparks | Canada - Alberta's most beautiful "national" parks

Saturday, January 28, 2012

The video we're showing you here is the one Bob "tweeted" about on January 25, 2012.This is a 27 min. on Alberta Parks (not all nationals though, as they are highlighting Alberta Provincial Parks as well) from south to north. It was aired on ARD a premium German TV Channel on January 15, 2012.

Sorry, we don't have the English translation, but the storyline says: "When you hear the name Banff and Jasper you think imposing mountains, turquoise lakes and on gigantic glaciers. Every year it attracts thousands of people in the finest National Parks of Canada. They come to hike, to rafting, cruising with their bikes or just to enjoy the incredible vastness and silence of the Rocky Mountains."

Enjoy!!

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Experience The Mountain Parks Blog

Canada’s mountain guides celebrate 50 years of excellence

What you ought to know about these blockbusters

Kananaskis Country — 4 Easy Hikes 4 U

Who Else Wants to Golf The Trans-Canada Highway?

Kanada, Albertas Schönste Nationalparks | Canada - Alberta's most beautiful "national" parks

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