cho-oyu, the goddess of turquoise - manitoba …vaclav was back. point, the mornings in the dining...

Alpine Club of Canada—Manitoba Section Newsletter 1

View from the Base camp of the Cho-Oyu expedi-tion (5900m elevation). Shown is Nangpa-La, a saddle between Nepal and Tibet. Photo by Hana Weingartl.

Cho-Oyu, The Goddess of Turquoise Upcoming Events

Website News 2

Simon Says... 4

Books for Sale 4

Film Festival Feedback 5

Gear Column 8

Alpine Media Review 9

Red Rocks 10

St. Boniface Ice Climbing 12

Upcoming Events 12

And much more!

Inside this issue:

Visit our ACC Manitoba Section Web Site:

www.alpine-club.mb.ca

Feb 16,17, 18

Ice Climbing Festival and Competition

Feb 25 “Hydrophobia” Ski Across Lake Winnipeg

Mar 3 & 4

Thunder Bay Ice Climbing

Alpine Club of Canada Manitoba Sect ion

Newslet ter

February 2001

by Hana Weingartl Cho-Oyu, the sixth highest mountain on the Earth (8201 m) lies exactly on the border of Nepal and Tibet (China). In the era of large, heavy expeditions, Cho-Oyu was climbed by an extremely light expedition, almost in Alpine style; Passang Dava Lama, Herbert Tichy, and Joseph Joechler reached the summit through the west side of the mountain in October 1954. The approach to the summit via the west is now considered the classical route on the mountain. That was the one our expedition would attempt as well. The Expedition Members

We were all what could be called experienced (more or less) amateurs, with the exception of the expedition doctor, Libor Chrastil, who was a complete novice to this type of "fun". He actually made it to Camp III (7500 m elevation!) in order to film the ski descent of Vladimir Smrz (our "minister of finance") from the summit. The second ski alpinist in

the group was the expedition leader, Robin Baum, who had one of the most hair-raising experiences in his life on this expedition. Robin, Doctor Chrastil, and Nir Kumar Basnet (camp manager and cook) were playing cards in the evening, while the rest of us were all over Cho-Oyu. Before going to bed (sleeping mat, that is) they went in unison to pee on the edge of a moraine in order to enjoy the glacier in the moonshine. And in the moonshine there they were - seven young men standing around an eighth man, apparently dead. Together they brought the man into our dining tent. He was not fully dead, and the doctor started a complex resuscitation attempt that lasted the whole night. Nir went to look for an oxygen supply and somebody who could speak Tibetan. That left only Robin, a land surveyor by profession, to catheterize the guy. It took a couple more hours for the young man to partially recover. It took about three days for Robin to recover, with constant assurance from the doctor that he did indeed do a good

(Continued on page 3)

The view from Base Camp on Cho-Oyu (5900 m): a saddle between Nepal and Tibet called Nangpa-La. Photo by Hana Weingartl.


Once again, we bring you the latest and greatest news from the Club. Now that Gregor has taken over the job of updating our ACC web site, we are your one-stop information station for Alpine Club news and activities. All information that ends up in the newsletter automatically gets posted in cyberspace for the whole world to read. So if you ever misplace this very important document that you are holding in your hand, don’t fear. Just visit the web site and click onto the newsletter.

Huge thanks to the many contributors of this issue. We hope you enjoy reading it!

Janice and Gregor

Alpine Club of Canada Manitoba Section Executive

President Simon Statkewich (204) 237-0798 [email protected]

Secretary

Len Chackowsky (204) 943-2630 [email protected]

Treasurer

Brian Gilchrist (204) 269-1587 [email protected]

Climbing Committee

Darcy Beer (204) 775-5811 [email protected]

Kenton Frith (204) 832-8653 [email protected]

Education Committee

Cindy Klassen (204) 632-1756 [email protected]

Librarian

Hana Weingartl (204) 885-0327 [email protected]

Winter Activities / Social Events

Billy Collins (204) 287-2282 [email protected]

Newsletter

Janice Liwanag and Gregor Brandt (204) 453-2262 [email protected]

Website

Gregor Brandt (204) 453-2262 [email protected]

Send all submissions and advertisements to:

Alpine Club of Canada

c/o Janice Liwanag 100 Lipton Street

Winnipeg, Manitoba R3G 2G7 (204) 453-2262

[email protected]

The deadline for the May issue is April 14, 2001.

The Newsletter is published four times a year and is posted on our web site. All submissions are welcome. If possible, please send articles as PC formatted attachments to e-mails or as HTML text. Otherwise, please send legibly written or typed submissions with any photos or drawings. If sending digital photos, please send us the highest resolution possible. Our advertising options are as follows:

a) $25.00 / quarter page or less b) $50.00 / half page c) $100.00 / full page d) one free advertisement per year (up to a half-page) in exchange for a discount to club members who present their Alpine Club of Canada Membership Card; this discount can be a limited or unlimited time offer

With any of these options, we can create a link to your company web site in our local Alpine Club web site (www.alpine-club.mb.ca) at no extra charge. Note: Personal classified ads are available free of charge to club members.

From the Editors...

Tangled Web Hi, I’m Gregor and I’m your new Web Page Editor.

I hope that most of you have visited the site lately. It’s very simple, but it’s there! I will, over the course of the next few months, try to get it looking pretty and try to automate some of the page upkeep. Here is a list of a few things the web site has to offer: • Latest and Greatest Club News • Latest and Greatest Newsletter • A Manitoba Alpine Club mailing

list • Links to other sites related to the

Alpine Club

The Club News section is underway and should be up shortly after you read this. The new newsletter (the one you are reading now) gets put on the site about one and a half weeks after we mail it out.

Network with other Club members by registering on the web site’s Alpine Club mailing list. If you send e-mail to the list, all other list members will receive it and be able to respond.

I’m hoping to get some ideas from you about what we should put up on the site. Do you want to see membership lists or alpine pictures? E-mail me or

better yet, use the mailing list and let’s get some discussion going.

I saved the best for last; Garth Irwin has been working hard following in the footsteps of many people that have worked on the Climbing Guide. A few more tweaks and it should also be available on the web. We are hoping that it will make it before you receive this newsletter.

Visit us at www.alpine-club.mb.ca. Enjoy, and let me know what you like or don’t like.


one does not really recuperate.

Besides Vaclav, I was the only one fit for a summit attempt at that moment. I would rather have taken a longer break in Base Camp, but that would cut the summit chances for others, as an expedition like this one requires fine logistics of moving people and stuff on the mountain.

In the meantime, Camp I (placed on a snowy ridge at 6400 m elevation) became a glass mountain. Even a trip to the "washroom" required crampons, as premature high-speed descents into a valley were not desirable. This time it took Vaclav and I three days to get to Camp III. The morning of the summit bid was bitterly cold and windy. We left the camp at 5:00 a.m. after two hours of fakir-like performance in the tent, trying to make tea and put extra layers of clothes on. At 6:00 a.m. we were at the rock band finding our way up. And then it took forever and ever. Since we ascended the west side, we did not get the sun until 1:00 p.m., and even then with the wind it was still brutally cold. Suddenly I realized that I had no control of my toes. I did not know for how long. Although we were already at 8000 m, our estimate was another two to three hours to the top, since the last 200 m to the summit are almost horizontal. I decided to turn back. Vaclav continued to the top. This was his third attempt for an 8000m summit, and this time he was determined to make it.

I estimated that he would be back in the tent around 7:00 p.m. at the latest. So I made radio contact with the base, defrosted my toes (not taking the feet out from the inner boots to make sure I could wear boots the next morning), and made tea for his return. At 7:30 I started to get concerned and not at all thrilled by the possibility that I might have to look for him at night. Just as I was deciding to discuss the situation with Base Camp, I spotted a dark moving dot, just above the fixed rope. An hour later, in the dark, Vaclav was back.

Three people reached the summit (Jan, Vladimir, and Vaclav), two others reached their personal altitude records (me at 8000 m and the doctor at 7500 m), and all the expedition members reached at least 7000 m elevation. Best of all, everyone was coming back, and in relatively good health. That was good.

(Continued from page 1) job. With the help of the Tibetan translator, they found out that the eight young men illegally crossed the nearby pass to Nangpa-La to visit the Dalai Lama, and on their way back one of them collapsed due to exhaustion, exposure, and high altitude.

Dusan Pokorny was camp "engineer" responsible for setting up the power generator and solar panel. He and I ended up building the highest camp (Camp III). Digging a platform for one two-person MEC all-season tent at 7500 m was just sickening. It took us a good two hours using two snow shovels. In the course of expedition I turned out to be the emergency cook, when the exotic cuisine was just too much.

Early into the expedition we decided to follow Rule #5 for the hotel guests in Nyalam: "No allowed to say unkind things to other people...". Jan Kalousek admitted that he almost said quite a few unkind things to Libor. With the strong winds the snow would get under the tents and between the tent walls, closing up the living space in them. When the doctor asked us (Dusan, me and Jan) over the radio to verify the content of the medical kit in Camp II, Jan rather politely alluded to the typical mess in the tent: "You have to be kidding - we are three in a tent for two, where there is enough space for one."

Miroslav Pelc, the most experienced of all of us, did not have much good luck with his health: first he strained his back trying to help the porters, then he got mild pneumonia, and finally he got a full blown cold sore. He looked as if he had no lips. Nevertheless he still built the tent in Camp II, and told us terrifying stories from his previous expeditions. Miro was the "wise" man of the group. We also had a poet - Josef Peterek. We had to go through at least one "poem" a day, some of them fitting the situation way too well. Then there w ere the tw o "pic ture" men , photographer Pavel Machovec and cameraman Vaclav Patek.

The Climb

Cho-Oyu is considered to be technically the easiest "8000". It mostly requires good solid use of crampons and ice axes on snow, glacier ice, and mixed terrain (there is a rock band above the Camp III, class 5.3 - 5.5). The serracs between Camps I and II, however, require vertical ice skills and equipment. Although a fixed rope is used in the serracs, it was the only spot where I was "spitting my lungs out". The combined effect of altitude and exertion from carrying the equipment and supplies for Camps II and III just did it for me.

I went up twice, the first time with Dusan and Jan, building and supplying the camps. Upon reaching Camp II Jan did not feel so great - he was starting to cough rather violently and decided to descend. After building Camp III, Dusan was getting worse and went down as well. I stayed behind, as I still

had to carry some more stuff to Camp III. So I thought, why not take a shot at the summit. While "snailing" back up from Camp II to Camp III along with two Sherpas from the British commercial expedition, we agreed that if they were taking their clients to the summit the next day I would join them for the start in the morning. However the night brought strong winds, and nobody went up. Now I felt that it was time for me to go down. It took me two more days to reach the Base Camp.

Back at Base Camp, the weather improved after two more days, and we knew it would not last long. At this point, the mornings in the dining tent of the advanced base camp (ABC) resembled a sanatorium more than anything else. All kinds of pills were served over the tea, the doctor performed medical exams in person or through radio. With time, we were getting worse. The ABC on Cho-Oyu, at 5600 m elevation, is at an altitude where

“Suddenly I realized that I had no control of my toes. I did not know for how long. Although we were already at 8000 m, our estimate was another two to

three hours to the top…”

The Goddess of Turquoise


Simon Says…

(Message from the President)

I hope everyone had an enjoyable holiday season and is enjoying the winter so far. Perhaps the best skiing conditions are right here in Manitoba, given the Rockies’ severe lack of snow and hungry cougar population. This year (as always) we decided to bring the mountain to Manitoba with the 25th annual Banff Mountain Film Festival. The Festival, as most of you probably experienced, was a great success with some exciting new films and some old favorites as well. This display of mountain splendor would not have been possible without the hard work of Darcy Beer and all those who dedicated their time and efforts to making the event a success (thanks guys…and girls). Coming up in the next few weeks we have a number of winter activities planned, so wax your skis and sharpen your ice axes and let’s have some fun (gotta make the most of winter). The St. Boniface Section is holding an ice climbing competition in mid-February, so for anyone with a desire to climb a 20-metre high icicle, refer to page 12 for details. (I hear it’s the best ice climbing in Manitoba!) Another piece of exciting news is the introduction of the Alpine Club of Canada Manitoba Section Photo Contest. We’re still working on this one, so stay tuned and check the next issue of Cliff Notes for full details. From what I hear though, the contest will be for all Manitoba Section members and contest categories will include climbing & mountain-based photos. We have a revised web page up and running, thanks to Gregor Brandt, so check out the site at www.alpine-club.mb.ca and see what’s new. Coming soon, due to the patient work of Rob Peters and Garth Irwin, we will have an on-line guidebook for the local crags (maybe by the time summer is here the Internet connections will be installed at the cliffs?). I hope everyone makes the most of the snow and ice season while it lasts, ‘cuz spring’s just around the corner. “Ask not what your club can do for you, but rather what you can do for your club.” X-tremely yours,

Simon

If you would like to buy books or borrow books, videotapes, or magazines, contact Hana Weingartl at (204) 885-0327.

The loan period is a maximum of five weeks.

Alpine Club LIBRARY NEWS

VIDEOS FOR LOAN

Yosemite Climbing

See some of the world’s best climbers ascend everything from 5.7 to 5.14 in the latest lycra fashions!

Moving Over Stone II

A rock climbing video narrated by Spiderman’s dream date, Lynn Hill.

Rock and Ice Presents…Masters of Stone: The Ultimate Rock Video

No, it’s not a Grateful Dead reunion concert, but it’s probably just as entertaining.

NEW BOOKS FOR SALE

Canadian Summits: The Canadian Alpine Journal 1907-1994 by R.W. Sandford and Geoff Powter $20 (taxes included)

A collection of adventure stories and beautiful photographs from 77 volumes of the Canadian Alpine Journal. The perfect coffee table book.

Alpine Huts: A Guide to the Facilities of the ACC by Keith Haberl $10 (taxes included)

Take full advantage of the backcountry huts in Canada’s mountain terrain. This book outlines the locations and facilities of the ACC Alpine Huts.

(All money goes towards buying new books and/or subsidizing club activities.)


Fresh Flicks and Fun Favourites at Film Festival

Thanks to everyone who came out on January 12th to the Winnipeg stop of the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour. The event was a great success with about 350 people out for the show. The evening was packed with over 2.5 hours of films suited to the adrenaline junkie and to those wanting to see things other than rock climbing. And of course a huge thanks once again to our local sponsors (Olympia Cycle and Ski, Tamarack Outdoor Clothing, Gord's Ski and Bike, Vertical Adventures) who provided over $1300 of door prizes. Also thanks to Pat’s Printing for providing tickets to the show. Another big hand to all the volunteers who helped things go smoothly.

Those of you who were there may have recalled seeing some of the films from previous years (Zong Man and His Cormorants, and L'Esprit de la Coupe Icare (the paragliders at the end of the show). This year was the 25th anniversary of the festival in Banff and some of the classics were sent on tour again. In the case of Zong Man, it was unanimous that people wanted to see it again. Don't worry, re-runs won't become standard fare. Each year the Film Fest get hundreds of entries and there will always be fresh stuff. One question I have had from some people is: Why don't all the prize winners from Banff go on tour?” The

problem is that some of the films are owned by interests that have plans for the film, which don't include the tour. However, the grand prize winner and a number of the other winners tour every year (as far as I can recall anyway).

I've had mixed feedback from a lot of people over the past couple of years that I've been involved with the Film Fest. Some say there is not enough climbing, others say too much. It is only from your feedback that I can know what people want to see. With this in mind, we have a plan for next fall. Every fall, after the festival shows in Banff, we are sent a list of films going on tour, along with a brief abstract of what each film is about. From this list, we choose which ones to show at the Film Fest. The plan is to print this list in the newsletter so that anyone who is interested can give me some feedback about the films. When choosing films to show, there are some considerations, such as the length of the film (often the best cultural films are quite long). Also, the abstracts do not always give a great idea of what the film is like. However, we always get feedback from the Film Fest people in Banff to tell us how the films are being received in other cities.

There is a big catch of course, that is, you have to be a club member to continue receiving newsletters. Look for the membership form elsewhere in the newsletter. So there ya have it, look for the info next fall and tell me what was good, bad and ugly. Thanks, Darcy Beer [email protected]


Look for the schedule of summer events coming in the next newsletter. Anyone interested in leading trips, to our regular spots or out to the Rockies, let us know soon. We are hoping to have 12 or 15 trips again this year. For anyone who has never been on a club climb, it’s a great way to get into climbing. We get a few experienced folks out and they spend the day climbing and informally teaching newer people. Loads of fun and CHEAP for members of the club - only gas money and a small fee for any gear that you don't already have (helmets and harnesses). The ropes are free. Thanks. Have fun and climb hard. Contact Darcy Beer (204) 775-5811 or Kenton Frith (204) 832-8653.

It’s Warming Up! (Well, maybe not, but we’re getting ready for summer anyway) ALPINE HIKING AT

THE DURRAND GLACIER CHALET • Swiss-style mountain chalet (1950 m. elevation)

in the Selkirk Mountains • Helicopter access from Revelstoke, B.C. • Guided hiking or mountaineering from July

through September • Alpine meadows, mountain lakes, waterfalls,

glaciers and peak ascents • Your hosts: Ruedi Beglinger (Mountain Guide)

and Nicoline Beglinger Please call or write for our full colour brochures: Selkirk Mountain Experience – Durrand Glacier P.O. Box 2998, Revelstoke, B.C. V0E 2S0

(250) 837-2381 [email protected] www.selkirkexperience.com

Selkirk Mountain Experience Ltd. Durrand Glacier Chalet

Ruedi Beglinger Mountaineering

Chic Scott, award-winning author of “Pushing the Limits: The Story of Canadian Mountaineering”, is one of the nation’s most respected mountaineers. The first Canadian to climb a mountain in the Himalayas, Scott shares his spirit for mountain adventure as a guide, writer, and spokesperson of alpine activities.

Chic Scott Slide Presentation

See this talented individual present a slide show on the history of

Canadian mountaineering.

Friday, April 27, 2001

Check our web site in spring for Ticket Info, Time, and Location

www.alpine-club.mb.ca or contact one of our executive members.


Winter Climb A Story by Kathy Stockwood The cliff was covered in snow when I arrived at the base. Carefully, I rolled it up like a towel, just high enough to squeeze in behind. Then, I let it go. Finally, I’m on the cliff, I thought, and no one knows I’m here. I had to make myself very small, so passersby would not notice a figure moving vertically between the snow and the cliff, and notify the ranger. Being so small brought a whole new perspective to the climb, and fingernail crimpers became enormous ledges where I could sprawl in the sun, using prismatic snowflakes as clouds to shade me from the sun.

I didn’t bring climbing gear, because I was able to adjust the distance of ground fall by scaling my own size. If I got too high for comfort while approaching a very difficult move, I made myself larger to compensate. This scaling exercise enabled me to turn a 20m fall into a 20 cm fall, but just long enough to pass the crux. Because the last thing I wanted was some random soul going by to see me so huge behind a blanket of snow on the face of a cliff and notify the ranger.

The first pitch was breadcrumbs. Grand Beach sand. Icing sugar particles. But I did it, without falling and without a rope, only because it was possible to get small enough to turn lint into boulders.

The second pitch changed everything. Translucent orange alabaster, like the type from Utah mines. Fortunately I had a rasp file in my pocket, and was able to file out shapes for holds as required. Then, getting to a secure stance, I sanded out the moves beneath me with 800 wet/dry. No one knows I’m here, and know one will know I’ve been here, I thought to myself.

The problem with translucent orange alabaster is that you need the sun behind it to appreciate its translucency. So, I had to become ridiculously large enough to grab the sun, and precisely place it behind the other side of the cliff, scale it accordingly to enjoy the route, while being careful not to destroy the world or solar system. Or, ruin my thin blanket of snow so meticulously rolled up and unrolled so as not to attract the ranger.

Third pitch. It’s hot. The sky is vivid brilliant blue. I do a pull up on a branch of a snowflake and wring it out to create an ocean in a body the size of a pore in my skin. Diving in to cool off I see flora. Now I’m very, very small. Because the flora requires ascending to escape this drip. The hair of a frond of a fern is a peak the size of Devils Tower, enough to attract a ranger.

Paint was the exit route. A few colors tucked in my side pocket enabled me to paint my way out of that molecular mess. No rope, no gear, no water, but a mere paintbrush enabled me to paint a route, follow the top edge of the thickness of the paint, and downclimb to safety.

Back at the base, I had to smooth the folds in the snow, regain my size, and check for tracks to confirm nobody was watching. The re-assembled snow looked very convincing. No tracks were there. Not even mine. No vehicle tracks. Nothing. No ranger, no passersby, not even me. Only, a dream of a winter climb.

Garth Irwin hanging on “Chimp the Move”, Jones Rhode, North-western Ontario. He dangled on one arm for an amazing 37 seconds (!) while casually placing protection in this butt-kicking roof. Having pulled in almost two arm lengths of rope for the clip, he fell. Thankfully, he was left unscathed. To this day, the climb remains a skeleton in his closet. Photo by Janice Liwanag.

We are primates, after all...


WANTED: CLIMBING PARTNER I am looking for a climbing partner for the summer (5.9 lead climber with some long(er) wall experience).

Potential (negotiable) target: Diamond, Longs Peak.

Please call Hana at (204) 885-0327

THE GEAR COLUMN

By Len Chackowsky Seeking a new toy, I recently purchased a DMM Belay Master carabiner. It is a pear-shaped screw-gate locker with a molded nylon catch that pivots on the spine and snaps in place over the gate, thus preventing the 'biner from rotating and becoming cross- loaded while be laying/rappelling. After a couple of heart-throbbing episodes over the years, where I got on rappel only to discover that my 'biner has flipped sideways, motivating me to frantically convert my weight from pounds to kilo-Newtons while quickly descending to a less lethal elevation before my calculations can add up to a untimely reward for the saintly life I've led, the Belay Master seemed just the thing to satisfy my gear-a-holic cravings. Advantages:

With the catch snapped in place it is impossible for the 'biner to rotate on your harness/belay loop and cause a cross-loading situation. It is also impossible to snap the catch in place

unless the screw gate is locked, thus preventing accidental use of an unlocked 'biner. The catch prevents the gate from becoming unscrewed. Same strength/weight/diameter/size as conventional pear-shaped 'biners (has identical specs as my DMM Boa), and can be used with any belay/rappel device or Münter hitch. Disadvantages:

A bit fussier to rig a belay/rappel. Around $2 to $8 more expensive, and 3-5 mm less gate clearance than most other pear-shaped screw-locks. When not in use, if you clip it onto your gear loop without then locking the screw gate and then snapping the catch in place (tricky with one hand!), the catch catches things. Final Thoughts:

I quite like using the Belay Master for gym/sport climbing, especially when belaying a leader, as I don't have to worry about it spinning on my belay loop. However I could envision it being a real pain in the ass for some trad/aid/ice/alpine situations where you would probably want to go with general purpose 'biners that are more easily rigged and stowed on your rack/gear loop. It can open beer bottles so long as glass shards are something that you enjoy.

The Belay Master: never cross-load again!

This issue’s feature:

DMM's "Belay Master" locking carabiner

Do you have a piece of outdoor gear that you would like to tell us about? We’d love to hear about it! Whether it’s climbing gear, skiing gear, camping gear, or even clothing, let us know the specs, the advantages and disadvantages, and your overall impressions about your gear. Submit your reviews to Janice and Gregor (see page 2 for details).

GEAR FOR SALE

• harnesses • shoes • helmets • carabiners • slings • ropes (suitable for top-

roping) • and more...

Gear has been previously used for teaching climbing courses.

Contact Janice or Gregor (204) 453-2262.


unclimbed Sepu Kangri in 1982 while flying over Tibet on the way to Nepal for a Mt. Everest expedition. They became the first westerners in over 100 years to visit the area, which is a vast plateau inhabited only by nomadic herdsmen and Buddhist monasteries. In 1997, Bonnington, Clarke, and five other climbers attempted to summit the peak. However, that expedition only managed to reach a height of 6050 m. In 1998, a climbing party consisting of Bonnington, Clarke, Elliot Robinson, Jim Curran (who had been with them on the 1997 expedition), and a film crew attempted to summit, but had retreated due to poor weather. They managed to reach a height of 6806 m.

The subtitle of the book “The Triumph of Sepu Kangri” seems a little misleading to me; I first thought that the “triumph” was a successful first ascent of Sepu Kangri. However, it actually refers to Sepu Kangri triumphing over the expeditions that climbed it. Although this book is about climbing a mountain, most of the text is a narrative of the non-climbing time of the expedition, or the approach to the mountain. The amount of text describing the time on the mountain is very little. A collaborative effort between two authors, The Triumph of Sepu Kangri seems somewhat disjointed at times. Each author writes alternating chapters but would include quotes from the other author, so I found myself sometimes referring back to the first page of the chapter to see whose narrative I was reading. Nevertheless, the descriptions of the authors’ journeys in Northern Tibet and interaction with its inhabitants are fascinating.

Is this a book I would read again? Probably, but not for quite a while. I would have been quite disappointed had I paid $40 for this, but at $6.99, I am more than happy. I wouldn’t buy the paperback at $16.99, but if you can find a copy in the bargain book section, or in the public library system, it’s worth the read. This book gets 2 and 1/2 out of 5 ‘biners.

blow a hole in the crevasse. Along the way, Peter enlists the aid of a reclusive American climber, Montgomery Wick (Scott Glenn). From then on it’s a race against time before the trapped climbers’ oxygen runs out. The plot is totally predicable, and you know halfway through the movie how it is going to end.

If you are expecting a highly realistic cl imbing fi lm, you’ll be quite disappointed. The chances of leaping from a cliff across a 20+ foot chasm to an ice wall, then hitting the wall with your ice axes at exactly the right angle to secure yourself are possibly one million to one. Furthermore, why would you not be roped together in an avalanche area? Although more realistic than that other Hollywood climbing film, Cliffhanger (not a particularly difficult task), the only real redeeming features of this film were the great scenery and stunning visual effects – good reasons for seeing it on the big screen (but only once, and on a cheap Tuesday night). This movie gets 3 out of 5 ‘biners - I’m still waiting for Hollywood to make a really good climbing film.

Alpine Media Review

By Brian Gilchrist When I first read about Vertical Limit being made I was quite anxious for this movie to be released so that I could head to Silver City and see it on the big screen. When I finally saw it, I was quite disappointed, although not terribly surprised by this big budget Hollywood movie.

At the beginning of the movie, Peter Garrett (Chris O’Donnell), his sister Annie (Robin Tunney), and his father get into a climbing accident. Peter chooses between the pleas of his sister and his father’s logic and cuts the rope attached to his father (sending him plummeting to his death). Their father’s death drives a wedge between him and his sister. We next see Peter in Pakistan photographing snow leopards for National Geographic. On the helicopter ride out, he learns that his sister is at K2 base camp in preparation for a summit attempt. The rest of the climbing team consists of a top mountain guide, an American multimillionaire, Elliot Vaughn (Bill Paxton), and their climbing Sherpa. The main purpose for the climb w a s t h e p r o m o t i o n o f t h e multimillionaire’s new airline, which involved having Vaughn stand on the summit of K2 as one of his new airliners flies overhead.

The climbing team starts up the mountain, and they get caught in an avalanche that kills the Sherpa and traps the other three members in a crevasse (much more luxurious than I ever imagined a crevasse to be!). Peter convinces an attractive base camp manager (Izabella Scorupco) and two dope-smoking Australian brothers to help him rescue the three trapped climbers. The plan: to carry containers of nitroglycerin up the mountain and

Vertical Limit

Starring: Chris O’Donnell, Scott Glenn, Bill Paxton, Robin Tunney, Izabella Scorupco Director: Martin Campbell Distributor: Columbia Pictures Rating: PG-13 Genre: Action/Adventure

Tibet’s Secret Mountain The Triumph of Sepu Kangri

Chris Bonnington & Charles Clarke Weidenfeld & Nicolson 254 pp, $40.00 Hardcover

By Brian Gilchrist While wandering through the bargain book section of Chapters last month, I came across this book at $6.99. Being the cheap bugger that I am, and seeing as how I had my eye on this book for quite a time (but was too cheap to shell out the $40 for it) I decided I couldn’t lose at $6.99.

Tibet’s Secret Mountain is an account of three expeditions by Chris Bonnington and Charles Clarke on Sepu Kangri, a 6956 m peak located in the Nyenchen Tanglha range in northern Tibet. Bonnington and Clarke first noticed the


Samples of the scenery one can find at Red Rocks, Nevada. Photos by Kathy Stockwood.

Me, Myself, and I at Red Rocks

By Kathy Stockwood Just being my normal impulsive self, one day I decided I just had to go climbing. Quickly, life, take me somewhere warm, new, and different. With a little bit of research and a few phone calls, next thing I knew I was on a plane to Las Vegas, in a cab to the canyon, and finally, I woke up in the desert for a weekend of climbing in Calico Hills.

Only the three of us self-confessed introverts went. Me, myself, and I. Nobody knows where the traveler goes. I’ve almost always traveled alone. It is more exciting. More freedom. Less commitment. But, I did hire an instructing guide to get me where I wanted to be with the path of least resistance.

So, to sum up this no-nonsense climbing trip to Red Rocks in point form:

- Cabs are expensive - Expensive hotels are dingy - Custom officers are neurotic - Hotel staff are plastic idiots - The locals are living in a stage prop - You can’t buy tampons after hours - Americans talk too much - Americans seriously wear cowboy hats - Red Rocks is unreal - The rock is exceptional - There is no lichen or moss - The routes are phenomenal - 5.10 is easy - Canyons are incredibly deceiving - Approaches are lacking in oxygen - No insects exist in their winter

At the hotel they feed you like a glutton who has not eaten in days. Of course I ate it all, (typical climbing piggishness) but had to listen to the portfolio of a drunk plastic surgeon millionaire discuss how he made it here.

So, the moral is, go there, and get ecstatic. Forget about money. You can go on a Thursday and come back Sunday night, and nobody knows the difference.

We all do our best to make sure our group stays safe when on an outdoor trip or course.

We understand that help isn’t just a phone call away out there. Prevention and

knowledge is key.

You have spent hundreds of hours training for what goes right. Have you considered what you’ll do if something goes wrong?

Think about it.

Join us for what has been considered the most comprehensive professional “Basic Wilderness First Aid” course in the province.

• March 10,11,17,18 • April 19,20,21,22 • May 24,25,26,27 • June 14, 15, 16, 17 • Please call for more dates

204-775-2462

Please call or check out our web site for more

information or to contact us online.

www.aeminfo.mb.ca


Alpine Club of Canada - Manitoba Section Membership Application Form

Name: ________________________________________________

Partner:

________________________________________________

Dependents:

________________________________________________

Address:

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Postal Code:

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Phone #

(H) __________________

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Paid By: Cheque Cash Visa MasterCard

Card # ______________________ Expiry Date _________

Signature : ________________________________________________

A.C.C.-Manitoba Section Membership Fees Calculation (GST Included in all Fees)

Adult ( 18 years and older) 26.00 _______

Junior (Under 18 years) 16.00 _______

Family (2 adults and their Children) 42.00 _______

Optional:

Canadian Alpine Journal 23.00 _______

Facilities-Adult 22.00 _______

Facilities-Junior 22.00 _______

Facilities-Family 44.00 _______

Combined CAJ & Facili-ties-Adult

39.00

_______

Combined CAJ& Facilities-Junior

39.00

_______

Combined CAJ & Facili-ties - Family

59.00

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TOTAL

Return To: The Alpine Club of Canada P.O. Box 8040 Canmore, AB, T1W 2T8 Or Call: (403) 678-3200

• New for 2001: “Workshop Wednesdays”. Each week we focus in on a different skill and allow participants to hone their abilities. Some workshops still to come are:

Prussiking & Knots Feb 7 Beginner Cliff Rescue Mar 14

Aid Climbing Feb 21 Anchor Theory Mar 21

5.10+ Climbing Technique Feb 28 Advanced Cliff Rescue Mar 28

Mixed Bag Mar 7 Advanced Anchors & Top Down Belay April 4

Day Pass: $10 ($2 discount)

20 Visit Pass: $120 ($20 discount)

• We will also be offering outdoor ice climbing sessions. (Please call for reservations and prices)

• We also have a full selection of climbing equipment available. Ask us about our 75 m ropes!

• In appreciation of our continued support by the ACC, we are offering a special pricing package for all current (2001 dues paid) members:

(Indoor Climbing Facility)

77 Paramount Road Winnipeg, Manitoba

R2X 2W6

Phone/Fax: (204) 632-5001

Blah Blah Blah…Ah, the winter Blah’s Vertical Adventures has the cure and will help get you ready to tackle your dream climb this summer.


If you would like to get involved as a trip-leader or otherwise, any assistance in any capacity would be much appreciated. For more information, contact Billy Collins at (204) 287-2282 or [email protected].

The Thunder Bay section of the ACC has extended an invitation to neighbouring sections for a great weekend of ice climbing on some of the best ice outside the Rockies. On the weekend of March 3 and 4, 2001, climbers from Thunder Bay will host ACC members in their homes and show us the best climbing spots. They are willing to take in people for an extra couple of days around that weekend. Saturday night will be capped with a BBQ at one of the club members’ homes. Who could ask for a better deal than that?

If you are interested in joining the trip, contact me at (204) 775-5811 or e-mail me at [email protected].

Darcy Beer

Invitation to Ice Climbing Weekend and BBQ in

Thunder Bay UPCOMING EVENTS February 25 “Hydrophobia” – Ski Across Lake Winnipeg

March 17 “Green Beer, Yellow Snow” – Cocktails & Slides ACC MB Social Event (Location TBA)

March 24 & 25 Winter Camping Skills Course & Overnight(Location TBA)

April 14 Whisperlite Culinary Olympics An Outdoor Potluck Supper (Birds Hill Provincial Park)

April 27 Chic Scott Slide Presentation

Le Club D’Escalade de Saint-Boniface (The St. Boniface Section of the Alpine Club of Canada)

CLIMBING CALENDAR

FOR MORE INFORMATION: André (204) 253-2162 or www.cesb.net

When: February 16, 17, and 18 Where: Ice Tower

Cost: $35 for 1 event $45 for 2 events

Program: a friendly two-event competition – “difficulty” and “speed”

Friday evening: registration, competition info, and practice climbing

Saturday morning: first time ice climbing – open to everyone afternoon: qualifications for the 2 competition events – the best 6 participants move on to the finals evening: Darcy Brown presents his adventures on Mt. McKinley and in Nepal (location TBA – contact André)

Sunday morning: first time ice climbing – open to everyone afternoon: finals and awards

*Ice Climbing Festival and Competition* When: Every Sunday from 1-4 pm (conditions

permitting)

Ice Tower – 141 Messager St. (corner of Messager & Taché, near Whittier Park in St. Boniface)

Cost: $10 (includes use of selected equipment)

Where:

When: Every Friday 7-9 pm

Where: Ecole Précieux-Sang, 209 Kenny (entrance from inner courtyard – south side)

Cost: $10 (adults) $5 (juniors)

Indoor Wall Climbing

Participants will be required to sign an ACC liability waiver. A limited selection of ice climbing equipment is available from our Club (you must provide your own boots – downhill ski boots work quite well). Ice climbing is also available on other days of the week.

Ice Climbing

cho-oyu, the goddess of turquoise - manitoba …vaclav was back. point, the mornings in the dining...

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