Talk:Alpine Club of Canada

Proposed Changes
Four students from the University of British Columbia, are editing the Alpine Club of Canada article for a class project. Our class, HIST 396 is part of the Wikipedia Canada Education Program, and has been improving articles on Wikipedia for the last several months. We have a proposed outline for our edits that we will be making to the Alpine Club of Canada article in order to improve the information on the history section of the club. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Koalakristen (talk • contribs) 18:42, 13 March 2012 (UTC)

We are very sorry for what just happened with the article! We are going to fix it as soon as possible - thanks for your understanding. (LisaLyon (talk) 20:38, 13 March 2012 (UTC))

Outline for Proposed Changes to Wikipedia Article:

History-(the information on the history of the club will extend from its formation in 1906 to the present)

Club Facts: Who: Arthur O. Wheeler and Elizabeth Parker formed the ACC in 1906 in Winnipeg, Canada. When: Established in 1906, its first annual meeting was in 1907 Why: Wheeler wanted to establish a North American version of the British Alpine Club. With encouragement of Elizabeth Parker, they created a solely Canadian mountaineering club.

Why it was created: - It was inspired and influenced by the prestigious British Alpine Club - Initially its mission was to discourage the infiltration of human into the wilderness such as electricity and construction after the two World Wars, transitioned to advocating for conservation and recreation. - Help establish the National Parks of Canada - Give equal opportunity to men and women to experience the outdoors - Encourage city populations to explore the outdoors and value mountain environments - the exchange of wilderness literature with other environmentally focused organizations - cultivation of artwork association with the outdoors.

Club Activities: - Activities revolved around summer camps, which were held each year in the Canadian Rockies -Initial camps were held for two weeks, in Paradise Valley beginning in 1907 - The camps focusing on mountaineering expeditions during the day and reflections, music and poetry at night. - New members were expected to complete elementary climbs no less than 10,000 ft before they could move onto advanced climbs - Summer clubs brought revenue and exposed city tourists to environment. The Alpine Club journal which was published yearly should be included in the activities page.Reneallain

Club Legacy: - The mission has altered slightly since creation, but it still advocates for the recreational use and protection of mountain wilderness -the ACC continues to support both men and women to become guides and leaders for the ACC's activities - The ACC viewed the Canadian Rockies as a national asset, which should be used for the public, and must be preserved for future generations.

I think this outline is very good, I corrected a few typing mistakes. Julien de Leiris (talk) 16:51, 15 March 2012 (UTC)

Here is my rough draft for the "Why" section for our article: I have divided it into sections (paragraphs) in an outline. Its around 600 words but I still need to add a bit more information on the years between World War 2 and 2012.

Draft for History 396 Wikipedia Article- The Alpine Club of Canada

Outline

Paragraph 1: Why it was created- essential factors that inspired its creation

Molded after the prestigious Alpine Club in Great Britain, the Alpine Club of Canada was created to give environmental enthusiasts an opportunity to explore and experience the vast Canadian wilderness. Unlike the Alpine Club of Great Britain, the Alpine Club of Canada was created to promote equality between men and women within mountaineering and climbing, and to promote the conservation and preservation of Canadian wilderness. At the turn of the 20th century development in Canada expanded into mountain ecosystems, so founders Elizabeth Parker and Arthur Wheeler created the ACC to advocate for the prevention of human infiltrations such as electricity and housing in the Canadian wilderness. The ACC helped progress societies mindset towards nature, mountaineering and the environment. Established in the first club meeting in 1906, the committee created a charter with key points that would help progress the club and their vision. This charter included:

1.To encourage Canadians to value the rich mountain environments. 2.The use of mountain wilderness as a recreational playground. 3.The conservation of mountain ecosystems, and the organisms that live in them 4.The exchange of wilderness literature with other environmentally focused organizations. 5.Encourage the development of scientific exploration and study of Canadian alpine glaciers. 6.Cultivation of artwork associated with the outdoors

Paragraph 2: The Founders-what they wanted to club to promote- Its initial goal/purpose- to promote conservation/preservation/awareness/national parks

These principles reflected the member’s goal to create a club that promoted the natural heritage of Canada while encouraging the urban classes of society to exercise in the outdoors.

Paragraph 3: The Role it played in promoting message behind national parks ** Maybe activities section of article can deal with the actual activity with the parks

Beginning in 1906 and continuing until 1950, the Alpine Club of Canada developed a partnership with the National Parks of Canada to promote outdoor activities, mountaineering and conservation. Together the ACC and the NPC worked together to expand the parks system for easier access to the public. During these formative years, the ACC surveyed much for the Canadian Rockies which had been previously unmapped. The club also acted as a management for the new National Parks board and aided with administration. The ACC simultaneously aided in restoration of natural areas that were to be integrated into the parks, while establishing the Park’s conservation policies. As the National Parks in both the United States and Canada gained popularity, outdoor recreation became a prominent activity for many Canadians, which continuously helped shape the ACC’s goal and mission.

Paragraph 4: The importance of the club and how it has changed since its formation

After the two World Wars beginning in 1914 the ACC’s philosophy progressed from being centered around strict conservation of the environment, to encouraging outdoor recreation while maintaining a respectful appreciation of Canada’s wilderness.

( add information about the years in between WW1 and 2012)

The mission of the ACC has altered slightly since its birth in 1906, but since the creation of the original charters the club has supported both the recreational use and protection of mountain wilderness. The ACC viewed the Canadian Rockies as a national asset, which should be used by the public for recreation, but also as a land trust to be preserved for future generations. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Koalakristen (talk • contribs) 02:33, 23 March 2012 (UTC)

Here is my draft for the section "The Club's Legacy": (byJulien de Leiris (talk) 00:43, 24 March 2012 (UTC)) NB:guys, don't hesitate to proof read my english!

NB': I still have a problem with the footnotes...

The Club Legacy

From its origins in Winnipeg more than a century ago to the current, the Alpine Club of Canada has altered slightly. As the Club’s founders expected it, the ACC has played a crucial role in shaping both the Canadian territory and the Canadian identity. As A.O.Wheeler wrote it in 1953, “The Club is a permanency and in its 47 years of existence has done more than any other single institution to open up our mountains and bring revenue to the Parks and to Canada, both as a Club as such and from the explorations of its individual members, Canadian, British and American” (1). Indeed, the Club played a key role in the maturation of the Canadian national park system, especially because of its longevity and its strongly rooted values, which enabled its members to always striking a balance between preservation and use. The author Pearl Ann Reichwein highlights the same idea, fifty years later:“Since creating its charter almost 90 year ago the ACC maintained extraordinary continuity as witnessed by the Canadian Alpine Journal, published annually. Conceived with a wide-ranging agenda beyond the scope of a simple mountaineering club, the ACC has remained an agile and long-lived national organization"(2).

The year 2006 marked the centennial of this long-lasting association, which has always been dynamic and young. The strongest symbol of the club’s continuity is the annual Canadian Alpine Journal, “the oldest and most respected publication of its kind in the country”(3). The Journal was and still is published every year, collecting route descriptions, records of adventures, mountain photography, geographical and natural science observations, poems, songs, cartoons and obituaries remembering Club members. The year 2006 saw the publication of the Centennial Gazette, a special issue celebrating the one hundredth anniversary of the ACC. In the ceremony’s opening speech, Mike Mortimer, the Club president in 2006 declared: “Clearly the Centennial was an opportunity to look towards the future – we knew where we came from but what about where we are going? Obviously we would not have the hubris to plan the next century, but maybe we would be in a position to examine the guidelines set by our founding members and see if the cornerstones, that had been laid in Winnipeg and which had served us so well in the previous century, could do the same in the next century”(4). It is however undeniable that the club has expanded its activities, relentlessly growing over the last century. The Acc is now responsible of the largest public backcountry hut system in North America and proposes trips opportunities around the world.

Alpine Club of Canada Activities: The main activities offered by the Club are its camps and its incredible system of Mountain huts. The Club uses its 20 regional club sections to currently operate 28 huts representing the most extensive system of backcountry accommodation on the continent. The ACC also publishes the annual Canadian Alpine Journal, the leading publication on Canadian mountaineering, and the Club's library archives thousands of historical volumes on alpine exploration in Canada over the past 200 years. The camps began as a very modest way to introduce middle-class canadians to the life of mountaineering. With Donations from both the Federal and the Alberta Provincial government over a 100 members marched their way to the Yoho Pass where a temporary Tent village had been erected with the help of the CPR and volunteers. With the expedition a resounding success, The Club has made summer camps for members an annual feature. In fact, the summer camps have grown incredibly popular over the years. Considered an annual celebration by many, some camps have special historical significance such as the 1920 camp which was considered a coming home camp for members returning from WWI. Although the camps originated with only a few tents and cooking utensils, the camps now sometimes boast transport helicopters, propane cooking and hot showers as some of the amenities available to the hundreds of members who make the camps a memorable part of their membership. The style of the camps may have changed over the years, however the goal remains the same; to improve mountaineering skills and push the limits of the members through tougher and tougher climbs. The Canadian Alpine Journal was established only a year after the ACC had its first general meeting and has been published over 90 times in the last century. According to the ACC website, the journal provides the reader with “articles and images that reflect the ways that Canadians approach mountain culture, history, sport and science”. Whilst the Journal is an annual publication, the Club also publishes The Gazette a newsletter published three times a year, one for the spring, summer and winter season. While the ACC’s national office is in Canmore, Alberta, the core of the Club’s activities are the volunteer-led climbing opportunities offered to its membership through 20 regional sections across the country. The ACC has a calendar of winter and summer programs including leadership training, technical climbing instruction and international expeditions (for example, in 1997 the Saskatchewan section of the Club held a successful trip to Cho Oyu, an 8,201m peak in Nepal and more recently the Club offered a trip to the snowy peaks of Chile in January 2012). The different activities offered through the club are as diverse as mountaineering itself; one can learn to do Winter or Summer climbs, improve their backcountry skiing skills or refresh their ice climbing technique. Also accreditation for various certificates is available through the Club. The programmed adventures are also geared towards all skill levels and for all age groups. The only main criteria for the activities is that membership to The Club is required. The dedicated group of volunteers who organize these excursions are The Club is also the focal point for Canadian mountain culture through its website, publications and programs such as support of the annual Banff Mountain Film & Book Festival.

(1) “At the foot of the mountain: preliminary thoughts on the alpine club of Canada”, 1906-1950, by Pearl Ann Reichwein, p 168, in Changing parks: the history, future and cultural context of parks and heritage landscapes, Hodgins Bruce W., John Marsh, 1998 (2) “At the foot of the mountain: preliminary thoughts on the alpine club of Canada”, 1906-1950, by Pearl Ann Reichwein, p 160, in Changing parks: the history, future and cultural context of parks and heritage landscapes, Hodgins Bruce W., John Marsh, 1998 (3)Bev Bendell, Members Handbook 1996,http://www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/whoweare/history.html (4) The ACC Centennial Gazette, 2006

Here is a paragraphe aout the creation of the club : When: The inaugural meeting took place on March 27th and 28th 1906. Arthur Wheeler became President and Elizabeth Parker was named First Secretary. Several categories of members were created with different levels of involvement: Honorary Members, Active Members… The first official camp of the ACC took place in July 1906. Thanks to the Canadian Pacific Railway, campers arrived at Field, B.C in Yoho National Park on July 8th. The ACC received helped from professional mountains guides Edouard and Gottfried Feuz, coming from Switzerland. The Dominion Government, as recognition of its “spirit of patriotism”, sponsored the camp, as well as the government of Alberta, the CPR and the North West Mounted Police. With its 100 participants, the camp was considered a success. LisaLyon (talk) 23:03, 26 March 2012 (UTC)

Gender is an interesting issue when taking about the ACC: it is known as the world’s first national mountaineering club to welcome women. As a matter of fact, most Alpine Clubs were fashioned after the Alpine Club in England that did not welcome women and had separate organizations reserved for ladies. Because Elizabeth Parker was one of the two founders of the Alpine Club of Canada, the question of excluding women from the club's activities and active participation was not even adressed. Indeed, at the end of the first camp in 1906, 15 women (out of 44 members) graduated and became active members of the ACC. . Women's participation alongside men became evident in the Club activities and summer camps and those events were frequently used to promote women as legitimate members. On a regular basis, women were perceived in the ACC as able as men. They were encouraged and helped, and after the ACC's first camp it was decided that the dress-code for women would be the same as for men (which was very unusual in the early 20th century society). However this official equality was sometimes challenged. As it is often the case when dealing with minorities (and women were a minority in the ACC), the praising of women tended to underline their particularity, if not inferiority. Indeed, Arthur Wheeler's efforts to publicly acknowledge women's contribution to the ACC led to the distinction of women as a special group. Praising women for their ability to performed basic mountaineering skills, accomplishments for which men's ability was not even questioned, contributed to a sort of patronizing attitude towards women members. For instance, before 1923, no women were to be found among the ACC members volunteer guides. Louie, Siri, Winona. Gender in the Alpine Club of Canada, 1906- 1940. Calgary, Alberta: The University of Calgary, 1996. http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/docview/304312493/previewPDF?accountid=14656 (accessed February 17, 2012)./ref>. Nevertheless, the ACC definitely played a very important part in women's mountaineering, and some of them, both American and Canadian, became important and famous mountaineers such as Phyllis Munday I just added some details about Elizabeth Parker and corrected a couple of small mistakes. LisaLyon (talk) 22:36, 28 March 2012 (UTC)

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This article is the subject of an educational assignment at University of British Columbia supported by the Wikipedia Ambassador Program&#32;during the 2012 Q1 term. Further details are available on the course page.

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