User:LisaLyon/sandbox

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. 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.

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.

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