ALEXANDER ADDISON McCOUBREY

1885-1942

Such a fine notice has appeared on the life of our late member, A. A. McCoubrey, in the Canadian Alpine Journal that it seems best now only to supplement what has already appeared there.

Mac had been a member of the American Alpine Club for 30 years, when he died last February at the age of 56. He was the kind of man who did not consciously or soon reveal himself, especially to those of us who had been acquainted with him for many years but had not had the privilege of being out with him on any of his actual mountain expeditions. Some of us had known of him through his pioneer climbing, which began in 1908, for a long time before first meeting him. He seldom had the opportunity for extended vacations and had therefore to go quickly to and from Winnipeg and the mountains. It was only at the time he became President of the Alpine Club of Canada in 1932 that he began to spend more time at the annual camps. Previously it had been his custom to head directly for the more remote spots, with possibly a day or so in camp or at the clubhouse at Banff on his way home.

Of recent years he had been forced for reasons of health to give up some of the more strenuous forms of mountaineering including the carrying of heavy packs, and had turned more to ski mountaineering, which he had become proficient at in earlier years and could indulge in more moderately.

Since 1930 he had edited the Canadian Alpine Journal with conspicuous success. His profession of draughtsman and engineer stood him in good stead for this. At a time and in a country such as Canada, where much of the mountaineering has been and continues to be of an exploratory nature, he realized the value of maps, even if little more than informal sketches or outlines could be prepared from the material available or the observations and notes by the authors of articles submitted. Illustrations he arranged to advantage. The text was edited with much care, and a very suitable type of binding used. These and other details were largely the result of his painstaking interest. Some will recall with amusement and despair, that once he knew that they had done something to write about, and called for an article, the best thing to do was to get it in, photographs and all, as soon as possible, in self defense. Most authors did not prepare a map, but Mac would improvise from any existing information, plus what the author’s text or photographs showed plus what he could pry out of the author if necessary. The result was generally good and if not perfect was rarely Mac’s fault. If only for its maps alone, the C. A. J. has gained a top place for itself among such publications in recent years, due largely to the interest and patient care of its capable editor.

His climbing over a period of 26 years, merging into ten years of winter skiing includes many first ascents, new routes and new winter ski expeditions and first winter ski ascents. His climbs in the Canadian Rockies were numerous and varied, and often repeated several times in succeeding years. He had climbed considerably in the Selkirks. His best new work was in the Purcells where he enjoyed coming in from one side of the range, climbing, often something new, and emerging at the further side generally with a pack nearly as large as himself. He had been largely instrumental in organizing and leading club winter ski expeditions for several winters. It was largely due to his initiative that the S. H. Mitchell Hut was completed in Little Yoho valley as recently as 1940.

Despite, or perhaps because of, the limitations which time and failing health had placed on his own mountain activities in recent years, his interest in the doings of others seems proportionately to have increased.

Mac was one of the stalwarts of Canadian mountaineering. He did not spare himself in his daily life, the more pity as he could have continued to do much, with his wide knowledge and experience, at a more moderate tempo, had his time not come so soon. He was not made that way however, and nothing less than full speed ahead would have suited him. He died in full activity. His place will be hard to fill.

H. S. H., Jr.