Alpine Club of Canada. 1972 proved to be an active year for the Alpine Club of Canada, with membership steadily increasing and club activities becoming increasingly popular. The General Mountaineering Camp was held at Fryatt Creek in Jasper National Park with 156 attending. The Alpine Climbing Camp was held in the Clemenceau area of the Wood River group in British Columbia, with 27 participants, and the informal family camp at Lake O’Hara, Yoho National Park, drew 47 adults and children. The ski camp was held in February in Rogers Pass, Glacier National Park.

Section activities continue to be popular; with the formation of the new Banff Section, there are now 12 active sections in Canada and the United States. Events include everything from one-day trips to proposed expeditions. The Calgary Section held a leadership training course which included training in first-aid, route finding and rescue techniques, in order to upgrade the quality of leadership on section outings.

An ACC project last year was the restoring of the oldest alpine hut in Canada, the Glacier Circle Hut in Glacier National Park, built by the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1922. An appropriation from the Parks Department, plus donations from individuals, particularly several members of the AAC, made the project possible. Much of the original hut was preserved, including all inscriptions on the walls and window frames. The hut is now in excellent condition, and has facilities for ten people. Another major hut project was the building of the Conrad Kain Hut at Boulder Camp in the Bugaboos. Most of the work has been completed, and the hut has been turned over to the B.C. Parks Department. The hut will house 50 people, and should eliminate much of the spoiling of the area which resulted from scattered camping.

The ACC’s old clubhouse has gone out in a blaze of glory. 1972 was the last year of operation for the building, and the Banff Section decided to host a wind-up party there before it closed its doors for good. The farewell dinner ended up being a roast beef feast for 167; it was certainly a night to remember. A week later the final public auction was held. Over 100 people arrived to bid on everything from sheets to a commode. Profits from both these events have been put towards the new clubhouse.

The new clubhouse is scheduled for completion early in 1973. It is situated on benchland above the Bow River Valley, just east of Canmore (14 miles east of Banff). The views from the building are magnificent. The clubhouse is designed for year-round operation and consists of two floors with main lounge and fireplace, self-service kitchen/cooking area, and sleeping accommodations above. It has been exciting watching the building take shape, and certainly will prove to be a tremendous asset to the club.

Expeditions in 1972 included a trek in the Langtrang Valley area of Nepal by 18 members, led by Roger Neave. Eight other members, led by Peter Fuhrmann, spent a month in Peru, making an attempt of Mount Huantsán.

The Canadian Alpine Journal continues to be a popular item with both members and non-members. Many bookstores and climbing shops are now carrying the journal, and the 1972 edition, plus many back copies of journals as far back as 1907, are available from the club office in Banff.

It may be of interest to know that the library of the Alpine Club of Canada is housed at the Archives of the Canadian Rockies in Banff. The ACC library includes a superb collection of journals from all major mountain clubs in the world, as well as many books, old and new. Coupled with the Archives’ collection, it is one of the foremost climbing libraries in North America. The Archives has a permanent staff of trained librarians and archivists who maintain the ACC library. Enquiries are welcome and should be directed to the Archives of the Canadian Rockies, Box 160, Banff, Alberta.

P. A. Boswell, Club Manager