McGill Outing Club. The club’s 1973 activities ranged as widely as in the past, with perhaps an increased emphasis on cross-country skiing. The club has established an annual cross-country ski event to encourage its members to take up the sport and improve their skills in it. The event is called the MOC-Smith-Johannsen Ski Tour, established in honor of “Jack Rabbit” Johannsen, who was especially active in encouraging crosscountry skiing in the club and in organizing the construction of ski trails in the Laurentians. The club once again had team entries in the annual Canadian Marathon Ski Tour, an event which is now attracting international entries. The club organized a winter ski trip to the Rockies. Trips were run in Banff and Yoho National Parks to Lake O’Hara and the Lake Louise area. A traverse of the Wapta Icefield from the Bow to Peyto Glaciers and a ski ascent of Mount Rhondda (10,025 feet) was also made on the same trip. Finally, a ski trip was run into the Little Yoho Valley for several days of powder skiing.

The exodus to the western Canadian national parks continued during the summer with members climbing at Yamuska, Corry Crack, 3/4 Couloir, Pilot Mountain, Hilda Peak, Edith Cavell, Rhondda, Gordon, Balfour, and Mount Robson via the Hourglass and Schwartz ledges. Members were active in other regions as well. One joined a successful climbing trip to Peru, while another was involved with an expedition which climbed Mounts Wood, Slaggard, Strickland, and Macaulay in the St. Elias Mountains. Technical climbing continues to be very popular at Mount St. Hilaire, Val David, Mount King, and St. Simeon on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River. Several new routes were established on the Shawbridge cliffs.

Kevin O’Connell