Category: Mountain Culture

Life in the mountains.

From Recruitment to Expertise: Neal Carter and Tom FylesFrom Recruitment to Expertise: Neal Carter and Tom Fyles

November 14, 2023 Whistler MuseumWhistler Museum 0 Comments

Neal Carter started climbing mountains at 15 years old, after a trip up Grouse Mountain with his uncle. Over the next few years, he continued exploring the Grouse area on his own. When he met Tom Fyles, a Vancouver postman and member of the British Columbia Mountaineering Club (BCMC), in 1920, he was introduced to a world of mountaineering possibilities. Fyles, along with fellow mountaineer Mickey Dodds, took Carter on a trip up Goat Mountain. There they showed Carter the mountains the club was exploring, as well as other areas of interest. Carter joined the BCMC that week and became one of the regulars.

By joining the club and climbing with experienced mountaineers, Carter learned quickly about solid techniques and the risks of the activity. On a trip he took with Fyles up Cathedral Mountain, he slipped as he was summiting the mountain. This near-accident taught Carter about caution, but it did not deter him from building his mountaineering careers and becoming a leader within the community.

Table Mountain, a rare climb. Cliff Fenner Collection

Fyles had a similar introduction to the BCMC as Carter. Fyles moved to Vancouver from England in 1910. He was immediately awestruck by the mountains, but did not know how to “get there.” Two year later, after a failed attempt to find a way to the trails, he met a member of the BCMC at the post office where he worked. He took Fyles up to the Grouse Mountain cabin, and that was it; Fyles joined the BCMC. Though it was an adjustment at first – he had never camped before and didn’t know what equipment to bring – he was a naturally talented climber and quickly became an experienced leader.

A few years after Fyles joined the BCMC, he served as a committee member, then became their climbing director for nine years, until he left the club in 1926. He became synonymous with the BCMC, leading several expeditions and successful ascents. Fyles also solo-ascended some difficult climbs, including The Table. Though not a recommended route today, to an early 20th century mountaineer it was a welcome challenge.

After the BCMC encountered The Table in 1914, it was closely studied and had particular interest to Fyles. A few years later, Fyles and two other members made a trip out to attempt the summit. When they reached the loose and rotten rocks, the other two men stayed behind, while Fyles continued on and successfully made it up. He led more trips to The Table in the following years, including one with Carter in 1922 that was the second known ascent of the BCMC.

Right: View from the summit of Wedge Mountain; left: Back of photograph. Carter took his photographs from the 1923 expedition and wrote backwards mountains known and explored by the BCMC. When backlit, you can see these markings through the photograph. This helped him map Garibaldi Park and was likely used for presentations to others. Neal Carter Collection

Carter is reported to have said, “That’s one mountain that I never want to climb again! The only consolation was that it was in the fog, so we couldn’t see how far the drop below us was as we three clung to the loose chunks of rock that kept threatening to pull out of the sheer wall.”

Though Fyles left the BCMC, he continued his mountaineering careers through the Alpine Club of Canada. He and Carter were on many expeditions together, including the attempt on Mt Waddington in 1934, where they lost their friend Alex Dalgleish.

Many years later, Carter successfully advocated for a mountain in Bella Coola to be named in honour of Tom Fyles.

Today is the last day to check out Mapping the Mountains, the Whistler Museum’s latest temporary exhibit that tells the story of the 1923 Carter/Townsend expedition of our local mountains, so be sure to drop by!

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Carter and the MundaysCarter and the Mundays

October 31, 2023 Whistler MuseumWhistler Museum 0 Comments

In 1923, prior to his September expedition with Charles Townsend, Neal Carter spent the summer in the midst of a waterpower survey covering the area from Brandywine Falls to Green Lake. Though this work used up most of his time, Carter took every chance he could to take in his surroundings and note what peaks he was interested in climbing.

As a result, Carter wrote to his friends Don and Phyllis Munday, two experienced mountaineers living on the North Shore. In his letter, he described all the mountaineering possibilities of the local mountains, convincing them to make the trek up. While here, the couple made the first recorded ascent of Blackcomb Mountain, as well as Overlord Mountain. Though Carter could not join them for these climbs due to his work, they shared their findings, which contributed to Carter’s research of the area and, subsequently, his 1924 map of Garibaldi Park.

A photograph taken by Neal Carter of Charles Townsend, returning from the summit of Overlord Mountain on September 18, 1923. Carter Collection

The Mundays were well known and heavily involved in the mountaineering community by this time. Both were members of the BC Mountaineering Club (BCMC) and the Alpine Club of Canada (ACC).

The couple found their passion for climbing mountains prior to meeting each other in 1918. Don moved to Vancouver in 1909 and started his mountaineering career soon after, joining the BCMC in 1910. However, mountaineering was put on pause when the First World War broke out and he enlisted in the Canadian Forces. After serving for almost two years, Don suffered an injury and eventually made his way back to Vancouver. Soon after, he met Phyllis and resumed his climbing ventures.

During this time, Phyllis joined the Girl Guides and climbed the local Vancouver with her troop or on her own. She joined the BCMC in 1915 and continued to be involved with Girl Guides for more than 60 years.

Neal Carter beside a cairn on the summit of Wedge Mountain, September 10, 1923. Carter Collection

Together, the Mundays surveyed and climbed more than 150 mountains in British Columbia and Alberta, even taking their daughter Edith with them when she was just eleven weeks old.

Like Carter, the Mundays had an impact on the early development of Garibaldi Park, and the Coast Mountains more generally. Most notably, they spent nearly a decade exploring Mount Waddington (the highest peak in the Coast Mountains) and the surrounding region. Though unsuccessful in ascending what they dubbed “Mystery Mountain,” they climbed many surrounding peaks, and their meticulous surveying opened it up more for others to make their own attempts.

Carter was one of those mountaineers. In 1934, he, along with representatives from both the BCMC and ACC, started a journey that was unfortunately cut short due to tragedy. The mountain was eventually ascended two years later by Fritz Wiessney and Bill House, two American mountaineers.

According to Phyllis, “We didn’t go into the Waddington country just to climb one mountain and run out… we went into the Waddington country to find out all we possibly could about glaciers and mountains and animals and nature and everything about that particular area.”

Charles Townsend on the summit of Mt. James Turner, September 12, 1923, demonstrating the possible risks of mountaineering. Carter Collection

As mentioned in an earlier article, these mountaineers had a strong purpose to map the regions they explored and share their knowledge. Though there is a risk to this activity, the passion for outdoors exhibited by Carter, the Mundays, and many more was unwavering.

Mapping the Mountains, our temporary exhibit showcasing photographs and stories from the 1923 Carter/Townsend expedition, is on at the Whistler Museum until November 14.

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Early Mountaineering in the Coast MountainsEarly Mountaineering in the Coast Mountains

October 3, 2023 Whistler MuseumWhistler Museum 0 Comments

This September marked the 100th anniversary of the 1923 Neal Carter and Charles Townsend expedition. These two avid explorers climbed several of our local mountains, starting with Wedge Mountain and ending with the “most exciting” Mt Diavolo. It was a two week journey from September 9 to 20. Many of these climbs were recorded as first ascents, in which they gave their own names to some of the peaks, ridges, glaciers, and lakes they encountered.

During this expedition, the pair took photographs and detailed notes. A collection of these photographs were given by Carter to Myrtle Philip, who hosted them at Rainbow Lodge. They used the lodge as their starting off point and rest stop in between destinations.

Though small, each image has detailed labels and notes on the back. Combined with Townsend’s comprehensive accounts in “The B.C. Mountaineer,” we can get a pretty good picture of their venture. Carter and Townsend traversed through difficult, untracked terrain and changing conditions, but also witnessed spectacular views and were even treated to an eclipse.

Charles Townsend beside a cairn on the summit of Wedge, with Mt. James Turner in the background (September 10, 1923). Carter Collection

It was not just for kicks that these two went out to explore the area. There was a strong purpose amongst mountaineers at the time to map the region and share what they had learned with others. Carter was a talented cartographer and created topographical maps from this trip and several subsequent ones. His insight into the region assisted in the first official Garibaldi Park map in 1928.

However, these were not the only two that contributed to this major development. A group of Vancouver mountaineers formed the B.C. Mountaineering Club (BCMC) in 1907 and focused on exploring the Coast Mountains. As far as they knew, there were no records or maps of the mountains they set their sights on and they assumed that they were largely unexplored.

The mountaineering community in Vancouver started off small, consisting of both men and women, and grew over time. The BCMC welcomed newcomers through their summer camps, at which both Carter and Townsend joined in the early 1920s.

Neal Carter on Chaos Glacier (formally Turner Glacier), on Mt. James Turner (September 12, 1923). Carter Collection

By this time, the BCMC had covered much of the area surrounding Garibaldi Lake. William Gray, president of the club in 1912, developed a sketch map that showed Black Tusk as the northernmost part of the district.

From years of exploring the Garibaldi region, the group was captivated by its natural environment and grew interested in its preservation. Logging and mining companies had establishments throughout the corridor, so the group campaigned to the provincial government to protect this area. In 1920, the Garibaldi district became a park and, before the decade was out, was then designated as a Provincial Park.

The latest temporary exhibit at the Whistler Museum, Mapping the Mountains, takes a closer look at Carter and Townsend’s 1923 expedition and its cartographic results. Visit the Museum to learn more and see closeups of some photographs until November 14.

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The Skiers’ ChapelThe Skiers’ Chapel

September 5, 2023 Whistler MuseumWhistler Museum 0 Comments

The Whistler Mountain Skiers’ Chapel was one of the most iconic buildings from the early development of Whistler as a ski resort. Remembered for its distinctive A-frame design, the building was one of the first skier chapels in Canada, as well as one of the first interdenominational churches in Canada. 

The chapel was designed from conception to be integrated into the ski culture blossoming in Whistler. Franz Wilhelmsen, president of Garibaldi Lifts Ltd, set aside a small parcel of land for an alpine skiers’ chapel. Wilhelmsen had fond memories of skiers’ chapels in the alpine villages of Norway, his home country, and envisioned something similar on Whistler Mountain. Likewise, the chapel’s status as an interdenominational chapel was envisioned since its beginning. Marion Sutherland and Joan Maclean, who formed the original board of trustees and established the fundraising committee in 1966, ascribed to different denominations of the Christian faith; Sutherland was a Protestant and Maclean belonged to the Roman-Catholic Church. 

A section of the original blueprints by Asbjorn Gathe for the skiers’ chapel.

Fundraising began in 1966 with Sutherland and Maclean seeking support from local faith communities, approaching both the Vancouver Council of Churches and the Kamloops diocese, both of which agreed to support the effort by supplying ministers. Architect Asbjorn Gathe contributed by donating plans for the chapel’s design, a simple A-frame, the layout left intentionally devoid of specific denominational features. A stained glass window designed by Donald Babcock was donated by the Southam family. Support for the chapel’s construction also came from local ski culture. Warren Miller, colloquially referred to as “dean of ski cinematographers,” held a benefit screening of his film Ski on the Wild Side and donated a portion of the proceeds to the construction of the chapel.

  • Warren Miller’s advertisement for his charity screening, with proceeds going to the Skiers’ Chapel and Ski Patrol, in Ski Trails Volume 1, No. 10, 1966.
  • The chapel’s iconic stained glass window by artist Donald Babcock. Wallace Collection

The $15,000 needed was swiftly raised, and the chapel’s construction was completed in December, the first service being held on Christmas Eve 1966. The dedication ceremony included representatives from Lutheran, United, Anglican and Jewish faiths. As Whistler expanded over the years, the chapel also grew and changed. It held regular services for many denominations, ranging from Catholic to Seventh Day Adventist. It also became a de-facto community center, as local groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and community health services utilized the space. 

  • The chapel with skis and a map of Whistler Mountain in the foreground. Whistler Mountain Ski Corporation Collection.
  • A view of the chapel’s entrance. Wallace Collection

The growth of Whistler and the chapel’s evolving role exposed the physical limitations of the A-frame building, forcing some groups such as the Whistler Community Church to split up services. Additionally, as the Creekside location developed, the chapel was forced to relocate multiple times, and was finally given the option to move to the new Village Centre. However, the projected moving cost of $10,000 and the growing spatial limitations prompted the Skier’s Chapel Society to launch a fundraising campaign for a new building in 1989. 

The Skiers’ Chapel being moved to a new location adjacent to the Whistler Mountain Ski Club Cabin in 1979. Whistler Question Collection.

The vision for what the new chapel would be had changed by 1991, becoming more ambitious with the hope of constructing a building that could fulfill the needs of both secular and faith communities in Whistler. The committee also exchanged their plot of land in Village Centre for one in Village North in 1996. Both the Catholic Church and the Whistler Community Church, two of the chapel’s larger congregations, decided to pursue their own buildings, but the Whistler Skiers’ Chapel Society continued to fundraise for a new interfaith building in the Village, spearheaded by members of the Jewish faith and United Church, as well as community members with no particular religious affiliations.

By 1999, the majority of the funds for a new building in Village North had been raised through donations from organizations including the Chan foundation, the RMOW, and the Whistler Blackcomb Foundation, as well as more personal donations. $2 million was donated by the Young and Barker families in honour of William Maurice Young, who had been the president of the Whistler Mountain Ski Corporation. When the new interfaith building opened, it was named Maurice Young Millennium Place (the building is now known as the Maury Young Arts Centre). The last service held in the original skier’s chapel was for Easter of 2000.

A proposed add-on to the Skiers’ chapel. Skiers’ Chapel Collection.
Concept Drawing for a new Christian Community Centre. Skiers’ Chapel Collection.

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