MAY 2001 NEWSLETTER

Peakfinder Updates This month we have added a chronology of the history of the Canadian Rockies to Peakfinder. On-line searches and filtering are not currently available but it does provide a quick reference to 165 significant events in the history of the Canadian Rockies. Information regarding all of the peaks and passes and most of the people mentioned in the chronology are available in the corresponding sections of Peakfinder. If you know of an important event that we have left out please let us know.  We continue to accumulate photos of the peaks and passes of the Canadian Rockies. If you have a favourite photo of a mountain or a pass and would like to have it placed on the site please let us know. The photos should be jpg's, ideally scanned at 72 dpi and with a width of 250 pixels. Attach them to an email and forward them to dave@peakfinder.com. You will, of course, be given credit for the photograph on the site. Peakfinder is now listed in the mountain resources sections of various websites including those of the Alpine Club of Canada, the Grant MacEwan Mountain Club, and the Rocky Mountain Ramblers. As well we are pleased to be "Recommended" on "Digital Banff" www.digitalbanff.com and referred to as "A wonderful source of information on the history and culture of the peaks of the Canadian Rockies." The Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies link directly to individual Peakfinder pages from the names of mountains and passes that are mentioned in their trip descriptions. Visit  www.canuck.com/~trcr/pallisertr.html to see what they have done to make the Peakfinder information accessible to their visitors.

May's Unusual Canadian Rockies Name HOLY CROSS MOUNTAIN (Alberta) There are two Holy Cross Mountains in the Canadian Rockies. The one in Alberta was named because of the clearly defined cross of snow that usually appears in the spring as the snows are melting off of the east facing slopes. The appearance and quality of the cross are dependent upon the snow conditions of the previous winter and it only lasts a couple of weeks at best. The peak lies just north of Highwood Gap, the point where the Highwood River passes through the front range and into the foothills. George Pocaterra named the mountain in the early 1900's after arriving from his birthplace in the Italian Alps. Late May and early June are the best time to look for the cross. Enter "Holy Cross Mountain (Alberta)" to learn more about this mountain and see a photo of the cross. Enter "George Pocaterra" in the Finding People section to learn about this interesting individual.

May's Esoteric List MOUNTAINS IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES WITH NAMES RELATED TO ANIMALS The following are the names of 33 peaks in the Canadian Rockies whose names were inspired by animals. Kakwa Mountain, Muhigan Mountain, Lynx Mountain, Amiskwi Peak, Arctomys Peak, Bucephelas Peak, Whitegoat Peaks, Goat Peak, Mount Maccarib, Moose Mountain, Pinto Mountain, Packhorse Peak, Sheep Mountain (BC), Goat Haven, La Creche Mountain, Siffleur Mountain, Panther Mountain, Cougar Mountain, Whistler Mountain, The Whistlers, Pika Peak, Aries Peak, Porcupine Peak, Sea Lion Mountain, Coronach Mountain, Missinglink Mountain, Marmot Mountain (Jasper), Marmot Mountain (Banff), Grizzly Peak, Chetamon Mountain, Waputik Peak, Grizzly Mountain, Wolverine Mountain For information regarding any of these peaks, enter their names in the Finding Peaks search box on the main page.

Look who's honoured in the Canadian Rockies LEOPOLD AMERY Leopold Charles Maurice Stennett Amery (1873-1955) was born in Britain and was a journalist with the London Times before beginning a career as a politician, serving in the British Parliament for thirty-four years. In the latter years of his career he played a role in bringing down the Chamberlain Government during the darkest days of World War II. In the great parliamentary debate of May 7, 1940, addressing Chamberlain from the government benches, he quoted Cromwellís words, "Depart, I say, and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go!" Chamberlain resigned thus opening the way for Winston Churchill, Ameryís friend from schooldays at Harrow, to become the wartime prime minister. Amery had visited the Canadian Rockies in 1909 but, "it was not until a disagreement with the electorate in the spring of 1929 released me from the cares of office that I felt that I was justly entitled to a real holiday." He had a special motive for this visit however since the Geographical Board of Canada had named Mount Amery in his honour. As a parliamentarian, Amery had promoted trade reforms with Canada and worked towards advancing the constitutional arrangements with former British colonies. The Canadian government of the day must have had great respect for him as Canadian mountains are rarely named for living persons. "To me the challenge (of making the first ascent at the age of 56) was obvious as well as "proving myself, as a mountaineer and not merely as politician, justified of the appellation." Amery was joined by Brian Meridith, a skier and Canadian Pacific Railway public relations officer and they were guided by Edward Feuz Jr. Arthur Wheeler accompanied the expedition but did not participate in the climb. A route was difficult to locate up the steep cliffs which were quite "rotten" and broke away easily. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate either and deteriorated to the point that Feuz suggested turning back. Amery insisted that they press on, writing later that when they reached the summit, "Here we felt the full force of the blizzard and were more than once hard put to it to keep our feet...I had made good my claim to Mount Amery in the mountaineering sense. The view I had to forgo." The party had to spend the night on the mountain while descending. Amery was most pleased with his climb and Edward Feuz must have been too. The guides took great pride in getting someone famous to the top of "their" mountain. [Additional Information: Amery, Leopold. "In the Rain and the Sun". London & New York: Hutchinson, 1946] Enter "Mount Amery" to see a photo of the mountain and to learn more about the peak named to honour Leopold Amery. Enter "Edward Feuz jr." to learn more about this Swiss guide who led the first ascent of Mount Amery.

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