MAY 2002 NEWSLETTER

Peakfinder Updates
One of the ways in which groups of peaks in the Canadian Rockies may be accessed is by selecting a "major valley" and having the site return the names of all the peaks in this valley. This is particularly handy if you're planning on driving through the Rockies on one of our major highways and want to preview the peaks.

Recently the Mistaya and Kicking Horse Valleys have been added to make a total of fourteen valleys that may be accessed in this way.

Some visitors to the Peakfinder website are searching for information regarding family members of previous generations. In some cases they have provided additional information regarding individuals honoured by having a peak in the Canadian Rockies named after them. Please let us know if you have any information that you think should be included with any of the mountains.

Please note that all of the previous newsletters have been archived and are available on the site. If you're interested in other esoteric lists, unusual mountain names, etc. look through the earlier issues. 


May's Unusual Canadian Rockies Name

MOUNT GEC

The trio of climbers who made the first ascent of this peak, George Harr, Ellen Wilts, and Chuck Wilts combined the initials of their first names to make the name of this mountain. They climbed the mountain in 1948.
Enter "Mount Gec" in the Finding Peaks search box to learn more about this mountain. 

Look who's honoured in the Canadian Rockies

TOMA

Morrison McBeath, Toma, and La Grace were members of James Carnegie (Earl Of Southesk)'s 1859 expedition that travelled from the Athabasca Valley to the Bow Valley. The mountains named in their honour lie in a row along the northeast side of the upper Medicine Tent River Valley just north of Southesk Pass.

The Earl described how his men rode along the valley amid, "scenery of surpassing magnificence." After his men broke camp, "they formed a bright picture…all life, dash, rattle, and glitter…so grandly backgrounded by the stately rocks: ribbons streaming, guns swaying, whips flashing, gay colours sparkling in the sun; some approaching at a quick trot, others dashing after vagrant steeds, or urging the heavy-laden packhorses, who jogged along like elephants with castles on their backs!"

McBeath was a tall Scott who was the game keeper on the Earl's estate in Scotland. He had a dark moustache and beard, military belt and sword, and a red saddle blanket. Toma, massive, swarthy, and with black eyes that twinkled with humour was the Earl's personal attendant who he described as a, "most faithful and excellent fellow." La Grace was said to be an amusing old man who, "enlivened our halts after the weariest marches." He wore a purple shirt and with cap decorated with scarlet streamers and an ancient eagle's feather.
For information about Mount Toma enter the name in the Finding Peaks search box on the main page. For the story of James Carnegie and his 1859 expedition read his biography in the "Finding People" section.
May's Esoteric List

THE TWENTY HIGHEST PEAKS ON THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE

Mount Columbia, Mount Assiniboine, Ernest Peak, Mount Hungabee, Mount King Edward, Mount Victoria, Snow Dome, Mount Joffre, Deltaform Mountain, Mount Lefroy, Mount Sir Douglas, Walter Peak, Christian Peak, Lunette Peak, Mount Alexandra, Mount Barnard, Mount Freshfield, Oppy Mountain, Simon Peak, and Mount Fraser

For information regarding any of these passes enter the name in the "Finding Peaks" section on the front page.

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