Please Note: This video contains the story of an avalanche that injured two of the mountaineering party and includes photos of head wounds.

In the 1960s, Alice Purdey was a leader of the pack, being one of Canada's best climbers. In 1967, Alice and four fellow climbers set out to attempt the unclimbed north ridge of Mount Logan. Unlike many successful ascents, this expedition did not succeed.

An avalanche caught two of the party, leaving Alice among the rescue group and practicing her recently-learned skin-stitching skills. Thankfully the whole group made it out safely.

In this short video, Alice Purdey recounts that memorable expedition.

There were no ultralight and snug tents for the early mountaineers, as this photo from a BC Mountaineering Club camp in August 1924 shows. Today, tents for mountaineers may only hold a couple of people. In this photo though, the "men's tent" in the background would have slept a bigger group than is normal today.

Materials have also changed over the years. Whereas today, synthetic materials are lightweight and waterproof, it was probably a type of waxed canvas that mountaineers slept under. This kind of fabric would have been fairly heavy to transport. Did the mountaineers perhaps yearn for something lighter?

What is similar though is the communal eating area. The "cook tent and dining fly" seen here in the foreground is similar to expeditions today where mountaineers establish camp for a week or more.

Interested in “The Mummery” or “The Whymper” tent for camping? Or “High Grade Climbing Boots” for seven dollars?

While the earliest years of mountain exploration were very limited for clothing, equipment and supplies, later decades saw the birth of an industry of outdoor-specific gear.

This 1958 catalogue of tents and camp equipment gives a fascinating insight into everything that was available to the hiker, climber, camper or explorer in the middle of the twentieth century.

Described only as "camp" in 1914, it is likely to be one of the BC Mountaineering Club summer expeditions to the Garibaldi area. With the rope and their ice axes, these women look set for a day's trek, maybe across a glacier.

Harold O'Connor, George Wallis, and Tom Keogh (cook) at the BC Mountaineering Club's Black Tusk meadows camp, said to be "probably 1930."

For those focused on exploration, a camp cook must have been indispensable. Was the cook one of the untold heroes of these camps? It could not have been easy to cook for a large group of hungry people at roughly 1700 metres (~5500 feet), with basic supplies and probably a lot of insects swarming about. Hope he was paid well.

In the early years of exploration, taking supplies into an expedition camp meant a pack of horses and a slow journey to base camp. In later years, this got much, much easier. Here, the BC Mountaineering Club take to the skies by helicopter to reach their camp at Fairy Creek Meadows in the Selkirk Range in 1982.

High camp and above the clouds on Mount Fairweather in 1958. This major expedition by the BC Mountaineering Club was organized as a celebration of the province’s Centenary.

Details of the expedition are found in items: F205-S11(12-5)-i1, F205-S11(12-4)-i1 and F205-S11(12-4)-i2

The BC Mountaineering Club's summer camps were big expeditions. The men and women would not be able to carry camping gear, equipment, food and supplies for a large group of people in backpacks alone.

Thank goodness for horses, such as these trekking to the camp at Black Tusk meadows in 1935.

This was the sixth camp attended by G. Wallis who took the photo.

Esther Kafer and an unnamed mountaineer in a snow cave in 1967. The snow cave has been dug high enough to stand in and has shelves for cooking supplies. Does this suggest that it was perhaps a base camp for a high elevation climb rather than an overnight shelter? Esther looks quite at home here, which is not surprising, given her number of high altitude climbs over the years. Location unknown.

Without horses, BC Mountaineering Club summer camps may not have been feasible. With so many supplies to take for a large group for two or more weeks, horses were the only way to get everything they needed to the site. Even carrying one tent canvas to the site would have been heavy and bulky, let alone several tents, and all the food, blankets and equipment needed.

And with sites such as this one at Black Tusk meadows being approximately 1700 metres (~5500 feet) in elevation, these camps were a long trek to get there. Year unknown.

"Trapper Nelson" may sound like an “old timer” from the Gold Rush. It was in fact a backpack — one used by any self-respecting mountaineer. Although later upgraded to lighter packs, as James Adam Craig describes in this article, a Trapper Nelson was great as it was spacious and basic.

Here, he reminisces about his time in the BC Mountaineering Club from the mid-1950s to the 1970s. He talks of different packs as well as the necessities for camp.

His article also speaks of Gary Gordon, Fr. Damasus Payne, Martin & Esther Kafer, Dick Culbert, Glenn Woodsworth, Arnold Shives, Alice Purdey and John Clarke.

Peaks included are Mount Slesse, Mount McKinley, Mount Logan or Mount St. Elias, Lake Lovely Water, Tomyhoi-Falls River, Icewall Lake, Mount Waddington, Ape Lake, Blowdown Creek, Lillooet Icefields, Nirvana Pass and Stawamus Chief (“Squamish Chief”).

“Mountaineers in a tent” in 1911. Location unknown.

What were these men up to? The caption says mountaineers, but they look too well-dressed to be mountaineering. Some even seem to be wearing pin-striped pants and looking quite dapper — as some might have said back then. Was it an afternoon jaunt or were they actually camping and hiking?

Note their simple canvas tent held up by tree branches. The metal box in front of them may be part of a stove, as it is similar to the stove seen in 61-011.

A group of mountaineers pose for a group photo in 1914. Location unknown but likely to be a BC Mountaineering Club Camp, perhaps around the Black Tusk Meadows. The woman fifth from right reached the top of Black Tusk as she is seen in item 57-006 on the summit. How many more of these women also reached the summit?

To some, the idea of honeymooning in a basic tent high on a mountain would not be their idea of fun. For others, getting away from it all and enjoying the simple pleasures of togetherness is all they need.

While the details of their honeymoon are not known, the caption for this photo suggests that Charles and Nellie Chapman were perhaps quite content with the simple things in life and their time in the outdoors.

Paul Binkert at the Mount Fairweather base camp in 1958, looking a little weather-beaten. This major expedition by the BC Mountaineering Club was organized as a celebration of the province’s Centenary.

Details of the expedition are found in items: F205-S11(12-5)-i1, F205-S11(12-4)-i1 and F205-S11(12-4)-i2

Paul Binkert (left) at the Mount Fairweather base camp in 1958. This major expedition by the BC Mountaineering Club was organized as a celebration of the province’s Centenary. The other two mountaineers are unnamed.

Details of the expedition are found in items: F205-S11(12-5)-i1, F205-S11(12-4)-i1 and F205-S11(12-4)-i2

Mountaineers at the BC Mountaineering Club Black Tusk Meadows trip in 1916. The man in the front seems to be cleaning or maintaining his hobnail boots. A wise decision seeing how important good boots are for giving you solid grip when mountaineering.

"With a backhand flip, nature would have wiped out all of us, but for the radio, and Flt. Lt. Cameron's wish to miss the early-morning sea fog."

The "nature" in question here is not an avalanche or rock fall, but a massive tidal wave, caused by a destructive earthquake. This drama marked the end of the 1958 (BC) Centennial Project Expedition to Mount Fairweather.

This account gives a wonderful insight into the planning and implementation of this expedition, including their lucky escape from death.

A sense of adventure was not the only thing that drove early settlers to explore the mountains. Many felt attracted to the plants, insects, birds and other animals they found. For them, summer expeditions were a time to research as well as climb.

The BC Mountaineering Club had a Botanical Section that at one time had more members than active mountaineers. In 1918 they joined with Vancouver’s Arbor-Day Association to form the Vancouver Natural History Society.

In this photo, a botanist is at “work” in his tent in 1917. Although the location is unknown, it is possible he is on a summer expedition to the Black Tusk meadows area.

This photo was taken in 1935, but the location of this camp kitchen is unknown. It was probably for a BC Mountaineering Club summer expedition and may have been their camp at Black Tusk Meadows. With a group of hungry mouths to feed after a long day's climb, having a camp cook was essential.

A bugle hangs on the line by the tent. The cook would have used it to call the campers to the dining tent when their food was ready. That sound must have been a joy to hear for the campers.

After a hard day's climb, who could ask for more than dinner with friends? This photo from the "dining tent" in 1917 was likely from one of the BC Mountaineering Club's summer expedition camps.

Chatting around the table, they were likely planning their next day. But were they also thinking of how they would like to name peaks, or sharing stories of other climbs? It must have been meals like these that cemented many lifelong friendships within the club.

Breakfast time, camp style in 1909. It looks like their campfire might be just off to the right, with the smoke billowing into shot. If so, maybe they are having a hot breakfast as they warm or dry their clothes on makeshift drying posts on the right of the photo.

“Three mountaineers around make-shift stove” in 1907. Location unknown. The photo caption may have called these young men mountaineers, but were they mountaineering or actually camping close to home?

What the photo does show though is that wherever they were, they did seem keen on bringing some home comforts, like the chance to boil water for what was probably a nice cup of tea.