This photo was noted as the "1st ascent, Brunswick" on Labour Day, 1909. This mountain is close to Lions Bay, BC. The background shows the Sky Pilot Massif to their left. Who the mountaineers are is unknown, though it can be imagined that they are very much enjoying the view.

While many mountaineers sought friendship and camaraderie in clubs and on group outings, others sought the solitude of mountains.

John Clarke was one of those mountaineers. Unexperienced as he joined his first ski expedition, John became a skilled mountaineer who would spend weeks at a time on his own, trekking through valleys and over peaks.

Hooked on the “dream state” of “floating in the landscape” after leaving city life behind, John claimed more than eight hundred first recorded ascents.

After witnessing the death of a friend in an avalanche, John hung up his boots and instead focused on educating youth on our fragile landscape.

Alice Purdey climbing in 1968. Location unknown.

Unlike earlier mountaineers, she is carrying more advanced equipment that is known as a rack. By carrying more gear that is more specialized, this made her climb a safer experience. This would have allowed her to attempt more difficult climbs while maintaining a reasonable level of safety.

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.

Looking at ease on a mountain face, BC Mountaineering Club members and “the first rope lunchtime, below "K.M." Pinnacle, August 1924”.

Nearly there — but there is not much room on the summit for the third climber. This incredible photo shows three BC Mountaineering Club members on the north ridge of Mount Tantalus in 1974.

At around 2600 metres, the view looking east towards Black Tusk would have been incredible.

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.

"Bill Dobson leading the way out onto Garibaldi Lake, Jack Sutherland roped in the middle and Jim Irving taking the pictures as we explored. Easter week 1928."

This photo is described as “Conquerors of the Eastern Lion” in 1908. This party may have reached the summit, but they were not the first as it was first scaled by John Latta and his two brothers in 1903.

The concept of "conquering" mountains is now understood to be a uniquely colonial attitude. A part of our interconnected world, mountains are not there to be "overcome" as in the definition of conquering. In addition, the settlers who claimed "first ascent" of a mountain were in fact claiming the first recorded ascent under the settler construct of "peak bagging". Being on the territorial lands of Indigenous Nations, wherever they were in BC, those settlers were quite possibly following in the footsteps of many Indigenous individuals who were hunting, gathering or traversing the mountains for other reasons.

As the BC Mountaineering Club's longest serving trip director, Tom Fyles must have had many stories to tell. A gifted climber, he took on many challenging routes, claiming many first recorded ascents in the process. Not content with his own climbs, he inspired many other mountaineers over the years.

This short video puts a spotlight on this popular and talented mountaineer.

Mount Tantalus may not be as famous as its neighbour Mount Garibaldi but it is almost as high. Mount Tantalus is only about sixty metres shorter. This makes climbing it just as impressive.

Here, Basil Darling is on the first recorded ascent of the peak, with a second unnamed man behind him. The second climber would have been his climbing partner Alan Morkill or J. Davies, with the photographer being the other partner. All three men recorded that first ascent.

Despite their elevation in the photo, the men look at ease on the climb.

A group of men and women mountaineers on the first recorded ascent of Fitzsimmons Peak, near Whistler, in 1924. What the photo does not show is that this peak is 2600 metres (~8500 feet) in elevation, making in impressive achievement.

Today, Mount Seymour is a half day's hike from the parking lot at the Seymour Ski Resort. Popular with families, it is a very different experience from the first recorded ascent by Charles Chapman in 1908.

On the way, Charles and his climbing buddies spotted a tree stump that looked like a water pump. Nicknaming it Pump Peak, the name stuck. Over a century later, this summit on the way to Mount Seymour is still called Pump Peak.

This short video follows Charles' grandchildren as they make the journey to the summit in honour of that 1908 ascent.

Mountaineers have to be tenacious. Not only must they keep physically clinging to the equipment, or the rock and ice that keeps them from falling, but they also have to keep going even when their route is blocked, or their plans change.

In this video, Martin and Esther Kafer, along with friend Dave Boyd, show just want tenacity is, as they climb to the summit of Mount Monarch at over 3500 metres (over 11,500 feet).

Early settler mountaineers fell in love with the Garibaldi area. Their passion for this special place led them to advocate for its protection.

This love for the area is clear to see in the photo albums of Neal Carter, an early BC mountaineer. These pages are an extract from expeditions to the Garibaldi region. The care and attention he has put into these pages suggests just how much the mountains meant to him.

The peak these "mountaineers" have climbed is unknown, but it does look to be fairly high and exposed. Taken in 1910, the men look more dressed for a picnic than hiking or mountaineering. But they all look like they have taken this climb in their stride.

Today we view the equipment available to early climbers as basic. Hobnail boots and hemp ropes may seem to lack sophistication. But the mountaineers of the time were still looking for the best they could get. They sought out equipment from experts and would know the advantages and disadvantages of what was available. And as innovations came along, they were keen to test them out.

Here, Ralph Hutchinson talks of the differences between early Vibram soles and the older Tricouni nails used on boots.

Jim Hudson is roped up as he climbs the Camel's Head in 1924. But any climbing instructor today would tell him to get down immediately. With a rope tied simply around his middle and no helmet or anchor points, he had every chance of being seriously injured if he fell. For early mountaineers though, he was not doing anything unusual. Times have definitely changed.

The rope here was also likely not even meant for his safety. Instead, once he reached the top he would have used it to support a less experienced climber by pulling in the rope as they climbed.

Michael Feller looking happy after reaching the summit of Rhododendron, recorded as the first ascent in July 1971. This mountain is near Pemberton, BC.

Nellie Chapman, Phyllis Dyke, Rachel Moore, Mable Burns and an "anchorman” named only as Phong. The group are on a glacier near Mount Garibaldi, 1910.

They may be on Sphinx Glacier or Phoenix Glacier, with Garibaldi Lake in the background.

Mountaineering in the mid 1900s “was a time still, when it did not cost us a month’s salary to equip ourselves. This was before the Technocrats arrived to market ever most costly gear.” In other words, some mountaineers still appreciated the more basic equipment of earlier decades.

This article by James Adam Craig recounts his memories and opinions on equipment and the joys of mountaineering and expeditions.

In 1910 when this photo was taken, waterproof clothing would have been a dream. These “mountaineers descending in snow" might have been glad they waterproofed their leather boots, otherwise they would be hiking down on frozen feet. They might also be in a hurry to return to camp to warm their hands trapped in those wet wool gloves.

Location unknown.

This intriguing photo shows "mountaineers walking up snow pack” in 1916. The location is unknown, though the type of trees suggest they are quite high in elevation. However, the man in the lead appears to be wearing a shirt and tie.

Peggy East — maybe looking a little chilly — on the Peak of Mount Bishop during a BC Mountaineering Club trip in 1924.

Nellie Chapman in 1913. Location unknown.

Pagers were the way to reach someone in an emergency in the days before most people had a smartphone in their pockets or by their bedside. Pagers were therefore the way in which the early North Shore Rescue team members were reached when a call came in.

This 1994 training manual is a great insight into how North Shore Rescue operated at a time that was more advanced than the technology they had in the earliest years, but before the high-tech advances of the 21st century.

Mountaineers on a glacier, looking towards "Castle Towers” near Garibaldi Lake, “at 8000 ft“ (approximately 2400 metres) in 1916.

One of the most intriguing things about this photo is the decorative hat and coat worn by the woman in the foreground. Why was this her choice? Were they old clothes no longer smart enough for city life? Was the hat's wide brim to keep her face out of the sun? Or did she just want to add a touch of class to her outdoor wear?

Soulmates, adventurers, entrepreneurs…to those with at least a little knowledge of the early explorations of the North Shore Mountains, Don and Phyllis Munday need no introduction.

Their devotion to exploration and to each other led them to creating a life among the peaks, and a home in a cabin on the slopes of Grouse Mountain. This short video charts their time together.

James Adam Craig was a man who climbed in summer and skied in winter. These snippets of reminiscences of his time in the mountains give some insight into what it was like to head into the mountains before the days of good access roads or trails — or as he tells it, when “a tent didn’t require a book of instructions to assemble.”

Michael Feller’s wildlife encounters could make many green with envy — from a wolverine following him on a ski trip, to a marten visiting him in his hut, among many others. His time in the mountains gave him a love of the area and the animals that lived there. Many of his travels took him to the Pinecone Burke region.

This led him to join the Pinecone Burke Study Team who were tasked by the Province to determine if the area should become a Provincial Park. Their hard work paid off and in 1995 the area was protected, becoming one of several Provincial Parks near to Metro Vancouver.

"In the dawn twilight I saw the peak of Mount Waddington rising steeply 13,000 feet into the sky and I knew before the day was over I'd be on top—or dead."

Esther Kafer was the first woman to reach the summit of BC's highest mountain in 1962. Despite her fears, having lost friends in an accident on the peak two years before, she reached the 4019-metre summit with husband Martin after almost nine hours of climbing from their final base camp. In this newspaper article, she talks through that final push for the summit.

A CBC producer and cameraman joined the 1958 BC Centennial ascent of Mount Fairweather. Inexperienced as they were, their tenacity seemed to be intact as they made it across the Fairweather Glacier to reach Base Camp — no small feat in itself. From there, the mountaineers continued onwards for the actual ascent.

This article charts both the climb, and the views of the journalists on this extraordinary journey.

"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.

Climbing the Lions in an "old suit and pair of shoes that were no longer decent enough for ordinary wear," and being the first recorded climber of the East Lion gives some clue as to the contents of this article.

Written by John Latta, it describes a six-day expedition in 1905 of him and his brothers William and Robert as they decided to climb the Lions. They were all aged around twenty and had no experience, making them either brave or foolhardy — or both. They were not the first known climbers of the Western Lion, but they were recorded as the first to climb the Eastern Lion.

Holly (last name unknown), Nellie Chapman and two unnamed mountaineers on the slopes of Black Tusk. Nellie explains in the photo caption that she and Holly “climbed part way up the chimney and through the shale which slid from them”, which they found to be “rather exciting”. She also notes that the snow on the downslope is from a “moving glacier”. Taken in 1910.

Perhaps another name for Mount Tantalus could be Mount Tantalizing. This account of the exploration of the Tantalus Range shows that for some climbers they got close but not close enough.

In the meantime, these mountaineers climbed other peaks and gave names to features that are well known today, such as Lake Lovely Water.

Neal Carter and some of his fellow BC Mountaineering Club climbers had a goal to reach the summit of Mount Tantalus. Their “assault” on the mountain was not successful. They got close but not close enough to reach the top. The photos in this album show their multi-day journey camping in the snow, crossing crevices, and traversing near-vertical snow slopes, only to have the mountain — twice — foil their goal.

A century ago, mountaineers saw mountains as a place to “conquer.” The use of the term “assault” here reflected the physical challenges that mountaineering presented and the need to overcome them. Today, with a more holistic view of relationships with the land and a reflection on colonial attitudes, “conquering” mountains is a concept being relegated to the history books.

When the BC Mountaineering Club hit the age of fifty, the members chose to produce a booklet of memories, and fortunately for us today, we can read them here.

This is a great account of the early years of the BCMC — memories of the intrepid explorers who made the mountains their home-from-home.

• Cabins, Camps and Climbs, 1907-1911, by Frank H. Smith
• Early Days of the BC Mountaineering Club, by R. M. Mills
• Recollections, by Charles Dickens
• Reminiscences, by Professor John Davidson
• The Conception and Birth of the Vancouver Natural History Society, by Professor John Davidson
• The Story of Garibaldi Park, by L. C. Ford
• Some Reminiscences of 1920-1926 With the BCMC, by Neal M. Carter
• Snow Peaks, Mount Judge Howay, by Tom Fyles
• Robie Reid, First Recorded Ascent, June 1925, by Elliot Henderson
• Waddington Diary - 1936, by Elliot Henderson
• Waddington Area - 1956, by Jo Yard
• Anniversary Peak, by Roy Mason
• Bushwacking, by R. A. Pilkington
• A Mountain (song), by R. Culbert

Getting closer to the summit of Mount Garibaldi and to achieving the first successful recorded ascent of the mountain. The mountaineers are roped up below the main peak. The party are Arthur Tinniswood Dalton, William Tinniswood Dalton, James John Trorey, Atwell Duncan Francis Joseph King, T. Pattison, and G. B. Warren.

For a woman afraid to climb a ladder, but who is addicted to climbing mountains, including Bolivia's 7000 metre (23,000) foot Ancohuma Mountain, the question must surely be asked — why?

This 1968 newspaper article and interview with Esther Kafer explores her addiction of climbing mountains and the journey to the summit of Bolivia's tallest mountain.

"A nightmare molded [sic] in rock" was how Don Munday described the main tower of Mount Waddington. Still, this was "a nightmare" that he and wife Phyllis Munday were out to get the better off as they faced their fears.

This is a first-person account of their journey to the northwest summit of Mount Waddington. They may not have reached the higher main tower, yet their climb took them higher than anyone was known to have climbed in BC at that time.

Unknown mountaineers on the summit of Black Tusk (2319 metres) in 1914. The peak was first climbed in 1912, and although it is not known when the first woman reached the summit, it is likely that the woman in this photo may have been one of the first; being followed in later years by many more.

Three things were important to Phyllis Munday — her family (husband Don and daughter Edith), mountaineering and the Girl Guides. She poured her heart and soul into them, becoming beloved in all three areas.

This newspaper article describes her life and her loves over five decades from around the time her father told a young Phyllis "you've climbed one mountain, why do you want to climb more?". If ever there were "famous last words," it might be those.

G. B. Warren, James John Trorey, and Atwell Duncan Francis Joseph King display a Union Jack flag on the summit of Mount Garibaldi, having claimed the first recorded ascent in 1907.

Also on the expedition, were Arthur Tinniswood Dalton, William Tinniswood Dalton, and T. Pattison.