Banded Peak x Guardians of the Ice Speaker Series: Mount Alberta
Five Legendary Alpinists. One Distinguished Climate Scientist. Four epic stories of ascents of Mount Alberta’s North Face.
Banded Peak Brewing Presents: The Guardians of the Ice Speaker Series - Mount Alberta
Five Legendary Alpinists. One Distinguished Climate Scientist. Four epic stories of ascents of Mount Alberta’s North Face.
The 1000-meter north face of Mt. Alberta is one of the most coveted alpine faces in the Canadian Rockies. Despite its prominence among alpinists and its beautifully intimidating final headwall, the compelling north face has resisted suitors for years. Our speakers each have an epic tale to tell about their adventures on this elusive face. This is an extraordinary once-in-a-lifetime gathering of these legendary characters.
FEATURED SPEAKERS
Jim Elzinga has been an active and influential alpinist for over 40 years. He is the founder of Guardians of the Ice, with numerous first ascents in the Canadian Rockies, the Andes, and the Himalayas. Jim received the prestigious Edmund Hillary Award for his leadership of Everest Light, a first ascent that has never been duplicated. Steve House called him “the original Canadian hard man.”
Barry Blanchard is one of North America's top alpinists, noted for pushing the standards of highly technical, high-risk alpine climbing in the Canadian Rockies and the Himalayas. Barry’s guiding purpose: to climb the steepest and most complicated faces of the world’s great glaciated peaks. One of Patagonia’s first ambassadors and a member of the R&D team, Barry is the author of an award-winning autobiography, The Calling: A Life Rocked by Mountains.
Jon Walsh is known as one of Canada’s great alpine climbers. Jon’s alpine resume is uniquely impressive – with dozens of first ascents ranging from Patagonia, The Karakoram and The Bugaboos. But it’s his climbs in the Canadian Rockies, particularly his routes on the legendary peaks like Alberta, North Twin, and Robson, that stand out the most. Jon has picked up the torch from Jim and Barry and continues to push the extremes of first ascents.
Steve House, a multi-award-winning alpinist, has compiled an impressive list of first ascents and new routes in around the world. He is the founder of Uphill Athlete, with the mission “to elevate and inspire all mountain athletes through education and celebration”. Training for the New Alpinism, Steve’s book, co-authored with Scott Johnson, was compiled to answer the question: “What do you do for training? Steve has authored multiple books, including his award-winning autobiography, Beyond the Mountain.
Steve Swenson has been climbing for over 50 years, including 20 expeditions to South Asia and multiple first ascents in the Himalayas, including K2 and Everest, both without bottled oxygen. After a 35-year consulting engineering career in water and wastewater infrastructure, Swenson retired to become a full time climber and alpinist. He is the author of Karakoram: Climbing Through the Kashmir Conflict, which was shortlisted for the Banff Mountain Literature Award.
Dr. Graham McDowell studies human vulnerability and adaptation to climate change in mountain areas. He has led projects in the Nepal Himalaya, Peruvian Andes, Rocky Mountains, Greenland, and Baffin Island, and is a two-time author with the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). He is also a member of the American Alpine Club’s Climate Task Force, and has served as a science advisor for Alpinist Magazine. He is currently the Project Leader for the Canadian Mountain Assessment, the first formal assessment of what we know, don’t know, and need to know about mountains in Canada. In his talk, Dr McDowell will describe what we know about mountains in a changing climate, including the implications of climate change for mountain recreation.
MOUNT ALBERTA BEER TASTING
Banded Peak Brewer Erick Hollstedt will discuss the partnership for the series with Jim, and take the audience through a tasting of Mount Alberta New England Pale Ale. Mount Alberta New England Pale Ale is our 5th installment in the Guardians of the Ice Speaker Series. Crafted with Sabro and Rakau hops, this beer was given a hefty dry hop to produce notes of pineapple, papaya, and coconut. $2 from every 4-pack sold will be donated to Guardians of the Ice. Mount Alberta is available online, at select liquor stores across the province, or at the Banded Peak Taproom.
GUARDIANS OF THE ICE
Guardians of the Ice is a non-profit organization that works to inspire dynamic environmental stewardship on behalf of the rapidly retreating Columbia Icefield, its watersheds, and the whole planet. For more info or to donate to Guardians of the Ice check out their website www.guardiansoftheice.com.
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upcoming events
Banded Peak x Guardians of the Ice Speaker Series: Mount Alberta
Five Legendary Alpinists. One Distinguished Climate Scientist. Four epic stories of ascents of Mount Alberta’s North Face.
Banded Peak Brewing Presents: The Guardians of the Ice Speaker Series - Mount Alberta
Five Legendary Alpinists. One Distinguished Climate Scientist. Four epic stories of ascents of Mount Alberta’s North Face.
The 1000-meter north face of Mt. Alberta is one of the most coveted alpine faces in the Canadian Rockies. Despite its prominence among alpinists and its beautifully intimidating final headwall, the compelling north face has resisted suitors for years. Our speakers each have an epic tale to tell about their adventures on this elusive face. This is an extraordinary once-in-a-lifetime gathering of these legendary characters.
FEATURED SPEAKERS
Jim Elzinga has been an active and influential alpinist for over 40 years. He is the founder of Guardians of the Ice, with numerous first ascents in the Canadian Rockies, the Andes, and the Himalayas. Jim received the prestigious Edmund Hillary Award for his leadership of Everest Light, a first ascent that has never been duplicated. Steve House called him “the original Canadian hard man.”
Barry Blanchard is one of North America's top alpinists, noted for pushing the standards of highly technical, high-risk alpine climbing in the Canadian Rockies and the Himalayas. Barry’s guiding purpose: to climb the steepest and most complicated faces of the world’s great glaciated peaks. One of Patagonia’s first ambassadors and a member of the R&D team, Barry is the author of an award-winning autobiography, The Calling: A Life Rocked by Mountains.
Jon Walsh is known as one of Canada’s great alpine climbers. Jon’s alpine resume is uniquely impressive – with dozens of first ascents ranging from Patagonia, The Karakoram and The Bugaboos. But it’s his climbs in the Canadian Rockies, particularly his routes on the legendary peaks like Alberta, North Twin, and Robson, that stand out the most. Jon has picked up the torch from Jim and Barry and continues to push the extremes of first ascents.
Steve House, a multi-award-winning alpinist, has compiled an impressive list of first ascents and new routes in around the world. He is the founder of Uphill Athlete, with the mission “to elevate and inspire all mountain athletes through education and celebration”. Training for the New Alpinism, Steve’s book, co-authored with Scott Johnson, was compiled to answer the question: “What do you do for training? Steve has authored multiple books, including his award-winning autobiography, Beyond the Mountain.
Steve Swenson has been climbing for over 50 years, including 20 expeditions to South Asia and multiple first ascents in the Himalayas, including K2 and Everest, both without bottled oxygen. After a 35-year consulting engineering career in water and wastewater infrastructure, Swenson retired to become a full time climber and alpinist. He is the author of Karakoram: Climbing Through the Kashmir Conflict, which was shortlisted for the Banff Mountain Literature Award.
Dr. Graham McDowell studies human vulnerability and adaptation to climate change in mountain areas. He has led projects in the Nepal Himalaya, Peruvian Andes, Rocky Mountains, Greenland, and Baffin Island, and is a two-time author with the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). He is also a member of the American Alpine Club’s Climate Task Force, and has served as a science advisor for Alpinist Magazine. He is currently the Project Leader for the Canadian Mountain Assessment, the first formal assessment of what we know, don’t know, and need to know about mountains in Canada. In his talk, Dr McDowell will describe what we know about mountains in a changing climate, including the implications of climate change for mountain recreation.
MOUNT ALBERTA BEER TASTING
Banded Peak Brewer Erick Hollstedt will discuss the partnership for the series with Jim, and take the audience through a tasting of Mount Alberta New England Pale Ale. Mount Alberta New England Pale Ale is our 5th installment in the Guardians of the Ice Speaker Series. Crafted with Sabro and Rakau hops, this beer was given a hefty dry hop to produce notes of pineapple, papaya, and coconut. $2 from every 4-pack sold will be donated to Guardians of the Ice. Mount Alberta is available online, at select liquor stores across the province, or at the Banded Peak Taproom.
GUARDIANS OF THE ICE
Guardians of the Ice is a non-profit organization that works to inspire dynamic environmental stewardship on behalf of the rapidly retreating Columbia Icefield, its watersheds, and the whole planet. For more info or to donate to Guardians of the Ice check out their website www.guardiansoftheice.com.
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