L'Equipement de l'Alpiniste 1900

This film is a heritage item from Library and Archives Canada and is only available in English.

Travelogue of a scenic trip from Banff to Mount Assiniboine, and the efforts made to climb the heights of this tremendous glacier. This film shows in detail the splendid glory of the Canadian Rocky Mountain scenery.

Source: Library and Archives Canada. Jean-Jacques Joly fonds

Douglas Freshfield’s acceptance of women in areas that some, such as Leslie Stephen, felt were only for men was publicly demonstrated in 1893, but in a different context to mountaineering. As secretary of the Royal Geographic Society, Freshfield succeeded in getting ladies admitted as members. Lord Curzon fiercely opposed this change and managed, through influence and coercion, to quickly overturn the decision. Freshfield was furious; the society was prepared to prevent the ‘eminent lady traveller Mrs Bishop (Miss Bird)’ and the RGS’s ‘Gold Medallists, the late Mrs Somerville, Lady Franklin, Miss Edwards and Miss North’ becoming members whilst conferring membership on many male members who, in contrast to these women, had contributed little to geographical understanding. The RGS reinstated women in 1913, but Freshfield resigned over the issue and it was ten years before his relationship with the society was restored – he was awarded the Gold Medal for Round Kanchenjunga in 1903. His annoyance with the Society was its inconsistency – they would award women Gold Medals but not membership. A woman introduced Freshfield to mountain exploration; he knew gender was immaterial to making geographical discoveries, as the female Gold Medallists of the society attested to. Whilst Freshfield, unlike Wills, did not overtly encourage women by his writing to go into the hills, his actions with the RGS and his climbs with various women family members show his leanings. The choice of a wife like Gussy, who was self confident and unafraid to air her firm opinions, suggests he was at ease with a greater balance and collaboration between the differing genders.

The vision of manliness as one of self-discipline and control, independent and responsible, was raised to a heroic level in the Alps. In this environment male mountaineers were often portrayed as vanquishing against the odds, displaying patriotism, fortitude, courage and endurance in the face of perilous precipices or immense icefalls. This exaggerated depiction, however, was largely imaginary; it played to what many hoped for – a fantasy for either themselves or their sons. Most men who went to the Alps were not AC members, and of those that were many did not attempt pioneering or difficult climbs. Those who did choose to climb the highest summits were united only in their love of the mountains; they had widely differing views on women’s role, the spiritual and aesthetic experience of the mountains and their love or disdain of exercise and exploration. Rather than being heroically omniscient with unlimited powers of physical and mental endurance, several mountaineers needed the rest and respite afforded by the mountains - needs that were almost the antithesis of the valiant, carefree adventurer.

Faarlund's longstanding contribution to Norwegian outdoor life is based on his holistic philosophy of nature and human dignity. He is one of the founders of the Norwegian eco-philosophy, together with Arne Næss, Sigmund Kvaløy Setreng and other philosophers and rock climbers in the 1960s. This was the start of "deep ecology", which became an important inspiration for many, including the business philosophy of the company Patagonia.

The young climbers were troubled by two questions. They came from Trondheim University of Technology. How could they explain to people why they spent so much time on life-threatening climbing routes, instead of being in the center of modern Norway?

Second was that during their hikes in the mountains, they saw how new roads and hydroelectric power construction destroyed one beautiful mountain after another. Was it really right?

Arne Næss introduced them to the 17th century philosopher Baruch Spinoza, and his pantheistic thoughts about how everything and everyone belong together, about the nature of nature and how we can identify with this nature – and then experience deep, true joy. This philosophy of everything’s own element was well suited to the new subject of ecology, studied by Nils Faarlund, which showed how living organisms depend on each other and the environment around them.

From these discussions about the philosophy of life and science, new thoughts and ideas were born. That preserving a free nature, unharmed by modern society, may not only be pleasant – maybe it is also possible to scientifically prove that it is vital to life?

And that being in nature may not only be generally pleasant and healthy – maybe it is also vital to life, on a deeper level?