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Tricouni
Mountain climber
Vancouver
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Topic Author's Original Post - Aug 10, 2018 - 10:07am PT
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A few people on this forum will probably remember Tim Auger. He climbed extensively at Squamish in the 1960s, where he made the 2nd ascent of the Grand Wall (to Dance Platform) and 1st ascent of University Wall. He climbed in Yosemite for a few seasons, made two trips to the Himalayas (successful on Pumori), but spent most of his life in mountain rescue with the Warden Service in Banff National Park.
Tim had been in poor health for a few years, and he died last night, age 72, in Banff.
Glenn Woodsworth
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Larry Nelson
Social climber
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Aug 10, 2018 - 10:10am PT
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Condolences to all who knew him.
Sounds like he was a great guy.
This world desperately needs more like Tim.
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Tricouni
Mountain climber
Vancouver
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 10, 2018 - 10:18am PT
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Tim received the Banff film festival award of excellence maybe 10 years ago, the citation read:
From his early days of climbing drain pipes and telephone poles in his native Winnipeg to the walls of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, moving up (and sometimes down) has been an important part of Tim Auger’s life. Inspired by the escapades of Walter Bonatti and Fosco Maraini’s book, Karakoram: The Ascent of Gasherbrum IV, Tim started climbing at the Squamish Chief and, in 1964 at the age of 18, joined Dan Tate in the second ascent of Grand Wall. “I thought I’d died and gone to heaven”, is how he described the two-day climb. Later, Tim made the first ascent of University Wall at Squamish, so named because hat’s where he was supposed to be at the time!
In 1967, Tim joined the trail crew in Yoho National Park, which was his introduction to a lifelong career with the Park Service in the Canadian Rockies. For six years, he was stationed as a seasonal warden at Lake O’Hara, which he describes as “the most beautiful place on earth, but don’t tell anybody!” From 1975 to the present, Tim has worked in the Banff search and rescue and avalanche safety programs, and has been the supervisor of the area rescue team since 1981. He has worked to refine the helicopter sling rescue system, to develop rescue pilot standards, and researched avalanche probing methods.
Tim has been climbing for over 40 years. In the 1970s, he made early Canadian ascents in Yosemite and the Sierras, including Triple Direct on El Capitan and first winter ascents of the East Face of Keeler
Needle on Mount Whitney and the East Face of Washington Column. He participated in the birth of waterfall ice climbing in Canada with first ascents of Bourgeau Right and Left-Hand routes. And in northern Canada, his ascents include the East Ridge of Mount Logan, where he survived a spectacular 600-metre fall while descending from the summit.
Internationally, he has climbed the South Ridge of Pumori in Nepal and was a member of the Canadian Mount Everest Expedition of 1982. At home in the Rockies, his “best climbing moments” include the third ascent of the East Face of Mount Babel, the North Face of Mount Alberta, and the rock routes Ultra Brewers on Castle Mountain and Homage to the Spider
on Mount Louis.
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Tricouni
Mountain climber
Vancouver
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 10, 2018 - 10:48am PT
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. Tim Auger is one of the two most talented rock climbers I climbed with. When he was about 15 years old, Jim Baldwin and Ed Cooper were making the first ascent of the Grand Wall at Squamish. Tim's bedroom was plastered with newspaper clippings and photos of the climb, Tim's father was publisher of the Vancouver Province, at that time an ok newspaper, and many good prints of unpublished photos graced Tim's walls.
Tim went on some trips with the BCMC, including the infamous first ascent of the east peak of Edge in the Golden Ears area with Dick Culbert and Peter Thompson. But his real love was rock climbing. From about 1964 to 1972 he was very active at Squamish, racking up a dozen or so first ascents and climbing with many people, including me but mainly with Mike Wisnicki, Dan Tate, and Hamish Mutch in his earlier years and with Gordon Smaill, Neil Bennett, and one memorable climb with Dick Culbert in the 1970s. Of his earlier climbs, he was proudest of the second ascent of the Grand Wall (to the Dance Platform) with Dan Tate in 1965. His best Squamish climb was no doubt the first ascent of University Wall (with me, Hamish and Dan Tate) in 1966. And later that year he was in the wedding party when Joy and I got married.
My last rock climb with Tim was the first free ascent of Papoose One in 1967. I remember a gloriously warm fall day and a very pleasant (if difficult, for me) climb, and I think we both knew that it was probably our last day together on the cliffs.
Together with Dick Culbert, Tony-Judy Ellis (the Tony part, anyways), and me, Tim was one of the most active of the buildering community that haunted the UBC campus (mostly after dark) in the 1960s. He was always up for a good adventure, whether it be buildering or floating down Hell's Gate on the Fraser River in an inner tube.. One time he crossed the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco on the girders and I-beams under the bridge. At the south end, they rappelled off the bridge into what was then a military base (the Presidio) and had to make an "interesting" escape.
He climbed in Yosemite, doing a few new routes, and was featured as the "token Canadian" in Warren Harding's book Downward Bound. Of two trips to the Himalayas, the Everest one didn't work out too well, but he loved the successful Pumori expedition.
Tim spent his working life with Parks Canada, working on trail crews to begin with, but soon moved to Canmore, joining the newly formed Mountain Rescue Group as a warden in Banff. By the time he retired, he was recognized as one of the foremost mountain rescue experts in North America. He continued to climb, too: fine new routes on Mt Louis and South Goodsir, an ascent of the north face of Mt Alberta, the north face of Mt Temple, and many others. He continued to climb at a high standard well into his sixties. Honours came his way, but he remained fun-loving, humorous, quirky and self-effacing as he always was.
We never lost touch with one another. Tim and his wife, Sherry, would often stay with us on their infrequent visits to Vancouver, and dinner with them and friends was a highlight for all of us. My last hike with him was in the Kananaskis area near his home. I think it was actually the first time I had been in the mountains (not crags) with him; various big plans over the years had never materialized. But this trip was hard to beat: it was one of those beautiful late summer days when the bugs were finished and it was not too hot and not too cold. Tim pointed out the names of all the peaks we could see, and we had a relaxing day, just smiling at one another, enjoying in each other's company in the mountains that we both love so much.
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Oplopanax
Mountain climber
The Deep Woods
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Aug 10, 2018 - 11:08am PT
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A true inspiration, and the author of the hardest 5.8 in the Rockies to boot.
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Chief
climber
The NW edge of The Hudson Bay
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Aug 10, 2018 - 12:51pm PT
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A very sad day.
The passing of a legend and an exemplary Canadian.
Condolences to Tim’s family and friends.
PB
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Aug 10, 2018 - 12:59pm PT
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In Yosemite
Too Many Darts 5.8 A1, Bob Schneider, Tim Auger 1971
Mass Assault 5.9, Ken Boche, Dennis Hennek, Judy Sterner, Russ McLean, Sibylle Hechtel, Tim Auger, Mike Farrell, 3/1972
Nob Hill Ropist 5.8, Chuck Pratt, Tim Auger, Jerry Anderson, 4/1973
Deception Gully 5.9, Chuck Pratt, Tim Auger, Jerry Anderson, 4/1973
Inner Reaches 5.7, Chuck Pratt, Tim Auger, Jerry Anderson, 4/1973
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shipoopoi
Big Wall climber
oakland
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Aug 10, 2018 - 01:03pm PT
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sorry to lose a canadian legend. condolences to family and friends, ss
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Lynne Leichtfuss
Sport climber
moving thru
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Aug 10, 2018 - 01:29pm PT
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My very best to his loved ones,family and friends. What a great life lived and an example for new generations.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Aug 10, 2018 - 01:53pm PT
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Very sad to hear this. Never had the pleasure of meeting him but heard what a good person he was.
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mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
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Aug 10, 2018 - 02:00pm PT
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Seriously sorry Tim is gone. He lived a good life. I was happy to have met him in fall of '70 in Camp 4.
Fine epitaph and photo. Thanks.
Mouse
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Oplopanax
Mountain climber
The Deep Woods
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Aug 10, 2018 - 02:19pm PT
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There's also the famous 5.7 "Too Hard for Auger" on Mt Cory, way up above the Hole in the Wall. iirc Tim had told people it'd be a difficult 5.11+ line and it was only when two climbers trekked way up there loaded for bear with a drill and 100+ bolts did they realize it was actually a cruiser two pitch easy arete
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CaNewt
Mountain climber
Davis, CA
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Aug 10, 2018 - 02:36pm PT
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Smiling, laughing, engaging. Always interested in how you were doing and what you were up to. I am saddened and will miss Tim.
Tim and I were playing darts one morning and decided to climb Bridalveil Falls-East Side. We started in the wrong place and continued to do a new route to the hanging valley above he falls. But, alas we had played "Too Many Darts" and ended up with a bivouac before descending the Gunsight the next morning between lower and middle Cathedral rocks back to the Valley. We had a short rack and at one steep pitch, a wide crack led upward. Tim in his creative way grabbed a large rock off the ledge, jammed it in the crack, tied it off, and led on.
My deep condolences to Tim's family. I will miss him.
Bob Schneider
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Chief
climber
The NW edge of The Hudson Bay
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Aug 10, 2018 - 02:52pm PT
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Maybe someone will tell us the story of “The Auger Sanction”?
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norm larson
climber
wilson, wyoming
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Aug 10, 2018 - 02:57pm PT
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Sorry to hear this. Never met him but certainly heard of him many times over the years. A legend and according to all a really good guy. Condolences to all that were close.
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Peter Arbic
climber
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Aug 10, 2018 - 04:24pm PT
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It's not actually "Too Hard for Auger" on Mt Cory but you have the gist of a story. Tim would never disinform to dissuade ...however the authors of that route are also those who climbed and named "The Auger Sanction" , Les Deux Tete Gross , Larry and Grant. they may have what our distiguished reader from No Name Rd is after.
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Tricouni
Mountain climber
Vancouver
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 10, 2018 - 04:39pm PT
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What's the story on the Auger Sanction?
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Chris Jones
Social climber
Glen Ellen, CA
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Aug 10, 2018 - 05:30pm PT
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Tim Auger was one of the nicest guys and finest climbers among so many talented Canadians of the 1970s and beyond. Those mid-1970s days of pioneering waterfall ice climbing in the Canadian Rockies were epic by any standard. A wonderful man by any measure.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Outside the Asylum
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Aug 10, 2018 - 06:59pm PT
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Tim was an outstanding climber, mountaineer, and rescuer, and also a really nice and modest fellow. My sympathies to Sherry and his family.
As Glenn said, Tim's father was publisher of The Province in Vancouver, when it was a respectable paper. Fred was from Okotoks, Alberta, of all places - home of THE Big Rock. (An erratic in the middle of the prairies.) With Tim's interests, it is no surprise that The Province covered climbing and mountaineering extensively in the 1960s, sponsored the annual Province hikes on local mountains, etc. Plus Paddy Sherman, another active mountaineer, held a senior position at the paper. https://passages.winnipegfreepress.com/passage-details/id-54279/Fred_Auger
In 1945, Hugh MacLennan wrote a famous book titled Two Solitudes. It was about relations between French and English Canadians. A seminal bit of sociology, and also the year that Tim was born. The theme had relevance to Canadian mountaineering, and to some extent still does. (Perhaps Chris has a wider perspective regarding this.)
Canada is larger in area than the USA, and has 10% of the population. There's lots of separation at the best of times, although economic growth and improvements in transportation have helped. Until the 1980s (at least), the world of Canadian climbing was rather regional - Quebec, southern Ontario, Alberta, then BC. It was also quite fragmented. In the 1970s, we often saw Washington climbers in Squamish, but rarely those from Alberta - usually, of course, Calgary or Canmore. We would see them on trips to the Bugaboos or Roger's Pass, sometimes in Yosemite, and a little later in Banff, for those who ventured Rockies ice climbing. But there were to some extent several solitudes, and different cultures in Canadian climbing. If anything, our compass pointed south, not east, and we didn't have a lot of time for the stodgy and very Rockies-oriented Alpine Club of Canada - or for that matter, most organizations...
(Of course, as time went on this changed.)
It's a bit like the different climbing cultures that evolved in the USA - southern California, northern California, the northwest, Utah, Colorado, the East, and so on. There was always some communication and cross-fertilization, but also a lot of separation.
Tim was one of the first modern Canadian climbers to really bridge that gap, with roots solidly in climbing at Squamish, on the Coast, and in Yosemite, the Sierra, and elsewhere, transplanted to the Rockies. He probably didn't think of it that way - he simply wanted a life in the mountains, and the only career choice then apart from geology was search & rescue, in the Rockies. And made the most of it.
ps Was the correct pronunciation "O-J", or "Od-Jer"?
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Chief
climber
The NW edge of The Hudson Bay
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Aug 10, 2018 - 07:06pm PT
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Well said Anders.
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guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
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Aug 10, 2018 - 07:29pm PT
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Oh this is really sad as I have lost contact with Tim over the years. Stellar guy, great climber and one of the nicest people you could ever meet. I spent some quality time with Tim in Yosemite and later a visit to Lake O'Hara in the summer of 71. Yes, a most spectacular place and I still have vivid memories of it. Auger and Rowell together could easily have been a cover piece for GQ magazine
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BruceHildenbrand
Social climber
Mountain View/Boulder
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Aug 10, 2018 - 08:24pm PT
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If memory serves me correctly, the 1972 issue of Ascent has Tim Auger on the cover during the first winter ascent of Keeler Needle with Warren Harding and Galen Rowell(no points for guessing who took the killer photo!) RIP!
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Bad Climber
Trad climber
The Lawless Border Regions
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Aug 10, 2018 - 08:33pm PT
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What a great man. Wished I'd met him. Condolences all around.
BAd
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Fossil climber
Trad climber
Atlin, B. C.
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Aug 10, 2018 - 08:37pm PT
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Thanks, Tricouni, for the reminiscences on Tim's life. Wonderful man. Huge loss to friends, loved ones, the climbing community.
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Peter Arbic
climber
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Aug 10, 2018 - 11:38pm PT
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The Auger Sanction is a waterfall climb on the north side of MT Nye, partially visible from Sunshine ski area , first climbed by Larry Stanier and Grant Statham? . It is not exactly road side and far from a classic but Tim skied in and climb it too, just to say he had. The ACMG obit also mentions that he led Sea of Vapours at the age of 50 but fails to mention that it was the first ascent of the season ...in October.
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Aug 11, 2018 - 09:27am PT
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That Rowell photo really inspired me.
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McHale's Navy
Trad climber
From Panorama City, CA
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Aug 11, 2018 - 10:44am PT
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If memory serves me correctly, the 1972 issue of Ascent has Tim Auger on the cover during the first winter ascent of Keeler Needle with Warren Harding and Galen Rowell(no points for guessing who took the killer photo!) RIP!
One of the all time best shots. Those guys must have been trippin - like getting high on the mountains.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Outside the Asylum
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Aug 11, 2018 - 03:51pm PT
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In 1967, Glenn wrote "A Climber's Guide to the Squamish Chief and Surrounding Areas" (but not the Touch and Go Towers...), the first standalone guidebook for Squamish. Tim did the cover, as well as line drawings to illustrate the routes.
Here is the cover:
I suspect that it's based on a photo, but don't know of who or what.
And here is Tim's drawing of the routes on the right side of the Apron. Lots of adventure left!
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Kid Cossack
climber
MiniHawk from Hawkdom
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Aug 11, 2018 - 03:51pm PT
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l set up a new topic by accident. I think l posted something over 12 years ago. Tim was an old friend one of the Frost Backs that taught me how to climb in Yosemite In 1971. They named us us Yankees. We called the English Limeys & Canadians Frostbacks. The last time l talked with Tim was in 2006 or 2007 about coming to a Yosemite reunion. l had to drop it all because my elderly mom had a house fire & needed help. I would like to do another Yosemite Reunion next year. Also, if someone could give me Sherry Augers phone number, l would appreciate it. You can give me a text at 760-819-1889. I miss all my early climbing partners & teachers Bugs McKief, Tim Auger, Rob Wood, George & Nancy Homer. I have some lively stories about all these guys. Bugs & George have passed away but if any of you Frostbacks still have contact with Rob wood, Ray Gillie, Gordie Smeal or others that knew Bruce & I, please give me a call or text. Thank you.
I think most are aware that Bruce died in 2000. Anyway, l have lost all phone numbers. I would like to talk to many old friends & also set up another reunion. Recently, l lost a close buddie Jim Petigrew. Keith Nannery our other partner on the NA Wall back in 1972 is living in England. I talk to him often. he was a friend of Tim. I will miss Tim"s big smile & laughter. All those guys were a lot of fun to hang out & climb with.
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Aug 11, 2018 - 08:44pm PT
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Kid Cossack = Ellie Hawkins
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wayne w
Trad climber
the nw
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Aug 11, 2018 - 09:56pm PT
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My condolences to Tim's family and friends. I climbed the University Wall for the first time last week, and was so incredibly impressed by everything about it. I had read the story in Gripped that Ivan Hughes wrote about the FA, just before our ascent, and was thinking of the FA team as we made our way up the wall.
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Bad Climber
Trad climber
The Lawless Border Regions
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Aug 12, 2018 - 08:18pm PT
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What a great shot, Chris! Some real Canadian legends in that shot. Too many of them gone too soon.
BAd
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Baconfat
Mountain climber
Victoria
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Aug 13, 2018 - 09:04pm PT
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Thanks for dinner at Herald st cafe and all the evenings at OHARA.
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Aug 13, 2018 - 09:52pm PT
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hey there say, tricouni... chris jones, mighty hiker and all...
i did not know him... my deep condolences, to his family, and loved ones...
thank you, and thank you to all, that shared memories of him, and
about who he was, and things he did...
thus, i have learned about someone, very special...
thank you for sharing, of your friend...
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Baconfat
Mountain climber
Victoria
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Aug 14, 2018 - 12:10am PT
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Frostback; no, sorry, not Tim L. I lived one summer as Custodian of ACC hut.
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Baconfat
Mountain climber
Victoria
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Aug 14, 2018 - 11:35am PT
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I was at O'Hara from June to Sept 72, as I recall. The route from there to Abbot was up a continuous scree slope - egg sized loose pebbles all the way.
The other side, down to Lake Louise, was ice field which, in late summer, was in a state of continuous movement. Without the hut it would be hard to summit Mnt Victoria in a day.
Not to mention that just getting into O'Hara is reserved for the rich and the lucky.
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hamie
Social climber
Thekoots
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Aug 14, 2018 - 12:19pm PT
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Just heard the sad news this morning. One of our best all-around "good guys". The north face of Alberta is one of 3 or 4 climbs in the Rockies which separates the men from the boys.
A while back, when climbers still had to register in and out for climbs in the national parks, some mutual friends had to bivouac on Mt. Louis. They had been stuck behind a slow, rock-dropping party. Early next morning a chopper showed up, and Tim hailed them with a loud speaker, asking if they needed a rescue. Mortified at the prospect of being rescued, especially by Tim, they waved him off, giving him the universal "NO" diagonal arms signal. Reputations were saved!
More recently I went to the national parks visitor centre in Banff, and inquired about the name of a newly published book on mountain rescue in the parks. The middle-aged lady that I spoke to had not heard of it. (Guardians of the Peaks, by Calvert and Portman. Lots of references to Tim.) Next I asked her if she had heard of Tim Auger. She put her hands together in front of her face, and bowed her head in respect. He had reached demi-god status within the parks community.
Cheers, Tim. You done us proud.
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guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
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Aug 14, 2018 - 12:22pm PT
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Thanks Hamie!
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Oplopanax
Mountain climber
The Deep Woods
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Aug 14, 2018 - 12:56pm PT
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Is that roof pic of The Terror hamie?
Or, more likely, Great Roof on El Cap I guess.
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hamie
Social climber
Thekoots
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Aug 14, 2018 - 09:26pm PT
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Just The Terror, Oplo. It would have been such a blast to do the Nose with Tim. I wish.
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SandyF
Trad climber
Calgary, AB
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Aug 15, 2018 - 11:50am PT
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Tim performed a rescue of my late partner in 2003 after my partner fell on Bonanza in the Ghost River Climbing area just inside the Banff park boundary. It was a horrible day followed by many more as I lost the love of my life at that time. Tim's professionalism and skill gave me as much comfort as was possible during those horrible hours on a little ledge. I will always hold him in very high regard and am sad to hear of his passing. 72 is much too young and my condolences to his family, friends and all who loved him.
Thanks Tim for your help and hard work 15 years ago, Sept. 6, 2003. I won't ever forget you.
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jstan
climber
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Aug 15, 2018 - 01:10pm PT
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We all have a feeling as to whether some one has passed early, but I have not seen this made a little more quantitative. Using the 2018 actuarial life table, at the indicated ages, the probability of death in the next five years may be calculated.
Age Male Female
40 1% 1%
45 2% 1%
50 3%. 2%
55 4% 3%
60 6% 4%
65 8% 5%
70 12% 8%
75 19%. 13%
80 29% 22%
85 44%. 36%
90 64%. 55%
95 81%. 74%
100. 90% 86%
105. 96%. 95%
Statistics permit one to get a five cent cup of coffee for five cents. But the logic for 65 as a retirement age seems supported. For ages below 60, women have about a five year advantage over men, but that advantage subsequently becomes reduced. As though sex independent mechanisms for death come into play above 60.
Would be interesting to see these statistics compared between patriarchal and matriarchal cultures.
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AP
Trad climber
Calgary
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Aug 15, 2018 - 01:49pm PT
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I heard that the Auger Sanction was a great sandbag as Tim said to Larry something about maybe Grade 4, not too bad an approach, and should go in a day. I think Larry and Grant found it was Grade 6 and they had to bivy before they got back to the car. Maybe PA can confirm this
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Peter Arbic
climber
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Aug 17, 2018 - 01:16pm PT
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I can only confirm it did not feel like grade 4 The approach was heinous, we bivied twice as it was and might have again on the way out crossing sunshine meadows in the dark in a whiteout without a compass except another night out would have meant being met in the am at the Sunshine boundary rope by an search party and death by exhaustion seemed a more palatable option for both of us. Still an active member of the Never Rescued by Wardens Club.
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AP
Trad climber
Calgary
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Aug 17, 2018 - 03:05pm PT
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Right I forgot you did Alberta with Tim. Just after Trevor and JoJo bailed due to storm
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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California, now Ireland
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Aug 17, 2018 - 04:33pm PT
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I didn't know him but he sounds like he was a good person. RIP
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Darwin
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Aug 17, 2018 - 10:38pm PT
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From Clint's post
Inner Reaches 5.7, Chuck Pratt, Tim Auger, Jerry Anderson, 4/1973]
This sounds interesting. I bet it's 5.7, he. he he. he he ha ha HAAA.
Bruce, Thanks for pointing out the Keeler Needle photo. I didn't know that.
I'm sorry for his passing.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Aug 18, 2018 - 09:03am PT
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This is some truly unfortunate news as Tim was very high on my interview list for the Elevated Lives Project. I first became aware of Tim through that amazing Ascent cover shot on Keeler and this article.
http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/3116367/East-of-the-High-Sierra-Galen-Rowell-Climbing-March-1973
When I started ice climbing in Banff during the 90s Tim was the warden and always a really solid source of information on avalanche and route conditions. I always intended to buy him a steak dinner for all of his help and advice while climbing there but it never happened and I didn't get to even meet him which is regrettable now.
RIP Tim you helped and saved a lot of folks in trouble in those wild mountains for which we should all be grateful.
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Tricouni
Mountain climber
Vancouver
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 18, 2018 - 06:24pm PT
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Thank you all for your photos and stories. Keep them coming. Tim's family is trying to gather this sort of material for a memorial website. If you have anything -- stories, photos -- you can email me at
gwoodsworth@hotmail.com
Thanks....
Glenn Woodsworth
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hamie
Social climber
Thekoots
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Aug 20, 2018 - 01:23pm PT
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Here's another tribute which I ran across yesterday:
"Over the past 30 years, there is probably no one person who has assisted in rescuing as many visitors in the mountain parks as Tim Auger. He embodies an unsurpassed modesty, creativity, and a dedication to the sport of mountaineering and safety."
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Outside the Asylum
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Sep 16, 2018 - 06:51pm PT
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A memorial to Tim, in today's Toronto Globe & Mail:
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-climber-tim-auger-became-an-expert-in-mountain-rescues/
A photo of the first practice rescue at Squamish, in 1967 or 1968, when they climbed part way up the Grand Wall, and lowered a stretcher. Tim in white shirt, second from right, with bottle. Perhaps his very first 'rescue'. Names TBA.
Other people in the photo include Mab and Colin Oloman, Gordie Smaill, Jim Sinclair, Tony Cousins, and Gordie Smaill.
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Tricouni
Mountain climber
Glenn Woodsworth, Vancouver
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 16, 2018 - 10:29pm PT
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2nd from right: Tim Auger. Hi girlfriend Linda is behind him. Mike Wisnicki is to the right of Linda. Mike's girfriend (can't remembe3r her name) is next top Mike, with her arm around him.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Outside the Asylum
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Sep 17, 2018 - 08:31pm PT
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A source will provide names of those in Wade's photo.
For the lightweights who didn't make it on Saturday:
Luckily, we had a window of only showery weather, between heavy rain during much of the day.
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Lawrence of O'Hara
climber
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This is a draft of a story for Alpinist and it hopefully answers the question around the Auger Sanction:) It was a classic 90’s Canmore party. Kids were going wilder than adults except maybe Tim Auger. Tim was on the floor vividly acting out a tale of falling 100’s of m off the East ridge of Logan and ending up in an avalanche deposit at Sunshine village. Heck of a good story!
When Tim had regained his feet and I started to lose mine I cornered him for beta about an unclimbed Waterfall ice climb you could just see the top 1/2 of from Divide chair at Sunshine Village. He kinda rolled his eyes, made a funny little horizontal swimming motion with his hand and said “Ya, i just flew by there, ah 2-3 pitches, maybe grade 2/3, might be interesting if it was thin”
Grant Statham and I had thought this would be the backcountry “Nemesis” not some ice walk. Luckily, we brought along some pins and our big boy underwear. It started with a long kinda runout Grade 6 pitch, 2 Grade 5 pitches and 2 or 3 more pitches of just regular kinda hard climbing. We called it “The Auger Sanction” Tim was the self proclaimed “Master of 5.8”-many of his “5.8" routes are now rated mid 5.10. I guess he was also the “Master of Grade 2”. Tim and Peter Arbic(TA and PA) did the 2nd ascent of the route and had their own fine adventure.
Tim was a friend, mentor, motivated climber and just all the around keenest, nicest and funniest guy in town. I miss him.
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