Mountain Voices: The Mountain Legacy Project and a Century of Change in Western Canada

Discover Canada’s mountains as you’ve never seen them before with gorgeous photography from the Mountain Legacy Project accompanied by gripping essays from mountaineers, artists, and mountain researchers.

In Mountain Voices, alpinists, activists, artists, and mountain researchers share the ways Canadian mountains have impacted their lives. Each contributor brings a unique and fascinating perspective to the mountain landscape with short essays accompanied by a pair of photographs from the remarkable archive of the Mountain Legacy Project, illustrating the history, geography, and lasting inspiration of the mountains.

Mountain Voices draws on the vast bank of historic and repeat photographs produced by the Mountain Legacy Project, the world’s largest systematic and comprehensive collection of mountain photographs, spanning more than a century. From fragile glass plate negatives to modern, high-resolution photography, these images document a mountain landscape during times of drastic change.

Mountain Voices features a diverse array of voices, including Indigenous activists, employees of Canada’s national parks, interdisciplinary scientists dedicated to mountains, alpine adventurers, and historians captivated by tales of mountain pasts. Mountain Voices brings the landscape to life through the passion and devotion of those who love it deeply.

With contributions by: Leanne Allison, Renellta Arluk, Rick Arthur, Catrin Brown, Bruce Cockburn, Alison Criscitiello, Joanna Croston, Jill Delaney, Winston Delorne, Julie Fortin, Paulette M. Fox, Will Gadd, Ben Gadd, Eric Higgs, David Hik, Aerin Jacob, David P. Jones, Gùdia (Mary Jane) Jonson, Michelle Koppes, Roger Laurilla, Nikita Lopoukhine, Bruce Mayer, Bernadette McDonald, Ella Molnar-Piché, Pat Morrow, Peter Murphy, Liza Piper, Graeme Pole, Martin F. Price, Sara Renner, Jeanine Rhemtulla, Chris Rhodes, Zac Robinson, Mary Sanseverino, Chic Scott, Rain Scott, Stephen Slemon, William Snow, Karen Sorensen, Ellie Stephenson, Robert D. Turner, Nancy J. Turner, Robert Vranich, Kristen Walsh, Meghan J. Ward, Rob Watt, Cliff White, Andy Williams, Carmen Wong, Ken Wylie

About the Editors

Eric Higgs is a professor in the School of Environmental Studies, University of Victoria, and director of the Mountain Legacy Project.

Zac Robinson is an associate professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation, University of Alberta.

Mary Sanseverino is teaching professor emerita, Department of Computer Science, University of Victoria.

Kristen Walsh is a research associate with the Mountain Legacy Project.

Foreword
I.S. MacLaren

Introduction
Eric Higgs, Zac Robinson, and Kristen Walsh

Key Concepts in Historic Photographic Surveying
Mary Sanseverino

Section 1: Mountains of the North 

Prospector’s-Russell Col, Mount Logan
Alison Criscitiello

’A’ą̈y Chù 
Gùdia (Mary Jane) Johnson

Nàday Gän
David Hik

Nahanni
Aerin Jacob

The Alsek River and Mount Fairweather
Chris Rhodes

The South Nahanni River
Robert Vranich

A High Col on the North Side of the Steele Valley
Andy Williams

The Kaskawulsh Glacier
Carmen Wong

Section 2: The Northern Rockies

Rocky Pass
Winston Delorme

Willmore Wilderness Area
Julie Fortin

Athabasca Glacier
Will Gadd

Roche Ronde
Eric Higgs

Mount Robson
Michele Koppes

Mount Edith Cavell
Peter Murphy

Mountain Park
Liza Piper

Power House Cliff
Jeanine Rhemtulla

The Kootenay Plains
Stephen Slemon

The Ancient Wall
Ellie Stephenson

Section 3: The Central Rockies

Lake Minnewanka
Renellta Arluk

Shining Mountain
Bruce Cockburn

Îyâmnathka
Ben Gadd

Bow River Corridor
Bruce Mayer

Lake O’Hara
Bernadette McDonald

Mount Stephen
Graeme Pole

Sunshine Meadows
Martin F. Price

Grassi Lakes
Zac Robinson

The Wapta Icefields
Chic Scott

The Valley of the Wikchemna Peaks
William Snow

Banff
Karen Sorensen

Bow Lake
Meghan J. Ward

Ya Ha Tinda Mountain Prairie
Cliff White

Mount Rundle
Ken Wylie

Section 4: The Southern Rockies 

Marvel Lake
Leanne Allison

Highwood Pass
Rick Arthur

Prairie Bluff
Jill Delaney

Ninnastako – Chief Mountain
Paulette M. Fox

Waterton Lakes National Park
Nikita Lopoukhine

Mount Assiniboine
Pat Morrow

The Wonder Traverse
Sara Renner

Weathering Kananaskis Lakes
Kristen Walsh

The Blakiston Valley
Rob Watt

Section 5: The Columbia Mountains

The Asulkan Traverse
Joanna Croston

Mount Sir Sanford
David P. Jones

Butters Creek, Battle Range
Roger Laurilla

Pigeon Spire
Ella Molnar-Piché

Jade Lake Pass
Mary Sanseverino

Rogers Pass
Robert D. Turner

Mount Revelstoke
Nancy J. Turner

Section 6: The Coastal Mountains 

The Mount Cokely-Mount Arrowsmith Col
Catrin Brown

Hišimy̓awiƛ
Rain Scott

Epilogue
Eric Higgs