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APRIL 2007 NEWSLETTER
| Peakfinder Updates
Don Beers has travelled widely in the Canadian Rockies and is a highly respected author, historian, and photographer. His four major books featuring his photographs have become classics. We are pleased to display some of the these photos on the website. They are taken in remote areas that I have not been lucky enough to visit. Many of his photos are the only ones we have for some of the mountains. Have a look at Serenity Mountain, Mount Balcarres, and Southesk Cairn to see what I mean. Two of Don's photos will be featured in an exhibit at the Royal Alberta Museum regarding James Carnegie's journey through the Rockies in 1859. At the age of 32, James Carnegie, who was the 9th Earl of Southesk, travelled to Canada from his native Scotland in 1859, after being advised that it would improve his health that had deteriorated following the death of his wife. He wrote that the reason for his journey was to, "travel in some part of the world where good sport could be met with among the larger animals, and where, at the same time, I might recruit my health by an active open-air life in a healthy climate." Read more of his travels by entering "Carnegie" in the finding people search box and watch for the upcoming display at the museum. The exhibit will open on April 26th. Over time, it is not uncommon for a mountain to be referred to by two, three, or more different names. We have recently sorted out, we think, the naming situation regarding a feature that has been known as Spread Eagle Mountain, Spionkop Ridge, and Mount Roche. Enter "Spionkop Ridge" if you're interested. Thanks to Merrily Aubrey for her assistance. There are now 3200 photos on www.peakfinder.com and sometimes errors are made in their captions. Several Peakfinder users have located mistakes and advised us so that they can be corrected. Please let us know if you find an error. If you have a favourite mountain photo or any information about the peaks of the Canadian Rockies that you would like included in Peakfinder please contact daveb at peakfinder dot com. Please note that all of the previous newsletters have been archived and are available on the site. If you're interested in esoteric lists, unusual mountain names, etcetera, browse through the earlier issues. |
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Enter "Noseeum Mountain" to learn more about this mountain. |
| Look who's honoured in the Canadian Rockies JAMES CARNEGIE At the age of 32, James Carnegie, the 9th Earl of Southesk, travelled to Canada from his native Scotland in 1859, after being advised that it would improve his health that had deteriorated following the death of his wife. He wrote that the reason for his journey was to, "travel in some part of the world where good sport could be met with among the larger animals, and where, at the same time, I might recruit my health by an active open-air life in a healthy climate." The Earl travelled though the United States to St. Paul, Minnesota and crossed the prairies, hunting buffalo along the way. In September he began he travelled up the Athabasca River from Fort Edmonton and then following the McLeod River. He went up the Medicine Tent River, writing that he was now entering country that, "…no European had ever seen, where bears and wild sheep were certain to be abundant." They continued their journey over Southesk Pass, and down Job Creek and Coral Creek to the Kootenay Plains of the Saskatchewan River valley. Then the party rode up the Siffleur River, over Pipestone Pass, and down the Pipestone River valley to the Bow River. After camping below Cascade Mountain, they continued past the remains of Old Bow Fort and onto the plains. James Hector had travelled through Pipestone Pass (northbound) about one month prior to the Earl's party. It is truly remarkable that the two Scots, James Hector and James Carnegie, almost met each other on Pipestone Pass at a time when they were two of the very few Europeans travelling in the Canadian Rockies. Carnegie returned to England, and with his health improved, re-married and had eight children by his second wife. In 1875 he wrote, "Saskatchewan and the Rocky Mountains" which described his travels. According to Bryan Hamilton, the Earl lived until 1905 and Bryan's grandmother, whose father managed the Carnegie estate, said that the Earl repeatedly told tales of his trip to her and his granddaughter, Lady Moira Carnegie. Southesk Cairn Mountain, Mount Southesk, Southesk Lake, and Southesk Pass have been named in his honour. [Additional information: Mountain Heritage Magazine; Vol. 3, No.1; Spring 2000] [See also: Mount La Grace, Mount Toma and Mount McBeath that were named to honour others in the Earl's party.]For additional information about Mount Southesk and Southesk Cairn enter the mountain's name in the appropriate search box on the main page. |