Donald "Curly" Phillips | |
|---|---|
 Phillips with his dog, Jasper, Alberta | |
| Born | April 15, 1884 Dorset, Ontario, Canada |
| Died | March 21, 1938 |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Occupation | Guide |
Donald Nelson "Curly" Phillips (1884-1938) was a Canadian guide, outfitter, entrepreneur, and explorer who was a part of many pioneering expeditions in the northern Canadian Rockies in the early twentieth century. He settled in Jasper, Alberta, and was involved in the development of mountain tourism in the region.
Phillips was born on April 15, 1884, in the township of Dorset, Ontario, to parents Daniel Alven Phillips and Dorothy Storm Robinson [1] He received a well-rounded education, but spent the bulk of his young life in the forests and on the lakes of Northern Ontario apprenticing in the wilderness life of hunting, fishing, trapping, guiding, and building and navigating boats. The aptitude he showed for entertaining and guiding clients, and the skills he learned in navigation, trail construction, and carpentry would be put to good use in his outfitting career in western Canada. On his twenty-fourth birthday, in 1908, Phillips boarded the CP Rail train in Biscotasing and said goodbye to Ontario to seek his fortune in the Rocky Mountains. [2]
"Curly" Phillips first made a name for himself in the summer of 1909, when he chanced to meet the Rev. George Kinney, alone and struggling with packhorses loaded for an expedition in the waters of the Athabasca River near John Moberly's cabin (East of present-day Jasper) and immediately convinced him to accompany him on an ill-prepared adventure to attempt a third trip on his quest for the first ascent of Mount Robson. Kinney describes him as "A sturdy youth of twenty-five, wearing on his Stetson the silver badge of the Guides Association of Ontario,... A very prince of the trail. Quick, handy, a splendid cook, he made a camp-mate that could not be excelled... and though he had never climbed mountains before that summer, he proved to be a cool-headed and cautious climber." [3] The two proceeded to spend over a month in camp making four large climbs up the northwest side of Robson, the final of which they claimed to have stood on the summit, though this was discredited by the Alpine Club of Canada due to lack of evidence and the unlikely nature of the route and the unsanctioned expedition. Alpine Club founding member and writer Elizabeth Parker would later claim that Phillips admitted in 1913 that they had been stumped by a final dome of ice at the summit that they could not surmount, though he himself, a dedicated diarist, had not written of this climb and never wrote or spoke definitively against it. [4]
Even if not credited with the first ascent of the Monarch of the Rockies, the sensational story catapulted Phillips into the spotlight among mountaineering circles, and he was invited to outfit future expeditions, most notably the 1911 and 1913 Alpine Club Camps at Mount Robson, where he would meet and collaborate with Alpine Club president A. O. Wheeler, scientists from the Smithsonian Institution, and famed climbers and mountain guides, including Conrad Kain, with whom he would share a winter trapline and many backcountry adventures. The success of these trips and his winter trapping in the region convinced him to settle permanently in Jasper townsite, newly accessible by the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, completed in 1913.
In 1913, Phillips built a corral and store, as well as a house in town, and moved his parents and his brother and sister out from Ontario to live in Jasper and help with the businesses. [5] In 1923, he married Grace Inkster and they had three children: Sam (1928), Joy (1930), and Ivy (1932). Over the years, "Curly" would develop his cabins and facilities in order to better outfit climbers, scientists, hunters, academics, and tourists, and guide trips on horseback, by canoe and powerboat, or by ski, snowshoe, and float plane. He was a much sought-after trail guide and later expanded his enterprise to building boats for outfitting trips on the Athabasca and Peace Rivers, as well developing the first boat tours at Maligne Lake, south of Jasper. He tried many different tourism enterprises, even a brief attempt at a Dude Trap-Line in the winter of 1926-27, [6] which did not go over well enough to continue. He continued to outfit many camps and expeditions for the Alpine Club of Canada, and in the 1930s began to develop access to terrain for skiing and single-handedly built a cabin for alpine ski tours at Shangri-La in the Maligne Range. In 1935 he became president of the Athabasca Guides and Trailmen's Association, a "fitting recognition of his long-continued efforts on behalf of tourism in the Jasper valley." [7] On March 21, 1938, "Curly" Phillips was killed in an avalanche while skiing below Elysium Mountain in Jasper National Park, and is buried in Jasper Cemetery.
Donald "Curly" Phillips built many structures still in use today, including the Shangri-La ski cabin, maintained by the Maligne Lake Ski Club, and the original boathouse at Maligne Lake. He also built the first incarnation of the still heavily used trail from the Robson River past Kinney Lake and the "flying trestle" stairs and walkways through the Valley of a Thousand Falls to Berg Lake in Mount Robson Provincial Park. He came very close to first ascents of the summits of Mount Robson and Mount Sir Alexander and is the only recorded trail guide and outfitter to have led roped ascents of major peaks in the Canadian Rockies [8] including attempts on Mount Sir Alexander and success on Mount Bess in 1915. Mount Phillips is named in his honour.
Jasper National Park is a national park in Alberta, Canada. It is the largest national park within Alberta's Rocky Mountains spanning 11,000 km2 (4,200 sq mi). It was established as a national park in 1930 and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. Its location is north of Banff National Park and west of Edmonton. The park contains the glaciers of the Columbia Icefield, springs, lakes, waterfalls and mountains.
The Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site is located in the Canadian Rockies. It consists of seven contiguous parks including four national parks:
Mount Robson is the most prominent mountain in North America's Rocky Mountain range; it is also the highest point in the Canadian Rockies. The mountain is located entirely within Mount Robson Provincial Park of British Columbia, and is part of the Rainbow Range. Mount Robson is the second highest peak entirely in British Columbia, behind Mount Waddington in the Coast Range. The south face of Mount Robson is clearly visible from the Yellowhead Highway, and is commonly photographed along this route.
Mount Robson Provincial Park is a provincial park in the Canadian Rockies with an area of 2,249 km². The park is located entirely within British Columbia, bordering Jasper National Park in Alberta. The B.C. legislature created the park in 1913, the same year as the first ascent of Mount Robson by a party led by Conrad Kain. It is the second oldest park in the provincial system. The park is named for Mount Robson, which has the highest point in the Canadian Rockies and is located entirely within the park.
Conrad Kain was an Austrian mountain guide who guided extensively in Europe, Canada, and New Zealand, and was responsible for the first ascents of more than 60 routes in British Columbia. He is particularly known for pioneering climbs in the Purcell Mountains and the first ascents of Mount Robson (1913), Mount Louis (1916) and Bugaboo Spire (1916).
The Columbia Icefield is the largest ice field in North America's Rocky Mountains. Located within the Canadian Rocky Mountains astride the Continental Divide along the border of British Columbia and Alberta, Canada, the ice field lies partly in the northwestern tip of Banff National Park and partly in the southern end of Jasper National Park. It is about 325 square kilometres (125 sq mi) in area, 100 metres (330 ft) to 365 metres (1,198 ft) in depth and receives up to 7 metres (280 in) of snowfall per year.
Maligne Lake is a lake in Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada. The lake is famed for the colour of its azure water, the surrounding peaks, the three glaciers visible from the lake, and Spirit Island, a frequently and very famously photographed islet. The lake is located 44 km (27 mi) south of Jasper town, and is accessible by motor vehicle, including shuttle buses from Jasper. Boat tours run to Spirit Island in the spring to autumn season. The 44 km Skyline Trail, Jasper's most popular, highest and above treeline, multi-day hike, begins at Maligne Lake and finishes near the town of Jasper. Other popular day hikes include the Opal Hills and Bald Hills loops. Winter activities include cross-country skiing and snowboarding.
The Tonquin Valley is located in Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada, next to the border of the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia, an area which is also the continental divide, running along the peaks of the South Jasper Range which rise above Amethyst Lake. Tonquin Creek drains Moat Lake and flows west into Mount Robson Provincial Park in British Columbia, and empties into the Fraser River. The Astoria River drains south and east into the Athabasca River.
Alberta's Rockies comprise the Canadian Rocky Mountains in Alberta, Canada. On the southwestern part of the province along the British Columbia border, the region covers all but the south of Census Division 15.
The Skyline Trail is a hiking trail in Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada. It is known for its views, with much of the hike being located above the tree line. It is also known for its challenging weather conditions above the tree line, which can be a problem for hikers, who can lose sight of trails.
Mount Phillips is a mountain located on the border of Jasper National Park (Alberta) and Mount Robson Provincial Park. It is Alberta's 61st highest peak, and British Columbia's 84th highest peak. It was named in 1923 by J. Norman Collie after Donald "Curly" Phillips, a Jasper area outfitter and guide who made the disputed first ascent of Mount Robson in 1909.
Yamnuska Mountain Adventures is a mountaineering school and mountain adventure company located in Canmore, Alberta, Canada. The company was founded in 1975.
Mary Schäffer Warren (1861–1939) was an American-Canadian naturalist, illustrator, photographer, and writer. She was known for her experiences in the Canadian Rockies in the early 20th century.
Samson Peak is a 3,081-metre (10,108 ft) mountain summit located on the eastern shore of Maligne Lake in Jasper National Park, in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta, Canada. The nearest higher peak is Mount Charlton, 7.26 km (4.51 mi) to the east. Samson Peak is situated 1.72 km south of Leah Peak in the Queen Elizabeth Ranges.
Leah Peak is a 2,801-metre (9,190 ft) mountain summit located on the east shore of Maligne Lake in Jasper National Park, in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta, Canada. The nearest higher peak is Samson Peak, 1.72 km (1.07 mi) to the north.
Monkhead is a 3,250-metre (10,660-foot) mountain summit located at the south end of Maligne Lake in Jasper National Park, in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta, Canada. Monkhead was named by the Alpine Club of Canada for its hood-like appearance similar to a monk. Its nearest higher peak is Mount Warren, 2.3 kilometres to the south-southeast.
Mount Paul is a 2,850-metre (9,350 ft) mountain summit towering 1134 metres above the east shore of Maligne Lake in Jasper National Park, in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta, Canada. The nearest higher peak is Maligne Mountain, 1.81 km (1.12 mi) to the north-northwest. Mount Paul is situated north of Monkhead and they are often seen together in the background of iconic calendar photos of Spirit Island and Maligne Lake.
Mount Tekarra is a 2,694 metres mountain summit located in the Athabasca River valley of Jasper National Park, in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta, Canada. It is situated at the northwest end of the Maligne Range and is visible from Jasper and the Icefields Parkway. The nearest higher neighbor is The Watchtower, 7.0 km (4.3 mi) to the east.
Mount Warren is a 3,362-metre (11,030-foot) mountain summit located at the southeast end of Maligne Lake in Jasper National Park, in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta, Canada. Mount Warren is often seen in the background of iconic calendar photos of Spirit Island and Maligne Lake. The mountain rises 1,690 metres (5,540 ft) in less than 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) from the lake giving it dramatic local relief. Mount Warren is situated at the northwest edge of the Brazeau Icefield, and its nearest higher peak is Mount Brazeau, 2.26 kilometres to the southeast. Monkhead is a lower secondary summit to the northwest of the true summit.
The Watchtower is a 2,791-metre (9,157 ft) mountain summit located in the Maligne River valley of Jasper National Park, in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta, Canada. It is situated in the Maligne Range and is visible from the Maligne Lake Road where it towers over Medicine Lake. Its nearest higher peak is Sirdar Mountain, 11.64 km (7.23 mi) to the north.
