John Clarke (mountaineer)
Encyclopedia
John Clarke, CM
(February 25, 1945–January 23, 2003) born in Ireland
to Brigit Ann Clarke (née Conway) and Thomas Kevin Clarke, died in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
of a brain tumor. A noted Canadian Explorer, mountaineer
, conservationist
, and wilderness educator. From 1964 until his death in 2003 Clarke spent at least six months of each year on extended backcountry
trips, usually into the Coast Mountains
of British Columbia
using the technique of dropping food caches from small planes along an intended route, then traveling that route for weeks at a time. His routes regularly led him along the high ridges and glaciated icefields of the west coast, and allowed him to make hundreds of first ascents of the many mountains along the way. Many of these trips exceeded 30 days in length, and were often done solo simply because nobody could afford the time to accompany him.
in Mission, British Columbia
Some time in around 1964 Clarke began his forays into the Coast Mountains, and over the course of the next 39 years made an amazing 600 first ascent
s.
In 1994, during a multi-week traverse of the Kitlope
region of the Coast Mountains, Randy Stoltmann
, a good friend of Clarke's, was killed in an Avalanche
while attempting a summit. This was a turning point for Clarke. Randy, already a noted conservationist and volunteer, had left a hole in the mountain community that Clarke stepped in to fill. He began his wilderness education efforts in memory of him.
In 1995 Clarke was the subject of a documentary called "Child of the Wind" by Canadian Director and Producer Bill Noble which won the Best film on Climbing at the 1995 Banff Mountain Film Festival
.
In 1996 Clarke and Lisa Baile founded the Wilderness Education Program (WEP)
In 1997, Clarke, Chief Bill Williams (hereditary chief of the Squamish First Nation), and photographer Nancy Bleck initiated the Witness Project, providing a unique opportunity for city folk to reconnect with nature and to take part in a First Nations
witness ceremony.
In 1998, because of his work and his knowledge of the Squamish First Nation Territory, Clarke was given the honor of being adopted into the nation, and was given the Coast Salish
name "Xwexwsélkn" which means "mountain goat" (a reference to his shock of unruly, white hair).
In July 2002 he became one of the few mountaineers in Canada to be inducted as a Member of the Order of Canada
. He was also an honorary member of the Alpine Club of Canada
, and the British Columbia Mountaineering Club
.
On January 23, 2003, John Clarke died peacefully of a brain tumor, with his family at his side. He leaves wife Annette Clarke (née Lehnacker) and son Nicholas 'Skookum
', as well as his parents Brigid and Kevin, as well as his sister Cathaleen and brother Kevin.
s. Many of the peak names are suggested, links are to mountain IDs in the Canadian Mountain Encyclopedia. Where a sub peak is separated by more than 1 km from the main peak (and is unnamed) it is referred to by the main peak name, the compass point and distance from the main peak. For instance, Interesting Mountain has a sub-peak Interesting NE6 which is 6 km from the main summit at bearing
245 degrees.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
(February 25, 1945–January 23, 2003) born in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
to Brigit Ann Clarke (née Conway) and Thomas Kevin Clarke, died in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
of a brain tumor. A noted Canadian Explorer, mountaineer
Mountaineer
-Sports:*Mountaineering, the sport, hobby or profession of walking, hiking, trekking and climbing up mountains, also known as alpinism-University athletic teams and mascots:*Appalachian State Mountaineers, the athletic teams of Appalachian State University...
, conservationist
Conservationist
Conservationists are proponents or advocates of conservation. They advocate for the protection of all the species in an ecosystem with a strong focus on the natural environment...
, and wilderness educator. From 1964 until his death in 2003 Clarke spent at least six months of each year on extended backcountry
Backcountry
A backcountry area in general terms is a geographical region that is:* isolated* remote* undeveloped* difficult to accessThe term may apply to various regions that are reasonably close to urban areas but are:* not immediately accessible by car...
trips, usually into the Coast Mountains
Coast Mountains
The Coast Mountains are a major mountain range, in the Pacific Coast Ranges, of western North America, extending from southwestern Yukon through the Alaska Panhandle and virtually all of the Coast of British Columbia. They are so-named because of their proximity to the sea coast, and are often...
of British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
using the technique of dropping food caches from small planes along an intended route, then traveling that route for weeks at a time. His routes regularly led him along the high ridges and glaciated icefields of the west coast, and allowed him to make hundreds of first ascents of the many mountains along the way. Many of these trips exceeded 30 days in length, and were often done solo simply because nobody could afford the time to accompany him.
Biography
Born in Ireland, Clarke moved to Canada with his parents at age 11, attending the Monastery SchoolWestminster Abbey (British Columbia)
Westminster Abbey is a community of Benedictine monks in Mission, British Columbia, established in 1939 from the Abbey of Mount Angel, Oregon...
in Mission, British Columbia
Mission, British Columbia
Mission, the core of which was formerly known as Mission City, is a district municipality in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It is situated on the north bank of the Fraser River overlooking the City of Abbotsford and with that city is part of the Central Fraser Valley. Mission is the...
Some time in around 1964 Clarke began his forays into the Coast Mountains, and over the course of the next 39 years made an amazing 600 first ascent
First ascent
In climbing, a first ascent is the first successful, documented attainment of the top of a mountain, or the first to follow a particular climbing route...
s.
In 1994, during a multi-week traverse of the Kitlope
Kitlope
Kitlope is a Tsimshian word meaning "people of the rocks" or "people from the opening in the mountains", a reference to a subgroup of the Haisla peoples. history shows that this village at one time...
region of the Coast Mountains, Randy Stoltmann
Randy Stoltmann
Randy Stoltmann was an outdoorsman, and a campaigner for the preservation of wilderness areas in British Columbia, Canada....
, a good friend of Clarke's, was killed in an Avalanche
Avalanche
An avalanche is a sudden rapid flow of snow down a slope, occurring when either natural triggers or human activity causes a critical escalating transition from the slow equilibrium evolution of the snow pack. Typically occurring in mountainous terrain, an avalanche can mix air and water with the...
while attempting a summit. This was a turning point for Clarke. Randy, already a noted conservationist and volunteer, had left a hole in the mountain community that Clarke stepped in to fill. He began his wilderness education efforts in memory of him.
In 1995 Clarke was the subject of a documentary called "Child of the Wind" by Canadian Director and Producer Bill Noble which won the Best film on Climbing at the 1995 Banff Mountain Film Festival
Banff Mountain Film Festival
The Banff Mountain Film Festival is an international film competition and an annual presentation of short films and documentaries about mountain culture, sports, and environment. It was launched in 1976 as The Banff Festival of Mountain Films by The Banff Centre and is held every fall in Banff,...
.
In 1996 Clarke and Lisa Baile founded the Wilderness Education Program (WEP)
In 1997, Clarke, Chief Bill Williams (hereditary chief of the Squamish First Nation), and photographer Nancy Bleck initiated the Witness Project, providing a unique opportunity for city folk to reconnect with nature and to take part in a First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
witness ceremony.
In 1998, because of his work and his knowledge of the Squamish First Nation Territory, Clarke was given the honor of being adopted into the nation, and was given the Coast Salish
Coast Salish
Coast Salish languages are a subgroup of the Salishan language family. These languages are spoken by First Nations or Native American peoples inhabiting the territory that is now the southwest coast of British Columbia around the Strait of Georgia and Washington state around Puget Sound...
name "Xwexwsélkn" which means "mountain goat" (a reference to his shock of unruly, white hair).
In July 2002 he became one of the few mountaineers in Canada to be inducted as a Member of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
. He was also an honorary member of the Alpine Club of Canada
Alpine Club of Canada
The Alpine Club of Canada is a mountain club with a National Office in Canmore, Alberta that has been a focal point for Canadian mountaineering since its founding in 1906. The club was co-founded by Arthur Oliver Wheeler, who served as its first president, and Elizabeth Parker, a journalist for...
, and the British Columbia Mountaineering Club
British Columbia Mountaineering Club
The British Columbia Mountaineering Club is a mountaineering organization, based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Founded on October 28, 1907 as the Vancouver Mountaineering Club, it became one of the centres of Canadian Mountaineering, particularly in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia...
.
On January 23, 2003, John Clarke died peacefully of a brain tumor, with his family at his side. He leaves wife Annette Clarke (née Lehnacker) and son Nicholas 'Skookum
Skookum
Skookum is a Chinook jargon word that has come into general use in the Pacific Northwest region of North America.The word skookum has three meanings:# a word in regional English that has a variety of positive connotations;...
', as well as his parents Brigid and Kevin, as well as his sister Cathaleen and brother Kevin.
Climbing Accomplishments
This is a partial list of first ascentFirst ascent
In climbing, a first ascent is the first successful, documented attainment of the top of a mountain, or the first to follow a particular climbing route...
s. Many of the peak names are suggested, links are to mountain IDs in the Canadian Mountain Encyclopedia. Where a sub peak is separated by more than 1 km from the main peak (and is unnamed) it is referred to by the main peak name, the compass point and distance from the main peak. For instance, Interesting Mountain has a sub-peak Interesting NE6 which is 6 km from the main summit at bearing
Bearing (navigation)
In marine navigation, a bearing is the direction one object is from another object, usually, the direction of an object from one's own vessel. In aircraft navigation, a bearing is the actual compass direction of the forward course of the aircraft...
245 degrees.
- 1967 Ossa Mountain West Ridge Picture of summit register
- 1967 Manatee Peak
- 1967 Oluk Peak
- 1967 Dolphin Peak
- 1967 Remora Peak
- 1967 Gunsight Peak (In-SHUCK-ch Mountain)
- 1967 Mermaid Peak
- 1967 Albacore Peak
- 1968 Tenas Peak
- 1968 Tenas W1
- 1968 Nivalis Mountain
- 1968 Pelion Mountain NW Ridge
- 1968 Pelion Mountain NE Ridge
- 1968 Amicus Mountain NE ridge
- 1968 Amicus W1
- 1968 Ring Mountain
- 1969 Lillooet Mountain Southeast Ridge
- 1969 Porterhouse NE3
- 1969 Porterhouse NE4
- 1969 Moomin Peak
- 1969 Tigger Peak
- 1969 Channel Peak
- 1969 Little Ring Mountain
- 1971 Whitemantle Mountain
- 1971 Outlier Peak
- 1971 Nebula Peak
- 1971 Halkomelem Peak
- 1971 Katzie Mountain
- 1971 Stave Peak
- 1971 Old Pierre Mountain
- 1971 The Orphans
- 1971 Nimbus Peak
- 1971 Mount Abel
- 1971 Adieu Mountain
- 1971 Talon Peak
- 1971 The Lecture Cutters
- 1971 Piluk Peak
- 1971 Carcajou Peak
- 1971 Nannygoat Peak
- 1971 Mount Crerar
- 1971 Old Pierre Mountain
- 1971 Stalo Mountain
- 1971 Comrade Peaks with large BCMC Party
- 1971 Skakala Peak
- 1971 Skayuk Peak
- 1972 Mount Stanton solo
- 1972 Stanton E5 from E, via Hidden Mtn
- 1972 Abandoned Peak
- 1972 Dunvegan Peak
- 1972 Dunvegan N3
- 1972 Limelite Peak
- 1972 Ashlu Mountain West Ridge
- 1972 Mount Doolittle
- 1972 Doolittle E8
- 1972 Mount Boardman
- 1972 Elaho Mountain via West Ridge
- 1972 Bottiger Peak
- 1972 The Flames (Fire Spires)
- 1972 Deserted Peak
- 1972 Deserted N1
- 1972 Royal Mountain
- 1972 Hanging Peak South Face
- 1972 Wahkash Peak
- 1972 Nebula S1
- 1972 Mount Athelstan Bridge-Lillooet Divide
- 1972 Mount Ethelweard
- 1972 Ethelweard S1
- 1972 Mount Vanstone
- 1972 Mount Perkins
- 1972 Mount Oswald
- 1972 Oswald N2
- 1972 Racoon Mountain
- 1972 Totter Peak
- 1972 Mittelberg Mountain
- 1972 Mittelberg E3
- 1972 Forger Peak
- 1972 Mount Whiting
- 1972 Mount Ralph
- 1972 Pebble Peak
- 1972 Mount Pollock
- 1972 Mount Clendenning
- 1972 Corporal Mountain
- 1972 Guthrum SW3
- 1972 Thiassi SE3
- 1973 Mount Chapman
- 1973 Mount Heaney
- 1973 Kolos Peak during his first visit to the Ha-iltzuk
- 1973 Klisila Peak
- 1973 Shaman Peaks
- 1973 Wahshilas Peak
- 1973 Klinaklini Peak
- 1973 Hamatsa Peak
- 1973 Doran Peak
- 1973 Doran SE3
- 1974 Serov Peak
- 1974 Chimai Mountain
- 1974 Mount Delilah
- 1974 Sessel Mountain
- 1974 Sessel NW1
- 1974 Sessel E4
- 1975 Bucklin Peak
- 1975 Pointer Peak
- 1976 Polacca Peak
- 1976 Apple Peak (Peak 7539. Apple River Spires)
- 1976 Shaker Peak
- 1976 Shaker W6 W Ridge
- 1976 Shaker SW5 N Ridge
- 1976 Stafford Peak East Ridge
- 1976 Hidden Mountain
- 1976 Brig Peak
- 1976 Brig SW4 from N
- 1976 Clipper Peak NW Ridge
- 1976 Success Mountain From the North
- 1976 Success NE4
- 1977 Little Toba Peak
- 1977 Hunaechin Peak
- 1977 Blumlisalp Mountain
- 1977 Beach Mountain
- 1977 Breaker Peak
- 1977 Blackfin Peak
- 1977 Blackfin SE3 (Comber Peak)
- 1979 Sergeant Mountain
- 1982 Charnaud Towers highest summit only
- 1982 Montrose Peak
- 1982 Cobham Peak
- 1983 Mount Willoughby as part of a 29 day solo traverse of the Bella CoolaBella CoolaBella Coola may refer to several things, all closely related to a geographic area within British Columbia's Central Coast:*The Nuxalk, an indigenous people of the area who in the past had been referred to as the Bella Coola...
area (Ha-iltzuk Icecap), including 8 days spent snowbound in a tent. - 1983 Mount Storry
- 1984 Orford Tower
- 1984 Berkshire Peak
- 1984 Gravelines Peak
- 1984 Assini Peak
- 1984 Algard Peak
- 1984 Needle Peaks (Stinging Needle)
- 1984 Ironface Peak
- 1984 Nolan Peak
- 1984 Wiltshire Peak
- 1984 Warwick Peak
- 1984 Pillbox Peak
- 1984 Barkshack Peak
- 1984 Champion Mountain
- 1984 Chusan Peak
- 1984 Chusan SW3
- 1984 Chusan SW5
- 1984 Skwawka Peak
- 1984 Brighton NE0
- 1985 Martello Mountain the only first ascent in the Waddington RangeWaddington RangeThe Waddington Range is a subrange of the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains in southwestern British Columbia, Canada. It is only about 4000 km² in area, relatively small in area within the expanse of the range, but it is the highest area of the Pacific Ranges and of the Coast Mountains, being...
- 1985 Interesting Mountain
- 1985 Interesting N4
- 1985 Interesting NE2
- 1985 Interesting NE6
- 1985 Klite Peak
- 1985 Powell Head Peak
- 1986 Larson Peak
- 1986 Larson SE5
- 1988 Mount JobMount JobMount Job is one of the six named volcanic peaks of Mount Meager in British Columbia, Canada. It is a pile of rubble held together by volcanic ash and sand...
- 1989 Rain Door Peak Northeast Ridge
- 1989 Mount Pitt South face of North Peak
- 1989 Mount Caspar First recorded ascent
- 1990 Arabella Peak East Face
- 1990 Mount Argyll
- 1991 The Meager Obelisk
- 1991 Benburb Peak Filer-Montrose Divide
- 1991 Arabella S6 (Argyll E)
- 1991 Snow Pillow Peak
- 1992 The Witness
- 1992 The Defendant Northwest Ridge
- 1995 Stagoo SW12
- 1995 Stagoo W4
- 1995 Stagoo NW4
- 1996 House Mountain 1st recorded ascent