Nelson Daily News

August 27, 1922

Climbers See Marvelous Views on Annual Expedition-- Ascend Highest Peaks-- Return Full of Admiration-- Movie Man Shoots Scenery-- Five Wonderful Days-

Happy when they left, happier when they returned after an incomparable five days' outing with perfect weather in nature's wonderland, amidst scenes of scintillating lakes, rugged mountain ranges, and massive glaciers of snow and ice, the Kokanee Mountaineering club returned to Nelson last night.

The crowning feature of the trip, which will go down in the history of the Kootenays, was the official opening of the Kokanee Glacier Park by Kenneth Campbell, M.P.P. at the annual meeting of the club, while grouped around the camp fire at the camp located at the Slocan Chief mine buildings at an elevation of 7000 feet.

Editor's note:
The Kokanee Mountaineering Club was established in 1916 with C. W.Busk as its first president, chiefly through the efforts of the forestry department. The club used the Slocan Chief Cabin as headquarters for its annual summer camps.

The camps were fairly large, and a pack train took in the supplies while many of the hardy hikers walked all the way up the road. As the trail along Kokanee Lake was not built until the 305, the pack train had to go in by a different route, and the hikers had a difficult time picking their way across the rock slide.

On the 1922 outing, there were 23 people, 5 of whom were women. This was only the second year when women were permitted to take the trip. Tie main purpose of that trip was the official opening of the park for which the club had been campaigning for several years.

Mr.Campbell read a letter from the acting minister of lands as follows: "I wish to convey my congratulations to the Kokanee Mountaineering club of Nelson upon the Occasion of the official opening of the Kokanee Glacier park.

"The club is to be congratulated on its enterprising activities and I trust that the park will come to be a recognized place of beauty and interest to tourists and an asset to the people of the district. I hope that the five days' camping will prove an enjoyable outing."

Editors Notes
by Shawn Lamb

History in the News