Climber'S Paradise : Making Canada's Mountain Parks, 1906-1974

The Alpine Club of Canada imagined the Rockies and neighbouring ranges to the west and the north as a "climber's paradise." Through a century of adventure and advocacy, the ACC led the way to mountain pursuits in spectacular regions, championing the idea that mountain parks are for all Canadians for all time—their value immeasurable beyond access roads, motels, and tourist amenities.

Historian and mountain studies specialist PearlAnn Reichwein brings unique insight to this story, drawing on her own experiences mountaineering and her deep interest in mountain culture. She presents a compelling case for understanding wild spaces and human activity within them as parts of a whole, revealing how climbers, conservationists, and policymakers shaped Canada's mountain parks between 1906 and 1974.

A work of invaluable scholarship in environmental history, public policy, sport studies, recreation, and tourism, Climber's Paradise will appeal to mountaineers, environmentalists, travellers, and anyone interested in the complex relationship between wilderness preservation and human recreation in Canada's most spectacular landscapes.