Bob Hind

Bob Hind attended his first Alpine Club Camp in 1932 as camp boy at the age of 21. He attended every one thereafter until events in the world took him to England in 1939 serving in the Canadian Navy. During this early time, Bob was awarded the Silver Rope for climbing after being a member for only three years. In 1936 he climbed Mount Robson, which, as he said, "hadn't been climbed all that many times in those days". In 1938, he climbed Mount Athabasca, Snow Dome, North Twin Peak, and Mount Columbia three times. After the Bugaboo camp of 1947, Bob was returning to his hometown of Calgary through Banff by train. Having some spare time, he got off the train, walked in and climbed Mount Louis solo, came back to Banff, got on the train and continued home. In the year following this climb he fractured his ankle badly in a fall. In order to continue his climbing career, Bob had the surgeons freeze the ankle at a slight upward angle that would permit uphill walking and climbing. In the 1951 Alpine Journal, Bob wrote an article parodying the use of climbing with artificial aid. He titled it, "First Ascent of the Dumpkopf Tower. In an interview regarding his philosophy, Bob told a reporter in 1977, "I figure if I can't climb it myself I haven't climbed it at all". He climbed with nothing more than a rope around his waist secured by a bowline. Bob Hind was vice-president of the Alpine Club of Canada in 1954 and was its president in 1964 and 1965. He was made an honorary member of the club in 1969 and received the Club's service award in 1971. One particular story exemplifies his climbing career. In 1936 he attempted to climb Brussels Peak but was turned back. In 1972, at the next camp held at that location, he again made an attempt on Brussels 36 years after the first - this time to be successful. Upon his return to camp those assembled for dinner in the tent all rose spontaneously and applauded. His diary shows 276 ascents, 26 of those were first ascents - where no other person had attempted that mountain or route.