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Back to the Cairn Coming this summer to the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies are exhibitions celebrating three prominent artists at the turn of the century and early 1900s. These painters offer a glimpse into past perspectives of our beloved local landscapes with their depictions of Lake O'Hara and Lake Louise before 1930. Now world-renowned destinations frequented by thousands of visitors, Lake O'Hara and Lake Louise existed in a different cultural world before the time of tourism, yet their natural beauty remains unwavered as we look back through years passed. Learn more about Group of Seven artist J.E.H. MacDonald, Frederick Marlett Bell-Smith, and Albert Bierstadt in our upcoming summer exhibitions, and discover the impact of their work which continues to resonate a century later. J.E.H. MacDonald: The O'Hara Era This summer, the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies offers a rare opportunity to view over 100 works by Group of Seven artist J.E.H. MacDonald from public and private collections. The exhibition highlights new research, original paintings, and modern photographs of the art of J.E.H. MacDonald during his annual summer painting trips to the Lake O’Hara region of Yoho National Park between 1924 and 1932. Commemorating the 100th anniversary of his first trip to Lake O'Hara, the exhibition promises to be an exceptional and unique experience, with the Whyte Museum as the sole venue. The exhibition will show paintings from The Whyte Museum collection as well as from the National Gallery, the McMichael Collection, the Art Gallery of Ontario, Art Gallery Hamilton, University of Toronto Art Museum, the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, and the Art Gallery of Alberta. Numerous individuals and corporations have also generously lent their pieces. ​ The show is strengthened by original research conducted by geologists Patricia Cucman and the late Stanley Munn, who meticulously identified the exact locations of MacDonald's works, along with photographs, over the past 18 years. Their findings, documented in a major illustrated book entitled "To See What He Saw: J.E.H. MacDonald and the O'Hara Years 1924-1932", offer a fresh perspective on MacDonald and his work. Additionally, intriguing discoveries such as paint scrapings and teacup shards have been found in these exact locations, providing further insight into MacDonald's creative process and daily life during his time at Lake O'Hara. Specimens were analyzed by the Canadian Conservation Institute to support the provenance. As well, the Whyte Museum has confirmed loan from Parks Canada of two Billy cans, stashed in rocks at painting sites by Macdonald. The combination of MacDonald’s paintings, artifacts, letters, and diary entries, as well as Stanley Munn’s contemporary photograph of the area will no doubt result in a compelling narrative of MacDonald’s O’Hara years providing a lens through which he has never been fully explored in exhibition. ​ Partnering with the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and sponsored by Masters Gallery Calgary, we invite you to join us for this breathtaking exhibition featuring mountain landscapes inspired by MacDonald. The Whyte Museum will be the sole venue for this incredible exhibition, bringing MacDonald’s paintings to regional and international visitors alike. Bierstadt and Bell-Smith: The Influence of Lake Louise Between 1886 and 1914, the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) encouraged artists to produce works for the promotion of western Canada as an idyllic tourist destination and desirable settlement locale. It was also a strategy to sell tickets as a means of diminishing the huge debt incurred by the construction of the rail line. Some of the best painters and photographers of the day were sought after and encouraged to construct a pictorial vision of the West, resulting in one of the most significant art collections ever amassed in Canadian history. Instead of paying the artists for their participation, perks were provided in the form of free rail passage, temporary railcar studios, accommodation at mountain lodges, and the promotion of their works at international exhibits. Sir William Cornelius Van Horne in his capacity as builder and later President of the CPR, rightly understood that a successful marketing campaign needed to target American and European sensibilities. Van Horne also knew of German born American painter Albert Bierstadt’s reputation as a leading landscape painter of the Hudson River School and its luminist movement. Having approached the artist on other occasions, Bierstadt finally accepted Van Horne’s generous incentives and departed from Windsor Station, Montreal on July 30, 1889. It was while resting at Glacier House, B.C. that he met Canadian painter Frederick Marlett Bell-Smith, who had painted in the Rockies during the summer since 1887. The two artists set out together, spending September camping and sketching at Lake Louise and throughout Bow River Valley. The area was remote and rugged yet provided spectacular vistas. Bell-Smith later wrote of their experience together citing Bierstadt’s compositional guidance and influence as having a profound inspirational effect. Bell-Smith’s oils and watercolours will be exhibited with Bierstadt’s Lake Louise canvas featured as the centrepiece of the exhibition. Sourced from historical material, the artist’s experience at Lake Louise will also be described.  The opportunity to exhibit these works together will provide a profound opportunity for the Whyte Museum’s national and international audiences to learn more about these artists and their influence on tourism in this region then and now. Back to the Cairn

On Friday, April 12th, 2024, the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies celebrated the opening of two spring exhibitions visiting themes of climate conservation: Ilana Manolson – Time: In the Mountains and Menagerie of Disappearance. Aptly aligning with Earth Day, both exhibitions explore the perspectives of different artists, mediums, and materials to examine the relationships between the Earth's vast environments and the humans and creatures who call it home. Visit these exhibitions at the Whyte Museum until June 2nd, 2024, and learn more about them in details below. Gallery 1 About the Exhibitions Ilana Manolson – Time: In the Mountains Time: In the Mountains strives to capture the different heartbeats of the earth over time, observed by Ilana Manolson while painting, hiking, and working in the Rocky Mountains. A distinguished painter, printmaker, and naturalist who has been shown in galleries throughout North America, Manolson combines her talents here to create visually confounding and expansive works that unfurl like rivers, trails, and scrolls. Unrolling to reveal the story as it goes, these scrolls effectively use the layering of mediums and materials to create a visual narrative for the viewer to follow. The only repeated detail lies in painted marks embedded in the work that act as a kind of EKG-like rhythm depicting the heartbeat of the Earth. Based on the Schumann Resonance, a magnetic tone found in Earth’s ionosphere, this heartbeat has recently started to increase in pace, indicating to Manolson that damage is being done to the Earth’s health. Using these marks and pools of paint to transform landscapes into equivalencies of tenacious life in which some species thrive and others disappear, Manolson manipulates the fluidity of her medium and it becomes a metaphor for the resurgence and the dying. She celebrates the natural world and its ineffable mysteries, even as we are aware of potential disasters. Even in the coming apart, there is great beauty. Menagerie of Disappearance Menagerie of Disappearance unites four unique artists, each employing diverse mediums to explore a common theme. Through photography, textiles, sculpture, and drawing, these artists provoke contemplation of our evolving environment. With an international presence, they join together to collectively narrate the tale of our troubled relationships with the creatures and environments around us. Highlighting the tension between perceived life and what is lifeless through a series of taxidermy raptors, Eva Brandl showcases photographic work honed over a forty-year career. Brandl invites viewers to parse out hinted narratives in her work that she’s sown through the use of staged backgrounds and forced perspectives. Jude Griebel’s monolithic towers of miniatures are complex structures that serve to highlight themes of waste, excess, and lived experiences balanced against the obvious amount of time and care needed to create each creature. His attention to detail and the size of each work invite closer scrutiny by viewers to identify the individual within the mass. Tamara Kostianovsky transforms repurposed textiles into sculptural carcasses, drawing lines between consumerism, fast fashion, and the relationships between humans and animals. Currently based in New York, Kostianovsky has been creating textile sculptures that delicately walk the line between engaging and shocking for twenty years. Working with specimens stored in the private collections at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, Lorraine Simms has created a series of highly detailed graphite drawings of shadows cast by the skulls and bones of endangered animals. These beautifully haunting drawings offer evidence of disappearance, both of individual animals and of their species. Galleries: Gallery 1: Spring 2024 exhibition opening at the Whyte Museum. Photos by Katie Goldie.

Back to the Cairn Friends of the Whyte is a series celebrating community, featuring Whyte Museum members, donors, staff, and friends, to get to know them a little bit better. During the summer of 2023, the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies had a team of five interpreters sharing the history of Banff, engaging with visitors and sharing what the Whyte Museum has to offer. Whyte Museum summer interpreter Wendy Bradley is a long-term Banff local and artist with deep family roots in the Bow Valley. In this Q&A, we learn more about Wendy's experience as an Interpreter. 1. Tell me a little bit about yourself! What brought you to the Whyte Museum interpreter team? I'm a professional artist and Banff is my hometown - four generations of my family have lived here - two have worked at the Whyte Museum! I applied to be an Interpretive Guide last summer because I knew I would enjoy it. I also wanted to know more about Banff's early history and not rely on the stories I grew up with, but instead dig into important facts and dates about people and places. As a result, two of my favourite things have been a large part of every single day at work - art and history! 2. How would you describe this job position and your experience last summer to others? Working as part of a team of Interpretive Guides this summer, I experienced a collegial workplace where growing edges of curiosity and inquiry were shared. We delivered tours about historic people and places with reliable sourced materials and our Summer 2023 exhibit "For the Birds." We became repositories of relevant and useful information to provide insights and answer questions in informative and helpful ways. 3. If you could have dinner with one historical Banff figure, who would it be? Why? What would you want to ask/know? For me a dinner party with Peter and Catharine Whyte and my grandparents, Chuck and Doris Millar would be wonderful! As they were good friends, I would love to hear their conversation and memories of their lives in Banff. I wonder what topic they would discuss - what was important to them? One question I would ask is: What was a missed opportunity that would have impacted the development of Banff in their lifetimes? And would it be an opportunity to act on today if they could? It would be a fascinating dinner! 4. Why should others visit the Whyte Museum and Banff National Park? I recommend visiting Banff National Park as people have since 1883 because of the magnificent scenery, the opportunity to see wildlife in the wilderness, and to participate in world-renowned mountain culture. Hiking, skiing, sightseeing, festivals, dining, museums, history, and arts. One of those places to experience the rich mountain culture from its early settlement in Banff to today is at the Whyte Museum. It offers tours and exhibits steeped in the history of prominent people and places, a world class Archives and Library of the Canadian Rockies, and current exhibits in four galleries. Events at the museum feature many authors and artists, lectures on current topics, and some annual favourites enjoyed for many years, such as the Jon Whyte Spelling Bee and A Whyte Christmas. The Whyte Museum is the perfect starting point to gain a context for what Banff was, is now, and aspires to be. Thanks, Wendy, for your time with the Whyte Museum! Want to learn more about Canadian Rockies history? Discover our private and public tours coming soon at the Whyte Museum this summer. For summer 2024, four public tours will be offered: Heritage Homes Tour - a 25-minute guided tour of the historic homes of museum founders Peter and Catharine Whyte and notable locals Philip and Pearl (Brewster) Moore. Gateway to the Rockies Tour - a 25-minute guided museum tour. Learn how the mountains were opened up to all through stories of some of those drawn to these peaks. Historic Banff Walking Tour - get off the beaten path with a 60-minute guided tour through the Banff townsite, learning about the men and women who helped build and shape the town. J.E.H. MacDonald: The O’Hara Era – Summer Exhibition Tour - learn more about the rich history behind our summer exhibition at this guided gallery tour in the Whyte Museum. Check out our tours page for the most up to date information! Back to the Cairn

Back to the Cairn Don Watkins, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Peter and Catharine Whyte Foundation, is very pleased to announce the appointment of David Cox as the new CEO of the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, effective June 17, 2024. “We are delighted that David will be bringing his strong leadership skills and knowledge of the community to the Whyte at this exciting point in our development,” says Watkins. The Whyte Museum was formed in 1968 through the vision and legacy of Banff artists Peter and Catharine Whyte. Its impressive collection of art, artifacts, photography, archival materials, and Indigenous stories showcases the amazing people and events that have shaped the cultural heritage of the Canadian Rockies. Cox is familiar with the Whyte, having served on the Board of Directors from 2013 to 2019. He has also served in active leadership roles at the Banff Centre, including Vice President, Business Affairs, and General Counsel. As Director of External and Community Relations at the Centre, he developed strong ties in the community. He and his family have lived in Banff for over sixteen years and enjoy all forms of mountain sports. “I look forward to the next chapter in the development of this remarkable organization while honoring the legacy of Peter and Catharine Whyte,” he says. Cox is assuming the role of Donna Livingstone, who is retiring as CEO after successfully taking the Whyte through the pandemic, creating a new focus of connecting people to nature, and establishing the Whyte’s national reputation through exhibitions and new collaborations. Back to the Cairn

Back to the Cairn The Whyte Museum is pleased to welcome Chris Hughes as our new Chief Operating Officer. Chris joined the team on January 16, 2024. Chris comes to the Whyte from the Town of Banff where he has served for the past 15 years in progressive capacities, most recently as Director of Corporate Services. He brings an impressive knowledge of the community, financial and strategic planning, digital experience, policies and bylaws, and oversight of Town-owned assets. A well-known member of the community, Chris has lived in Banff for over 25 years and coaches minor hockey. He comes highly recommended by all who have worked with him and will be a great asset to the Whyte as we move ahead. Chris will be replacing the amazing Degju Suwal who has strengthened the Whyte’s operations in many ways over the past 12 years. Degju will be assisting Chris in the transition in the new year during budget and audit planning. Welcome to the Whyte, Chris! Back to the Cairn

Back to the Cairn On January 26th, 2024, the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies celebrated the opening of two winter exhibitions, Ya Ha Tinda: The Ranch by Arto Djerdjerian and A Natural Solitude by Hans P. Berkout, in celebration of the 2024 Exposure Photography Festival. Both exhibitions explore varied photography styles in outdoor spaces. Both exhibitions will be on display at the Whyte Museum until April 7th, 2024. About the Exhibitions Arto Djerdjerian: Ya Ha Tinda - The Ranch In Ya Ha Tinda: The Ranch, photographer Arto Djerdjerian showcases an intimate view of the everyday lives of those at Ya Ha Tinda, a ranch where horses are wintered and trained for use by Parks Canada wardens in our national mountain parks. Djerdjerian has been photographing life at Canada's only federally owned and operated working horse ranch for six years. His work provides a window to a very special place that has rarely been photographically documented. Gallery 1 By carefully observing the workday routine at the ranch, Djerdjerian captures the ranch's gritty, hard work as well as the magnificent animals and natural beauty. Blue skies and snow-capped peaks offer a stunning backdrop to the tonal variances of the horses. This combination of landscape, horse and history creates a sense of magic in a place apart from our norm. Born in Cairo, Egypt to Armenian parents, Djerdjerian was raised in Montreal where he went on to study photography, practicing seriously since the age of sixteen. Living and working in Alberta since 1977, Djerdjerian is dedicated full-time to his practice as a photographer in Alberta. Arto Djerdjerian is interested in the integration of fine art and photography. He continues to expand his vision and environment photography, from the urban world of New York City to Montreal to the backyard to the wilderness of Alberta to Wyoming. He combines horses, people, mountains, and history in his skillful photographs taken in some of the wildest and untamed places. Hans P. Berkhout: A Natural Solitude A Natural Solitude features the brilliant black-and-white film photography of Hans P. Berkhout, with nature as his subject. These pieces will leave you captivated by the crisp beauty and beautiful process. For Berkhout, photography became a creative release from the stresses of his medical practice, while also inspiring and encouraging fellow medics to engage in the creative process. Berkhout developed a passion for photography from his early days in Holland. He is a self-taught, film-based photographer whose main interest is black-and-white photography. He works with both large format and 35mm film, processed in a conventional wet darkroom. Each photograph displays fine detail and quality, which exemplify the patience and preparation seen in these well-executed images. The art of producing these images in the wet dark room further displays dedication and talent for his craft. Berkhout was introduced to large-format photography by the late Dr. Harry S. Thompson of Calgary. Concentrating his work on nature photography, he also learned from contact over the years with Al Weber, David Vestal, and Joe Englander, whom he assisted during the 2000 and 2001 Workshops West. Since 2014 he has been mentored by Paul Caponigro Galleries: Gallery 1: Winter 2024 exhibition opening at the Whyte Museum. Photos by Katie Goldie. Back to the Cairn

Back to the Cairn Friends of the Whyte is a series celebrating community, featuring Whyte Museum members, donors, staff, and friends, to get to know them a little bit better. During the summer of 2023, the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies had a team of five interpreters sharing the history of Banff, engaging with visitors and sharing what the Whyte Museum has to offer. Kiera Bandy was one of the Interpreters, a student from the University of Victoria here for the summer. In this Q&A, we learn more about Kiera's experience as an Interpreter. 1. Tell me a little bit about yourself! Where are you from? If a student, what are you studying? Why did you apply for a position at the Whyte Museum? I'm a University of Victoria student studying philosophy and gender studies. I applied to the interpreter position at the Whyte Museum because I felt as though my curiosity and passion for education meant I'd be able to contribute to the team in a meaningful way. 2. What new skills, techniques, or knowledge did you gain this summer? I gained knowledge gathering and retention skills, an understanding of office and museum function and dynamics, and a stronger connection to human and natural history. Memorizing tours and taking on a constant reading load has given me experience that will allow me to function at a higher level in future roles and in life. Heading into an office workspace, I was nervous about standards and practices that I felt like I was guessing at - this role has given me a new comfort in more formal settings. Most importantly, I've grown to feel much more connected to humans that have come before me and to my own environment. 3. What was a time that you felt proud during your time as an Interpreter? One time that I felt proud during my employment was after a Heritage Homes tour. It wasn't anything too special or out of the ordinary, but the pride and sense of warmth has not left me. A family of three had come on the torus with me - parents and an adult child. They were the most engaged visitors that I've had to date. I cannot emphasize that enough. Incredibly curious and intelligent people, respectful too. I felt as though I'd fielded their questions well throughout the tour, and we'd all enjoyed talking about similar points of interest. At the end, I had some office time scheduled and decided to continue chatting with them on the way back. We paused and expressed interest in each other's lives. They spoke about enjoying the tour, appreciating how much information I was able to retain, I thanked them for being so amazing. More from what they said, I could feel a deep sense of connection with this family; it felt like we knew each other. I was very proud of ability to keep such a wonderful and curious family engaged, and felt an incredible amount of warmth extended to me in that moment. I'm so so grateful for that experience. 4. If you could have dinner with one historical Banff figure, who would it be? Why? What would you want to ask/know? I would have dinner with Mary Vaux. I loved learning about how her family ended up being connected to the mountains (and glaciers specifically). Her level of engagement with not only the outdoors, but with scientific study, the tension between art and science, Quaker values, photography, and public education paint a picture of an incredibly thoughtful and caring person. I would want to hear her thoughts on aesthetic values in nature, the tourism industry, religion and study, and individual contribution to the greater good. Thanks, Kiera, for your time with the Whyte Museum! Want to learn more about Canadian Rockies history? Discover our private and public tours available at the Whyte Museum. Back to the Cairn

Back to the Cairn By Kayla Cazes, Librarian/Reference Archivist Many may not know, but here at the Whyte Museum, we have a rich and diverse Japanese collection of objects and art. In January 2018, Dr. Gain Chin, an Associate Professor Emeritus at the University of Regina, provided a scholarly assessment of our Japanese collection. She was able to add depth and clarity about the cultural significance and value of our collection. How you may ask, did we acquire such objects? Come with us on a journey of the man known as Dr. Edward Sylvester Morse. Morse specialized in the study of malacology, which focuses on mollusca. Mollusca includes snails, slugs, clams, octopus, squid, and so on. As a marine biologist he focused heavily on this classification of invertebrates. In 1870, he published a book that reclassified braciopods as worms, rather than mollusks. In 1877, Morse went in search of coastal braciopods in Japan. This short stay turned into a three year adventure for Morse. During this time he fell in love with the culture and people of Japan. He would return to Japan in 1882 and begin to amass a large collection of objects. So, what is the connection to the Whyte Museum? Morse was Catharine Robb Whyte's maternal grandfather. Through her personal letters and diary entries, we can see her immense fondness for him. Catharine described the collecting tendencies of her grandfather in a diary entry, "Grandpa never threw anything away, even letters from Mother which just say, "Will meet you Saturday," . . . I cleaned out the attic. We found old hats, shoes, boots, masks, pictures, coffee pots, maps, an old warming pan, fishing rods, boxes, shells, stones, tiles, trunks, bags, screens . . . pottery, old bottles, kettles, an old sea chest . . . a skeleton of a monkey, the [hyoid] bone of a 'Peruvian mummy' and a 'section of the human soul' in one drawer in the desk." Catharine Robb Whyte, March 31, 1926 Between the years 1890 and 1892, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts purchased thousands of ceramic objects from Dr. Morse. The Peabody Museum in Salem, Massachusetts acquired every day material objects. From April to October 2018, we showcased our collection in an exhibition, From Morse to Whyte: A Dynastic Bequest of Japanese Treasures. Below is a selection of Japanese objects and art that were collected by Morse. Back to the Cairn

Back to the Cairn By Dawn Saunders Dahl, Indigenous Relationships and Programs Manager The Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies supports staff to continue to strengthen Indigenous relationships through action-inspired dialogue. We actively invite Indigenous community members connected to the museum collections and the Bow Valley to share stories about the living object and archival collections. These consultations celebrate the stories about how items were made, who made them, as well as continuing to identify relatives in photographs, films, and sound recordings. We strive to continue to develop new Indigenous education initiatives. In 2023 we created a youth Bison activity book with community members from Ktunaxa and Stoney Nations and we are on final production of a Bison Salmon book. New modules for the Living with Nature program are in development and modules have been piloted. These relationships contribute to the changes in the museum, starting with a new Bison exhibit in the Heritage Gallery, a new display in the Archives Reading Room, and the development of an Indigenous traveling exhibit. These efforts also build and maintain relationships which are reflected in the museum’s future endeavours, influencing programs and contributing to the hiring Indigenous staff. Banff and Lake Louise Tourism supported the creation of a new Bird Mural Project and painting of the picnic tables on the museum grounds in the summer. The Cave and Basin Mural Project added three new Indigenous murals and this partnership with Parks Canada will continue in 2024. We will create four more box murals at the Cave and Basin Historic Site. Priority in 2024 is for Blackfoot and Stoney Nation artists, all Indigenous artists are invited to apply. Please contact Dawn Saunders Dahl if you require assistance to put your application together by February 5, 2024. Visitors to the museum can book a tour led by Indigenous staff in the museum and in summer 2024 a tour about the Mural Project will be offered. Learn more about these tours here. Gallery 1 We have noticed increased participation from Indigenous communities to reach out to museum staff for resources and to visit the museum, positive feedback from visitors, and an increase of new partnerships. Indigenous staff in the Archives have developed Indigenous access resources and contribute to providing understandings around access and the items in the collections. Over the last 10 years, the Whyte Museum Archives has been committed to building relationships with local Indigenous Nations by creating outreach initiatives and encouraging access to Indigenous related archival materials and resources to Indigenous communities. We are in the final stages of board approval for the Indigenous accessibility document. Outreach to Indigenous communities continues to ensure protocols and contact information is accurate. Indigenous ways of knowing comes from a deep oral tradition, passed on by Elders and Knowledge-Keepers. Protocols about how to communicate some of these details is critical for museum staff to be respectful in the preserving of cultural heritage. Indigenous communities have the right to control their knowledge and data where they see fit, and this policy will ensure that staff implement Indigenous wise practices. To understand and know protocols about access to the Indigenous materials within the collections, we require in depth consultation with Indigenous communities. By gathering this information, we preserve the protocols that are aligned with community wishes from Indigenous perspectives to ensure that this information is preserved and shared for future generations of Canadians. This policy is led by Dawn Saunders Dahl, Manager of Indigenous Relationships, working with museum staff who have assisted to create this policy to reinforce the museum’s commitment to continue genuine relationship-building with Indigenous communities. Indigenous staff have been crucial in assisting other staff members to understand the complexities around Indigenous relationships and staff seek opportunities to engage Indigenous perspective in the museum. There has been increased discussion and inclusion of Indigenous perspectives at staff meetings and in program and event planning, and Indigenous voices are part of the planning and delivery of museum programs and exhibits. Indigenous staff are empowered by opportunities to flex their skills within their own professional development with public speaking, design and development of presentations for workshops, and talks and tours of the exhibits. In terms of creating access, the more we consult and share time with Indigenous communities, the more the word will get around about what resources we hold in our collections. The museum benefits when communities know about the resources in the archives, and that these resources are available for use for their projects. All these activities help to break down barriers and develop new professional skills and practices within the institution and local Indigenous communities. The museum’s Indigenous led programs, exhibits and events have increased a broader understanding of Indigenous history and strengthened relationships with Indigenous peoples, local Bow Valley community members, staff and visitors to the museum. Stay tuned for future articles from Indigenous staff members about the activities within the Archives department, the new murals, new education and tours we are developing, and final version of the Indigenous Access document. We look forward to continued support with Indigenous communities and Elders, the museum board, staff and visitors to the museum and hope to see you at the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies in 2024! Want to learn more? Be sure to drop by the Whyte Museum Book Shop and check out the amazing books by Indigenous writers! Images: Image 1: L-R: Travis Rider, Dagny Dubois, and Colleen Crawler, Hosting Indigenous Relations team. Image 2-3: Bird Box Murals by featuring artists Tiffany Wollman (Métis) and Hali Heavy Shield (Blackfoot). Image 4: Artist: Brandon Atkinson (Metis). Image 5: L-R: Lillian Rose and Elisha Jimmy (Ktunaxa). Image 6: Picnic table painting by Bruno Canadien (Dene). Image 7-8: Picnic table painting by Cheyenne Bearspaw (Iyethka - Stoney). Gallery 1: Photos by mural artist Tania Willard (Secwépemc). Back to the Cairn

Back to the Cairn By Kate Riordon, Collections Processor & Digital Technician The Ya Ha Tinda Ranch gets its name from the Îyârhe (Stoney) people, and means “Mountain Prairie.” Aptly named since the ranch sits on a broad plateau on the eastern slope of the Rockies about halfway between Nordegg and Mînî Thnî (Morley) as the crow flies, protected on all sides by tall peaks and kept snow-free by frequent Chinooks. It is an ideal place to raise and graze horses. Folks may know of the ranch due to its association with Parks Canada, but all parts of its storied history are covered by Kathy Calvert in Ya Ha Tinda: A Home Place. Serving as a comprehensive history of the ranch, Calvert explores the individuals, agencies, and families who have made it what it is. Starting with Indigenous groups who used the region for hunting and trading, the story moves through the Brewster tenure, the formation of the Canadian Parks system, ownership disputes between the federal government and the newly minted Province of Alberta, and finally its ultimate calling as the heart of the Parks Canada Warden operation. The one true constant throughout remains the horses. Ever-present and always important, the Ranch’s horses are the steady, if sometimes flighty or cantankerous, heartbeat of the narrative as it takes its twists and turns through history. Interspersed with photographs from the Whyte Museum Archives and more contemporary shots from the collections of numerous Ranch tenants and employees, Calvert’s book is a quick and informative read about a fascinating element of the National Park system not often seen. Not only is Alberta home to ranches like the Ya Ha Tinda, it’s also the stomping ground for herds of wild horses. Maybe the descendants of Spanish mustangs, maybe horses turned out or lost by ranchers or Indigenous groups over time, these “ghost horses” are studied in depth by Maureen Enns in her book Wild Horses, Wild Wolves: Legends at Risk at the Foot of the Canadian Rockies. An artist by trade, Enns’ book follows her years-long independent study of the wild horses that roam the Ghost River area near her home north of Cochrane. Fascinated by what differentiates these small herds from domesticated horses, Enns ends up following in the tracks of moose, deer, and the local wolf packs to see if their behavior has somehow rubbed off. Accompanied by plenty of pictures Enns has taken in the field as well as photos from various wildlife cameras, charcoal sketches, and mixed media pieces, this book is part research paper, part art book. Come for the stunning stallions and adorable wolf pups, stay for the fascinating mystery that is their relationship, this book is sure to delight and entertain. Pick up a copy of these reads for yourself at the Whyte Museum Book Shop - stop by to visit us at 111 Bear St. in Banff! Images: Image 1: Covers of Ya Ha Tinda: A Home Place and Wild Horses, Wild Wolves: Legends at Risk at the Foot of the Canadian Rockies. Photo by Katie Goldie. Back to the Cairn

Back to the Cairn On December 7th, 2023 the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies hosted a Fireside Chat with Cliff White and Chic Scott. Cliff White’s roots in Banff go back a long way. His great-grandfather, Dave White, arrived in town in 1886 and operated a very successful general store. Cliff is the third named Cliff in the family — his grandfather Cliff White #1 was one of the group responsible for the creation of what are now the Mount Norquay Ski Resort and Skoki Lodge. His father, Cliff White #2 along with his wife Bev, created modern day Sunshine Village Ski Resort. Cliff White #3, sometimes called Cliffie, interviewed in this Fireside Chat, grew up in Banff and became a National Park Warden. After a number of years on the Public Safety Team doing mountain rescue he earned a master’s degree at Colorado State University, his thesis topic being the history of fire in Banff Park. Today he is widely recognized for his role in bringing science to the management of the national parks and introducing prescribed burning to the management of our forests. Scientist Stephen Pyne observed: “Ask Cliff about his contribution, and he urgently explains that lots of other people made critical decisions: the director-general, chief wardens, superintendents. But ask others, Cliffie’s friends and foes alike, and they will admit that Cliff White was the indispensable man. He never wearied, he never faltered. Even tinder, well prepared, requires a spark. Cliffie showered sparks. If one trial failed, he would try another. If one succeeded, he might try another as well.” Since 1990 Cliff and his wife Johanne have called Canmore home and have raised their three children here — Charles, Peter, and Alexandra. During the last few years, Cliff has kept busy with re-photography projects, visiting and photographing locations to document the change that has occurred over time. In 2007 he co-authored a book with Ted Hart called “The Lens of Time, A Repeat Photography of Landscape Change in the Canadian Rockies”. He has also been very involved with the project to re-introduce bison to Banff National Park. On Thursday, December 7, Cliff shared his stories of growing up in Banff and at Sunshine Village Ski Resort, of historic Banff citizens like his great-aunt Catharine Whyte, and of working with the Banff Park Warden Service in several capacities. Back to the Cairn

Back to the Cairn There's something about the turning of the seasons and a crisp new chill in the air that beckons for a cozy nook with a stack of good books. And the 2023 Banff Mountain Book Competition has ample inspiration for new titles to add to your Fall reading list. Select titles are available at the Whyte Museum Book Shop, open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.! The Whyte Museum Book Shop is pleased to celebrate both the longlist of category finalists and the winner of this year's Jon Whyte Award, as part of this year's Banff Mountain Book Competition. See the full list of finalists for all Book Competition awards here. 2023 Jon Whyte Award WINNER A Line Above the Sky: On Mountains and Motherhood Helen Mort, Ebury Press (UK, 2022) Helen Mort has always been drawn to the thrill and risk of climbing: the tension between human and rockface, and the climber's powerful connection to the elemental world. But when she becomes a mother for the first time, she finds herself re-examining her relationship with both the natural world and herself, as well as the way the world views women who aren't afraid to take risks. A Line Above the Sky melds memoir and nature writing to ask why humans are drawn to danger, and how we can find freedom in pushing our limits. It is a visceral love letter to losing oneself in physicality, whether climbing a mountain or bringing a child into the world, and an unforgettable celebration of womanhood in all its forms. One Man's Legacy: Tom Patey Mike Dixon, Scottish Mountaineering Press (UK, 2022) One Man’s Legacy chronicles the brief but brilliant life of Dr Tom Patey: bard, musician, and one of Scotland’s foremost climbers and mountaineers. His story is one of pioneering ascents and boundless enthusiasm, and his spontaneity, carefree approach and ability to burn the candle at both ends remain legendary, several decades after his untimely death. By drawing on Patey’s essays and verses, published collectively in the celebrated One Man’s Mountains, the narrative is imbued with dry wit and gentle satire, and brought to life by unseen images from renowned photographer John Cleare and the Patey family archive. Supported by a foreword from Mick Fowler and first-hand insights from some of the leading climbers of the last century, including Sir Chris Bonington, Joe Brown and Paul Nunn, One Man’s Legacy celebrates a complex, larger-than-life character who rightly deserves his place in mountaineering history. Royal Robbins: The American Climber David Smart, Mountaineers Books (USA, 2023) Acclaimed writer David Smart illuminates the fascinating life of Royal Robbins - in all its soulful ambition, rivalry, and romance. Royal Robbins chronicles his early years growing up as a latchkey kid in Southern California, the push and pull between being an aspiring banker or one of the original Camp 4 dirtbags, and his later decades as a father, husband, kayaker, and the trailblazing founder of the outdoor apparel company that bears his name. This intimate, colorful tour of climbing history covering Yosemite, the Tetons, the Gunks, the Alps, the United Kingdom, and more from the 1960s onward features star characters such as Liz Robbins - Robbins's wife and a pioneering adventurer in her own right - Yvon Chouinard, John Harlin, Steve Roper, Warren Harding, Tom Frost, and Doug Tompkins. An important addition to our knowledge of the Golden Age of rock climbing in Yosemite and the development of the clean climbing ethos, Royal Robbins sheds new light on an elemental figure of outdoor culture. The Boy and The Mountain: A Father, His Son, and a Journey of Discovery Torbjørn Ekelund, Greystone Books (Canada, 2023) Six-year-old Hans Torske disappeared in Norway's Skrim mountains in 1894. Why he wandered away from his family's cabin is still a mystery, but his body was found the following summer, lying atop a 2,860-foot mountain peak and covered with his thin jacket. More than 100 years later, nature writer Torbjørn Ekelund and his seven-year-old son, August, attempt the same summit. It's August's first overnight hiking trip, and Ekelund is eager to share his love of nature with his son. But soon he notices that the ways children and adults experience nature are vastly different, for better and for worse. The Boy and the Mountain reflects on what parenthood requires: experiencing the joy of watching your child go out into the world for the first time, while also worrying about the dangers they may face. Filled with curiosity, humility, and deep gratitude for wild places, this gem of a book is a celebration of the uncompromising nature of the elements, our bond with them, and the special relationship between father and son. Unraveled: A Climber’s Journey Through Darkness and Back Katie Brown, Mountaineers Books (USA, 2022) As a teenager in the 1990s, Katie Brown was one of climbing’s first "comp kids"--a young natural who, along with her peers, redefined the image of a strong and successful climber. After climbing for less than two years, Brown won her first junior national title. The next year she became the Junior World Champion at age 14 in Laval, France. In 1996 she won both the Rock Master--a prestigious international contest in Arco, Italy--and the esteemed X-Games. From 1996 on, Brown won every US Adult National that she entered, as well as a World Cup Title in France in 1999. Yet even as she reigned on the podium, Brown felt her life begin to unravel. A quiet child, she struggled with a home life that was very different behind closed doors than it seemed on television. A fundamentalist version of Christianity was at the center of the household, and Brown fought to live according to rules that were strict, ever-changing, and irrational. Isolated and feeling hopeless, Brown latched onto food as something she could control. She quit competitive climbing and bounced in and out of the industry, eventually disappearing in her late twenties. Now, more than two decades later, Brown is ready to share her story. Unraveled answers the question thousands of fans worldwide have wondered: "What ever happened to Katie Brown?" About the Jon Whyte Award The Jon Whyte Award is an homage to Jon Whyte, the nephew of Whyte Museum founders Peter Whyte and Catharine Robb Whyte. Born in 1941, Jon was an author, poet, writer, editor, journalist, broadcaster, publisher, environmentalist and curator at the Whyte Museum. The Jon Whyte Award aptly celebrates authors of non-fiction mountain literature, an interest and background Jon undoubtedly held. After public school education in Banff and Medicine Hat, Alberta, he received a B.A. in English from the University of Alberta in 1964, followed by a Masters degree in Medieval English in 1967. Subsequently, he received a Masters in Communications from Stanford University, California in 1974. His thesis at Stanford was a film documentary, "Jimmy Simpson, Mountain Man". During his time at U of A, Whyte worked as a broadcaster for CKUA Radio and as a sessional Instructor at U of A, 1965-1967. Upon returning to Banff, ca.1968, Whyte managed the Book and Art Den and helped establish Summerthought Press. In 1969 he became a columnist for the "Crag and Canyon," continuing until 1991, and in 1970 became a board member of the Peter Whyte Foundation (now Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies). From 1980 until his death in 1992, Whyte was a Curator of the heritage collections at the museum. He continued to write and publish extensively throughout the 1980s. He was involved with the formation of the Writer's Guild of Alberta and was elected its president in 1990. He received the WGA's Stephan Stephansson Award for Poetry in 1983. Whyte was also active in numerous other organizations, including the League of Canadian Poets, Alberta Museums Association, Canadian Museums Association, Interpretation Canada, Bow Valley Naturalists and the Alberta Wilderness Association. Back to the Cairn