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Originally from Scotland, Bridget Jones shared colourful stories of her life in Canada when she chatted with Chic Scott in February 2014. Bridget worked at Assiniboine Lodge, ran Twin Falls Chalet in Yoho National Park, and married Ken Jones, the first Canadian-born mountain guide. #bridgetjones #BanffNationalPark #heritage #oralhistory Click to View

For over 50 years, Fran Drummond has owned and operated Twin Falls Chalet in Yoho National Park. Fran was interviewed on April 13, 2014 by historian and author Chic Scott. Fireside Chats are part of the Whyte Museum's ongoing Oral History Project. #frandrummond #archives #yoho #oralhistory Click to View

Edward (Eddie) Clement Edgar Hunter, b.1926, is a skier, cinematographer, broadcaster, photographer and writer based at Banff, Alberta. On October 22, 2017, Eddie was interviewed about ski days in Banff by historian Chic Scott. #eddiehunter #banff #ski Make sure to also check out one of Eddie's classic films Ski Spree, here in the Digital Vault. Click to View

In November 2017, Chic Scott hosted Leo Grillmair as part of the Whyte Museum's Fireside Chat series. Leo shared stories of his childhood and his life of adventure, including mountain climbing, skiing, heli-skiing and guiding. #leogrillmair #oralhistory #heritage Click to View

Written by Museum Interpreters: Cassidy Hughes, Eden Luymes, Jon Rollins, and Gemma Tarling Images: Cassidy on the Stanley Glacier trail, Gemma above Peyto Lake, Eden on Cascade Mountain and Jon on Mt. Wilcox. Entering the town of Banff, you pass a sign featuring the famous photo of Bill Peyto. To the average visitor, this man is a face, a pipe, and a cowboy hat. However, delving into the history of this region, we learned that he, like the rest of Banff’s past, is so much more. Working at the Whyte Museum over the summer, offering tours and working within the Archives, Art, and Heritage collections, this region’s history became tangible to us. Through exploring the Canadian Rockies, our work at the Museum became an enriching, exciting task. Whether that meant visiting Skoki Lodge, climbing mountains and glaciers depicted in Peter and Catharine’s paintings, or gazing out over Peyto Lake—whose namesake we would discuss daily on our tours. Knowing the stories behind these places has enriched our own experiences here in Banff, adding a level of understanding and excitement to our adventures. This is something that we wanted to convey to the visitors who we interacted with at the Museum. Being interpreters has given us the chance to pass on this knowledge in the hopes that the people we talk to are also inspired to follow in the footsteps of these first pathfinders. When Catharine Whyte came to Banff she was enamored with - and as an artist, challenged by - the constant changes in lighting in the mountain landscape. Catharine found home in the inherent changes that constitute Banff, and so did we. The rapid shifts in mountain light paralleled our own experiences, every minute bringing something new. Newness is refreshing, like being given the chance to delve into historic artifacts in the Heritage collection or images in the Archives. It can also be a hard-learned lesson in a hailstorm at the summit of a mountain. Regardless of the immediate context, we have welcomed these varied and fresh experiences during our time in Banff with grateful and open minds. This spring, Bill Peyto’s image welcoming us to Banff was just a face, and the Whyte Museum was but a logo. Now Bill’s story and legacy has left us inspired and the Museum is a place where our names are in the cataloguing binders, our voices ring through the hallways, and the permanent staff are keen to chat with us about our latest adventures. It has been an honour and a privilege to work in such a supportive environment.

Eddie Hunter grew up in Banff in the 1930s and 40s where he experienced the pioneer era of skiing in the Canadian Rockies. He worked in the television and film industry and produced some classic ski films. #eddiehunter #ski #banff #film #archives Learn more about Eddie Hunter through his Fireside Chat with historian Chic Scott.

The exhibition Bert Riggall: I to the Hills Will Lift Mine Eyes was on display at the Whyte Museum from April 8 to June 11, 2017. Bert Riggall’s photographs are both documentary and aesthetically stunning renderings of Rocky Mountain life and landscape. They speak to his relationship to the mountains while exposing hunting, ranching and guiding juxtaposed with stewardship and conservation. #bertriggall #archives #photography #hunting #ranching Learn more about Bert Riggall and the exhibition through the video below, featuring guest-curators Nicole Ensing and Brittany Watson.

Hans Gmoser was one of the greatest mountain filmmakers in North America. During the 1950s and 60s he produced 10 feature length films of ski touring, rock climbing and mountaineering adventures, capturing the alpine magic of the era. Through the Hans Gmoser Film Project it is possible to view these historic films, complete with classical music soundtrack and narration. The Hans Gmoser Film Collection, 10 DVD set is available for purchase through the Whyte Museum Shop. Watch our Events page for public showings of the films throughout the year at the Whyte Museum and other venues. Thank you to the late Hans Gmoser for creating the original films. Thank you to Marg Saul, Chic Scott, Will Schmidt and multiple donors for making the project possible. Enjoy the trailer for the Hans Gmoser Film Project below. #hansgmoser #skiing #mountaineering #rockclimbing #film #banff