PERLS204 Lecture : Feb 13 - mount Robson.doc
Document Summary
Victorian mountaineering: european alps, mid 1800"s, technology: trains to the alps, sociological: industrial capitalism and urbanization, urbanization down side = wealth but unmanly. Institutionalized rules: climbers climb with guides, groups of 3 or more. First ascents (but with little risk: trends spread out from the alps c. 1890s. Wilderness: presented as unpeopled and uncivilized, required those who entered the wilderness to have a spartan like mentality, stark justification from the city, masculinised space, those who travelled thru them were endowed with spartan virtues. Alpine: philips and kinie were given credit for the first decent from mount robson, wheeler always questioned philips and kinie"s alleged descent from mt robson. No one questioned philips about whether he climbed, kinney was always questioned: kinney did not pass the moral test of manhood, kain became the prince of canadian moutntain guides, kain was a childish and lover of nature.