Beautiful people not wanted on the ice fields

November 24, 2001
Source: Globe and Mail
Original story - link verified on November 24, 2001
By Rick Hudson

A back-country skier follows a classic winter route, hut to hut across the Canadian Divide, in a world of cloud, snow and ice in Banff and Yoho National Parks... My wife and I had only just emigrated to Canada the first time we ventured there. We had done la Haute Route on several occasions, but always as students, making do with old skis, battered boots and scruffy clothing. Now in the land of opportunity, the first thing we did was buy new skis, poles, even outfits. At last we were going to blend with the "beautiful people" seen everywhere in Banff and Jasper. On the way up to Bow Hut, we passed a group of Alpine Club of Canada members descending. They wore scruffy clothing, battered boots and old skis. They regarded us with polite indifference. We never wore our smart outfits again. And we joined the club the following week