Sports

Climbers earn the right to view

by Rod Chapman
Special to The Review

Peter Mason, a math and physi-
cal education teacher at Stelly’s
secondary school for the last 14
years, has a hobby that few would
even think of trying.

An avid mountain climber who
Started at the age of 24 years,
Mason quite calmly states that
he*s stood on peaks over 10,000
feet tall.

Mason got involved in the sport
as a student by joining a youth
group called Young Life.

From there he got involved with
the Beyond Malibu program,
lecated in the Princess Louisa
area, about 100 miles north of
Vancouver.

In 1984, fellow Stelly’s teacher
Fraser Syme, encouraged Mason
to help him organize a climb. From
then on they’ve been climbing
buddies, along with Steve Dana, a
teacher at Simon Fraser Univer-
sity. 3

Mason is infactuated with
climbing because it offers some-
thing other sports don’t.

“T've been an active athlete all
my life and climbing just gives
you a different sort of high than
any other sport. It’s a way to get
away from the city and the rat race
of life.

“T've been asked why I don’t
just go in an airplane or helicopter
to see the view but it is not the
same. After you have made it to
the summit you feel as though you

have earned the right to view the
land,” he said.

Climbing is a fairly safe sport
for people as long as you choose to
climb safe, which means being
prepared with the proper equip-
ment, he said.

Climbers should bring a sleep-
ing bag, warm clothes, food,
matches, compass, rope, First Aid
kit and a knife — to be ready for
anything unexpected to happen.

Mason said climbers must not
take chances or get “Summit
Fever.” Have respect for the moun-
tain, realizing it can beat you and
you'll just have to come back
another day.

Climbing is for anyone who is a
reasonably healthy individual.
Last summer Mason was involved
in the rescue of a girl who was
injured when a rock hit her knee.
The group had to hike through
logging slash and thick forest for
24 miles. It took 20 hours before
they got her out and to help.

The price of climbing in a year
can range anywhere from $1,500
to $2,000 for beginners. The
Beyond Malibu organization will
take people on climbs and offers
many trips.

For a $300 fee, climbers get a
return trip from Victoria, provided
they are equipped with boots and
clothing. Trips normally take five
nights and six days but there are
some weekend trips as well.

Mason described the feeling
after reaching the summit.

“It’s a sense of awe. It’s exhilar-
ating and satisfying because you
had to do the hard work of the

climb. The view that you see
humbles you and keeps you in
perspective of life. You might also
be lucky enough to catch a
glimpse of a bear or mountain
goat.”

There are 14 peaks in the world
which are over 25,000 feet. Some
of the best places to climb are in
the Himalayas, Peru and Switzer-
land.

Mason feels that the West Coast
is a great area for people to climb
and has a long list of mountains
that he has climbed. It includes:
Mt. Kokanee — 9,000 fect, Mt.
Baker — 10,000 feet, Mt. Pearkes
— 7,000 feet, Mt. Zion — 6,400
feet, Mt. Albert — 8,400 feet, Mt.
Frankinstine — 6,100 feet and Mt.
One Eye — 6,000 feet.

Still in Mason’s plans to climb
are Mt. Rainer and Mt. Hood. His
dream is one day to go to Nepal
and hike into the base camp of
Everest. He also wants to go on a
climb with his wife, three sons and
one daughter but has some time to
wait — the youngest is only 3
years old. But plenty of time
remains, considering Mason’s
assurance that he'll be 60 and sull
climbing.

If you are interested in seeing a
slide show or learning about adult
trips in July, there is no experience
necessary. Give him a call at
656-6428.

Rod Chapman is a Grade 10
Student at Stelly’s Secondary
School. An avid sports card col-
lector, Chapman aspires to be a
professional sports writer. This is
his first published article.

TheReview Wednesday, January 30,1991 — C8

|

riage.

COLD AND CRISP CLIMB is faced by this string of enterprizing
athletes, making their way slowly along a snow-covered

‘It’s a sense of awe. It’s exhilarating
and satisfying because you had fo
do the hard work of the climb’

FRESH CUT ROSES &
CARNATIONS

: 299 bunch |

Stelly’s teacher Peter Mason says reaching the summit makes a climber feel as though he ©

eamed the right to the view.

Reminiscing of the early days

The Sidney and North Saanich
Historical Society held an histori-
cal gathering Wednesday with a
public meeting featuring a panel of
four speakers talking about the
early days in Sidney and North
Saanich.

Sidney Mayor Marie Rosko
remembered as a child the line of
cars on Beacon Avenue waiting for
the ferry that docked at Sidney
wharf.

Art Gardner, chief of the fire
department in the 1930s, recalled
there were so many. different
requests for firemen besides put-
ting out fires.

He told of one very cold winter
when pipes froze to Resthaven
Hospital, located on an island, and
the firemen kept the pumps going
for three days.

Calvor Palmateer, curator of the
Sidney Museum, in a screen pre-
sentation, showed an early slide of
Edna May John, founder of the
Sidney Museum.

Dennis Paquette, owner of the
Hotel Sidney, revealed that the
hotel began in 1891, the same year
that Sidney started.

After 10-minute talks by each
panelist, audience participation
followed with questions and
answers.

PETER MASON photos

JOANNE

SUSIE

< Rog Bees Fae He 73a ee x o> anit at ae
STUNNING VIEW IS reward enough for climbers after hours spent sweating under the burden § 2360 Beacon Avenue
of equipment, struggling with limited oxygen and fighting against a rock hard opponent. ja Sidney, BC.

A COMPLETE LINE OF GARDENING NEEDS

CHARLENE

QUALITY IN SO MANY WAYS
ADICYNuatrece

SKINCARE BY KRISTINE

BRENTWOOD VILLAGE SQUARE
CENTRALLY LOCATED TO SERVE THE ENTIRE PENINSULA

CAROL-JO

652-1222
652-1242

656-5199

i

KRISTINE