FRED BUCHWITZ (bn.1949)
Mount Assiniboine (3,618m - 11,870ft)
Canada
The mountain
Mount Assiniboine (3,618m - 11,870ft) also known as Assiniboine Mountain, is a pyramidal peak mountain located on the Great Divide, on the British Columbia/Alberta border in Canada.It is the highest peak in the Southern Continental Ranges of the Canadian Rockies. Mt. Assiniboine rises nearly 1,525 m (5,003 ft) above Lake Magog. Because of its resemblance to the Matterhorn in the Alps, it is nicknamed the "Matterhorn of the Rockies". Mt. Assiniboine was named by George M. Dawson in 1885. When Dawson saw Mt. Assiniboine from Copper Mountain, he saw a plume of clouds trailing away from the top. This reminded him of the plumes of smoke emanating from the teepees of Assiniboine Indians. Mt. Assiniboine lies on the border between Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park, in British Columbia, and Banff National Park, in Alberta. The park does not have any roads and thus can only be reached by a six-hour hike 27 km (17 mi), three-hour bike ride (now disallowed to reduce human / grizzly encounters) or helicopter. The usual approach is via Bryant Creek. From Canmore follow the Smith-Dorien road to the Mount Shark parking lot. The trail is well signed. A helipad is also here.
Climbing
Mt. Assiniboine was first climbed in 1901 by James Outram, Christian Bohren and Christian Hasler. In 1925, Lawrence Grassi became the first person to make a solo ascent. On August 27, 2001, Bohren's granddaughter Lonnie along with three others made a successful ascent, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the first ascent. There are no scrambling routes up Mt. Assiniboine. The easiest mountaineering routes are the North Ridge and North Face at YDS 5.5 which are reached from the Hind Hut.
Source:
- Summitpost.org
- Wikipedia
The painter
Fred Buchwitz was born in Europe and came to Canada in 1949 at the age of four. His family settled in the town of Chilliwack nestled in Southern British Columbia. Fred’s artistic talent was first noticed when he was thirteen. He spent a great deal of time painting murals around his school with a friend. One of his most memorable murals illustrated the history of western art. After high school, Fred moved to Vancouver and started a job as a window displayman for Woodwards. Fred worked part-time hours at Woodwards one year while he took courses in graphic design at Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design. However, he was unable to complete the program because his wife gave birth to their first child. In 1974, Fred was given the opportunity to display his original paintings Thursday to Saturdays in Guildford Town Centre. Fred was able to sell more of his work from his studio as a result of this exposure. After a year of displaying at Guildford, Fred traveled with a group of painters known as “Great Western Artists.” They traveled throughout western Canada and it was on these trips that Fred discovered the beauty and majesty of the Rocky Mountains. The Rockies have become a major theme in his work ever since. Fred also started releasing limited edition prints and art cards of his work.
Source:
- Art Country Canada.com
