| Background | Ski-mountaineering achievements | Mountaineering, rock climbing |

Resume: Ruedi Beglinger

Certified Swiss - Canadian Mountain Guide

Professional member:
Swiss Mountain Guide Association "S.B.V.", since 1975
Canadian Mountain Guide Association "A.C.M.G.", since 1982
Canadian Avalanche Association "C.A.A.", since late eighties
International Mountain Guide Association "U.I.A.G.M." (I.F.M.G.A.) since early summer 1977

Background

Born and growing up: August 29th 1954, Valley of Glarus, Swiss Alps

Started Skiing: Age 3

Family life-style as child: Mountain hiking, skiing, ski-mountaineering, summer mountaineering

First summer mountaineering tour: Gross Charpf 2794m, Switzerland, age 4 (some rock-climbing, stay in a mountain hut was required to climb the peak), with father

First ski-mountaineering tour: Schilt 2300m, Switzerland, age 6, with father

Youth Organization of Swiss Alpine Club: At age 14 joined the Youth Organization of the Swiss Alpine Club. At age 16 started to climb more challenging alpine routes across the Swiss Alps.

Swiss Mountain Guide Association: At age 20 entered the training program to become a Mountain Guide. Passed the winter and summer Assistant Guide (Aspirant) courses. Two years later passed all Full Guide courses and exams in St. Moritz. Became fully certified by the Swiss and International Mountain Guide Association.

1980: Immigrated to Canada in 1980.

1980: Level 2 professional avalanche certificate, CAA

1981 to 1990: Two years full time and 6 years part time heliski-guiding in the Canadian Selkirk Mountains and Monashee Mountains. Also kept guiding in the Swiss Alps.

1985: Founded Selkirk Mountain Experience on June 14th 1985. Built the Durrand Glacier Chalet 6360 ft / 1960 m, started guiding clients at Durrand Glacier in late November of the same year.

1986 to 1991: Instructor and examiner on Canadian Ski Guide and Mountain Guide courses.

1988: Built a second hut, the Mt.Moloch Chalet 7300 ft / 2235 m, 8 km north-east of the Durrand Glacier Chalet

1994: After 4 year negotiating with the Government of British Columbia, Selkirk Mountain Experience received from the Government of British Columbia all exclusive rights to the entire Durrand Glacier area. Helicopter skiing companies were no longer allowed to ski any parts of the Durrand Glacier area and also were no longer allowed to over-fly the area for heliskiing reasons. The Durrand Glacier area is the only ski-touring area in Western Canada which ever has received such exclusive privileges. The exclusive tenured area is 80 square kilometers or 20,000 acres in size.

Achievements as a Mountain Guide: Ski-mountaineering

Pioneered 8 major high alpine ski-traverses, guiding clients and with friends.

1983: First Roger's Pass to Revelstoke Ski-Traverse:
Roger's Pass - Mt. Bonney - Mt. Smart - Virtue Mtn. - Albert Ice Fields - Prudence Mtn. - Justice Mtn - Ghost Pk. - Mt Mackenzie - Revelstoke.

1983: First Sale Mtn. to Trans Canada Ski-Traverse:
Sale Mountain (Revelstoke Area) - St Saint Cyr - Invernes Peaks - Mt Klotz - Trans Canada High-Way (Albert Canyon).

1984: First Southern Monashee Ski-Traverse:
Shuswap River Forest Road - Rainbow Creek - Rainbow Lake - Fawn Lake Pass - Mt. Gunnarsen - Mt. Skade - Kelly Pk. - Thor Pass - Gates Pk. - Upper Pingston Lake - Cranberry Mtn. - Blanket Mtn. - Upper Mulvehill Creek - Mt. Begbie - Mt. MacPherson - Revelstoke. Guiding 1 client.

1993: First Northern Monashee Ski Traverse:
Borne Glacier - Malakwa. Guiding 10 clients.

1994: First Adamant Ski-Traverse:
North of Ferry Meadows - Ferry Meadows - Bachelor Pass - Gold-Stream Glacier - Stitt Creek. Guiding 9 clients.

1995: First Mt Wheeler Ski-Traverse:
Butter's Lake - Suger Mountain - Grand Mountain - Mt Wheeler - Purity Peak - Van Horn Glacier. Guiding 8 clients.

1996: First Bachelor Pass - Downie Ski-Traverse:
Argentine Glacier - Mt Sorcerer - Mt Holway - Mt Sisson - Mt Baal - Downie Lake. Guiding 10 clients.

1998: First Battle Range Ski Traverse:
Battle Range - going south for one week. Guiding 8 clients.

2000: First Sorcerer - Durrand Ski-Traverse:
Sorcerer Pass - Mt Sorcerer - Mt Holway - Mt Sisson - Mt Baal - Baal Glacier - Moloch Glacier - Supper Coulouir - Mt Graham - Mt Moloch Chalet - Mt Ruth - Tumbledown - Durrand Glacier Chalet. Guiding 9 clients.

High Altitude Ski-Expeditions, guiding clients:

Mt. Logan 5959 m, St. Elias Mountain Range, Yukon (4 times)

Mt. Aina 5660 m, St. Elias Mountain Range, Yukon

Prospector Peak 5660 m, St. Elias Mountain Range, Yukon

Mt. Steel 5080 m, St. Elias Mountain Range, Yukon

Mt. Lucania 5275 m, St. Elias Mountain Range, Yukon

Mt. Bona 5007 m, Wrangle Mountains, Alaska (3 times)

Mt. Churchill 4960 m, Wrangle Mountains, Alaska (3 times)

185 to 200 days of guiding ski-mountaineering and powder-snow skiing each season, since early nineties.

Complete number of days guiding worldwide ski-mountaineering: 5450 days.

Reached the seasonal 1 million vertical foot mark of guiding ski-mountaineering (counting climbing only) 17 times. Record year 1.3 million vertical feet.

Guided the West Alp's Haute Route 55 times, on all different variations.

19 first steep skiing descents in the Alps and Canadian Selkirk Mountain Range.

Counting only routes they are over 300 m / 1000 ft. vertical and average over 45 degr incline.

1973: Vorab Nordwand, 1800 m / 6000 ft. vert. average 50 degr. steepest 60 degr. Swiss Alps

1982: Mt Roger's, West-Ridge Couloir, 340 m / 1120 ft vert. average 50 degr. steepest 55 degr. Roger's Pass BC

1982: Mt. Sifton, S-Face Couloir, 420 m / 1380 ft. vert. average 50 degr. steepest 55 degr. Roger's Pass BC

1982: Grizzly Mountain, SE-Couloir, 400 m / 1320 m vert. average 45 degr. steepest 50 degr. Roger's Pass BC

1983: Mt. Begbie, Direct NE-Face, through lower cliff-band, 350 m / 1100 ft vert. average 45 degr. steepest 60 degr. Revelstoke BC

1983: Mt. St.Cyr, NW-Couloir, 330 m / 1000 ft. vert. average 45 degr. steepest 45 degr. Revelstoke BC

1984: Mt. Bonney NE-Face, 450 m / 1480 ft. vert. average 48 degr. steepest 55 degr. Roger's Pass BC

1984: Mt. Klotz, N-NW Couloir direct from summit, 450 m / 1500 ft. vert. average 45 degr. steepest 50 degr. Revelstoke BC

1986: Mt. Durrand, Direct North-East Face skier-right of seracs, 490 m / 1600 ft. vert. average 45 degr. steepest 50 degr. Durrand Glacier BC

1988: Mt. Durrand, Grand Center Couloir, 460 m / 1520 ft. vert. average 52 degr. steepest 60 degr. Durrand Glacier BC

1989: Mt. Fang, Concordia Pillar Couloir, 310 m / 1000 ft. vert. average 50 degr. steepest 60 degr. Durrand Glacier BC

1989: Mt. Graham, Y-Couloir, 770 m / 2500 ft. vert. average 50 degr. steepest 55 degr. Durrand Glacier BC

1989: Mt Graham, North-West Face, 1000 m / 3300 ft. vert. average 48 degr. steepest 55 degr. Durrand Glacier BC

1990: Zwilling's East, North-East Face Couloir, 300 m / 1000 ft. vert. average 45 degr. steepest 47 degr. Durrand Glacier BC

1990: Salbyt Peak, Inominata Ridge North-East Couloir, 610 m / 2000 ft. vert. average 45 degr. steepest 47 degr. Durrand Glacier BC

1990: Mt. ST.Cyr, 700 m / 2300 ft. vert. Average 45 degr. Steepest 48 degr. Revelstoke BC

1997: Tumbledown Direct South Face Coulopir, 850 m / 2500 ft. vert. average 47 degr. steepest 60 degr. Durrand Glacier BC

2001: Mt. Durrand, East Ridge Couloir, 420 m / 1400 ft. vert. average 45 degr. steepest 47 degr. Durrand Glacier BC

2004: Mt. Graham, East Face, 400 m / 1220 ft vert. average 45 degr. steepest 48 degr. Durrand Glacier BC

World-wide ski-guided:
• West Alps
• Mont Blanc summit 12 times with skis
• Central Alps
• East Alps
• Canadian Rockies
• Canadian Selkirk Mountains
• Durrand Glacier
• Canadian Monashee Mountains
• Canadian Caribou Mountains
• Canadian Coast Mountains
• St Elias Range, Alaska and Canada

Achievements as a Mountain Guide: Mountaineering, rock climbing

Areas guided technical mountaineering and rock-climbing:

Canada:
Durrand Glacier - Mt Moloch Area
Bugaboo Mountains, BC
Becky - Choinard Route, South Howser Tower.
Canadian Rockies:
Mt Alberta Jap. Route, Cdn Rockies
Mt Tempel E-Ridge, Cdn Rockies
Athabaska N-Face, Cdn Rockies
Mt Robson Kain Route, Cdn Rockies
Polar Circus, Cdn Rockies
Mt. Sir Donald NE-Ridge 12 times
Mt Tupper, entire E-Ridge over Camels (first ascent)
Squamish, Grand Wall

USA:
Alaska, Denali SW-Ridge
Mt. St Elias S-Ridge (not successful)
Yosemite, El Capitan, Nose

Alps:
European Alps from Dolomites to West Alps and south of France.
Mont Blanc, including Peuterey Ridge
Grang Jorasses, including North Face
Matterhorn, including North Face.
Eiger East Ridge (Mitellegi Ridge).

Nepal:
Kalagandaki Valley, Thapa Peak 6012 m. elevation

Complete number of days guiding technical mountaineering and ice/rock-climbing 2100 days

178 first ascents

Technical mountaineering and rock/ice climbing, with clients and with friends.
Most popular mixed alpine first ascent: Country Couloir, Mont Maudit East Face (Mont Blanc, Chamonix, France)
800 vertical meters, steep ice to 90 degr., difficult mixed climbing in upper part of the route. Lower part 55 degr. ice climbing. August 1978

Hardest mixed alpine first ascent: Mt Moloch North Face, Northern Selkirk's Canada, July 1994
1370 vertical meters, some steeper ice, consistent 5.9 to 5.9+ with one section 5.10a.
(entire route lose rock, poor protection and committing climbing)

Hardest alpine-rock route first ascent: Hill Billy High-Way, Concordia Pillar, Mt. Moloch Chalet
17 pitches, 5.12b 2 bolts A0 - July 17th 2005.

Most classic alpine-rock first ascent: Innominata Ridge Salbyt Peak, Mt. Moloch Chalet, Northern Selkirk's Canada
5.9+ 800 vertical meters and 2.2 kilometers long rock-route. Technical ridge and face climbing in superb alpine granite - July 19th 1990. (guiding one client)
This is more likely the longest alpine rock route of moderate grade in Canada.

Climbing Expeditions:

Denaly 6200 m, Alaska: Part of Cassin Ridge (turned around in extreme storm, success on SW-Ridge. June 1980, guiding.

Manaslu 8156m, Nepal: Unsuccessful, September 1997.

Cotopaxi 5897m, Equador: Guiding my daughter Charlotte as she was 10 years old. November 2003. Snowstorm on upper mountain.

Mt. St Elias 5400m, Alaska: South Ridge, St Elias Mountain Range Alaska, not successful due to high avalanche hazard and stormy weather with high wind. June 2003, guiding one client.

Most significant solo ascents
Laeged Windgaellen, Switzerland, Zentralpefeiler, 300 m. Vertical, 5.10c, 1979
La Meije, France, South Face, 800 m. vertical, 5.10a, 1979
Kingspitze, Switzerland, Nordostwand, 650 m. vertical, 5.9+, 1979
Mont Blanc du Tacul, France, Jager Coulouir, 700 m. vertical, 65 degr. ice, 1980
Mont Blanc du Tacul, France, Cheri Couloir, 350 m. vertical, 85 degr. ice, 1980
Mont Blanc du Tacul, France, Gabarou - Marquis Direct, 350 m. vertical, 70 degr. ice and some rock, 1980
Mont Blanc du Tacul, France, Gabarou Couloir, 600 m vertical, 85 degr. ice, 1980
Mont Blanc du Tacul, France, Super Couloir, 900 m vertical, 85 degr. ice and moderate grade rock climbing, 1980
Royal Arche Area, Yosemite Valley USA, Serenity Crack, 4 pitches, 5.10d, 1980
Field BC, Canada, Carlsberg 90 m. vertical, WI 5, 1981
Field BC, Canada, Pilsner Pillar, 90 m. vertical, WI 6, 1980