Journey to Mount John Clarke
The mountain and the man that changed me forever
By Jeremy Williams
Not far from Powell River, at the head of Jervis Inlet, stands a mountain with humble reverence and vast beauty. At 7,500 feet elevation, it offers spectacular 360-degree views that include Princess Louisa Inlet, the wild Simms Creek valley and a plethora of glacier-clad peaks as far as the eye can see. This is the Coast Mountains at its best. This is Mount John Clarke.
I was lucky enough to have been led there by John Clarke in 1998 with a group of friends. We spent three days working on the trail from Chatterbox Falls to Loquilts Lake and 10 days to traverse over into Simms creek. It's only seven kilometres as the crow flies, but the scenery does not get any better than this.
John Clarke was no mere mortal. He is a legend in the mountaineering community. For over 30 years John rambled these mountains six months a year, often for one to three month solo trips! He would fly over his chosen route and air-drop food caches on the icefields where he would set up base camps and climb nearly every peak en route. John was a pioneer and he ventured deep into wild remote places in Powell River's backcountry before there were roads. He explored places where few, if any, humans had ever been. Though he never boasted or bragged in the five years of our friendship, I learned that he had over 600 first (recorded) ascents to his name! Several of these are in Powell River's back country and along the Powell--Toba Divide.
Over the years of his exploring he witnessed countless watersheds turned to wastelands as the logging had few environmental regulations until more recently. He told stories of many salmon runs that fell prey to "development." John became passionate about his beloved Coast Mountains and so he began educating and engaging the public with his amazing slideshows. John was given many awards for his work as an educator, including the Order of Canada. His presentations in schools with the 'Wilderness Education Program' (www.wilded.org) brought the wilderness to over 35,000 students. His enthusiasm was more than contagious. Each year John led hikes with children and young adults into old growth forests. His favourite trip was an annual trip with teenagers from Jervis Inlet to Simms creek over "Sun Peak," what is now known as Mt John Clarke.
John brought me here in 1998 and I was changed forever. I spent 10 years in this country, working with John and many others to change its fate from 'tree farm' to a more fitting use of its powerful spirit, so that it might be preserved for future generations.
John was an honorary member of the Squamish Nation and was bestowed the name of Xwexwselkn or 'Mountain Goat'. He had worked with Chief Bill Williams and photographer Nancy Bleck for 10 years in Squamish Nation Territory in ' Uts'am'/the Witness Project which brought several thousand people to Simms creek and ultimately led to its protection in the Squamish Nation's Land Use Plan as a 'Wild Spirit Place'.
On August 28, 2010, the Squamish Nation hosted the mountain naming ceremony in Simms creek. Over 30 friends of John attended the naming ceremony in the Simms Valley including his family, his widow and his son.
Karin Burnikell and I traveled from Powell River to join members of the Alpine Club of Canada and the BC Mountaineering Club to climb Mt John Clarke that weekend to pay homage to our dear friend John who passed away in 2003 at the young age of 57. After filming the ceremony and interviewing John's friends for a film I am working on, Karin and I carried 50 pounds of camera gear up the mountain to film the ascent. We hiked up to base camp above tree line as darkness descended and reached the summit by noon the next day. The route traverses rugged terrain and an ice axe and crampons are mandatory tools for crossing the icefield.
Jeremy Williams will present a slideshow of his trip from Princess Louisa Inlet to Simms Creek with John Clarke, and discuss the unique campaign to save this wild place on October 8 at Trinity Hall, United Church at 7 pm. Sponsored by the Malaspina Sierra Club.
