It was evidently in the winter of 1971-72 that the Ramblers started cross-country skiing on the skinny skis, though the first Rambler cross-country ski trip is not identified. The first one described in the "Pack Rat" was led by Alastair Sinclair up Forty Mile Creek and written up by Marianne Stanford. The date of the trip was not given but it was in the January 1972 issue of "The Pack Rat" and has been placed under "Memorable trips" in this volume.
The big trip of 1972 was the nine day backpack by 8 Ramblers in Glacier Park, Montana from July 22- 30 led by Brian Crummy. He expected to have good trails all the way from Two Medicine Lake to the Canadian border. In fact they encountered so much bushwhacking, deadfall and snow that it was usually dark before they pitched camp. Marianne Stanford bought the food and planned the menu.
There was another Ramblers 9 day backpack from July 22 - 30 led by Bill Leach accompanied by Ed Forester and Norm Reid. They backpacked from Kananaskis Lakes over South Kananaskis and Palliser Passes to Spray Reservoir, over Wonder Pass to Assiniboine then north to Citadel Pass and Healy Pass ending up at the Bourgeau parking lot.
A wildcat trip in the summer of 1972 was so outstanding that it is mentioned here. Ed Stacey made a solo canoe trip down the Liard and Mackenzie Rivers from Fort Nelson, B.C. to Inuvik, N.W.T.
The first recorded Ramblers progressive supper was organized by Linda Scarlett on March 4, 1972. Various courses were enjoyed by 30 Ramblers from one end of the city to the other.
1972 was a romantic year in Ramblers. The following four couples were united in marriage during the first half of the year: Gunther Mueller and Christine Bonhan, Al Samek and Jenny Tomlin, Blake Gordon and Edith Sandy, Peter Gillingham and Peggy Gow. Then in November Frank Reed and Jay Jarrett, who had moved back to England, were wed there. They have since returned to Calgary and the Ramblers.
Membership held nearly steady at 166 in 1972. At the A.G.M. in October Brian Crummy received the gold pin for leadership while silver pins went to Helga Dauer, Art Davis and Daphne Smith. Roger Woodgate was elected President; Bob Pattison, Vice-President; Elaine McKennirey, Secretary; Bill Leach, Treasurer; and Tony Forster, Carol Munro and Anne Draper, Members-at-large.
Some new activities were introduced in 1973. One of these was on a Friday night in February when 30 Ramblers and friends enjoyed a hayride west of Bragg Creek under a full moon. After the ride with all its rough-housing in the hay Ron and Wendy Folkins invited everyone to their home for a good meal.
The first record in "The Pack Rat" of a Ramblers river clean-up, litter blitz in other words, in Glenmore Park was on May 6, 1973, when 17 Ramblers under the leadership of Wilf Twelker spent the day cleaning up the area. All enjoyed a tasty supper at the Twelkers afterwards.
The Ramblers really enjoyed something different in the spring or summer of 1973 (the date isn't given) when Carol Munro and Roger and Judy Woodgate organized a treasure hunt. A treasure hunt is much like an auto rally but less serious. The Ramblers event was a find-the-answer type with the questions en route all set out in rhyme. They divided into crews for each car. Some drivers had one navigator and others had a full carload. They started out at the Fire Hall on Memorial Drive N.W. and ended up at Sandy Beach in Riverdale Park in south Calgary. There they rushed to be the first to give Carol the answer sheets. In case of more than one carload having the most number of right answers, the first one to get the sheet in would win. However, Carol was not there. It seem she had not anticipated how quickly they would finish and had gone home to have a nap, write a letter, take a bath and watch some TV. Finally she arrived and the winners were Angus Henley and his crew of Daphne Smith, Maggie Butler and Mike Crouch.
There were another 3 Ramblers weddings in 1973. The, happy couples were: Marianne Stanford and Tom Flanagan, Brian Crummy and Elaine McKinnirey and Anne Draper and Tony Moran.
In spite of all these distractions trips were not neglected in 1973.
Victoria Day weekend of 1973, 6 Ramblers led by Wally Drew explored a new area with a backpack up the Gross River west of the southern part of Kootenay National Park.
Over the three day Dominion Day weekend of 1973 Wally led a party of 16 on another exploration trip. This was in the eastern part of Glacier National Park, B.C. in pouring rain up the Beaver River, Grizzly Creek and Copperstain Creek to camp in and by an isolated little cabin. It looked like a Chinese laundry when all the wet clothing and equipment were hung up to dry. From there we climbed to the top of Copperstain Mountain.
Perhaps the mart exciting weekend canoe trip was the one between Lake Louise and Banff on the Bow River. Shortly below Lake Louise at least 4 Ramblers and 2 canoes got dunkes in a rapids.
Quita Mills led a 7-day backpack into Assiffiboine in July 1973. They went in from Sunshine and out over Wonder Pass to Bryant Creek. Right after Quita's trip Brian Crummy led a group of 10 on a 9-day backpack in Jasper National Park exploring first the Skyline Trail from Maligne Lake to the Signal Mountain fire road, and then the Nigel Pass-Jonas Pass - Poboktan Pass area. Clair Aghion planned the food.
The first record of Ramblers meeting a topless female hiker was on the Floe Lake trail in the summer 1973. 7he men on that trip could not tell us whether not she was wearing boots.
The club had about 175 members by end fiscal year in 1973. I do not have a record of the date of the A.G.M. that fall, but evidently no pin awards were made. The following executive resulted from the meeting and the subsequent executive meeting: President, Roger Woodgate; Vice-President, Bob Pattison; Secretary, Elaine Crummy; Treasurer, Bill Leach; Program Chairman. Anne Moran; Social Chairman, Doreen Ogborne; Pack Rat Editor, Brian Crummy; Leaders Chairman, Helga Dauer; and Equipment Chairman, Jim Kirkpatrick.
Ten of us had a lot of fun on the 5-day ski trip organized by Wall Drew to Big White ski area above Kelowna B.C. over the Christmas weekend of 1973. We stayed in a lodge on the slopes for $5 to $7 per night per room and economized foodwise by cooking many of our meals on our camp stoves in our rooms. We did both ballroom (lift) skiing and touring.