Legend Tim Auger on Yosemite, Rescues and Epics in Unseen 1990s Interview

In 1996 and 1997, Chic Scott recorded 84 interviews with leading mountaineers all across Canada, as research for his book, Pushing the Limits, The Story of Canadian Mountaineering. These interviews have been safely stored in the archives of the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies for 25 years and have now been digitized.

Film maker Glen Crawford, working with Chic Scott, has selected 11 of the best interviews and has edited them and added photographs to create superb enhanced interviews.

Tim Auger was one of Canada’s finest climbers with many notable ascents to his credit. He grew up in Vancouver and in the early sixties made the second ascent of the Grand Wall and the first ascent of the University Wall on the Squamish Chief. Later he went to Yosemite Valley in California where he made many difficult ascents.

In 1967 he came to the Rockies to work on trail crew for Parks Canada. Auger fell in love with the Rockies and settled here. He spent half a dozen years as the seasonal warden at Lake O’Hara in Yoho National Park, a beautiful and special place.

In the mid 1970s he joined the Parks Canada Public Safety Team and spent about thirty years doing mountain rescue work. Auger helped thousands of people who were in trouble in the mountains and saved many lives.

This interview with Tim from 1996 is a real gem. Tim is a great storyteller and tells the stories of his climbs on The Chief and his early days at Lake O’Hara. He also talks about the first ascent of Kahl Wall, a classic Yamnuska climb. Tim died in 2018 and is greatly missed.

“He was a fine gentleman with good heart and made many friends,” said Scott.

Tim Auger