Chic Scott

Chic Scott has dedicated almost 50 years to the mountains. He has contributed as a climber, skier, guide, organizer, historian, writer and lecturer.

Some of his most notable mountain achievements include first winter ascents of Mount Hungabee, Mount Assiniboine and Mount Stephen, the first successful ski traverse across the icefields of the Continental Divide between Jasper and Lake Louise, and numerous ascents of difficult climbs in the European Alps.

For five summers Chic worked as a mountain guide for the International School of Mountaineering in Switzerland, leading ascents of Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn and the Aiguille Verte. During the summer of 1974 he worked for two months with Clint Eastwood and Universal Studios on mountain location filming for the spy thriller The Eiger Sanction.

In 1975 Chic originated the idea of holding a Banff Mountain Film Festival. In 1978 he founded The Canadian Himalayan Foundation and in 1995 was one of the founders of the John Lauchlan Award, which assists expeditions of Canadian mountaineers and explorers.

Chic is an honorary member of the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides, the Calgary Mountain Club and The Alpine Club of Canada and is also a winner of the Banff Mountain Film Festival Summit of Excellence Award.

Over the years Chic has written hundreds of magazine articles and 10 books. Today he makes much of his income giving presentations on mountain culture and adventure.

Now a senior citizen, Chic is still very active. In 2010, at age 64, he skied with three companions from Jasper to Lake Louise along the valley route to the east of the Icefields Parkway. The trip entailed 20 nights in a tent and deep trail-breaking in remote valleys while carrying a 20 kg pack. As the famous philosopher Yogi Berra said, “It ain’t over ’til it’s over.”