December 11th is International Mountain Day and to celebrate, Kootenay and Coast Mountain Culture magazines are joining forces with the Canadian Mountain Network in an event that included a keynote by Wade Davis.

The Canadian Mountain Network is celebrating International Mountain Day (IMD) on December 11th with a series of events across Canada. This United Nations-designated day brings attention to the rich cultures and distinctive environments found in mountain regions, with the goal of promoting sustainable development. This year’s theme is “Mountains Under Pressure: Climate, Hunger, Migration” and the keynote presentation on Dec 6th had world-renowned anthropologist and National Geographic Society Explorer-in-Residence Wade Davis. (To read more about the amazing work of Wade Davis, visit our article “The Brilliant Life of Wade Davis.“)

Canadian pro climber Sonnie Trotter was the keynote for last year’s event. He’s seen here with Lloyd King (centre), Supervisor of the Wilson Climbing Centre at UofA and Christy Urban, Executive Director of the Canadian Mountain Network.

Starting December 4th and continuing to the 11th, the festival will include a wide variety of events and the keynote will have Dr. Davis sharing stories from his book Into the Silence, which is the definitive account of the British adventurers who survived the trenches of World War I and went on to risk their lives climbing Mount Everest.

In Haines Junction, Yukon, from December 8th to the 10th residents and visitors will be celebrating the Haines Junction Mountain Festival. Located next to Kluane National Park and Protected Area, which is part of the largest internationally protected area in the world, the festival celebrates science, research, First Nations culture, and mountain culture in all its forms – outdoor recreation, workshops, arts, live music, films, dance and shared meals.

In Canmore on December 11th, artsPlace, with support from the Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival and Crowfoot Media, organizers have lined up a night of tales from the trails, mountains and beyond. The event will also feature a slideshow with photographer Paul Zizka and a talk by Dr. Bill Hanlon, Founder and Medical Director of Basic Health International. A selection of films from the Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival will follow.

Also on December 11th, community members in Crowsnest Pass will gather to learn about the bald eagle migration in the region.

And in Calgary on December 11th, the Central Library in partnership with the Canadian Mountain Network, Mount Royal University, and the University of Calgary will feature a presentation by Alberta Chief Scientist Fred Wrona on the changing environment of the Alberta Rockies, an update on the reintroduction of bison to Banff National Park, and a screening of the film Living with Wildlife.

Tour de Bloc, a Canadian national bouldering competitive circuit, participated in last year’s Mountain Festival by making a stop in Edmonton during the festival.

Finally, the CMN will host a live-stream on December 11th to stitch together the diversity of our country’s mountain regions by featuring interviews, photos, and webcams connecting International Mountain Day events across Canada.

For more information on events and to learn how you can help bring International Mountain Day to your community, visit www.internationalmountainday.ca.