MEC x ACC Mountain Speaker Series 2024

Join us for an evening celebrating mountain culture and storytelling at five MEC locations across Canada featuring presentations from Canadian Alpine Journal contributors. MEC locations in Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver are hosting speakers from across Canada – the evening will include prizes, silent auctions and drinks by donation. Everyone is welcome!

Join us in celebrating mountain culture with an evening of storytelling from adventurers sharing their journeys from across the globe.

Join us in celebrating mountain culture with an evening of storytelling from adventurers sharing their journeys from across the globe.

Every year since 1907, The Alpine Club of Canada releases the Canadian Alpine Journal (CAJ), which captures the heart of the climbing community with details routes, inspiring achievements and stunning photography. This year, we’re bringing those stories to life – inviting the people behind the featured CAJ stories (and ACC grant recipients) to share their experience in person.

With special presentations from Canadian Alpine Journal contributors, drinks by donation and epic prizes, this event is a must for every outdoor enthusiast.

Everyone is welcome – we can’t wait to see you there!

Event Details

The 2024 MEC x ACC Speaker Series events are being hosted at five MEC locations across Canada. 

Tickets are just $20 (+fees) and all ticket sales and event proceed will be donated to the Alpine Club of Canada

MEC Vancouver
September 8
Doors: 7:30pm
Show starts: 8:30pm
111 2nd Ave East, Vancouver

MEC Calgary
September 8
Doors: 7:30pm
Show starts: 8:30pm
830 – 10th Ave SW, Calgary

MEC Edmonton Downtown
September 8
Doors: 7:30pm
Show starts: 8:30pm
11904 104 Ave NW, Edmonton

MEC Toronto
September 8
Doors: 7:30pm
Show starts: 8:30pm
300 Queen St. West, Toronto

MEC Ottawa
September 8
Doors: 7:30pm
Show starts: 8:30pm
366 Richmond Rd, Ottawa

Speaker by Location

MEC Calgary

Zac Colbran: The Technicolour Superdream

Zac Colbran was a part of a 3-man team that climbed the west face of Mount Huntington in Alaska. The Technicolour Superdream is a long technical route up an aesthetic buttress on the west side of Mount Huntington. This first known ascent, a 1,300m new route graded AI5+ M6+ A2, was climbed by Colbran, Dane Steadman and Grant Stewart in 2023 as recipients of the John Lauchlan Award.

MEC Edmonton Downtown

Eva Capozzola: Liminal Spaces

Originally from New York, Eva is based in Golden, B.C. She is an ambassador for Arc’teryx Alberta, and with their support is offering High Angle Photography Clinics for underrepresented creatives in the Bow Valley. She is a co-founder of Dirtbabe Collective, which offers climbing camps that address financial and experiential barriers to the alpine. Eva has been on expeditions in Alaska, the Yukon and Greenland and has worked in Vietnam, Nepal, India, Uganda, Rwanda, and Kenya.

MEC Toronto

Peter Hoang: Going Far on Small Adventures

Peter Hoang is a renowned climber and mountain media guy, recipient of the John Lauchlan Memorial Award, photographer and videographer for various big mountain missions, and contributor to the Canadian Alpine Journal (CAJ). Peter will present on his experiences on his trips and articles that have been featured in the CAJ, and how small adventures can turn into big ones.

MEC Ottawa

Pascale Marceau: Arctic Awe

Pascale Marceau and Scott Cocks completed a 700 km, 49-day ski traverse from Ellesmere Island around the east coast of Devon Island and back, over its icecap. In this remote corner of Canada’s High Arctic, there are many near misses and dangers encountered. Pascale also describes the awe she experiences in such a quiet, remote, and otherworldly part of the planet.

MEC Vancouver

Amanda Bischke and Shira Biner: To the End of the Midnight Sun

In 2023, Amanda Bischke, Shira Biner, James Klemmensen and Noah Besen travelled to the Coronation Fjord and Coronation Glacier on the remote east coast of Baffin Island. This expedition was completed as human powered as possible with a 70 km sea kayak and 12 km of glacier travel to an area where there is no record of climbers exploring.

Shira and Amanda established all-female first known ascents in the Arctic. This adventure was supported by The Alpine Club of Canada’s Jen Higgins Grant.

Epic prizes and silent auction

Your chance to win outdoor gear and sweet prizes (if you’ve ever been to one of our events, you know our raffles are jam-packed).

Raffle prizes

Your event ticket automatically gets you into the raffle. We’ll have lots of giveaways, along with an epic grand prize to get you stoked for your next adventure.

Prizes available:

  • ACC throwback T-shirt (limited edition)
  • ACC Abbot Pass Buff (limited edition)
  • MEC Recycled Duffle Bags
  • ACC and MEC swag
  • MEC gift cards
  • …and a grand prize you won’t want to miss!

Want more chances to win? Additional raffle tickets are available for purchase at the event.

Silent auction package

We’ve teamed up with our local speakers to bring you a one-of-a-kind adventure package, which will be up for silent auction at the event:

  • Framed photo from the local speaker
  • MEC Outpost 40L Duffle
  • $250 MEC gift card

All proceeds from the raffle and silent auction will be donated to The Alpine Club of Canada.

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