The Squamish Mountain Festival will honour climbers of the past and present with an award named in honour of one of the pioneers of Squamish climbing. The Jim Baldwin Memorial award, sponsored by Mountain Equipment Co-op, will be presented annually to the climber or team of climbers that demonstrate boldness, innovation or significance in the climbing of a new route in the Squamish area. Each year the award will be presented to a pioneer from the past and present day."The idea was to commemorate the ground-breaking climbs of past generations while at the same time acknowledging the great climbs that are still happening out there today," said festival producer, Ivan Hughes.The award in named for Jim Baldwin, who was involved in many first ascents in Squamish, including the area's first technical climb in 1958. He wrote the first Squamish climbing guide and made the first ascent of Grand Wall with Ed Cooper in 1961. Baldwin then traveled to Yosemite Valley where he participated in the first ascent of Dihedral Wall on El Capitan in 1962. He died in a rappelling accident on Washington Column in 1964, and is commemorated by a bronze plaque at what is now known as Memorial Ledge, above the Stawamus Chief's Apron.A three-foot-tall steel and granite trophy has been commissioned for the award and will be inscribed with the winners' names and the routes they completed. The festival will present the award to recipients at the Brew Pub on Thursday, July 17 as part of the Steep Shot Climbing Photography competition night.Tickets to the event are available on-line at www.squamishmountainfestival.com or at Valhalla Pure, Climb On and the Adventure Centre.
