BOOK REVIEW — A Century of Antics, Epics & Escapades: The Varsity Outdoor Club 1917-2017

Editor's note: The University of British Columbia's Varsity Outdoor Club celebrated their hundredth year in 2017. To honour the rich history of the club's wilderness adventures they’ve independently published the best of their collective stories from the last century into a coffee table book, edited by Elliott Skierszkan.

With numerous first ascents, pioneering ski traverses, trails and huts built and even a mountain named after them – Veeocee Mountain in Garibaldi Provincial Park – the University of British Columbia’s Varsity Outdoor Club (VOC) has made a large contribution toward popularizing B.C.’s backcountry. Their earnest and often entertaining antics, epics and escapades also make the VOC’s pivotal role worth writing – and reading – about. With early black and white photos balanced with modern colour ones illustrating historical accounts and short biographies of many VOC myths, legends and leaders over the decades, the pages are evocative and compelling. Celebrating a century, the VOC’s enduring contribution toward initiating, maturing and sustaining mountain culture is superbly captured in this beautiful coffee table book.

Available at http://www.ubc-voc.com/varsity-outdoor-club/book

*This story originally appeared in the Spring 2018 issue of the ACC Gazette.