Recent winners of the Silver Rope for Leadership Award
Volunteers are the heart and soul of The Alpine Club of Canada. Season to season, day in and day out for over a century, our volunteers run the sections, write articles, lead trips, protect the alpine environment and demonstrate their commitment to the club.
Our volunteers know the mountains. Every season, and in every part of Canada, volunteer trip leaders take enthusiastic groups and new members on climbing, hiking and skiing outings. Sometimes for an afternoon and sometimes for weeks at a time.
The ACC Volunteer Awards are intended to recognize those of our members who have made significant contributions in furthering the aims and goals of The Alpine Club of Canada and Canadian mountaineering in general. These awards are one small way that we hope to show them our appreciation.
Lida Frydrychova
Through the ACC Calgary Lida discovered many remote locations in the Canadian Rockies. For years Lida has been an active contributor to the Calgary Section leading multiple trips each season. Her skill set allows her to lead rock climbing trips and both summer alpine climbs and winter ski-mountaineering trips. Each year Lida includes a trip to one of the ACC huts.
On several occasions she has led international trips for her section to Europe, South America and Mexico. A couple of Lida’s personal high points are summiting Denali and Mount Alberta.
When she was the section’s Alpine Chair she developed the Alpine Mentorship Program to train new leaders and introduce new climbers to safe climbing.
Lida continues to give back to the mountain community and has now taken on the role of Section Vice-Chair.
Lida works hard and plays hard!
Martin Siegert
Although Martin has been involved in the ACC's Vancouver Section for over two decades, his personal experiences with mountaineering and ski touring started even earlier, in Europe, where he grew up. Over the years, Martin has developed and instructed programs for hundreds of Section members, and has either led, coordinated or participated in hundreds of events, including weekly gym climbing practice sessions.
Martin actively instructs a full range of programs including Rock Climbing, Top- Rope Anchors as well as Introductions to Trad Climbing and Back-Country Skiing.
Martin has also served on the Section's Executive, most notably as Director for Skills and Courses, but also active involvement in some of the more mundane but important aspects of Section management.
In 2009, Martin was awarded both the Eric Brooks Leader Award and the Don Forest Service Award.
Nathalie Drotar
Nathalie has been consistent in her pursuit of mountaineering excellence. She has been one of the Calgary Sections top trip leaders bringing members to the mountains. Many of her trips have a strong focus on mentoring women to be leaders in the mountains. Serious mountaineering objectives have been climbed on Nathalie’s trips Mount Joffre, Mount Victoria and the peaks from the Neil Colgan Hut to name a few. Ski mountaineering to Rogers Pass and the Wapta Icefield have been successful winter destinations.
She has also volunteered on the Training and Leadership Committee and the Alpine Mentorship Program. When Communication Chair she helped out with many social activities.
Recently Nathalie earned her ACMG Hiking Guide certification allowing her further opportunities lead others.
Natalie received the ACC Eric Brooks Leader Award in 2016.
Nominate a volunteer!
The ACC Volunteer Awards recognize the significant contributions members have made in furthering the goals of The Alpine Club of Canada. Show your appreciation by nominating a deserving member by this year’s deadline, December 31, 2023.
