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Stories of polar adventures, an Arctic wildlife refuge, and the personal cost of adventure highlight the 2003 Banff Mountain Book Festival

Norwegian adventurer Børge Ousland will arrive at the Banff Mountain Book Festival just days after his attempt to complete the first unassisted crossing of the Patagonian ice cap. Ousland, the first person to trek solo and unaided to both the South and North poles, will share stories from this journey and other polar adventures on Thursday, November 6, at 7:30 p.m. The event is part of the 10th annual Banff Mountain Book Festival, November 5 to 7 at The Banff Centre.

Also featured Thursday evening is author Maria Coffey of Nanaimo, B.C., who will read from her newest book, "Where the Mountain Casts Its Shadow". The book examines the toll mountaineering deaths take on those left behind. It tackles the romantic myth of mountaineering, painting a shockingly real picture of its private world, its extraordinary moments of exhilaration and its far-reaching personal costs.

Coffey conducted many of her interviews for the book with mountaineers and their families during past Banff Mountain Festivals. She also worked on her book as a participant in a Banff Centre writing residency program.

Other highlights from the 2003 Banff Mountain Book Festival include:

A presentation by Subhankar Banerjee on Wednesday, November 5, at 8 p.m. that will focus on his two-year photographic journey in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and his book "Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: Seasons of Life and Land". The presentation is topical, as the U.S. government is expected to make a decision this fall on whether to permit oil drilling in this area.

Peter Matthiessen, author of over 25 books including "The Snow Leopard" — one of the seminal works of mountain literature — will present from his newest book, "End of the Earth: Voyages to Antarctica", also on Wednesday, November 5, at 8 p.m. This is a rare opportunity to hear from this legendary writer, whose latest book details the wide array of marine wildlife he encountered while journeying to this magnificent land.

This year’s Banff Mountain Book Festival will also feature daytime seminars on Thursday, November 6 and Friday, November 7 with guests Ed Douglas, George Lowe, and Gordon Wiltsie, as well as literary lunch breaks both days with invited authors.

The Banff Mountain Book Festival is the only one of its kind in North America. In addition to the events outlined above, the festival also features a book fair, book signings and launches, and an international competition. This year, more than 150 books were entered into the competition, up 14 per cent from last year’s figures.

For tickets to the 2003 Banff Mountain Book Festival call The Banff Centre Box Office at 403-762-6301 or 1-800-413-8368 or buy online.

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The 10h Annual Banff Mountain Book Festival
Presented by:
Canadian Mountain Holidays and CBC Radio
Sponsored by:
National Geographic, Dunham Bootmakers, Eagle Creek Travel Gear, Patagonia
Chevy Avalanche, eVENT Fabrics, and MSR - Mountain Safety Research
With assistance from:
Alpine Club of Canada, The Banff Book & Art Den, The Mountaineers Books,
and Cordillera Okanagan Wines

The Banff Centre is Canada’s centre for creative excellence in the arts, leadership development, mountain culture, and conferences. Mountain Culture at The Banff Centre promotes understanding and appreciation of the world’s mountain places by creating opportunities for people to share – and find inspiration in – mountain experiences, ideas and visions.

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