Fisher Peak Chronicles: “An intricately woven and well told tale”

Book Review by Ron Dart, University professor, mountaineer, and author

Fisher Creek Chronicles is a fit and fine companion read to Keith Powell’s earlier historic charmer, Living in the Shadow of Fisher Peak: The life and times of Jack Fisher (2009). Living in the Shadow of Fisher Peak is, for the most part, a historic novel of the fascinating period of time in which Jack Fisher lived, moved and had his gold rush being. But, what about Fisher Peak post-Jack Fisher days? This is where the much more compelling, up to date and recently published Fisher Creek Chronicles enters front stage.

Fisher Peak Chronicles is an intricately woven and well told tale of those who have taken to the summit of Fisher but once or many times in diverse weather conditions.  Powell rightly calls Fisher Peak “everyone’s own little Mount Everest” and that it is for many.  The historic overview of the interest in Fisher begins, slowly, in the 19th century, and in the 20th century, the many ascents to the summit become part of legend and lore. Most of Fisher Creek Chronicles is a wisely paced description of groups, individuals and friends that have been called by Fisher to climb and see from such an alluring summit the panoramic sights that can be seen. There have been accidents on the climbs, deaths, nasty weather and blue canopy delights—Powell, to his raconteur credit, tells each dramatic story in a most readable, robust and attractive manner. 

There are many fine photos (black-white and coloured), poems, memorabilia, maps, and even the Stanley Cup held high by Scott Niedermayer in 2000—there is also a final wedding vows photo on the summit. Most of the thirty chapters in the Fisher Peak Chronicles sum up nicely the drama and challenge of the climbs to Fisher’s inviting summit and point the way, in a historic manner, to the next unfolding climb to the peak of Fisher, the obvious rite of passage mountain and icon in the area. The epilogue, bibliography and concluding photos bring the book to natural and needful end.