CROSSING BCʼS CORDILLERA + A HIGH ARCTIC ISLAND ADVENTURE

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Upcoming VIMFF Fall Speaker Series Show #3:

JOHN DUNNʼS WILD CANADA:  CROSSING BCʼS CORDILLERA  +  A HIGH ARCTIC ISLAND ADVENTURE

When: Friday, December 12, 7pm (doors and reception at 6 pm)
Where: Centennial Theatre, 2300 Lonsdale Avenue
Tickets: $15 in advance; $17 at the door
Advanced tickets are available online at http://www.vimff.org
and at the Centennial Theatre, 2300 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver, (604) 984-4484


This special double bill features two of John Dunnʼs favourite adventures: a 1000 km hiking and canoeing traverse of the untracked ranges of northern BC from Stewart to Fort Nelson, and a ski expedition to remote and beautiful Coburg Island in Canadaʼs high arctic.
     John rates the Cordillera Crossing as the toughest of his career: the 54 days of struggle through the wildest part of British Columbia turned out to be a great weight loss program. John and colleague Bob Saunders both shed 30 lbs on this expedition. Starting in September was fine for fall colours and cool, bug-free travelling. But by the time John and Bob were thrashing through the snow-covered Kwadacha wilderness, the late start seemed to be not such a great idea. But the challenge was accepted none-the-less!

Coburg Island is a gorgeous glacier-draped hunk of Canadian shield that is anchored 30 km out in northern Baffin Bay. Getting there is half the journey: firstly around the wind-ravaged tip of Ellesmere Island, then across the seasonal ice bridge over Glacier Strait. Coburg is a National Wildlife Area: home to countless seabirds that put its location to good use. The islandʼs mountainous spine boasts a wealth of skiable summits, while the coast line has more than its share of tidewater glaciers. Plenty of inspiration for big panoramic images.

John Dunn is a wilderness explorer, photographer and lecturer. He is best known for his epic arctic journeys, including pioneering traverses of Ellesmere Island and Baffin Island. His most memorable non-arctic adventure was a two month hiking and canoeing crossing of the northern cordillera of BC.
     John was born in England and studied geology at university. This led to a job in mineral exploration in the Australian Outback: basically a 12 year paid camping holiday. He says he comes by his wilderness wanderlust honestly: his parents sailed around the world at the age of 65+.
     His presentations are considered to be among the very best of their type and his 2007 VIMFF lecture about Devon Island was a highlight of the festival. His expedition images were featured in National Geographic magazine and are marketed through Nat Geoʼs Image Sales.  
     John is now based in Switzerland but tries to get up to the Arctic each year: most recently to beautiful Coburg Island off Ellesmere. He has now hauled his sled over 8000 km, which he thinks might be enough of that form of travel. But he still has a long to-do list of other arctic journeys lined up for his 50s and beyond.

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The VIMFF Fall Speaker Series is sponsored by MEC, North Shore News, Great Explorations and Contact Printing and Mailing.