MTR.2011.2 Mountaineers Film Collection, Bob and Ira Spring Miscellaneous Films
Inventory by Lowell Skoog
I inspected the following films on November 27, 2007 and placed labels on the film containers. The following notes describe what I found.
1. Artist Point Ski Tour (also Paradise Ice Caves)
16mm, color, silent, 800ft reel
This film begins with a few scenes from the Paradise Ice Caves. People are shown at the entrance to the caves and inside the caves, photographed by natural light. Nice footage.
Most of this reel depicts a backcountry ski tour to Artist Point near the Mt Baker ski area (probably 1950s). There are scenes around the ski area: a rope tow, chairlift, ski patrol at work, avalanche control using explosives. The ski touring party prepares to leave the parking lot. The party climbs to Artist Point and there are fine scenes with Mt Baker in the distance. The party takes a lunch break, then removes climbing skins and begins their descent. At the end of the film a skier falls and is injured. Party members are shown constructing a shelter using skis and fir boughs. The film ends abruptly.
2. Artist Point ski clips
16mm, color, silent, small reels
Two small reels were found (one in a blue box) that appear to contain clips from the Artist Point Ski Tour film. The blue box has a hand-written note suggesting that it contained alternative endings for the Artist Point film. (The reel in the blue box is very dirty, almost like it was set down in wet paint.)
3. Ira Spring Family Backpacking, Cascade Pass, 1953
(Also labeled John E hiking and Iras kid film)
16mm, color, silent, 800ft reel two copies, original and duplicate
There are two copies of this film. I dont know if they are identical. One is marked as the original, the other a duplicate. The duplicate is broken about 1/3 of the way from the start. The films depict the Ira Spring family (Ira, Pat, John and baby Vicky) backpacking to Cascade Pass. Based on Iras autobiography (An Ice Axe, a Camera, and a Jar of Peanut Butter), I believe this film was made in the summer of 1953. There are scenes of preparations around an old station wagon, hiking, playing in streams, setting up camp, cooking, caring for the baby, bathing in a pool, and John sledding in a wash-pot down a snowfield.
4. Mountain Rescue Council, Helicopter Training Film
16mm, color, silent, 800ft reel two copies, original and duplicate
There are two copies of this film. I dont know if they are identical. One is marked as the original, the other a duplicate. The film was photographed at Stevens Pass, probably early 1950s. It opens with scenes of rescuers gathering in the Stevens Pass parking lot. Some rescuers start up the mountain with packs and other equipment. A Coast Guard helicopter arrives and a few rescuers get on board. The helicopter flies to a ridgeline and off-loads men and equipment without touching down. Rescuers load an accident victim into a litter and lower him from the ridge using a cable trolley. The helicopter picks up the litter and flies down to the parking lot.
5. Mountain Rescue Techniques
16mm, B&W, silent, 800ft reel
This film (in a mailing box) features Ome Daiber wearing his trademark black beret. It illustrates technical rescue techniques in a rocky setting below timberline (perhaps Mount Si). Rescuers hike from cars to the base of a rocky escarpment. One ties into a climbing rope and leads the way up a cliff, placing pitons for safety. Rescuers haul a litter up the cliff, assemble it, and lower an accident victim. Rescuers rappel down the cliff and transport the victim to the cars. This film was extremely dirty when I removed it from the box. I blew the dust off and inspected the film through a lupe. The film appears to be in good shape.
6. Mountain Rescue Outtakes
16mm, color, silent, 800ft reel
This reel appears to contain unused clips from Mountains Dont Care and other mountain rescue films. There are some nice clips here (based on viewing through a lupe).
7. The Boys on the Cliff
16mm, B&W, sound, small reel
This is a short (3-1/2 minute) newsreel style film about mountain safety. It uses footage from Mountains Dont Care and therefore was filmed by Bob and Ira Spring. The film was produced as a companion piece to an August 1961 story by the same name in Readers Digest magazine. There is a crude scotch-tape splice 40% from the start. There is also a short loose clip in the film can that appears to belong at the point of the splice. The film should be repaired.
8. Americas Last Frontier: The Olympic Peninsula
16mm, B&W, sound, 400ft reel
This 15-20 minute film (in a mailing box) was produced by Criterion Films for the Washington State Ferries. It depicts an automobile loop trip around the Olympic Peninsula using ferries at the beginning and end of the loop. Ira Springs family is featured throughout the film, so I assume it was photographed by Bob and Ira Spring. (I didnt see any credits that mentioned the Springs.) Judging by the ages of the children, I think it was filmed in 1954. The film is professionally narrated as a travel documentary. Its in beautiful shape.
9. Other Stuff
In a plastic film canister are two 16mm film reels. One appears to contain loose clips of Spring family activities. The other contains a Camel cigarette advertisement featuring Robert Byhre, Mountain Rescue Expert.
Philippines Leyte A small 8mm film reel. I didnt try to look at it.
Ephemera: About a dozen original fliers for the film Mountains Dont Care (1957).
Four small 16mm film reels that seem to contain blank film.