Edward Feuz Jr.: A Story of Enchantment

by D.L. Stephen

Finalist for The Jon Whyte Award - Mountain Literature (non-fiction) at the 2022 Banff Mountain Book Competition An intimate look at the life and climbs of Swiss alpine guide Edward Feuz Jr., patriarch of Canadian alpinism and genuine lover of mountains. As a young Swiss boy, Edward Feuz Jr. (1884–1981) developed an insatiable passion for climbing. In time, he traded his Lausbub reputation for that of a responsible Swiss guide and was eventually drawn to Canada in the footsteps of his father, Edward Feuz Sr. (1859–1944), who was one of the first Swiss guides hired by the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1898 to develop the alpinism in western Canada. Handsome and charismatic, Edward (while still in training for his trade) was instantly smitten with the Canadian landscape — and so were his guests. They raved about the young man who showed such exceptional skills. He guided them all — professors, women of independent means, students, newspaper people, a Hindu holy man, and even "Sherlock Holmes" — through untrailed forests, across roaring streams, up icy glaciers, and to the tops of rocky summits. Young and old, they were all enchanted, and so they returned time and again — to the mountains and to their friend Edward. Edward Feuz A Story of Enchantment transports the modern reader back to a simpler time, when mountaineering in North America was less about pushing personal limits and more about the splendour of grand vistas, wide open spaces, and the opening of the West.

320 pages, Paperback

Published September 29, 2021

Reviews

[Marla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book quickly draws one in to another era when the railroads were cutting into the Canadian West and opening up wilderness, including the multiple high peaks beckoning to maountain climbers from around the world. Enter the Feuz family, Edward, Jr., and a handful of integral 2nd generation Swiss Mountain Guides who come to life in this magnificient book, written by someone who grew up climbing these montains with the selebrated Edward Feuz Jr. himself, starting when he was in his 7th decade. As others have remarked, it is both a very well researched biography and a memoir, which offers history and insight heightened by the special relationship and formative experiences of Donna and her family having multiple years of clposeness with Edward Feuz, senior. There is plenty of adventure and wry humor and philosophy packed into the book, which helpd my interest despite not being an avid mountaineer!

[Susan Andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

D. L. Stephen is a gifted writer. Her prose is vivid, precise, and often lyrical. She does an amazing job weaving biography, memoir, and history together in a harmonious work that draws the reader in. She breathes life into her main character, Edward Feuz Jr., an iconic climber and guide in the Canadian Rockies, who was her friend and mentor, and we "see" him through her eyes. This book is not just for climbers. It's for anyone who loves beautiful places, nature, history, and/or fascinating people. (There are many vignettes about the latter. I especially enjoyed reading about the intrepid Victorian women climbers.) If I could give this book a greater than 5-star rating, I'd do so.

[wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loved most everything about this book. it is a genre i greatly enjoy, combining detailed and specific historical information with the loving touch of part memoir. the history of alpinism in canada, its integral connection to the growth of a country through national railway, the geography of western mountains, all told through the lens of a woman whose childhood was enchanted by the enchantment of the title character, Edward Feuz, Jr.

the influence of Edward Feuz, Jr. and his contemporaries, on the birth and growth of mountaineering in the canadian rockies is a pleasant, informative read. the author, D. L. Stephen, captures his magic and, in turn, shares her own magic. she is the next generation influencer.

the final chapter of the book is touching and highlights the sweet sense of reverence evident throughout the text.