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| Alex Van Bibber (1916 – 2014) | Alex Van Bibber (1916 – 2014) | ||
| - | Alex Van Bibber was born to parents Eliza and Ira Van Bibber. He grew up in the Pelly Crossing area and went to school at Dawson in 1924. He returned home during the holidays to help his father with the gardening and other chores. He attended school until about grade 5 and then went to work on the gold dredges where he put in about eight seasons.((Alex Van Bibber interview with Helen Dobrowolsky in CHampagne, 25 September 1991. Yukon Archives, 92/14 SR 131-9)) | + | Alex Van Bibber was born to parents Eliza and Ira Van Bibber. He grew up in the Pelly Crossing area and went to school at Dawson in 1924. He returned home during the holidays to help his father with the gardening and other chores. He attended school until about grade 5 and then went to work on the gold dredges where he put in about eight seasons.((Alex Van Bibber interview with Helen Dobrowolsky in Champagne, 25 September 1991. Yukon Archives, 92/14 SR 131-9)) |
| In the early 1930s, Alex worked on Dredge # 2 at Bear Creek near Dawson. He used to get his motorcycle repaired at Franklin’s Garage in Dawson. Alex was late for work one morning and was speeding on the rough road across Jackson' | In the early 1930s, Alex worked on Dredge # 2 at Bear Creek near Dawson. He used to get his motorcycle repaired at Franklin’s Garage in Dawson. Alex was late for work one morning and was speeding on the rough road across Jackson' | ||
| - | In 1942, Van Bibber heard about the boom economy in Whitehorse and he and several other young men from Dawson moved south. He went to Champagne and hired on as a packer with a bunch of horses and four other guys to go into the Ross River area on the railway survey. They worked from Frances Lake to the mouth of Little Salmon until late August. He delivered the horses to Whitehorse and then was sent to Tagish to pick up seven horses purchased by the American army from Johnny Johns. He and Johnny Johns’ brother, Peter Johns, moved the horses to Johnson Crossing. They crossed the river on a flat ferry with the soldiers holding hands around the edges to keep the horses contained. That fall, Alex started to make a reconnaissance with the horses and the head engineer ahead of the survey party. They would go ten or twenty miles ahead and then got back and nurse the survey party through with their accompanying bulldozers. The bulldozers were cutting line for them. Right behind the bulldozers came a regiment of soldiers with equipment to finish the roads and install camps. They did that until they reached the summit going towards Quiet Lake.((Alex Van Bibber interview with Helene Dobrowolsky in Champagne, 25 September 1991. Yukon Archives, 92/14 SR 131-9)) | + | In 1942, Van Bibber heard about the boom economy in Whitehorse and he and several other young men from Dawson moved south. He went to Champagne and hired on as a packer with a bunch of horses and four other guys to go into the Ross River area on the railway survey. They worked from Frances Lake to the mouth of Little Salmon until late August. He delivered the horses to Whitehorse and then was sent to Tagish to pick up seven horses purchased by the American army from Johnny Johns. He and Johnny Johns’ brother, Peter Johns, moved the horses to Johnson Crossing. They crossed the river on a flat ferry with the soldiers holding hands around the edges to keep the horses contained. That fall, Alex started to make a reconnaissance with the horses and the head engineer ahead of the survey party. They would go ten or twenty miles ahead and then got back and nurse the survey party through with their accompanying bulldozers. The bulldozers were cutting line for them. Right behind the bulldozers came a regiment of soldiers with equipment to finish the roads and install camps. They did that until they reached the summit going towards Quiet Lake.((Alex Van Bibber interview with Helene Dobrowolsky in Champagne, 25 September 1991. Yukon Archives, 92/14 SR 131-9)) |
| - | The bulldozers were having difficulty with muskeg, even when they moved the road nearer the hills. So, Van Bibber and Lieutenant Hammond were called back to Whitehorse and told to find an alternative route. Alex set up a ground reconnaissance from Mayo to Norman Wells and the army put in three supply caches along the way. They did the trip in December and there was bad weather in the mountains. The trip took forty-two days on the trail with thirty-two of them travelling days. They had to shoot game along the way. By the time Van Bibber’s party flew to Edmonton to report, the army had decided to stick with the southern route. The party included Kaiser Mervin, Norman “Dinky” Mervin, Albert Pelland, Lonnie Johnny, and Lieutenant Hammond. | + | The bulldozers were having difficulty with muskeg, even when they moved the road nearer the hills. So, Van Bibber and Lieutenant Hammond were called back to Whitehorse and told to find an alternative route. Alex set up a ground reconnaissance from Mayo to Norman Wells and the army put in three supply caches along the way. They did the trip in December and there was bad weather in the mountains. The trip took forty-two days on the trail with thirty-two of them travelling days. They had to shoot game along the way. By the time Van Bibber’s party flew to Edmonton to report, the army had decided to stick with the southern route. The party included Kaiser Mervin, Norman “Dinky” Mervin, Albert Pelland, Lonnie Johnny, and Lieutenant Hammond. |
| In 1943, Alex started big-game guiding for Carl Chambers.((“Legend Award 2005: Legend Alex Van Bibber.” Grand Slam Club / OVIS, 2020 website: https:// | In 1943, Alex started big-game guiding for Carl Chambers.((“Legend Award 2005: Legend Alex Van Bibber.” Grand Slam Club / OVIS, 2020 website: https:// | ||
| - | In 1946, Alex and Sue Chambers (nee Dixon) were married and Alex worked on hydraulic crews for the federal government.((Yukon Archives, Alex Van Bibber biographical sketch.)) He and Sue started and ran their own outfitting company from 1948 to 1968. During the first year, a client got a ram that still ranks #10 in the all-time B&C record book.((“Legend Award 2005: Legend Alex Van Bibber.” Grand Slam Club / OVIS, 2020 website: https:// | + | In 1946, Alex and Sue Chambers (nee Dickson) were married and Alex worked on hydraulic crews for the federal government.((Yukon Archives, Alex Van Bibber biographical sketch.)) He and Sue started and ran their own outfitting company from 1948 to 1968. During the first year, a client got a ram that still ranks #10 in the all-time B&C record book.((“Legend Award 2005: Legend Alex Van Bibber.” Grand Slam Club / OVIS, 2020 website: https:// |
| Life was not all outfitting. Van Bibber prospected in the Firth River area in 1948.((Yukon Archives, Alex Van Bibber biographical sketch.)) In 1977, he began consulting for the Yukon Government and NWT Renewable Resources. Alex was in the movie //Mad Trapper// and he climbed Mount Kennedy with Robert Kennedy.((Yukon Archives, Alex Van Bibber biographical sketch.)) | Life was not all outfitting. Van Bibber prospected in the Firth River area in 1948.((Yukon Archives, Alex Van Bibber biographical sketch.)) In 1977, he began consulting for the Yukon Government and NWT Renewable Resources. Alex was in the movie //Mad Trapper// and he climbed Mount Kennedy with Robert Kennedy.((Yukon Archives, Alex Van Bibber biographical sketch.)) | ||
v/a_vanbibber.1729356964.txt.gz · Last modified: 2024/10/19 09:56 by sallyr