Alpenglow Ski Mountaineering History Project Home
Charles and Marion Hessey - Inventory of 16mm Films
The following films were borrowed from Marion Hessey and Phil Dahl for transfer to digital videotape for the Northwest Wilderness Heritage Film Preservation Project (see notes). This project was completed in 2004 by the Mountaineers History Committee and sponsored by a grant from The Mountaineers Foundation. The film numbers listed below match stickers placed on the actual films during this project.1. "Skiing Cascade Wilderness" - magnetic sound print, about 30 min.
Good sound but the picture has bad scratches throughout.2. "Ski Lyman, KOMO-TV Original Kodachrome" - silent original, about 30 min.
This is the original of "Skiing Cascade Wilderness." This film is in beautiful shape but has no soundtrack. There is extra footage during the long North Star ski descent which causes this film to get out of sync with the soundtrack from film #1. To use the film #1 soundtrack with this film, we need to fill this gap and resynchronize on two scenes: Bruce Gilbert playing the harmonica near the cabin and Chuck's jest about Bruce's stumble near the end of the film.3. "Glacier Peak Holiday" - silent original
Beautiful footage. No soundtrack. This film is incomplete, ending at the Pyramid Mountain viewpoint.4. "Glacier Peak Holiday" - magnetic sound print, about 30 min.
This soundtrack begins, "Let us pretend..." Chuck narrates the entire film. This is the film on Marion's old VHS video (#20). There are a few sections of poor sound.5. "Glacier Peak Holiday" - magnetic sound print, about 30 min.
This soundtrack is different from film #4. Marion narrates the portion about the importance of water. There are no poor sections on the soundtrack in this film.6. "From East to West in the North Cascades Wilderness Area" - silent original, 36 min.
This film is in beautiful shape, but has no soundtrack. It includes the complete winter ski sequence at Spanish Camp and makes the transition to summer by showing scenes along the Naches River. It returns to the Pasayten at Three Fools Pass. However, this film does not include the Whatcom Pass sequence at the end. The film ends with rain on the tarp at Whatcom Pass.7. "From East to West in the North Cascades Wilderness Area" - magnetic sound print, 31 min.
Good soundtrack. The film has scratches at the beginning but this improves. This film is entirely about summer and does not include the Spanish Camp winter sequence.8. "From East to West in the North Cascades Primitive Area" - magnetic sound print
In this film, the winter skiing segment is truncated. There is no air drop and it doesn't include Chuck's injured finger. The narration seems a little less polished than in other films. There is a broken splice half way through and I didn't watch the second half.9. "A North Cascades National Park?" optical sound print, 16 min.
Good sound. Nice scenery, but probably the poorest picture quality of all the Hessey films. Shows a backpacking trip from the head of Downey Creek to White Rock Lakes and back. (NCCC film in mailing box.)10. "Have You Seen the North Cascades National Park?" - magnetic sound print, 20 min.
Good sound, nice color. There are a few scratches and blips, but in good shape overall.11. "A North Cascades National Park?" - magnetic sound print
The soundtrack for this film is incomplete, or maybe non-existent.12. "Pasayten Wilderness Skiing" - magnetic sound print, about 20 min.
This is the complete winter skiing segment from film #6, with sound. This film doesn't have a title and doesn't have the introductory scenes from film #6. It appears that this footage was removed from an earlier version of the film, perhaps to make the all-summer version in film #7. This film is entirely about skiing. It ends when Chuck and Marion leave the Spanish Camp cabin.13. "Cascade Crest Trail" - magnetic sound print, 25 min.
Highlights of the crest trail from the Columbia River to the Canadian border. Lots of mountain goat footage. Good sound. Includes some skiing footage. Nice film.14. "KOMO Goats" - silent original, 25 min.
Silent version of film #13. This film includes two bits of leader inserted in the Dome Peak area.15. "NCNP - Pulled from 'A' roll 'A People's Wilderness'" - silent, 30 min.
This reel contains out-takes from other films, mainly "East to West..." and "Have You Seen..." Variable quality. Many of the scenes were included in other films. This film has a broken splice at the beginning, right after the leader.Videotapes:
The following are analog videotapes made by the Hesseys, probably in the late 1980s or early 1990s. These tapes are useful for reference. Unfortunately, some of the 16mm films have been changed since these tapes were made. These tapes were returned to Marion Hessey and not duplicated.16. VHS video - "Skiing Cascade Wilderness"Here's what we transferred to videotape (see notes) for this film preservation project:
17. VHS video - "North Cascade National Park"
18. Beta video - "Lyman Lake Skiing"
19. Audio cassette - "Lyman Lake Skiing"
20. VHS video - "Glacier Peak Holiday"
21. VHS video - "From East to West in Pasayten Wilderness and NCNP"
22. VHS video - "North Cascades National Park and 8mm old"
Tape 1:
Film #2 - "Skiing Cascade Wilderness" - using soundtrack from film #1
Film #5 - "Glacier Peak Holiday"
Film #13 - "Cascade Crest Trail" - replacing most of the picture with footage from film #14
Tape 2:
Film #7 - "From East to West in the North Cascades Wilderness"
Film #12 - "Pasayten Wilderness Skiing" - replacing the picture with footage from film #6
Film #10 - "Have You Seen the North Cascades National Park?"
Film #9 - "A North Cascades National Park?"
Return to the Alpenglow Ski Mountaineering History Project home page