Conrad Kain

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Conrad Kain (1883 - 1934) was born in Nasswald, Austria.

After a difficult start to his life in Austria, Conrad moved to Canada in 1909 to lead climbs at the Alpine Club of Canada's Lake O'Hara camp. Conrad Kain is credited with over 50 first ascents but his most notable first ascent was Mount Robson in 1913 with Albert MacCarthy and William Foster. There is evidence to suggest, however, that Kain openly acknowledged that his ascent of Mount Robson in 1913 was not the first ascent, but the second.¹ The pre-Kain ascent remains a matter of debate between Kain/Mt. Robson scholars.

Conrad wrote an autobiography titled Where the Clouds can go where he describes his tough years while growing up in Austria.

Conrad Kain died six months after his 50th birthday, on the same day he climbed Mount Louis once again. The marker on his grave reads "A mountain guide of rare spirit."

In 1934, J. Monroe Thorington named Mount Kain in Conrad's honor. The Alpine Club of Canada maintains an alpine hut (the Conrad Kain hut) in the Bugaboos where Kain also made a number of first ascents.

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of Kain's arrival in Canada, the Conrad Kain Centennial Society was formed in 2008 to celebrate his achievements and to develop legacy projects in his memory.

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