He’s been to the top of the world, but Deryl Kelly hasn’t forgotten where he started his life in the mountains. The Calgary-based adventurer will be in Jasper next Wednesday (May 24) as the keynote speaker for the Friends of Jasper National Park’s annual general meeting. 

Kelly grew up climbing and hiking in the Rockies near Banff and Jasper, so it was only natural that he eventually chose to lead the life of a mountain guide and expedition member. Kelly has been a wall climbing instructor for more than 10 years in Canada and Australia and is currently working towards his rock and ski guide certifications through the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides. His achievements in the major ranges of the world have already earned him quite the reputation in the mountaineering community.

Along with his father, Leo, Deryl summitted Denali, the highest peak in North America, in 1999. Two years later, Deryl became the youngest Canadian climber to reach the summit of Mount Everest. At the time of his accomplishment, he was only 25 years old.

It was the fulfillment of a childhood dream, Deryl writes on the expedition website.

“When I was young my Dad had an old army issue duffle bag made from corduroy that I used to travel with and store the little climbing gear I had at the time. One day I took a felt pen and I wrote on the bag the names and dates of all the mountains I have already climbed, peaks that Dad and I had done in the Rockies. Then, I wrote names of all the peaks I wanted to climb, without putting a date on it. Peaks of the Rockies, the Himalaya, the Arctic, all boldly printed on the bag. These were the goals of a kid dreaming of climbing the highest mountains in the world, with “MT EVEREST, 19?? Or 20??” written in bold black letters scribed right in the middle.”

Closer to home, Deryl and several friends completed the Great Divide Traverse in the spring of 2005, travelling more than 300 kilometres between Banff and Jasper and crossing several icefields on the way.

Given his Rockies heritage, local organizers expect that Kelly’s talk will deal not only with his famous successes, but also on his formative climbing experiences in and around Jasper. The event starts at 7 p.m. on Wednesday in the Forest Room of the Amethyst Lodge.