Okotoks Erratic Provincial Historic Site: Amazing how rocks just stick out of the ground in the middle of no-where!
A stop off at Lundbreck Falls Provincial Park for lunch and a walk around the falls gave another opportunity to appreciate water…the power, path and patterns are awesome!
Crowsnest Pass is in southwestern Alberta, extends into British Columbia and includes the towns of Bellevue, Hillcrest, Frank, Blairmore and Coleman. The area is known for its early days of coal mining along with tragedies, triumphs, booms and busts. The water flows east to the Hudson Bay and west to the Pacific.
Leitch Collieries Provincial Historic Site: The area is known as the Police Flats and in 1882 the North-West Mounted Police established a post at this site to end cattle rustling. In 1907, Leitch Collieries established the only completely Canadian owned and operated coal company; lasting only 8 years, it closed in 1915.
Frank Slide in the town of Frank: I’m really glad I was not in this area the wee hours of April 29, 1903. It only took about 90 seconds for 82 million tons of limestone to fall off the east side of Turtle Mountain and partially bury the town of Frank. The visual is a never-ending rockslide or maybe a better description is boulder-slide!
Bellevue: The first Crowsnest mining town, established in 1905 on the flat land atop the Bellevue Mine. In 1910 the Bellevue Mine suffered a disastrous explosion killing 31 miners. Although I did not take the underground tour in Bellevue, I did stay at the Bellevue Community Campgrounds; a quaint little campground right off Crowsnest Pass (Highway 3). Ten loonies will get you an unserviced site with access to restrooms, drinking water and a beautiful view of Turtle Mountain.
This was definitely a busy place in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s and now they are quaint little towns.
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