Elk Valley, British Columbia

OH! You know what I forgot!? I forgot the Burmis Tree!! About 10 kms east of Frank Slide is this old dead tree, that looks like a giant Bonsai tree! When I first saw it, I didn’t know it was famous, but I still pulled over on the side of the road to take a picture. (It is said to be the most photographed tree in Canada, and perhaps the world!)

 

The Burmis Tree is estimated to be between 300-700 years old, and died in (or around) 19

 

It fell over in the wind (it is SUPER windy in the Crowsnest Pass) in 1998, but it is such an iconic site there, the locals propped it back up. Then, apparently some stupid loser vandals cut off a branch – SERIOUSLY? what is WRONG with people!!? – in 2004. However, once again, it was put back together.

 

It’s a beautiful tree, even dead! (http://www.crowsnestheritage.ca/attractions/burmis-tree/)

 

About…20 minutes West of the Crowsnest Pass (see blog February 3, 2013), over the GREAT Continental Divide and down the other side, is Elk Valley. Technically, Elk Valley is made up of Elkford, Elko, Fernie, Hosmer, Morrissey, and Sparwood. I can’t actually figure out where Morrissey is, so I’m not sure it actually exists anymore.

 

However, on our road trip to Hungry Horse, we drove through the other three of the other four towns, (all but Elkford).
 

The first town after the Continental Divide (see blog February 6, 2013) is Sparwood. (From there, you can either go west-north to Elkford, or south, to Fernie.)

 

Sparwood, British Columbia, is a coal mining town, and is right on the highway. You’ll recognize it because it’s the home to one of the World’s Largest Truck – the 1974 Terex 33-19 Titan. You can’t miss it!! It’s 350 tonnes, and 66 feet (2o meters) long. It’s almost 25 feet (7.57 meters) wide, and about 22 1/2 feet (6.88 meters) high with the box down.

 

Apparently, two Greyhound buses and 2 pickup trucks can fit in the box, at the same time! (In this picture of the full truck, you can just barely see me – I’m sitting in the wheel, and Peter’s standing beside me…and in the close-up picture, you can see Peter and a friend standing underneath the truck.)

 

Apparently, the Titan was the only 33-19 Titan ever made, and was made in 1973, specifically to be used for coal mining in Sparwood. Technically, it was supposed to be just the first one, but because of the economy, the industry had to use smaller vehicles instead.

 

As you drive through the area, you can see evidence of the coal mining – the mountains have been carved and mined, and are starting to grow grass again. That’s just from the road. You’d have to drive back towards the Mines to see more.

 

AND, you can actually take tours of the Mines, too. (http://sparwood.ca/visitors/activities/mine-tours)

http://www.trucktrend.com/features/consumer/163_0704_worlds_largest_truck_liebherr/viewall.html#ixzz2K4LC3gKX
http://sparwood.ca/visitors/history

 

Between Sparwood and Fernie, is Hosmer. Hosmer was established as a train station for CP Railway, in 1906. But, what I always think about when I’m in the area, is Hosmer Mountain.

 

From the front (from Fernie), Hosmer Mountain looks just like a St. Bernhard dog. (Similar to Turtle Mountain, the older parts of the mountain are at the top and the younger parts are at the bottom…I have to research that more, I think…)

 

In the evening, on sunny days, though, the “Ghost Rider” legend appears – it’s a shadow on the face of the mountain that looks like the shadow of a horse and rider, with someone on foot beside them, going up the hill.

 

http://www.ourfernie.com/the_ghostrider_0 explains that it’s ”an angry Indian Chief and his jilted daughter pursuing William Fernie… that William Fernie was courting an Indian Princess to learn the source of her sacred black stone necklace…that after learning the secret location of the Morrissey Coal Seams” Fernie dumped the Princess. (There’s more about curses and luck, but I don’t really want to get into that.)

I heard the story slightly differently – tragic, and similar, but without the curses and luck… just a sad daughter and her daddy who loves her and comes to bring her home. (I’m sure the official site is the legend, but I really like my version.)

 

Anyway, check out the shadow! You will see it!

 

15 minutes south is Fernie.

 

Fernie’s claim-to-fame is, of course, Fernie Alpine Resort. (http://www.skifernie.com/)

Once upon a time, I lived in Fernie, and all I can really remember now is: they have the best snow bowl, for powder, and the Griz Inn (to which you can ski or board coming down the Mountain) had the best Long Island Ice Tea. (That being said… the first time I had the Long Island Ice Tea, I thought it was actually ice tea…I didn’t know there was alcohol in it
(http://www.drinksmixer.com/drinkrq17701.html)
…now that I know better, I have to give the trophy for the Best-Ever Long Island Ice Tea to our friend, Calvin.)

 

At the time, my roommate was an expert (and completely fanatical) skier. She would spend all summer preparing her core for winter. She was a Double Black Diamond girl. I was more of a … Blue Square…girl. Ronda thought her day was successful if she was in the air more than on the snow, and I thought it was a successful day if I made it all the way to the bottom of the hill without falling. http://www.wispresort.com/wisp/info/w.beginners-trail-symbols.aspx

 

(Incidentally, I met Peter in Fernie, while he was on a ski trip )

 

Leaving Fernie, you get to go through a tunnel – it’s a short tunnel, but I do love it. It means that you have 3o approximate minutes before you get to the US/Canada border. Watch for the Mountain Sheep just on the other side of the Tunnel!

Saturday – Eureka, Montana!

The Continental Divide?

Driving from Fargo towards Minneapolis MN, somewhere by Fergus MN, there’s a sign that says "Continental Divide" (technically would be in the range of my blog of October 9, 2012)...

What is a "Continental Divide", you ask? The dictionary definition is: "The dividing line for a continent that determines into which ocean precipitation will eventually flow." Basically, to which ocean will all rivers and streams run.

IF you are from the Rockies, you know where the Continental Divide is, and it’s not in Minnesota...

The first time I crossed the Continental Divide (and noticed) was years ago, going through the Crowsnest Pass (for more on the Crowsnest, see blog February 3, 2013), between B.C. and Alberta. Having lived my whole life on the west side, where the watershed runs to the Pacific Ocean, I was stunned to see the water running the other direction - it looked like it was running uphill!!

Now that I’ve lived about the same amount of time on the east side of the Continental Divide, the water looks like it’s running uphill when I cross over to the west side...could be time to move...

But that’s the Rocky Mountains...what’s in Minnesota?

So, I looked it up - and probably most of you (or, at least some of you) know this, but if I knew it, I’ve forgotten. The Continental Divide in the Rockies is The GREAT Divide (of course it is) which separates the watershed between the Pacific and the Atlantic (including the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.) The Great Divide runs from all the way from northern Alaska to Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego, following the mountain ranges of The Rocky Mountain Range AND the Andes!!!

However, in North America, there are SIX Continental Divides. The one we crossed over in Minnesota is called the Laurentian, Northern Divide, or Hudson Bay Divide. It separates the watershed between the Arctic Ocean through the Hudson Bay and the Atlantic Ocean...

Incidentally, this is the same Divide that makes the South Saskatchewan River (see Blog date Sept 26, 2012) run north...which makes sense, now that I think of it...

One more point about this particular Divide - it meets the Great Divide at Triple Divide Peak in Glacier Park, MT. How did I not know this !!??? (It runs from Triple Divide Peak to the Labrador Peninsula at the Hudson Strait.)

(The other 4 North American Divides are

• the Arctic ~ which meets the Great Divide at Snow Dome (which is a mountain in the Columbia Icefield (future blog), on Alberta/British Columbia border) to the Oikiqtaaluk Region, Nunavut, at the Hudson Strait. The watershed runs north to the Arctic Ocean and south to the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean.
• the St. Lawrence ~ which runs from just north of Hibbing, Minnesota to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, at the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The watersheds (I think - I've been having some trouble pinpointing this one) are the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico...
• the Eastern ~ runs from the north of Pennsylvania, to the southern tip of Florida, and follows the Appalachian Mountain Range from Pennsylvania to Georgia. The watershed runs either into the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
• the Great Basin ~ is the western continental divide. this one is actually a semi-round (not round at all, but the start and the end are the same place, so I don't know how to describe it - ...see map, attached, as per wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_divide). Apparently, the watershed is the Pacific Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico...and waters that "lose themselves in the Basin". (The Great Salt Lake is one of the places in which the waters lose themselves, with the Basin.)

Every continent except for Antarctica has a continental divide.

Huh. I learned more than I expected this time. How about that!

OK! Sunday, on to Fernie, British Columbia.

http://www.uwec.edu/andersrn/Triple_Divide_Pts.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_divide

Frank Slide, Crowsnest Pass, Alberta

One of the greatest things about Alberta, is that there is an official long weekend almost every month! Some Long Weekends are more popular than others - like the May Long Weekend...and the August Long Weekend... and the February Long ... ok - really, we love them all!!

 

BUT, the good thing about the August Long Weekend is that it's always hot and sunny! (At least where WE go - I'm just saying that part for all my friends who spent last August Long in the rain...sorry).

 

We decided to go camping in Hungry Horse, Montana, with some long-time friends.

 

The BEST route from Calgary to Hungry Horse is through the Crowsnest Pass and Fernie, BC. However, for some reason, Google Maps goes a different way... OUR trip (through the Crowsnest took about 4 1/2-5 hours.. our friends followed Google, and their trip took them NINE HOURS!! (They went over the Going to the Sun Highway...
Google THAT! 
http://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/goingtothesunroad.htm and http://visitmt.com/listing/categories_NET/MoreInfo.aspx?idrrecordid=9646)

 

Anyway - we went the right way - through the Crowsnest Pass.

The most obvious point of interest going through the Crowsnest is Frank's Slide. Even if you don't know WHAT it is when you are going through, you still definitely know that Something important happened there.

 

http://www.history.alberta.ca/frankslide tells us what happened:

"On April 29, 1903, at 4:10 a.m., 82 million tonnes (30 million cubic metres) of limestone crashed from the summit of Turtle Mountain and buried a portion of the sleeping community of Frank in the valley below."

 

Sadly and tragically, an estimated 90 people (of the 600 inhabitants) were killed. It's an estimate, because most bodies could not be recovered. (The rocks are between 50-150 deep/15-45 meters deep).

The area that broke off was approximately 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) wide, 425 meters (1,400 feet) high, and 150 meters (500 feet) deep - approximately 82 million metric tonnes (9o million tons) of rock. The article says that, to put that into perspective, this means that if you took the fallen rocks and put built a wall 1 meter wide & 6 meters high, it would reach from Victoria, BC to Halifax, Nova Scotia (from sea-to-shining-sea), which, according to Google Maps (and we've already discussed its choice of routes) is approximately 6,145 kms/3,818 miles.

 

Roar from the slide could be heard as far away as Cochrane AB (200 km/120 miles away). People closer to Frank (or on the other side of town) reported that the sound of the slide lasted about 100 seconds, and based on how far the rocks extend, the article says that "scientists estimate that the rocks were moving at speeds up to 120 km/hr (70 mi/hr)"!!

When you see it, and consider how it's even possible (the deadliest landslide in Canadian history) for that many rocks to travel that far, or to even fall to begin with.

Well, there was a LOT going on with that mountain (which, as I mentioned, is called Turtle Mountain).

 

Apparently, it's called Turtle Mountain because, before the Slide, it was shaped LIKE a turtle, and not because it's moving slowly. (By the way, there's another mountain nearby that is also shaped like a turtle, and I'll probably include that picture...but it's not THIS Turtle Mountain.)

 

But, speaking of moving slowly... the Alberta Geological Survey has started monitoring the Mountain's structure and (in)stability, in order to provide the residents living below of any future "catastrophic avalanches" as well as to " understand the mechanics of slowly moving rock masses."
(http://www.ags.gov.ab.ca/geohazards/turtle_mountain/index.html

 

I guess, looking back, it's obvious that the Mountain, in 1903, was completely unstable. Many MANY things contributed to the Disaster, among which are (in summary):

• "The previously horizontal layers of sedimentary rock had been folded during the mountain building process until almost vertical" - you've seen it when in the mountains, right? the layers of rocks - I'm going to include a few pictures of mountains near Jasper (Alberta) that have been folded, too, but, only to about a 45 degree angle.
  
• The Turtle Mountain Thrust Fault runs through the mountain. THROUGH! (A "thrust fault line" is a type of break in the earth's crust, in which (by my understanding) lower rock layers are pushed up and over higher rock layers...which often means that older rock layers are then layered above younger rock layers...)
• There's no way for me to explain this one, except by exact quote from the http://www.history.alberta.ca/frankslide website: "The erosion by water and ice of sandstone and shale layers on the lower half of the mountain beneath the older layers of limestone on the upper half of the mountain created a significant overhang. Large surface cracks along the summit of the mountain allowed water to enter deep within Turtle Mountain . Water continued to eat away at the limestone and the freezing and thawing action of water and ice worked to widen the cracks, creating even more instability." (I'm sorry - all of my attempts to summarize, were just the same exact words in different orders...if this doesn't make sense - email me, and I'll try to explain.)
• and finally, on top of ALL of the above - vertical sedimentary rock, a fault line, erosion... they decided, in 1900, that it'd be the perfect location to mine coal.

So, the situation is: The Mountain is still vertical, there is still erosion, AND there is still a town beneath it, in which people live...

We've been in the area, camping (possible topic of a future blog, because it's a beautiful site - a few miles to the West), at night, when everything is really still... and there isn't even wind to disrupt the silence... somewhere, at some time, a giant rock will roll down the nearby mountain, and I can tell you first-hand - IT CREEPS ME OUT!!!!!

 

Turtle Mountain continues to move, "they" say, by a few millimeters a year, toward the northeast, toward the valley below.

 

This time, though, there's technology... and precedence. There are over 80 sensors on Turtle Mountain now. Scientists .. "estimate" that there probably won't be another landslide like that one... any time soon... the mountain is moving "too slow" - "Turtle-like"...

 

Still... THE MOUNTAIN IS MOVING!! LISTEN!!! "Hopefully", say they, "there's no earthquake"...

I have driven through Frank Slide probably... (without exaggeration)...maybe 250 times... and every time, I feel compelled to take pictures (and yet, I am finding very few in my collection - must label better). I always want to stop. (We rarely do stop since we are usually on our way to somewhere else, but sometimes!)

You just can't believe the size of some of the rocks! With the size and distance, it's impossible to know just how small you are and how big they are, until you are standing right beside them. (One of these pictures - the one in snow (obviously not August Long Weekend - there's me perpetuating the idea that Canada is always covered in snow)- is me and a friend beside one that really didn't look that big from the road...and, thinking it was smaller, it seemed alot closer to the road...) You should absolutely get out of your car, once in awhile, and experience this site. (I'm sure it goes without saying, but you have to remember that it's a solemn place, to be respected, like a cemetery... )

 

There's also an Interpretation Center (to which, I'm embarrassed to say, I have not yet been.) The same website gives an overview of the Interpretation Center, too, as well as additional facts and features of the Disaster of Frank Slide.

 

Tomorrow - Fernie, British Columbia.

Ice Magic Festival, Lake Louise, Alberta

Well, in the end, we didn't go to the Ice Sculpture show.. I've been a couple of times before, though, and I loved it! AND, this year, my friend, Jessica went, and she said I could use her pictures!!

 

Jessica and her family went up in the early afternoon, to Lake Louise, to the Ice Show, and then after that, met a bunch of our friends to go sledding at a ski-hill, on their way back to Calgary. We couldn't go...too bad for us.

 

The Ice Sculpting show ended Sunday, January 27th. The ACTUAL carving competition was from the 18th to the 20th.

24 sculpting teams from around the world compete for 34 hours, at The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, Alberta, using With 300 lbs (136 kg) blocks of ice!

 

The theme this year was "Carve a Song"... awwww! Now I really wished I had've gone!

 

The results for the International Ice Carving Competition
(as per the
http://www.banfflakelouise.com/Area-Events/Festivals/Winter/SnowDays/Ice-Magic-Festival website) are:

1st Place: Team Chris & Victor - Run through the Jungle
2nd Place: Team GB - I'm Your Puppet
3rd Place: Team Scott & Ross - Sound of an Angel
People's Choice: Team Chris & Victor - Run through the Jungle
Carver's Choice: Team Sakha Ice Art 2 - Song of White Cranes
Fairmont's Choice: Team Dream Team - Melody of the Wind

There's some really good before and after pictures on the Banff National Park Facebook page - they shared Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise's pictures:
https://www.facebook.com/banffnationalpark#!/FairmontChateauLakeLouise

Last time we went, we went from Lake Louise, into Banff, to the Hot Springs.  (http://www.hotsprings.ca/ ) But, this time, Jessica (and entourage) went sledding at Mount Norquay after. (http://banffnorquay.com/tubing/)

 

In 1904, Mount Norquay was named after John Norquay (a former premier of Manitoba), who climbed the mountain in 1888.

It was also the first ski resort in the Canadian Rockies, opening its first run in 1926. The first rope-tow was built in 1941, and you could use it for the cost of 25 cents for four rides!! (I'm sure the lift tickets change in price annually, but I'm pretty certain that it's worth more than 25 cents!!) (The "Big Arm" chairlift was opened in 1948 and is now the second oldest chairlift in North America.)

 

Nowadays, you can also going tubing - at "Tube Town." You get an innertube (remember when we used to go tubing? I don't even know where you can find a innertube nowadays - I mean, other than at Tube Town - but we had SO MUCH FUN! )

 

Remember when you'd hit that pot hole or unexpected jump and fly through the air, and it wasn't (too) scarey because you "knew" that you'd (probably) land on the innertube when you hit/landed?

 

Some of my best memories were "sledding" down my parents' driveway. It would get so icy that Dad forbid that, but to make up for it, built another hill that crossed OVER the driveway, and ended in the meadow. It was REALLY steep and at the spot it crossed over, the level-ness of the driveway created a launching pad, so you could actually miss the entire lower part of the sledding hill and land in the meadow...

 

When I first came to visit Peter, he and his friends were tubing down ... I guess it was a jeep trail.. it sort of looked like our driveway, but with a cliff on one side. The plan was for everyone to line up on the cliff-side and prevent the tube and rider from going over the edge when we rounded the corner.. Its hard to believe we were (technically) adults!

We had one of those tractor tires that was so tall, we had to be lifted on to it, and there were 2 or 3 of us loaded on.. How the human-barricade didn't work, is hard to imagine! We went right off the cliff, through spindling little birch trees - and the next thing I knew, I was waking up with people throwing snow on my face...

 

Still one of the greatest memories ever!

 

 

Tube Town doesn't rely on human fences, and doesn't have random pot holes. ALSO, you don't have to lug your tube back up the hill by yourself! There's a magic-carpet ride back up to the top! Luxury tubing!

 

Based on the stories I heard from just about every little kid I know, and all the parents "mentioning" how sore they are, it sounds like the whole event was a huge success! One little boy told me (all out of breath from excitement) something like: "First - I bounced this way, and then Jaxon said "AAAAAAAA", because we were sharing, and then we slid that way, and then we spun"...

 

NEXT TIME, I'm going FOR SURE!!!

Till Sunday, then.

Inglewood (Calgary) Sculptuary and other art

Even when I say “Inglewood Art Supply store”, I smell oil paints, and paint thinner and remover…and wax…and it’s a wonderful smell…..

 

For me, it’s a throwback to childhood – it smells like my mom’s oil painting box. Perhaps that’s why I find the smell comforting… some people have a similar nostalgic feeling when they smell cookies baking.

The store is small, with narrow aisles, packed FULL of supplies. I often need help in locating something – I could browse, but then, I’d buy way more than planned… that happens anyway.

I’ve learned that Calgary is known for its sculptures and art, scattered around the city. I have driven passed many pieces, many times, during rush hour, and never even noticed. Now that I’ve started this blog, though, I not only notice these things, but stop for a closer look.

Inglewood (and the neighborhood right next store, Ramsay) has some very interesting pieces.

This first statue is at Fort Calgary, and is of Colonel James Alexander Farquharson (not a typo) Macleod, who was an RCMP commission at Fort Calgary – which, by the way, he named in 1876. (I briefly discussed Fort Calgary in my Inglewood blog July 16 2013).

 

He died in October 1880 and is buried in Union Cemetery, in Calgary.

 

There are statues, sculptures and general quirky art scattered all around Inglewood and the attached neighborhood of Ramsay.

One of the…oddest…is the upside-down church, in the Ramsay area. It’s technically named, by the artist (Dennis Oppenheim), “Device to Root Out Evil”…. I don’t love that name.. but it is what it is.

 

Originally, it was in Vancouver, but considered too controversial, and some people were offended by it, so, eventually, it was relocated to Calgary. IF you are offended by it – I’m just showing you what’s there, and don’t necessarily want to debate it.

Across the street from the Deane House (also mentioned in my Inglewood blog) is the Stone Sculpture Symposium: The Circle of Life.

There’s so much more in Inglewood – there’s even more in this particular park! Go to Inglewood, save enough time for a stroll, wander around looking at the art, go visit the galleries, stay for lunch. Be inspired – go buy paints and canvas or some charcoals at Inglewood Art Supplies. (http://www.calgary-inglewood.com/Home-New)

See you on Wednesday!