The Crowsnest Pass - Alberta's Wild Southwest

	The Leitch Collieries Encapsulate the Life of a Miner.1

At the beginning of the 20th century, southwestern Alberta boomed when thick veins of coal were discovered underneath the Rocky Mountains. An ambitious group of workers and entrepreneurs arrived from all over Canada, as far away as Europe and even Russia for the chance to earn a respectable wage of $125 per month. An eclectic mix of miners, surveyors, engineers, doctors, nurses, wives and children set about building a new life for themselves in the valley of the Crowsnest Pass.

As fortunes grew, bad luck, catastrophes, gunfights and an all-around untamed atmosphere characterised life in the Pass in the early 20th century. It is the location of the largest landslide ever recorded in North America as well as Canada's worst mining disaster. As well, during the years of Prohibition in the United States renegade rum runners used the Pass as a major transportation route for bootleg liquor. Infamous characters like town councillor Emilio Picariello, also the proprietor of the Blairmore Hotel and nicknamed "Emperor Pic", ran their illegal liquor operations directly under the noses of the local Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Drought caused crops to fail in 1920, causing widespread poverty, and both Coleman and Blairmore barely survived major fires in 1922. Coleman was nearly leveled again in the winter of 1948 when, starting in the hardware store, flames were fueled by flammable liquids housed inside, encouraged on by the dry timber of the building and then whipped into a frenzy by icy winds. Recently in 2003, the Lost Creek fire threatened the entire length of the Pass, and 2,700 of its residents were put on evacuation alert. Eight hundred and fifty fire fighters and 1,700 civilian volunteers fought for several days to stop the blaze, which came as close as 500 m (1,640 ft) to Blairmore's edge.

	The Lost Creek Forest in the First Stages of Regrowth.2

From west to east the Pass follows along the Crowsnest Ridge, one of the lowest mountain passes in Canada, and crosses over the Continental Divide along the way. The town of Blairmore began as an outpost for the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1898, Frank was founded shortly after in 1900, and Bellevue, Hillcrest and Coleman soon followed. In 1979 the five townships amalgamated to create Municipality of Crowsnest Pass, which encorporates more than 6,000 residents and is administered under one government.

HISTORY AND ATTRACTIONS

In its early days, men in bowlers and pea coats and ladies with their hair shielded by chic scarves rode horse-drawn carriages through the streets of the Pass, which was lined with false-fronted wooden buildings, labourer's tents, workshops and saloons, all dedicated to serving the business of mining. Henry Luplin Frank built the area's first commercial mine in 1901, and the town that sprang up around was subsequently named after him. When his modern operation opened in 1901, Frank invited more than 1,000 guests from as far away as Cranbrook in the west and Medicine Hat in the east to celebrate the beginning of the boom in the valley, which would echo throughout the province. It was thought to be the beginning of south-western Alberta's growth into a nationally-recognised producer of coal and an example of the future of the industry. Within the first year of operations, Frank's mine produced nearly 181,000 tonnes (200,000 tons) of coal, and the town's population increased from 300 to 500. By 1903, the population was nearly 800.

	Fly-Fishing the Crowsnest River.3

Frank sits at the foot of Turtle Mountain, the slopes of which are an archaeological treasure trove. Stone tools found from the Clovis culture date back 11,000 years, and ancient quarries uncovered on the Livingstone ridge are at least 1,000 years old. Although the land was obviously well-known and used by migratry First Nations peoples, it had long been avoided as a permanent campground. Members of the Blackfoot and Kutenai First Nations communities believed the mountain could “walk”, recalling legends of a battle fought near the base of the mountain that was halted unexpectedly by a rockslide.

And at 4:10 in the morning of April 29th, 1903, the mountain would walk again.

Weakened by mining and looking to get rid of some excess weight, a gigantic slab of rock a half a mile in diametre (800 m) and 150 m (500 ft) thick in some places lifted from the side of the mountain, turned, and fell, smashing into thousands of pieces upon crashing on the fault line that birthed the mountain 70 to 80 million years ago. Nearly 82 million tonnes (90 million tons) of debris fell on the southernmost point of the town of Frank, crushing several homes and killing approximately 79 people. The actual number is not known, as there is no record of visitors to the town that night and several victims were never found, remaining buried underneath five square miles (13 sq. km) of debris.

Only 12 bodies were recovered.

The slide temporarily dammed the Crowsnest River, and massive boulders lay strewn across the tracks of the CPR. In the dark and with known landmarks now obscured by rock, brakeman Sid Choquette somehow scrambled over the mess just in time to warn an oncoming train, saving the passengers from an impending crash and avoiding further tragedy. Miners who were working the night shift became trapped underground when the mountain fell, and used their wits and knowledge to dig themselves out of the rubble, finally seeing the sun 14 hours after the slide. Several fantastic stories have survived to this day from that night, including a popular legend about a baby who was miraculously thrown from her crib to land safely upon a pile of hay several feet away. At least three young girls were found among the debris unharmed, but none of their stories appear to be an exact match for the impetus of the tale.

In 1911 a government report deemed the mountain too unstable and Frank's citizens were forced to abandon their townsite and move across the CPR's tracks to safer ground. The mine closed for good in 1918.

While entering Frank from the east drivers will pass through the middle of rubble from the slide piled on either side of Highway 3, otherwise known as the Crowsnest Highway and the main artery through the Pass. Artifacts, photographs and memoirs are preserved at the Frank Slide Interpretive Centre, located just north of Highway 3 and well-marked with signs. At the centre, the curious may view an award-winning audio-visual presentation entitled In the Mountain's Shadow, which details the events of that fateful day. Outdoors are several paths that cut through the massive boulders that entombed more than 60 people, and the immensity of the destruction provokes awed silence.

The Crowsnest Museum, located in Coleman, keeps a valuable collection of photographs that have frozen the early days of the Pass in time, and several displays such as a General Store, a Blacksmith Shop and dioramas of the life of miners brings the past to life. The Crowsnest Pass Public Art Gallery offers a look into the artists of the Pass' imaginations, holding various exhibitions throughout the year that feature the past and present works of local, national and international artists, while educational workshops for children and adults explain the medium and the methods.

	An Abandoned Early Homestead in the Crowsnest Pass.4

In 1914, another major disaster would deeply affect residents and the future of the Crowsnest Pass. Explosions rocked the Hillcrest Mine in the morning hours, claiming the lives of 189 miners and leaving 130 wives widowed and 400 children without fathers. At the beginning of the work day on Friday, June 19, low levels of methane gas triggered a horrendous blast - then another, then another - the combined force of which shoved violently through the mine corridors, taking down anyone and everything in its path. Even men working at the surface were knocked down by the energy erupting from the mine's doors and vents. The entrances to the mine continued to belch out smoke throughout the day, and only 40 men managed to make their way out alive, many of whom had to be revived with oxygen and resuscitation efforts. Those not killed in the initial explosions soon succumbed to the affects of “afterdamp”, extremely high carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and nitrogen levels left behind after an explosion. The majority of the workers were in their late twenties and early thirties, and were identifiable only by the work stubs they carried with them to log their hours for the day. Survivors and townspeople from the Pass made heroic efforts to save as many as they could, and managed to bring out every fatality to be buried properly in the town's cemetery - except for one. Surrounded by the gravestones of the victims, the Hillcrest Mine Disaster Memorial pays homage to the victims of that sad day, Canada's worst mining disaster in history.

As people came and went from the valley, violence would occasionally erupt in the usually quiet communities. A train robbery perpetrated by three local miners ended in a bloody shootout at the Bellevue Cafe, where two of the suspected offenders were spotted dining on August 2, 1920. Three RCMP officers were killed in the hail of bullets that ensued while attempting to arrest the duo, and one of the thieves also ended up dead. The other perpetrator in the cafe was wounded, and somehow remained hidden for a short time, but both he and the final accomplice were eventually caught and sentenced to prison.

A quick way to make an illicit buck, the American Prohibition and the Pass' location close to the border gave those less-than-law-abiding citizens of the valley the opportunity to make an illegal living rum-running. The owner of the Blairmore Hotel, Emilio “Emporer Pic” Picariello, originally from Sicily, is well-known to have made his fortune from the trade. Underground passageways facilitated the business, and Emporer Pic is said to have had as many as six fast cars in his fleet making daily trips to British Columbia and across the border to pick up and deliver highly-prized Canadian whiskey. Although he could qualify as a "crook", he was said to be a generous man, and was respected in the community. He used a good deal of his wealth to help the less fortunate, handing out baskets of food and treating children to the movies. In 1922 he ran for town council and won.

Later that year, on Sept. 21, 1922, Emperor Pic's son Steve, who was driving a McLaughlin stuffed full of liquor, ran an Alberta Provincial Police roadblock. APP Constable Steve Lawson shot at the fleeing vehicle and wounded the young Picariello. His father, unaware that his son was not injured critically and accompanied by friend and fellow Italian immigrant Florence Lassandro, confronted Lawson and an argument ensued. Picariello shot and killed the policeman, and the pair were charged and convicted of murder. They insisted upon their innocence, claiming the shot came from a distance, but were found guilty of murder on Dec. 2, 1922. Picariello and Lassandro were hanged in Fort Saskatchewan 5:10am and 5:51am, respectively, on May 21, 1923. At the age of 22, Lassandro became the first and only woman ever to suffer this fate in Alberta.

Perhaps in response to what appeared to be increasing disorder in the area, the province of Alberta constructed a new courthouse in Blairmore in 1923 that was to eventually serve all of the communities of the Pass. The building has been meticulously restored, and stands today as a testament to the area's unstable past and ongoing attempts to maintain order.

TOURS AND ACTIVITIES

Tours of the Hillcrest Mine Memorial are offered through the Frank Slide Interpretive Centre. Explore the town of Hillcrest, its cemetery and the memorial that remembers those who lost their lives in the disaster of 1914. The Bellevue Mine, in operation until 1961, offers tours into its depths, where the lights atop the miners' helmets given to explorers only penetrate a few metres into the blackness before fading away into complete nothingness. Tours of the Leitch Collieries, a Provincial Historic Site, offers a comprehensive look at the steps involved in processing coal as well as introduces visitors to the unique landscape of the Pass. Hike through the meadows around Frank to Lille, the Ghost Town of the Pass, which once thrived and boasted a hospital, a four-room school and a hotel in 1906. By 1912, however, the world coke market began to decline, and the town was deserted. The remains of streets are lined out in the grass, rusty fire hydrants poke out occasionally and the foundation of the hotel is clearly visible. By the abandoned coal deposits along the creek are remnants of 50 Bernard coke ovens, which appear like aliens in the quiet countryside.

The self-guided hike of the Historic Miner's Path takes walkers from Flummerfelt Park in Coleman along the same walkway miners walked a hundred years ago to the McGillivray mine site, one of the most successful mines of the Pass, and the Forestry Trunk Road, which leaves from Coleman and heads northward, is a scenic and secluded drive through the mountains.

EVENTS

Taking place in July, Rum Runner Days remember the wild past of the Pass, when fast cars attempted to outrun the police and underground passageways hid crates of liquor waiting to be traded illegally to the United States. Several days of activities aim to bring the community together. Dances, a midway, golf and slo-pitch tournaments, a parade, heritage displays, a Show 'n Shine and more all culminate in the grand finale, the Thunder in the Valley fireworks display. Smaller celebrations also occur in the towns of Bellevue, Hillcrest and Coleman.

CLIMATE

From May until September temperatures are temperate enough to allow outdoor exploration of the Pass, and little rainfall means days are long and sunny. Although cooler, October and November are still prime months for angling on the Crowsnest River, but the mercury rarely climbs above 0°C (32°F) throughout the months of December, January and February. Slick road conditions and unpredictable weather means the Pass in the winter is sometimes a difficult, and potentially dangerous, place to visit. The edge of the road drops off into nothingness in some places, and the highway is only one lane wide in each direction. Black ice, landslides, sleet and hail can mean the highway may even be shut down, so it is advisable for travellers to check ahead. Residents ask that visitors please take care when driving through their towns.

By April, however, the snow has melted, and the Pass emerges from winter's grasp to welcome the spring and the many people who arrive to learn its stories and discover its secrets.

The Frank Slide Interpretive Centre Sits Amid Rubble Remaining From its Most Deadly Moment.5