"Adventure Tourism Information About Places Ya'Gotta Go To!"
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The Crowsnest Pass provides an excellent southern route between Alberta and British Columbia, with great outdoors opportunities for camping, hiking, backpacking, cycling, horseback riding and other adventure tourism activities. The pass is also well known for its glimpses of the dangerous soft rock (limestone) coal mining history.
The Crowsnest Pass developed as a major coal supply area for early twentieth century railroad and industry and eastern coking coal, for the steel industry, with great outdoors opportunities and glimpses of its dangerous past. Throughout the area, travelers will find abandoned mine site tours and related interpretive centres.
The pass also contains the site of one of the world's biggest rock slides (Frank: 1903) and Canada's worst mining disaster (Hillcrest: 1914). Legend has it that the legendary "Lost Lemon Mine", is also in the vicinity of the Crowsnest Pass.
The majority of the Crowsnest Pass is in Alberta and is travelled by the #3 highway, which runs through a variety of mountain ranges comprised of the Livingstone, Flathead and High Rock Ranges. Though not like the densely compact ranges, of the northern Canadian Rockies, these limestone ranges offer excellent scenery, as well as trekking opportunities. It's two major peaks are Turtle Mountain and the ancient volcanic peak of Crowsnest Mountain, both of which can be hiked and/or scrambled.
Travelers into the backcountry of the Crowsnest Pass must be aware that this is wild country. Back country trails and campgrounds are much more rustic that those accessed from the highway. Maps, compass use, proper gear, clothing, food storage/disposal and experience and bear avoidance skills are mandatory! For those that are prepared...a fabulous trip is in order.
A must stop in the pass is the Frank Slide Interpretative Centre, at the site of the one of the most devastating rock slides in the world, which all but eliminated the town of Frank (1903) and killed 70 people. The centre offers static displays and presentations about the dangers of limestone rock coal mining and the causes of the slide. There are also trails, which can take visitors though the slide area.
Some other interesting site treks in the Pass are the:
From Alberta the Pass is accessed from the #2 highway by going west from Fort MacLeod. For an excellent historical tour, about the Northwest Mounted Police (Now the world famous Royal Canadian Mounted Police), be sure to visit The Fort Museum of The Northwest Mounted Police.
If you travel this route, be sure to give yourself time to visit the ancient aboriginal buffalo killing site of Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump.
Other southern Alberta locations and areas that are accessible, from the pass, are:
On the BC side of the pass is Sparwood, where visitors can view 21st century coal mining. Travelers from southern British Columbia can access the Crowsnest Pass from there and those going west via Cranbrook will access the beautiful West Kootenays.
In order to make the best of an adventure tourism experience, we suggest that you purchase a good, reliable guidebook. Our suggestions for Southern Alberta and the Crowsnest Pass are:
If you would like more information about Alberta go to our Alberta Ya'Gotta: Adventure Travel Information, Adventure Travel Destinations and Alberta Adventure Travel Links pages.
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