Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology

First, a trivia question: Which town in Southern Alberta has about 8,000 inhabitants and more than half a million tourists every year? The town in question is, of course, Drumheller; the reason for such high tourist activity - dinosaurs.

Situated 183 kilometers northeast of Calgary, Drumheller is set in a spectacular lunar landscape, in a valley carved through the badlands by ancient glacial meltwaters and constant prairie wind. The area surrounding the town is known as one of the richest paleonthology sites in the world. Scientists from all around the globe come to Drumheller valley to study the prehistoric animals that reigned the Earth tens of millions of years ago.

The Royal Tyrrell Museum, the crowning jewel of Drumheller, is the only museum in the world dedicated exclusively to the science of paleontology, and the home of one of the largest and finest collections of dinosaur remains. Even those not-so-paleontology-crazy visitors stand in awe in front of 50 full-size dinosaur skeletons and thousands and thousands of specimens that bring the prehistoric past to life. The Museum also offers a variety of creative, fun and educational public and school programs and science camps.

The Museum currently offers about a dozen permanent exhibits and three special exhibitions. “I Think…” (Charles Darwin, 1837) is dedicated to Darwin’s theory of evolution and its impact on modern society. Triassic Giant features the world’s largest marine reptile that measures 21 meters in length and dates back to the Triassic, 220 million years ago. Alberta Unearthed features “25 of the Museum’s most significant specimens and recounts rarely told stories of discovery. This special exhibit is about the people, places, and pieces that comprise Canada's dinosaur museum…”

From Alberta Unearthed exibition: In southern Alberta, some ammonites have a unique form of preservation. Tectonic pressure, heat, and mineralization over millions of years, compress them into colorful, iridescent material used to create jewellery. Ammonites preserved in this manner are both fossils and gemstones, and although fossils are protected under provincial legislature, permission is granted by the Alberta Government to mine the gemstone.

First, visit the UNECSO World Heritage Site Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump, which is located 18 km northwest of Fort Macleod. This is a 5000 year old site of incredible historical and cultural significance.

Afterwards, head into the Town of Fort Macleod, the oldest town in Alberta, established in 1874 by the North West Mounted Police to allow for peaceful settlement of the west.

Take a walking tour of Fort Macleod. This is from an article from the Macleod Gazette, Fort Macleod’s local Newspaper which was founded in 1882, making it the longest running newspaper in Alberta. This tour includes the historic Empress Theatre. The Empress was built in 1912 and is Alberta’s oldest continually operating theatre and continues to offer a number of live musical and theatre acts, as well as movies, and claims to be haunted!

For lunch stay on Main Street and head over to either Johnny’s Café, whose Chef is formerly a Chef of the Banff Springs Hotel; or, The Silver Grill Café, located in a 1910 building which was the local saloon and poker house, and still houses the original bar and mirror, which contains a bullet hole from a wild west shootout!

Then wander over to The NWMP Fort Museum, a replica fort of the North West Mounted Police fort. The Fort has numerous displays of the life of the early western settlers as well as history of the local native groups.

Also located near town is the Northwest Mounted Police 1884 Barracks Provincial Historic Site, which has a number of reconstructed buildings from 1884, including the barrack, stable, prison, hospital and firearms displays.

Next take a walk along the Old Man River on many of its path ways or head over to The River Valley Wilderness Park and admire the unique and endangered ecosystem of this river valley. The forests along the river is one of the few places that the narrow-leaf cottonwood tree species still survives. To find the park, follow the 6^th Ave North (Highway 811) and go over the green bridge, and take the first left into the gravel parking lot. There is an extensive pathway system and a number of swimming holes and spots for great fishing!

River Valley (Town of Fort Macleod)

Perhaps also plan to play a round on the Fort Macleod Golf Course, the oldest Golf Course in Western Canada, founded by the original members of the NWMP in 1890.

Tess

To find out more about the history of Fort Macleod, check out these books from the library: Fort Macleod: Our Colourful Past or Ghost Towns of Southern Alberta Volume 2 which has a section on Old Fort Macleod. My favorite line in the latter book is Fort Macleod Hotel's Regulation #18: Guests are forbidden to strike matches or spit on the celing, or to sleep in bed with their boots on.

Last week I talked about our drive down the Cowboy Trail. Having arrived safely at Highway 3, we turned west for some unforgettable experiences in the Crowsnest Pass. Our first goal was to watch for the historic Burmis tree as we travelled west.

The Frank Slide is one of the most awe-inspiring sights that I have seen. There is an excellent interpretive centre where you can learn about the tragedy, the heroism and twists of fate that saved some and condemned others.

If you would like to read more, our library has some histories of the slide, such as The Frank Slide and The Frank Slide Story. You can relive the terror through the experiences of the heroine in a recent novel, The Outlander, by Gil Adamson.

We also visited the Bellevue Underground Mine, or I should say, my daughter, son and niece went underground while my sister and I guarded the car (I'm really not fond of dark, closed spaces). The kids were amazed at how dark it really was and intrigued by the fact that the walls of the tunnel were built on an angle. As well, the girls weren't sure about the fashion statement that the hard hats made.

We finished off our afternoon in the Crowsnest Pass by visiting beautiful Lundbreck Falls. I love waterfalls and would have been quite happy to just sit and watch the water for hours. This is a great place to picnic and there is a campground there as well.

There is a lot more to see and do in the Crowsnest Pass but that is all we had time for in the half-day we were there. Bill Corbett's Day Trips from Calgary has a good section on the Crowsnest Pass. You can also find more information at the Crowsnest Pass webpage.

Southern Alberta for City Folks has just arrived on library shelves.

Caroline Steman, a city folk herself, shares some of her favorite hikes, drives and places to go in Calgary and Southern Alberta. Her choices require no special experience or equipment. This is a slim volume of 41 pages packed with beautiful colour photographs and lots of historical tidbits.

Another, slightly older, book which follows the road less travelled is Country Roads of Alberta (2007).

"This travel guide to the country roads of Alberta emphasizes locations that are "off the beaten track," offering plenty of color photography that should entice travelers to be more adventurous in their next Canadian sojourn. Bryan, a noted journalist and former co-founder of Western Living magazine, seasons this travelogue with historical facts and geological information while pointing out notable landmarks and wildlife. Detailed maps and driving directions enhance the stunning images, making this book a welcome traveling companion." (Book News Inc)

Other books that will help you explore Southern Alberta are:

West on one : the stories behind the scenery : fascinating facts, stories and pictures along the Trans-Canada Highway from Calgary to Lake Louise by Kathryn Manry (2010)

In plain sight : exploring the natural wonders of southern Alberta by Neil L. Jennings (2010)

And a couple of older titles that are still full of great information:

Alberta history along the highway [1996] : a traveler's guide to the fascinating facts, intriguing incidents and lively legends in Alberta's past by Ted Stone

Backroads of Southern Alberta by Joyce Donaldson Yarmey (1992)

Have fun exploring!!

A few weeks ago, I talked about our wonderful trip along the Icefields Parkway to Jasper. We have just received two new books which would have really enhanced our experience.

"Since moving to the Rockies of western Canada in 1984, Lynn Martel has spent countless hours and days exploring the mountain wilderness with her many experienced friends as well as some of the best known and well-informed professional guides in the outdoor adventure business...Her vast amount of experience and insight into the most popular activities available to tourists, locals and the most skilled and competent weekend warriors infuse this collection of 20 of her best adventure stories. Complete with colour photographs and maps, difficulty ratings, seasonal details and general information, these stories will inspire those seeking to experience adventures at their own level in and around Kananaskis Country, Canmore, Lake Louise and Banff, Yoho and Jasper national parks." (Syndetics)

"Canada's 42 National Parks are beautifully showcased in this first edition official guidebook for the 2011 100th anniversary of Parks Canada...this book will be a handy, practical, and extensively illustrated guide to help visitors plan and execute their trips to all the Canadian national parks. It also offers short excursions to 40 plus National Historical Sites and the four National Marine Conservation Areas. Written by authors who know Canada's national parks, this volume includes seasonal facts on these stunning and vital wilderness areas as well as guidance for getting there, when to go, how to visit, practical information on where to stay, and detailed descriptions of specific places within each park. Stunning photographs and custom, one-of-a-kind maps prepared by National Geographic cartographers enhance the entries." (Syndetics)