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“The wind played an important part in the hunt,” Lorraine Goodstriker, our guide, says as we follow the path to see the jump before touring the displays. I have no problem believing her as the powerful wind drowns out her next words. I have to tie my hair back to keep it from being whipped dangerously in my eyes and each step requires more effort than I am used to exerting on such a short walk. Once we arrive at the cliff side, protected by a railing, I lift a foot to stand on a boulder for a better view and am nearly knocked over by a gust of wind. Honestly. I was recently on the edge of Hurricane Ivan and the storm winds that kept us boarded up in our hotel were mere fairy breaths compared to this. I grip the railing and tilt my head over the side, surprised to see that the cliff isn’t incredibly high; the buffalo had a far shorter fall than I had originally imagined. Only ten meters tall now, the cliff would have been higher thousands of years ago, but erosion and many hunts have deposited meters of bones and debris at the cliff’s base. Behind the drop off, the plains stretch as far as my eyes can see. After we’ve fought our way back into the museum, Lorraine laughs at our reaction to the wind. “It gets worse,” she says. This is nothing. The winds can reach up to 150 km per hour.” To fully appreciate the jump and the Native customs, one must first understand how important the buffalo was to the aboriginal people of North America’s Great Plains. Bison provided much more than just meat; the bones and horns were used as tools, the dung for fire and the hides for clothing. No part of the buffalo went to waste. Bison were sacred; they provided food, clothing and shelter. The hunt only
took place in the Fall when the female bison’s meat was in its prime and
its hair was thick, in preparation for winter. Female buffalo are dominant
and traveled together with their calves. The solitary males only joined
the herds in late summer – mating season – so it was mainly females that
were killed during the hunt. To get an idea of what the natives were hunting
– a fully grown buffalo is almost two meters tall and can weigh up to half
a ton.
It’s hard to imagine going to that much trouble for a good meal these days. The displays in the interpretive center provide further information about the Native People of the area and their beliefs, the buffalo hunt and what happened after the bison had been killed. It provides a clear insight into a custom long since discontinued, but not forgotten. Burmis Tree From Fort Macleod, head west on Highway 3, keeping your eyes on the right side of the road. About 75 km after Fort Macleod, you’ll come to one of the most photographed trees in Alberta, if not the world. The Burmis Tree stands proud on a small tuft of land, framed by open fields and the start of a mountain pass in the distance. The Limber Pine is more than 300 years old, and it looks every one of its distinguished years. Three bare, thick branches reach toward the sky. From each of these twisted limbs extend thinner and more fragile branches. They look like bits of dry, dead twig you’d collect to use as kindling. The tree’s fragility is emphasized by one metal pole, now required to hold up the tree’s lowest bough. Frank Slide It’s impossible to miss the Frank Slide as you drive along Highway 3. The scenery changes drastically from hills and fields to an area covered completely with rocks. To the left, steep Turtle Mountain stands tall – although not as high and thick as it once was. The boulders that surround the highway were once a part of the mountain. And what lay under them was once a town – Frank, Alberta. In 1903, Frank
was a prospering mining town nestled at the base of Turtle Mountain. Unfortunately,
the geological structure of Turtle Mountain was unstable. About 60 million
years ago, layers of limestone were pushed upwards into what is known as
an anticlinal fold (an A shape or arch). The old limestone was then sitting
atop younger rock – sandstone, coal and mud. This was a problem in itself,
never mind the aggressive mining taking place near the mountain.
Fernie, B.C. What sets Fernie, British Columbia apart from other Canadian ski towns? Maybe it’s that Fernie Alpine Resort (FAR) has been named 2004 Resort of Year, and is home to the Fernie World FreeStyle Cup. Although it has only recently become a world-famous four season resort, this unique mountain town has 100 years of development behind it. On July 28th, 2004, Fernie celebrated its centennial, another milestone in the string of events that makes the mountain resort what it is today. I, in fact, grew up in this small mining town and did everything I could to escape it once I’d graduated from high school. It took me almost eleven years of traveling around the rest of the world to realize what a rare hometown I’d left behind. I thought everybody lived in valleys 3300 feet above sea level surrounded by the glorious Rockies and had rivers running through their backyards. Don’t deer, moose and even bears pad across everyone’s lawns? I only have to open my curtains in the morning to watch the sun bring the Three Sisters to life. Fernie’s most regal mountain, the Three Sisters gets its name from its three striking sections – two pointy peaks flank a central, rounded summit. I’ve never seen another mountain like it. Everywhere you look in Fernie, you see The Rockies. One of Fernie’s other stunning mountains, The Ghostrider, has a bit more of a history behind it. Settlers came here in the late 1800’s because of the promise of black gold, or coal. Fernie’s famous legend of the Ghostrider stems from the early days of searching for this precious resource. The tale begins when William Fernie and his group come upon an Indian Princess wearing a beaded necklace of coal. Fernie agreed to marry the princess if the Indian Chief would lead him and his party to the black gold. The Indian Chief lived up to his end of the deal, but William Fernie refused to marry the princess once he knew where the riches were located. In revenge, the tribe placed a curse of fire, flood and famine on the valley; a curse that was all too soon forgotten with the prospect of riches. The dark shadow of the Indian Princess riding on a horse, with the Chief trailing behind her in search of William Fernie is still visible on Mount Hosmer ( when it’s not covered in snow). Ask any local and they’ll proudly point out the shapes representing Fernie’s famous legend. And yes, we’ve had fires and we’ve had floods. Part of Fernie’s appeal is that there are endless activities to keep you busy all year round. Tourists flock to Fernie in the summer to golf on the 18 hole Fernie Golf and Country Club’s luscious greens with dramatic views of the Rockies. A new, elite golf course, with the backing of golfer extraordinaire Greg Norman, is planned for 2006. Mountain High River Adventures offers white water rafting trips on Fernie’s Elk River and nearby Bull River that vary from the calm “Wet Your Appetite” to “Wet Your Friends” to the more adventurous “Wet Your Pants” in kayaks. Or, you can do what the locals do and head to OK Tire. They sell huge inner tubes for about $20. As children, we’d simply walk down to the river, plop ourselves on the tube and float along the current, taking in the mountains, forests and wildlife that we saw along the way. Just make sure you have someone waiting at a pre-arranged spot downriver. If standing
at the side of the river with a fly rod in your hands is more appealing,
The Elk River is the place to be; the river and its tributaries are among
the best cut throat trout waters in North America.
And why wouldn’t it be? Fernie is legendary for its fluffy powder. The average yearly snowfall is 29 feet – that’s enough to cover a three story building. The ski season usually starts in late November or early December and continues until mid April. FAR offers professional instruction in alpine, cross-country and telemark skiing, as well as snowboarding for all levels. Fernie’s famous powder falls on five enormous bowls, but if you’ve had enough of the slopes, cross country skiing and snow shoeing offer enjoyable alternatives. If you care to venture off the beaten track and explore rougher, undiscovered terrain, try heli-skiing or snowcat skiing. Snowmobiling in the back country is another option if you haven’t yet got your fill of the snow. If you want to act really Canadian, head to the arena for a game of hockey – Canada’s favorite pastime. Our local team, The Ghostriders, play throughout the winter. I came back to Fernie last July for a “short visit”, and haven’t left yet. Fernie has changed so much in the past decade that it’s hardly recognizable, commercially at least, as my hometown. What can never change is its natural beauty and environment. Fernie offers enough of the holiday necessities to make you feel like you’re on vacation, but there are still plenty of local people and businesses that allow you to appreciate Fernie’s culture and hospitality. Maybe that’s why I’m still here. The following is a list of articles that Dawnelle has written for the magazine:
To contact
Dawnelle Click Here
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Western
Canada Part One ~ 