Amazing Alberta.

We aren't just saying Alberta is amazing because it is home to the team, though growing up in this province has left a special place for it in the heart, there are many places worth noticing within the great province that makes it really dear to us. I guess the main focus here would be to remind the world that it isn't just some tar filled beach of chaos; Alberta is a truly magnificent province with so much to offer for all levels of adventure. 

HEAD SMASHED IN BUFFALO JUMP.

Head smashed in buffalo jump is a UNESCO world heritage site located just Northwest of Fort Macleod. Not only is it a beautiful natural site, with a historic past, it is also home to a museum of Blackfoot culture. 

The Blackfoot people would use specialized roles, like men skilled at animal behaviour, to channel a herd of buffalo off the cliff edge and take a single hunt to provide for the tribe. Hunting was a necessity in the days without supermarkets; none were as skilled as America's native people at ensuring nothing went to waste when an animal gave up it's life to allow them to survive. There are many stories among the people about why it is they hunted buffalo. The beautiful cultures of the various tribes have many great tales about why things are the way they are. I have been very privileged to hear many stories ranging from where the dream-catcher came from, why different things were used for smudging, and even a story about when the people came down to live on the plains. Remember that every culture of America's native people has their own stories to tell that vary from group to group. I have a very special place in my heart for the Native American's, their reverence for nature and respect for all life is a powerful influence on my own beliefs. No matter what group they hail from, my friends are always reminding me that the message is the same. Love and respect for the land that gives you life. Heritage sites like this one remind me that there is a rich history to these lands we too often forget.

WRITING-ON-STONE PROVINCIAL PARK

                                                                                    

Writing-on-stone is situated on one of the largest areas of protected prairie in Alberta. The land is known as "Áísínai’pi National Historic Site of Canada," which is a Blackfoot word translated to mean "it is written."
This beautiful area is riddled with a plethora of petroglyphs and pictographs as well as a natural abundance of hoodoos.The natural sandstone of the area made it ideal for use as a canvas.
People have probably inhabited the area as long ago as 9000 years. The Blackfoot people are thought to have made a majority of the carvings, other groups such as the Shoshone have also roamed the area leaving evidence of their passing. This area is an amazing trip through time to a place long before smart phones, even before paper was a common medium in North America.

This beautiful land straddles the Milk river 100 km southeast of Lethbridge Alberta, and has found itself on our list of fundamental locations in Alberta for obvious reasons.

JASPER NATIONAL PARK.

Jasper is a necessary stop to anyone who hopes to capture the true magnificence of Alberta. The town of Jasper is open year round due to the abundant ski culture that has formed around the park's Marmot basin. To reside in the town of Jasper, one must work in Jasper. That means that the only residents who don't spend their days in this beautiful mountain getaway are the local CN rail employees who are often busy between the park and Edmonton's rail yard. The city of Edmonton is a main hub for the province when it comes to goods, it's situated an about even distance from Jasper and Calgary in different directions. No trip to Jasper would be complete without a visit to Maligne canyon, Miette hotsprings, or many of the various trails available to hiking aficionados. My favourite place for pizza happens to be in Jasper at Jasper Pizza. This location is one of my fundamentals for a complete Jasper experience. We always managed to stop in for some delicious fire cooked pizza on every trip to Marmot basin. Another tradition to my Jasper experience was to always stop by the town's bear Jasper. Every trip I have made to the beautiful park has included a stop by the bear for a memorable photo op. I will attempt to add many personal pictures to bolster the Alberta experience.

Me and the Jasper bear.

Maligne canyon.

 DINOSAUR PROVINCIAL PARK.

Often mistaken for the park in Drumheller, Dinosaur provincial park is located near Brooks Alberta. The park became a heritage site in 1979; thanks to my Oma working for the park in my childhood, I was able to experience the park many times and in many ways. 

Chasmosaurus

                                                                            I spent many summers taking trips to Dinosaur provincial park. When I was in grade two in Medicine Hat Alberta, we were even close enough to justify a school trip. The park features camping that allowed us to spend nights out there in the sticks where the stars are magnificent. It's lesser known presence meant that it was a quieter experience to the sometimes crowded Tyrell museum in Drumheller Alberta. That isn't to say that it was any less magnificent. When faced with the mastodonic creatures that once ruled the earth, it's easy to feel even smaller on the cosmic scale. Remembering that humbling experience is a great way to put things in perspective. I was told that, in those days, earth's oxygen levels were much higher. This meant that insects, plants, and animals could attain much greater sizes.

Whatever the mystery of prehistoric times be that draws us into an age before man, Dinosaur provincial park makes our list of must see destinations on a journey to explore Alberta. There is a peace on the prairies here that can't be beat. Rolling hills of silence mixed with massive formations and the resting place of earth's largest creatures.

LETHBRIDGE.

Lethbridge is a fun little city, the city where I was born, and yes it's more than just a bridge. Though the bridge, known as the Lethbridge Viaduct, is the longest and highest of it's kind in North America. Recently, and remember this man is a professional, a man used the Viaduct to perform a base jump. Among several parks where families can hang out, an agricultural center, and a great university Lethbridge is home to a Japanese garden and a festival known locally as "whoop up days."

The not for profit festival attracts more than 60 000 people annually which means that just under 75% of the cities population can be found in attendance. The festival is named after Fort whoop up which was once used for the illegal sale of whiskey in the 19th century when policing in the area was sparse. Whoop up days was, 8 years prior to the Calgary stampede, the first large scale rodeo was staged as part of whoop up days.

EDMONTON.

No trip to Alberta would be complete without a stop at the capital city of Edmonton. Our team spent a good portion of our lives here before coming together just after our members moved to Calgary.

                                                                                                          The beautiful capital of Alberta 

 a great many things to do that are often taken for granted by locals. There are several popular locations such as West Edmonton mall, The Telus world of science, The Royal Alberta museum, and the Alberta legislature building. Not to mention the destinations within the mall that could take days to properly enjoy. Galaxy land theme park, and the world water park are home to some record breaking attractions of, year round, indoor fun. There are many places in the area that feature events like paintball, even some city based hills for skiing. The Alberta aviation museum is located at the cities downtown airport and features one of the Canadian Avro arrows just out front. Just outside of the city of St. Albert (30 seconds north of Edmonton) is the Edmonton garrison military base. With art culture abound you would be remiss to forgo a stop here to visit the art gallery of Alberta, the Winspear center (where Roger Waters, previously of Pink Floyd, performed the Wall), and the northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium. The city plays host to the annual Fringe festival of Edmonton which features different themes annually. Shows ranging from Iron Maiden, Uproar festival, and even Sept 2015's Wu-Tang Clan make it a great destination for live entertainment. The city is undergoing a face-lift to the downtown core as construction continues on the new home of Edmonton's Oilers NHL team. 

CALGARY.

The city of Calgary is the largest metro area in Alberta, and home to the corporate heart of the province. As the location where most corporations have set up home base, and as it has a more efficient location for it, the international airport offers the most choices in the whole province. While it is home to abundant commercial life, the city has become a beautiful example of functionality and features. The city itself covers a vast surface area for a not so vast population, this has obviously posed some problems to infrastructure, though the city seems to do an incredible job at managing. 

The lovely city is situated at the foot of Canada's rockies, and is even a short jog away from Banff.

There are many reasons to make it a mandatory stop on the trip across Alberta, the massive Calgary stampede is just one of the various attractions that draw people to Calgary for more than just business. There is an incredible zoo that is fun for the whole family.

Maybe you aren't on board with animals in cages. Callaway park is a great theme part that operates in the summer months. There are malls like Chinook center, and even a Chinese cultural center. The Calgary tower features the rotating Sky 360 restaurant. I was pleased to find the staff here were quite friendly, the food was decent (and fairly priced), and there were even selections like rabbit penné. The restaurant usually makes a full rotation by the time you finish a meal. They even pay your elevation fee to the observation deck, with a section of glass floor, were you to dine at Sky 360. The core shopping center is rife with what locals know as "the plus fifteens," where you can travel across the downtown core without setting foot outside. 

There are various parks within the city, even the indoor Devonian gardens. Everything is rather accessible to the versatile transit system that connect every quadrant of the city via light rail transit. The city even offers transit to the international airport. 

There are many reasons to make Calgary a must see city in Alberta, not enough time or space to mention them here.

BANFF NATIONAL PARK AND LAKE LOUISE.

Banff and Lake Louise are grouped together due to the proximity, and they are often thought of in the same breath by Albertans. Banff and Lake Louise offer the highest elevation of Alberta communities. Hiking, biking, and skiing are all possible here; it's proximity to Calgary makes it an active destination year round. Lake Lousie even played host to the first Jamaican bobsleigh team during the winter olympics. Banff is home to premier spas, and natural hot springs. From film festivals to forests, skiing to swimming, Banff and Lake Louise offer some world class escapes in Alberta's backyard. Not to mention world class resorts and hotels for those who like to live in luxury rather than keep it real in nature. The Explore Canada team is based out of Calgary and will be able to offer some great looks at life in this wild side of Alberta. 

TYRRELL MUSEUM.

The Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology is another childhood favourite of mine. This vast park, located in Drumheller, features the different ages of pre-history in very artistic fashion. From my personal favourite precambrian room, featuring aquatic life before it roamed the land, to the ice age mastodons that ruled at the dawn of man this museum does a tasteful job at creating a skeletal version of life before we roamed. My Oma spent ages unearthing an ancient sea turtle at Dinosaur Provincial Park, similar sea turtles can be seen here at the Tyrrell museum. 

Precambrian display.

There are many attractions here for all ages, this makes the Tyrrell museum a prominent feature on the list of Alberta destinations. 

MEDICINE HAT.

Connaught School where I attended grades 2-5

Many of my fondest memories are from the city of Medicine Hat where I attended grades 2-5. I remember the above school where I attended, though much more recently than pictured, as a mysterious castle of adventure full of childhood legend and lore. The children there would create many stories to go with the age of the building such as haunting of a mysterious woman. 

While not in school, the city was full of adventure for my three brothers and I. We were often guided by my grandmother who would take us on many outdoor adventures; my grandmother taught us many things about the nature that could be found here in Canada's desert.

I remember things were safe back then. No one policed us or worried when we were adventuring until the sun went down. 

There was no need to worry in those days. Kids were always out in the badlands of the city, even in the river valley. We were much more independent and preferred an adventure outdoors to one on T.V.

Police Point Park.

Various natural parks and meadows called to us every Sunday as grandma would take us on a new adventure. The above Police Point park even had an indoor observation room where you could watch the bees hard at work inside their hive that was walled with glass.

Maybe it's the nostalgia that makes it so Medicine Hat makes the list of destinations. I like to think there was something much more magical to the city than the fact that I spent my early years here. Whatever the reason may be, Medicine Hat has found itself on the list of prime destinations in the amazing province of Alberta. Explore Canada can't wait to take a close up look at some of the features this beautiful city has to hold. Maybe we will even stop by the old school and remember some of the wonder of being young.

WATERTON NATIONAL PARK.

I have spent so much time in Waterton recently that every picture contained in this section will come directly from my personal reserves taken by me before Explore Canada found it's roots. 

Cameron falls

Cameron falls is the waterfall just inside the summer town of Waterton. It is fed by my favourite place to clear my head, Cameron lake.                                          

                                                                                                                                                                  

The Prince of Whales is a beautiful hotel that overlooks Waterton lake and even has it's own gift shop.

Waterton Lake from inside Prince of Whales hotel.

The town is only open in the summer, but it has an abundance of friendly deer that roam the town. I suppose it isn't too wise to approach wildlife that can be unpredictable, though I really only tried to give it some grass. I was young and curious here. 

The village of Waterton is a ghost town in the winter, though you can still access the lower part of the park. I have taken many late night trips just to see the waterfall. Even the chipmunks around Cameron falls will come sit in your hand if you offer them some food. Waterton is definitely the favourite destination in Alberta for this Explore Canada team member.

Cameron lake nestled at the bottom of high up mountain ranges is a pristine body of water that is bordered by a roughly 3 km path through woods that lead to the Montana border. I have walked that path many times finding everything from Spongy Morrell mushrooms to King Bolete mushrooms that could be played like drums. Explore Canada can't wait to bring you an in-depth look at this wonderful park.

FRANK SLIDE.

One of the more solemn, but impossible to forget, stops on the Alberta journey is Frank Slide. This is another destination that I have spent a good amount of time in, as such all the photography of Frank Slide is original and from my collection.

Capturing the devastation of "the mountain that moves," is nearly impossible without seeing it for yourself. A picture might be worth a thousand words, but no words can describe the gravity of this disaster. The air is heavy with the ghost of a town that was erased from the map years ago. Though this has been declared a memorial, that doesn't prevent tourists from other nations breaking the taboo of climbing on the rocks which serve as headstones for the small mining town. This allowed me to snap one picture from afar that offers the closest possible chance of displaying the true magnitude of the disaster.

April 29, 1903 (4:10 a.m)

Townspeople heard a eerie crack as just under 90 million tonnes of limestone rock broke free of the mountain and tumbled down in 100 seconds. The sound was heard from as far away as Cochrane 200 kms North of Frank. Those working in the mine (17 men) worked in pairs and threes for hours until finally breaking through to the surface. All 17 men survived being buried alive because of their tenacity and the strength of their worry for loved ones who lived below the mountain. 

The ghost of the town of Frank can be seen in the hollowed out buildings that were once parts of the mining industry. Many legends surfaced about the incident, it is said that the mountain will fall again in a matter of time. 

This is perhaps the heaviest location in Alberta that our team will visit, our hope is to find some way to convey the gravity that rests heavily on the air here.

Afterword.

This article, and those following it, are intended as a first hand look at the upcoming 'Explore Canada' series that will highlight various destinations around this great nation. The Explore Canada team doesn't lay claim to any of the photos used in any of our blogs about the destinations (unless otherwise stated). The only pictures we own are featured on our Facebook page Explore Canada or on my personal Facebook page. The blogs on destination were created by team member, and creative director, Aantyn Klein and are by no means the final list of what is to be covered. The posts can, and will, be edited to include new content as the project matures. Thank you for your interest in Explore Canada, we hope to bring you many more interesting projects as we finalize plans to begin filming.

Aantyn Klein