Day 21 - Monday, October 7

On April 29, 1903 110 million tonnes of rock from an unstable Turtle Mountain crashed down on the town of Frank killing 90 people. Today, the Interpretive Centre at the site is designed to tell the tragic story. The Frank Slide Interpretive Centre opened on April 28, 1985.

It was originally designed to tell the story of resource extraction and coal mining in Alberta but the focus shifted quickly to the Frank Slide. The centre also serves as an orientation point to the history of the Crowsnest Pass. Just walking around the outside of the building gave us a sense of what happened here. As beautiful as Alberta is and all Canada for that matter, there are plenty of tragic tales that make you realize how lucky you are and how much you have in your life. This is a truly sad but meaningful place and the displays are magnificent.

A hiking trail through the rocks of the slide with viewpoints and interpretive signs outside the centre help orient and educate one to Canada's most devastating landslide. Hopefully the immense field of massive boulders will never be disturbed as they entomb all those lost over 120 years ago. As you gaze up at Turtle Mountain you can easily see where all the rock came from, even after all these years. Although not terribly long, the trail was demanding with a slippery gravel path and stone stairway down and a very steep long, hard climb up a dirt, root-laced trail to return you to the parking area. 

After lunch we took a short drive (about 100 kilometres return) to the west of Crowsnest Pass. That put us in BC immediately but a gorgeous day and similar looking mountain scenery made it enjoyable indeed. In the town of Sparwood we simply had to stop to see the world's largest truck. Likely a self-proclaimer honour, it certainly was one you wouldn't want passing you on the highway. Once again the wildlife cautions were disappointingly incorrect. 

We wanted to spend 3 nights in Medicine Hat because I had learned there was a ton of things to see and do. Therefore, I was very disappointed to find most hotels and Airbnb's full or nearly so, many unavailable. While we try to decide what to do, we booked another night in our cabin – there is nothing about this place that we do not love.

😎