Crowsnest pass AB

[Sprucegum]

I was transferred from Hinton area to the Pass in spring of ‘69. Went from knee deep snow to green grass in 24 hours and loved it. Spent the summer looking for a better route for the highway. We were a crew of 4 young guys. Rented a house in Hillcrest that came with a garden already planted and ate like kings.

Wind? One day it was blowing west at 100 mph except for a dead calm spot about 100 yards long then it was blowing east at 100 mph.

[sns2]

Originally Posted by Pathfinder76

If there was no wind it would be a metropolis.

True story that is.

[6.5 shooter]

Originally Posted by jcrayford

Ha ha ha.... Wait! What?!?!?!

There's no way that you seriously believe that, is there? I worked for 2 years on that ski hill, both summer and winter. Can tell you for certain that although there may have been some small portions that used fillers (call it slag if you want - I would call it clay/dirt) to smooth out between the rocks, that ski hill is almost 100% built (minus those small filler portions) on a natural mountain.



TC, those are referred to toilet whitecaps. The ones in Waterton are sometimes big enough for mice to surf on ha ha ha...

J.

Well ya can't fix... you know what you know and you know... well little!
I suggest you get out of the office more.

[Outbound]

So, just so I'm clear. The Pass is windy?

[CNP]

Originally Posted by Outbound

So, just so I'm clear. The Pass is windy?

Hasn’t been windy all summer. Look on the glass is half full side. Goose hunting is better at 90 km/h winds than 0 km/h winds…all the time.

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by CNP

Hasn’t been windy all summer. Look on the glass is half full side. Goose hunting is better at 90 km/h winds than 0 km/h winds…all the time.

I like the wind. It keeps the less hardy characters away.

[WinefredCommander]

Originally Posted by Pathfinder76

Isn’t that everywhere?

Compared to anywhere else in Alberta? No. Costs are much higher here.

[Off in the Bushes]

I grew up out there and it’s a nice place to visit but I wouldn’t raise a family there.

[fishinisgood]

Originally Posted by Off in the Bushes

I grew up out there and it’s a nice place to visit but I wouldn’t raise a family there.

This ^^^^^

[JB_AOL]

Originally Posted by Off in the Bushes

I grew up out there and it’s a nice place to visit but I wouldn’t raise a family there.

Maybe elaborate, since the OP is asking for pros/cons.

[Pekan]

Originally Posted by Somehunter

Hey everyone, the family and I are looking to relocate to crowsnest pass. Anyone have any info on what it's like to live there?.
Appreciate the feed back.
Happy huntin!.

We bought a place in Blairmore about 18 months ago. We use it as a recreational property, but I work from home and my teenage son got a summer job down there, so we've been down there pretty much all summer.

We love it. If you like to recreate outdoors, you'll probably love it too. You name an outdoor activity, quading, sledding, mtn biking, skiing, xc skiing, flyfishing, ice fishing, climbing, golf, but the hunting sucks! the list goes on and on.
Powderkeg ski hill isn't a slag pile. We ride the mtn bike trails there 3x week. It's dirt.
You watch the local youngsters ski Powderkeg and tell me that wouldn't be an awesome palce to grow up!
There's a community outdoor pool in Blairmore that's popular with kids.

If you love to shop, well you best be planning some trips to Lethbridge or Calgary.

People are friendly, not much for crime, Pass Beer has great beer and pizza.

I had to get my ankle x-rayed, went to emerg and was in and out in under 30 minutes! ER Dr. was great.

The gun range costs $80/yr. I've only ever seen one other person there. (the road is seasonal, so it's $80/6 months)

You can buy an old fixer upper house for under $200K. Or spend a $1M on an acreage. The rental market is really tight.

The wind in fall-winter can get bad on hiway 22. No secret there. But in and around town, it's pretty easy to stay out of it. I walk the dog by snowshoes or skis in the local forest. Perfect.

I'd say if you and the family all like the outdoors and mountain sports, you'll like it. If your wife is a shopper that might be a problem.

I'd give Bellevue a look for real estate. Tucked off the hiway, away from the railway tracks, some really nice places in there.

[lannie]

Originally Posted by fishinisgood

This ^^^^^

Probably one of the lowest crime rates in Alberta. Why would you not want to raise kids here?

[fishinisgood]

Originally Posted by lannie

Probably one of the lowest crime rates in Alberta. Why would you not want to raise kids here?

I wasn’t necessarily talking about “crime rate” I grew up in the pass and know the trouble kids can get their selves into. I know not all kids are left to learn the hard way, but for those that are, there is a lot of trouble to be had. I know kids can find trouble anywhere but I think the isolated area doesn’t help.

[Pekan]

Originally Posted by fishinisgood

I wasn’t necessarily talking about “crime rate” I grew up in the pass and know the trouble kids can get their selves into. I know not all kids are left to learn the hard way, but for those that are, there is a lot of trouble to be had. I know kids can find trouble anywhere but I think the isolated area doesn’t help.

Trouble has a way of finding some kids. It found me over and over!

[Off in the Bushes]

Originally Posted by JB_AOL

Maybe elaborate, since the OP is asking for pros/cons.

So this was the way I saw it when I was a teen there, so that’s 25 years ago. But it was either you where a hockey jock or a header. But even the jocks did drugs.
The valley is full of money which made drugs quite prevalent and easy to find and purchase. Not only is the mine paying well it’s shift work so that allows for allot of mid week time off. So any given night is a party night. Affairs can be rampant as everyone knows their spouse is not home until after shift is over.
The worse part was when the mines are operating the valley is booming. But when the mines fall on hard times and I’d seen that twice in the 20 years growing up the entire valley struggles. We were fortunate as my mother career wasn’t tied to the mine.
Now I think that outside money (vacationers) has made the valley unaffordable for the average family.

[Esox]

Originally Posted by Off in the Bushes

So this was the way I saw it when I was a teen there, so that’s 25 years ago. But it was either you where a hockey jock or a header. But even the jocks did drugs.
The valley is full of money which made drugs quite prevalent and easy to find and purchase. Not only is the mine paying well it’s shift work so that allows for allot of mid week time off. So any given night is a party night. Affairs can be rampant as everyone knows their spouse is not home until after shift is over.
The worse part was when the mines are operating the valley is booming. But when the mines fall on hard times and I’d seen that twice in the 20 years growing up the entire valley struggles. We were fortunate as my mother career wasn’t tied to the mine.
Now I think that outside money (vacationers) has made the valley unaffordable for the average family.

So no different than 98% of every other town in Alberta.

[sns2]

Originally Posted by Esox

So no different than 98% of every other town in Alberta.

Kinda sounds like it.

Seems all threads like this - what town to live in - reference drugs i.e. Methbridge etc…


I wonder if certain areas are worse than others.

[MountainTi]

Originally Posted by Esox

So no different than 98% of every other town in Alberta.

Precisely . I'd even go as high as 99%

[Pekan]

Originally Posted by Off in the Bushes

So this was the way I saw it when I was a teen there, so that’s 25 years ago. But it was either you where a hockey jock or a header. But even the jocks did drugs.
The valley is full of money which made drugs quite prevalent and easy to find and purchase. Not only is the mine paying well it’s shift work so that allows for allot of mid week time off. So any given night is a party night. Affairs can be rampant as everyone knows their spouse is not home until after shift is over.
The worse part was when the mines are operating the valley is booming. But when the mines fall on hard times and I’d seen that twice in the 20 years growing up the entire valley struggles. We were fortunate as my mother career wasn’t tied to the mine.
Now I think that outside money (vacationers) has made the valley unaffordable for the average family.

You can pick up a 3 br house for $240K or a 1 br condo for $115K. That's pretty cheap.

[oldjeda]

Id be interested in hearing about other mountain/foothills town recommendations and suggestions. Any place other than the Pass. My wife and I both grew up there and raised our kids there for a little over 10 years.

“Been there; done that”. We’d like to try someplace different now.

Thoughts about Hinton, GP, GC, Rocky etc?

Inquiring minds want to know.......

[MountainTi]

Originally Posted by oldjeda

Id be interested in hearing about other mountain/foothills town recommendations and suggestions. Any place other than the Pass. My wife and I both grew up there and raised our kids there for a little over 10 years.

“Been there; done that”. We’d like to try someplace different now.

Thoughts about Hinton, GP, GC, Rocky etc?

Inquiring minds want to know.......

Did a lot of work around GC. Always loved that town, be a fantastic place to live if you want to be away from it all

[hayseed]

Love Grande Cache, moved many a rig in the area all over. Have always told my wife I would retire there, and I believe we will.

[Ken3134]

I travel there once in a while for work, I have never been there when the wind wouldn't take your breath away once getting out of the car. On one occasion a week before heading out they had gotten around 10-12 inches of snow, drove there the next week, asked where's the snow? They looked at me, said that was last week.. The snow doesn't stay because the wind blows it away. There are a patches here and there and you'll see them covered with black dirt.

Lethbridge has a suicide holiness for those that can't stand the wind and want to tap out.

So yes there is the wind to consider.