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Great Winter Gear Deals from Kananaskis Outfitters

Posted on: April 8th, 2015

Kananaskis Outfitters logo

Check out the Kananaskis Outfitters Winter Gear Sell Off for great deals on winter gear. Kananaskis Outfitters is your source for guided tours, rentals and outdoor retail in Kananaskis. Their Winter Gear Sell Off includes lightly used x-rental cross country skis, boots, poles and snowshoes for sale. This year Kananaskis Outfitters has created a brand new Webstore for easy shopping anytime and anywhere. The website features size charts in the descriptions to help you ensure that you’ll be getting the right size. Gear will be available for pick-up at 10am on April 10th.

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Experience the Mountain Parks Photo Contest Ends March 31

Posted on: March 27th, 2015

Although the last Experience the Cowboy Trail Photo Contest ended in December, there’s still time to enter the annual Experience the Mountain Parks Photo Contest on our sister website! The 2014-2015 EMP contest closes at 11:59 pm on Tuesday, March 31. Submit your photos that you’ve taken in the Canadian Mountain Parks for the chance to win some amazing prizes.

Mountain-Morning-Glow - Beverly Jay

“Mountain Morning Glow” – contest entry by Beverly Jay

This year, the sponsors  for the EMP Photo Contest are Revelstoke Mountain Resort, The Camera Store, Athabasca Glacier Icewalks and Brewster Travel Canada. Thanks to them, the EMP Photo Contest winners will receive an amazing 2-night Dream Getaway to Revelstoke, a Glacier Icewalk, and much more.

The contest entry is simple. Just upload your photos, tell us where they were taken, what titles and descriptions you’ve given your photos, and provide your name and email address.

trophy_mountain - Claude Robidoux

“Trophy Mountain” – contest entry by Claude Robidoux

Winners will fall under two categories: the Judges Award (First and Second Place) and the Voting Category Award. Even if you enter your photo too late to receive a lot of votes from our readers, you still have a chance at winning in the Judges Award category! There is no limit to how many photos you can enter.

Be sure to vote for your favorite photo, too!

Click here to enter.

"Mount Rundle" –contest entry by Hamish Mitchell

“Mount Rundle” –contest entry by Hamish Mitchell

 

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Bragg Creek

Posted on: March 26th, 2015

Much of Bragg Creek suffered extensive damage during the Flood of 2013. One of the hardest hit buildings was the historic Trading Post, located on the banks of the Elbow River. Built by Guy Coates in 1925, it was originally called the Upper Elbow General Store. Jack Elsdon purchased it in 1940 and his daughter, Barbara Teghtmeyer took it over from him.

For years, travellers have come from far and wide to purchase affordably priced, authentic native handicrafts, mercantile goods and treats from Barbara. Sadly, most of the inventory on hand was lost in the flood. What she was able to save was moved into Trading Post II, a convenience store and Shell service station in the heart of Bragg Creek. If you are looking for a unique gift idea, be sure to say hello and ask what she has available.

Bragg Creek is a favourite day trip destination for Calgarians. It’s the gateway to Elbow Valley, a recreation area enjoyed by all: hikers, bikers and riders. And this funky town also offers unique shops and some great dining experiences.

The 30-minute drive from South Calgary to Bragg Creek along Hwy #22X is still a relaxing, and scenic experience. Perhaps that is why the town has always been a favourite day trip destination for Calgarians. Enjoy strolling around the interconnected covered shopping district that boasts great western art and fashion. We advise you to watch your speed while traveling along Hwy #22X, as police monitor the 4-lane section of this road frequently for speeders.

The Creek still offers multiple unique shops and great restaurants. The Bavarian Inn serves traditional German fare, The Steak Pit specializes in Alberta beef and kids of all ages enjoy an ice cream cone at Scoops & Snacks. The Italian Farmhouse draws those who love country food with passion, Mountain Bistro specializes in fresh hand-tossed pizza, and there’s even a new restaurant called Wok On.

The PowderHorn Saloon has been a favorite for locals and tourists since 1979. If you’re looking for a wide selection of cold beer check out Bragg Creek’s Cowboy Saloon Sports Bar. Recently renovated by the new owners, expect friendly service, good food, fun times and great daily specials. With a live band playing on Fridays and a Jam session Wednesdays, there’s something for every two-stepper or toe-tapper.

Creekers Bistro is open for Sunday Brunch, breakfast, lunch, and, dinner. They have a fine selection of craft beers on tap.

The Heart Cafe is nestled amongst the evergreens across the street from the hamlet’s commercial core. It offers top quality coffee and tea and, fresh baking created on location with healthy ingredients. In 1965 this cabin was the home of the Merryfield family. Today the family-run cafe’s mission, and associated Yoga Studio, is your place for connection and respite, away from a hurried life. Take some time to sip a cup, browse their offerings of craft or take in the sun on their patio.

The Heart Cafe, Photo Courtesy of David Copithorne Photography

The artist-owned and operated, Studio and Gallery is the latest art venture showcasing local talents. Part art gallery, part studio, 10 artists will tantalize you with beautiful creations. The studio also offers group classes or private lessons freeing the artist within you. Come try your hand at pottery, jewelry making, textile art and painting. The gallery is located right next to the Heart Cafe.

Studio and Gallery, Photo Courtesy of Renee Delorme

Korner Kitchen is one of the newer family restaurants in town. Unassuming yet well-rooted in the community, the ‘Kitchen’s’ owner Sean Birgit offers delicious pizzas as well as hearty German and English inspired cuisine. The restaurant is located on the “sunny side” of the mall. That is where must stop for a solid meal and pint of craft beer after a day
playing in Kananaskis country.

SunCatchers Design Studio and River Dragonfly is hidden off White Avenue, also known as “Heritage Mile”, on Burntall street. There, amongst the spruce trees, the glass studio has operated for 38 years and the shop for 23 years.

The River Dragon Fly, Photo Courtesy of Elizabeth Hertz

This inviting cluster of buildings has created a sanctuary for arts and crafts. At its heart is Elizabeth Hertz, a well-known stained glass artist. Her partner Rod, oversees the boutique filled with a treasure trove of antiques, jewelry, stained glass and clothing. Be sure to check them out.

Scoops and Snacks is the towns “cherry on the sundae.” A refreshing summer treat located in a small, somewhat tired yet charming old, log cabin half way down White Avenue. This treat shack boasts as many as 50 flavors of ice cream, yogurt or sherbet and, on those warm and beautiful days, you can expect a bit of a line up. Check them out on Facebook for more information.

Bragg Creek is known for its enjoyable outdoor activities and beautiful landscape. West Bragg Creek is well known for golf, pleasant hikes, and outdoor adventures. And on almost any warm summer’s day, you’ll still find some pretty amazing motorcycles in town, because the ride out and around the area is simply amazing. Bragg Creek also has a number of popular shops throughout the hamlet. These stores are the perfect place to pick up a local memorabilia, high quality home and garden wares, and gifts you are not likely to find anywhere else.

Let’s show our support for Barbara and the rest of the merchants of Bragg Creek as they rebuild their businesses and their lives. Hope to see you at The Creek!

Bragg Creek map

 

The hamlet of Priddis is only 20 km west of Macleod Trail. From this point west, pay attention for wildlife especially at dawn or dusk. And be ready for some jaw-dropping landscapes!

History

Bragg Creek gets its name from two young brother adventurers who arrived in 1885. Warren Bragg, aged 17 and John Bragg, aged 14 ran away from their home located Nova Scotia over a disagreement with their new, very young step-mother.

Dr. George Ings prospected this area in the 1890s. He mined a thousand tons of coal out of Moose Mountain. The discovery of natural gas then fueled oil speculation. Many wells were drilled over the next 70 years but no oil was found.

The Trading Post was originally built by Guy Coates in 1925 and called the Upper Elbow General Store. In 1940, Jack Elsdon purchased it and delivered mail from Calgary to all the homes along Hwy 8. Jack’s daughter Barbara, rebuilt the business after the flood and runs an old fashioned store that provides native handicrafts, treats and mercantile goods.

Hwy 758 continues west for another 1.5 km, to Bragg Creek Provincial Park, where you can enjoy a picnic listening to the river, or launch a tube if the river is not running high.

Bragg Creek is a terrific destination and a jumping off point for exploring the Elbow River Valley. Check on hiking, biking and equestrian trails at the Elbow Valley Information Centre, located just 3 minutes west of town on Hwy 66.

Thank you to Renée Delorme for contributing some of the content for this article.

Events In Bragg Creek

June 21
Aboriginal Awareness Day

July 1
Canada Day Celebrations

July 21 & 22
Bragg Creek Days & Ride for Sight

July 27 – 29
Tsuu T’ina Pow Wow and Rodeo

August 25
Moose Mountain Trail Races

September 22 & 23
Heritage Festival

October 5 – November 4
Scarecrow Festival

November 17 & 18
Artisans Christmas Sale

December 1, 2 & 8, 9
Spirit of Christmas

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Canadian College Finals Rodeo Tickets on Sale Now

Posted on: March 4th, 2015

Want to see Canada’s best collegiate athletes give all they’ve got? Then don’t miss the Canadian College Finals Rodeo! You’ll learn who’s “Head of the Kicking Class” in this adrenaline-filled event. It’s a weekend full of excitement, stunts, and bravery as some of Canada’s top cowboys and cowgirls battle for the national title. The rodeo will include all six major rodeo events, plus Team Roping, Goat Tying, Breakaway Roping and Pole Bending.

Choose from one of the three following ticket options for the deal that’s best for you.

Single Day Tickets: 
Start at $11.75 per person

3-Day Performance Package:
Starts at $30.00 per person (Over 10% off Single Day)

To purchase Single Day Tickets or 3-Day Packages go to Ticketmaster.ca or call 1.855.780.3000.

Group Tickets (20+ tickets):
Start at $9.00 per person (Over 20% off Single Day)

To purchase Group Tickets call 1.888.800.7275, email grouptickets@northlands.com or download the order form.

Visit farmandranchshow.com/CCFR/tickets to purchase your tickets today!

Your CCFR ticket also includes free admission to the Northlands Farm & Ranch Show happening March 26-28, 2015 at the Edmonton EXPO Centre. Purchasing CCFR tickets supports the Canadian Intercollegiate Rodeo Association—a fully student run organization that promotes rodeo as an extracurricular activity. Members of the Canadian Intercollegiate Rodeo Association are future industry leaders, especially in agriculture.

CCFR Post 2015

 

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Mark Your Calendar for Vintage With Flair Spring Sale

Posted on: February 23rd, 2015

The Vintage With Flair Spring Sale is a gathering of fun loving entrepreneurs, artists/designers, collectors and re purposers who love to combine their vintage inspired, hand designed, recreated, rusty, torn and tattered, antiques and vintage finds into fabulous boutique styled booths. Vendors are selected based on their wares, displays, creativity, and friendliness (people persons). No previous experience in events is required and the venue strives in vintage inspired uniqueness, looking for vendors who are passionate and innovative in their presentation and who incorporate Vintage With Flair’s mission of reusing, recreating, re-imagining and re-purposing into their displays. This sale is made up of approximately 30 individual booths, unlike the Christmas Market that uses vignettes as their display technique. The friendly, talented vendors not only bring their very best and eye catching displays to this sale, but they have and do create a unique venue known here in southern Alberta.

vintage with flair postcard bright 2015

1) GARDEN / YARD DECOR: Hand designed, repurposed,

2) CONSUMABLES: ( Must follow Alberta Health Regulations for selling )

3) JEWELERY: Hand designed, vintage

4) FABRIC ITEMS: Hand designed, vintage

5) AUTHENTIC ANTIQUE/VINTAGE FINDS;COLLECTIBLES:

6) FURNITURE, Handmade, or re imagined

7) HOME DÉCOR: Hand designed, reimagined

8) ART: Hand Designed, vintage

vc 2012 buntings

The LOCATION of the Sale is at the PRIDDIS COMMUNITY HALL, 178031, Priddis Valley Road, W., PRIDDIS, Alberta, approximately 25 min. southwest of Calgary off of Hwy 22x.

DATES: Friday June 19th, 2015 4 pm – 8 pm Saturday June 20th, 2015 9 am – 4 pm

vc items for sale

If you’re interested, consider attending the “Booth Boutique 101” workshop on Saturday, April 18, from 1 pm – 4 pm. It will include  funny skits, handouts, visual examples, and Q&A to help you have a successful show as a vendor. Read the details on the Vintage With Flair blog.

vintagebebe vwf 2014

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Help Us Choose the 2015 ECT Cover

Posted on: February 6th, 2015

We’re into production for the 2015 edition of Experience the Cowboy Trail and Kananaskis Country, and we’d like you to partner with us on the decision of the next cover image. The images all do a great job of capturing the spirit of the West and the beauty of the area, but we need to choose just one. Look at the three images below and email hannah@cmipublishing.ca with your favourite.

Image 1

ECT Cover-1

 

Image 2

ECT Cover-2

Image 3

ECT Cover-3

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Congratulations to Our January Brand ID Contest Winner

Posted on: February 5th, 2015

Congratulations to the winner of our January Brand ID Contest: Neil MacLaine. He correctly identified the brand below as 3 Walking Sticks. We offered these clues during January to help our contestants:

Clue One: This historic brand was first issued in May of 1885 to a famous large black cowhand

Clue Two: When it was first issued, it was recorded as Four Walking Sticks, but the owner soon realized that four made this brand too large for the left rib position on most cattle, so he requested it be changed to Three Walking Sticks.

Jan 2015 brand

For a prize, Neil won a copy of the book Smoke from the Branding Fire by Hank Pallister, the late husband of Joyce Pallister-Bronsch. Thank you to Joyce for generously donating copies of Smoke from the Branding Fire for our monthly Brand ID Contest prize!

Smoke from the Branding Fire

 

Since we’re now busy producing the 2015 edition of all of our magazines, our final Brand ID Contest was held in January. Thank you to everyone who entered over the months! Other contests will be announced in the days ahead but in the meantime, remember to enter our Experience the Mountain Parks Photo Contest, which is open til the end of March. Also, be sure to vote for your favourite photos in the EMP Photo Contest.

 

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Make Plans for Upcoming Canmore Festivals

Posted on: January 30th, 2015

website-header-winter-carnival-2015

Looking for some mid-winter fun? You only have to wait a couple weeks until the Canmore Winter Carnival begins! This festival will run from February 13 – March 1. Come admire the Ice Carvings around downtown – which is a favourite tradition – or bring the kids to play in the new family-focused snow playground (located in the Canmore Civic Centre Plaza on 7 Ave). Your family is sure to enjoy watching – or participating – in the Kid n’ Mutt Races and Human Curling on the pond. And when you need a break from the cold, you can come visit the warm up station.

If you have a business that will be featuring special events or winter packages during the Winter Carnival, be sure to contact Tourism Canmore Kananaskis so they promote it.

web-header-uncorked-2015

Also, plans are underway for the second annual Canmore Uncorked event April 7 -19. Tourism Canmore Kananaskis reports that “Dinner, Craft Beer and Wine Festivals are coming back with some new unique additions.” Contact Tourism Canmore Kananaskis today (January 30) if your business has events, packages and partnerships that you’d like marketed in conjunction with Canmore Uncorked. Tourism Canmore Kananaskis will incorporate them into the website and schedule.

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January Brand ID Contest Ends on the 31st

Posted on: January 28th, 2015

Our January Brand ID Contest ends on Saturday, January 31. It’s your last chance to win a copy of the book Smoke from the Branding Fire, courtesy of Joyce Pallister-Bronsch, as a prize for our monthly trivia contest.  If you correctly identify the brand below, you’ll be entered into a draw for a copy of the book. As a bonus, we’re also offering a couple of clues below. Click here to enter.

Jan 2015 brand

Clue One: This historic brand was first issued in May of 1885 to a famous large black cowhand

Clue Two: When it was first issued, it was recorded as Four Walking Sticks, but the owner soon realized that four made this brand too large for the left rib position on most cattle, so he requested it be changed to Three Walking Sticks.

You can learn more about the Western lifestyle by reading Smoke from the Branding Fire. It’s written by Hank Pallister, who served as Coordinator of Brand Inspection for Alberta. Through his position, he came to know many of the personalities that gave so much to the aura of cowboy life in the Canadian west. His experiences and knowledge of Alberta’s cattle brand registrations and ranching history, its lore and memorable characters are recorded in this book in rich detail.

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Adopt a Horse at Rafter Six

Posted on: January 22nd, 2015

Rafter Six is starting an Adopt a Horse initiative to help cover the costs of their horses. It was a sad day when the Cowley family had to close the Rafter Six Guest Ranch, but we were very happy when the Cowley family opened Horseback Riding and Camping in the land adjacent to the original location in May 2014. The Cowley’s are still working to get back on their feet. The historic “Rafter Six” branded Horse Herd went from 85 horses in 2012 to 38 horses in 2014.

Rafter Six Wedding October 2014

Rafter Six Wedding October 2014

You can help the Cowleys re-open their Horseback Riding in May 2015 and stay in the business of horses and people by adopting a horse. The Cowley’s explain that “Every dollar contributed goes directly to maintaining the “Rafter Six” horse herd with hay, feed, mineral supplements, veterinary care, farrier care, grazing pasture and transportation costs to and from Winter and Summer pastures.”

Drake and Arthur pulling Cowley Budweiser wagon

Horses are expensive to maintain, but the joy of riding horseback in the Canadian Rocky Mountains is well worth the investment! Click here to learn more about the Adopt a Horse program and to meet the unique blend of horses in the Rafter Six herd.

Captain, a Mountie baby and dapple grey horse

Captain, a Mountie baby and dapple grey horse

 

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