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Siffleur
Falls: With a well marked parking lot and staging
area on the Kootenay Plains, offers an easy walk across a
suspension bridge over the North Saskatchewan to the falls
on the Siffleur River. The path along the canyon to Siffleur
Falls is exceptionally scenic. For a longer hike continue
along the falls to the rapids and Siffleur Wilderness.
Siffleur means "Whistling Marmot", these mammals
live in the crevices and on the scree slopes along the Siffleur
River. The Marmot was referred to by the early French Canadian
fur traders as the "Siffleur" after
the French word "siffleur" which
means "to whistle." Siffleur Falls,
Siffleur River, and Siffleur Mountain all lie near the headwaters
of the North Saskatchewan River.
Trail
Map 1 • Trail
Map 2
Ram Falls:The
Ram River is located on the eastern slopes of the Canadian
Rockies in the Rocky Mountain Forest Reserve. Characterized
by spectacular views and rugged terrain, the area between
the Forestry Trunk Road and the confluence with the North
Saskatchewan River is considered by many to be one of the
top wilderness adventure trips in the world. Wildlife thrive
in this setting and it is possible to see Elk, Grizzly and
Black Bears, Bighorn Sheep, (which can be seen grazing above
the falls) Whitetail Deer, Bald Eagles and Blue Herons all
in the same day! The North Ram River flows into the South
Ram creating a small to medium sized river. The scenery here
is absolutely spectacular, it also has something for everyone,
including hiking and fishing. You can almost drive to the
falls. A short walk through the trees takes you to a viewpoint.
Steps lead you down to the edge of the ravine for a spectacular
view. Take you camera!
Trail
Map
Crescent Falls:
near the Bighorn Stoney Reserve, is easily accessible, and
offers spectacular perspectives on the deep Bighorn River
Gorge.
In 1907, Martin Nordegg was guided by D.B.
Dowling, of the Geological Survey of Canada, to the Bighorn
coalfields. Dowling had located the coal and mapped the area
the previous year. Coal claims, were in unsurveyed territory.
Applying for any land claim required that it be surveyed,
and the claims tied to a survey post or to a fixed spot. These
Bighorn rocks were used as the "immovable starting point"
for survey measurements, when an official survey post could
not be located. The Bighorn coalfields were staked in 1907,
and location given, by using the rocks above Bighorn (Crescent)
Falls as the "immovable starting point". These Bighorn
coal lands, which included the double waterfall now known
as Crescent Falls, were purchased outright. This coalfield,
staked in 1907, became part of the Brazeau Collieries holdings
in 1909, but they were never developed. A campground is now
located where the mine and town of Bighorn were to be built,
above the Falls. In later years, after the mining town of
Nordegg was closed, the name, Bighorn Falls, was changed to
Crescent Falls. This was done to avoid confusion with another
Bighorn Falls, located in the YaHa Tinda area near Sundre.
Trail
Map
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