by the way
Albertans’ indomitable
spirit, the rugged Rockies are an easy metaphor.
But a gnarled, bare pine might be even more apt.
Standing sentinel on a rocky berm alongside the
Crowsnest Highway, the Burmis Tree is said to
have lived for more than 700 years before dropping
its last needle in the 1970s. During that time it
bore witness to the arduous settlement of the west,
including turn-of-the-century mining towns like
Hillcrest and Frank. Today it’s a symbol of resilience
When We talk about
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Spring 2018
AMA inSider
in the face of hardship, memorializing mining
explosions, the notorious Frank Slide and the eco-
nomic decline during which thriving communities
became ghost towns. The tree itself has suffered
its own tragedies: It was blown over in 1998 and,
in 2004, vandals cut off one of its limbs. But thanks
to the efforts of local residents (plus a few metal rods
and brackets), the pine endures—and has become
one of southern Alberta’s most photographed natural
historic landmarks. —Craig Moy
One Tough Tree