KANANASKIS COUNTRY - Canadian Rockies: Including Banff and Jasper National Parks - page 198

forests of Douglas fir, lodgepole pine, white spruce, and balsam poplar, then enter the
subalpine zone, where stands of Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir, and occasionally larch
lead up to the tree line. Above the tree line, which here occurs at around 2,300 meters
(7,550 feet), lie the open meadows of the alpine zone. These meadows sleep under a deep
cover of snow for most of the year but come alive with color during July when wildflowers
bloom. Highwood Pass, along Highway 40, is one of the most accessible areas of alpine
terrain in the Canadian Rockies; look for forget-me-nots, Indian paintbrush, and west-
ern anemone along the interpretive trail.
These hills, valleys, and forests are home to an abundance of wildlife, including large
populations of moose, mule deer, white-tailed deer, elk, black bear, bighorn sheep, and
mountain goat. Also present, but less likely to be seen, are wolves, grizzly bears, and
cougars.
HISTORY
In 1858, Captain John Palliser bestowed the name Kananaskis on the valley, a pass, and
two lakes. Kananaskis was a native who, legend had it, suffered a vicious blow to the head
by an enemy but survived. The word itself is thought to mean “the meeting of the water.”
Aside from Palliser, the region was visited by many names synonymous with exploration
of the Canadian Rockies: David Thompson in 1787 and 1800, Peter Fidler in 1792, and
James Sinclair leading Scottish settlers to the Oregon Territory in 1841. Throughout these
times, and until recent times, the valley remained mostly uninhabited. Logging took place
from 1883, mostly in the foothill valleys of the Elbow and Sheep Rivers. Coal was mined
at various sites, including Ribbon Creek, by Kananaskis Village, but never on a large scale.
To serve these industries, roads were built, including the Forestry Trunk Road (Highway
40), which traverses the entire foothills parallel to the Continental Divide.
1970s to the Present
During Alberta's oil-and-gas boom of the 1970s, oil revenues collected by the provincial
government were placed into the Heritage Savings Trust Fund, from where they were
channeled into various projects aimed at improving the lifestyle of Albertans. One lasting
legacy of the fund is Kananaskis Country, officially designated by premier Peter Lougheed
in 1977 as Kananaskis Country Provincial Recreational Area. The mandate was to ac-
commodate a multitude of uses, including primarily recreational pursuits, but Kananaskis
Country also holds 21 active oil and gas leases, 14 grazing permits, and a hydroelectric
station on the Kananaskis River. Timber extraction leases have been in place in the region