Pigeon Hill

"The Pigeon Mt Ski area 45 min west of Calgary at the Dead Mans Flat turnoff ( no kidding ). It was located near Canmore on the Trans Canada Highway. The ski hill opened against the better judgment of locals who noted that the beautiful slopes more than 2000 ft above were the favorite grazing area of a large heard of sheep. Now this was 1966 or so. The sheep wouldn't be bothered because there is no natural snow on these slopes ...that's why the sheep graze there all year around. Why would you build a ski hill there? Undaunted a ski hill was carved through the trees on the lower 800 ft with a very good springy Poma ( you could jump 40ft on this thing) and a very short Poma. The ski hill had a heyday with the Calgary Herald Ski School and had 500 children every Saturday and Sunday for about 3 years. Then the lean years came: A receivership, a bankruptcy sale , a group of well intentioned investors, another cycle from which a DOUBLE CHAIR replaced the springy Poma. Did I mention the accident...yes that was it for springy. The Poma accident was a boy jumping on the Poma resulting in a derailment of an under wheel now the cable is going 60 ft straight up which launched a young girl of 10 or 12 to a fatality. In the 80s, new energetic investors looking for a bit of a ski dream-Wouldn't you like to own a ski area? Lasted 3 years. I think I have the distinction of having skied there on all of they're closing days. The property still under lease from Alberta Gov later turns into the ALPINE HAVEN time share. Two dozen miserable cabins strung out across the lower slopes all with a beautiful view of the lodge. It was a very good lodge full log seated about 200 well planned and a good kitchen."

Callie Mack and her husband visited the area in January of 2005. As you can see by the above photo, there is almost no snow. While they were there, temperatures were in the mid 50's with some rain. She reports that the solar angle is pretty strong and would melt a lot of snow.