Calgary 
Leitch Collieries, located near Crowsnest Pass, stands as a testament to the unpredictability of the early 1900s coal mining industry.
Founded in 1907, this wholly Canadian-owned venture was among the most grandiose in the region.
The Leitch family started the Leitch Collieries Coal and Coke Company, and the term “collieries” comes from the British term colliery or another name for miners.
Positioned conveniently near the Canadian Pacific Railway line, it was envisioned to support steam locomotives. However, its vicinity to the railway didn’t ensure its success. The coal extracted was inadequate for coke production, a vital component for smelting ores. Despite having 101 coking ovens, only a handful were operational. The venture’s downfall was accelerated by external factors like the 1911 general strike and World War I’s onset. By 1916, debts and diminished markets led to its closure. Nearby town Passburg’s structures were largely relocated to Bellevue, but remnants of the colliery still stand.
Alberta government took over the site, declaring it a provincial historic site in 1983, and now showcases this significant chapter of its history through stabilized ruins, informative panels, and guided tours from May 15 to Labour Day.
Exploring the Leitch Collieries
This unique roadside stop on the Crowsnest Highway is one of many odes to the coal mining history you’ll find around the area. During the time of its existence, Leitch Collieries built impressive structures, including a large sandstone powerhouse, which supplied electricity to the surface operations and the town of Passburg.
The site is amazing because it contains well-maintained and kept abandoned structures free and open to explore around the year:
- The Power House is the largest building on the site and used to house large steam turbines.
- The second-largest building is the Mine Manager’s House, with stone walls still intact.
- Additionally, there are areas to view the rows of coke oven remains, the tipple, and the washery.
Dogs are welcome, and washrooms and picnic tables are near the parking lot.
Exploring Mining History in Crowsnest Area:
West of the Provincial Historic Site are more places to explore the area’s mining history.
- The Bellevue Underground Mine offers public tours throughout summer and fall. The guides take you underground and through the mine shafts for the tour.
- And west of Bellevue is the remains of the town of Frank, buried by the rocks of Turtle Mountain. The highway is surrounded by the rubble of Canada’s deadliest rockslide, with a turn-off to viewing areas and an Interpretive Centre.
Natural Areas around the Western Crowsnest Highway:
This area offers a mix of mountain and foothill scenery with numerous creeks, small rivers, small lakes, waterfalls, and a large reservoir.
- Interested in a waterfall and riverside picnic? The Lundbreck Falls PRA is east of the Leitch Collieries on Highway 3 on the Crowsnest River.
- For more waterfall views, head south to Castle Provincial Park and Castle Falls.
Planning your trip – Leitch Collieries Provincial Historic Site
Credit: Al/Flickr
What: The ambitious Leitch Collieries venture is a poignant example of the capricious nature of the early 20th-century mining industry. Founded with great optimism in 1907 and operating primarily as a coal mine, the external factors of the era played a significant role in its downfall.
At the site, CPR cars were loaded with coal and weighed on a massive scale that laid under the train tracks. There are multiple preserved structures at the site which can be explored via an interpretive trail.
Pack a picnic with goodies from Bellevue or Blairmore cafes and restaurants. The historic site is a unique but quiet and pretty place for a picnic with washrooms and tables.
Dogs must be leashed while on the gravel interpretive trails, but if your dog has a lot of energy to burn, you can walk over to the off-leash dog park.
Best time to go: open May 15 – Labour Day for guided tours.
Washrooms are closed, and there is no winter maintenance from the day after Labour Day to May 14.
Admission: By donation
Where: Off Highway 3 in the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass, Alberta.
For more information
Leitch Collieries Provincial Historic Site
I don’t believe they are running guided tours anymore. (Don’t quote me) But some really fascinating guides tours with mining history are with Uplift Adventures. They do two guided historical tours: the Miner’s Path Historical Tour and the Lille Historical Tour. Both of these go to designated historical spots and are filled with valuable information of mining in Crowsnest Pass.