The Ranger’s Cabin

We’re equally at home in the mountains as we are the prairies. It’s all a wonderful playground of fun and learning, each with its own unique personality. Here’s a subject deep in the Alberta Rockies of Banff Park, well “Off the Beaten Path” an old Ranger’s Cabin that this day captivated us. It was one in a network of such buildings, generally spaced a day’s ride apart, in service of teams responsible for forest management, but open to any traveller should they need a night’s shelter. This is the code of the woods – the door is always open. In a pinch, even today, it could be used in an emergency. It’s well built and still quite solid.

The “Glacier” Cabin dates from 1915. At the time, it sat in what was a forest reserve that later would be incorporated into the National Park’s system.

Rangers would use these to bed down each night while out on extended patrol (by horse). Duties entrusted to them would include monitoring timber leases, watching for forest fires, trail maintenance and other yeoman tasks. They kept busy. Present day there’s still Rangers, but they use trucks and helicopters and stay at roadside accommodations mostly. Equines are rarely needed now, except for perhaps extended patrols deep into the back country. By the late 1960s, with many of these cabins surplus to the need, they fell into disuse. Today, many are tumbled down or completely gone, but this one managed to survive. A few others did too

The building is one large room, rectangular in shape. Joints are dovetail and still tight, speaking well of the skills of those who built it. In one corner is a stove and in another, a single bed frame. There’s pots for cooking, some tables, a broom to sweep up (or fend off wildlife), all the trappings needed to settle in for a cozy night.

This ancient cabin in the Alberta Rockies.

Windows are protected by metal mesh – to keep bears out typically but it also stops vandals who seem to love smashing glass. The door is solid and fits tight in the frame. Overall it appears the little cabin is ready to handle what ever inclement weather Mother Nature might throw at it. If you spend the night, there’s plenty of spiders to keep you company. We’ll take our chances outside!

A short distance away is the “office”. Gotta poop somewhere! A small stream runs nearby and leading from the cabin, and still in pretty good condition it’s a frontier highway, an old pack trail heading off to points west. Looking in the mud, it’s used a lot by game. Not seen account the thick forest cover, is some towering peaks to the north. It’s about the perfect place for a cabin. We could live there – no, wait. There’s creepy-crawlies!

There’s been many visitors to the place over the years who have left their mark – the oldest we found goes back to when it was built (but really faded or in dark corners), the newest, weeks before our visit. It’s also tradition in the backwoods to leave behind a record of your visit to any cabin you might find. Funny how graffiti in the right context, especially if it’s old, is perfectly accepted. Presumably some of these folks stayed the night where as others might have just happened upon it while travelling, signed the “register”, and moved on. Some visitors may have been out for adventure, some on hunting parties maybe some were lost. We suspect a few of the signatures seen are that of Rangers who stayed here. Some are written by pen, some scratched into the wood, where as a few seem to be written with ash from the fire.

By no means will we show all the signatures (we photographed most) – that would make this post way too big – but present a nice sampling of those on the outside and easily read. Inside stuff will require a revisit with some lighting gear.

1) Joe Brewster, connected to the Banff Brewster family, paid it a visit in August 20th, 1947, “via horse”. That same year, Isaac Twoyoungmen, a leader of the Stoney Nakota Nation also dropped by. The Brewster name is well know in the Park and the family firm operates tours, run hotels and have their fingers in the lot of pies and have for a century or more. Isaac served in his position for many years and makes appearance in a lot old photos at various cowboy themed events.

2) Bob Douglas visited on August 12, 1956. And thirty years later Frank and Terry Burstrom (sp) did the same.

3) One Violet Leapard stopped by July 24th (or 29th), 1955 AD. Got to add the AD, so there’s no confusion. We tracked down the grave of a person in Saskatchewan that might be the same Leapard. It’s not a common surname.

4) Hugh McKay of Collingwood Ontario was here September 13th, 1953. We looked up his name in that town in old records and found a close match, which has us wondering if it’s the same person. To the right, something to snicker about.

5) Perhaps visiting with Hugh above (same date), it’s Bob Johnston and Gord (maybe Ford) Johnston both of Blackfalds Alberta. Likely family. “Satchel Ass” means wide-butt and for reasons unexplained in any data we found, someone not to be trusted. Not sure how broad hindquarters suggests a bad character, but here we are. The message is, I guess, DO NOT share your bank info with Gord! We looked up the Johnston name and found a couple possible hits in the town they’re from, but nothing clear cut.

6) WMP came by car from the east, in 1957 and again two years later. The nearest road to the north, then, would have been a dirt track at best. Below, a visitor from two years later.

7) There’s signatures atop signatures in some places and nearly every log has some markings on it. Here we see J Hutchenson (or Hutchinson), someone named Hinson (maybe), and Bob Turner all who appear to be from Cochrane and who were here in late October 1948. Another person’s signature from 1957 overwrites some of their markings. We did a name search for all these guys and have a couple maybe possibilities but nothing definite. Remember we lack resources for deep searching, so do our best in the little time we have.

8) Mid-something (?) Bruce Mitchell, Radium Hot Springs, July 22, ’61. Further, it says he was here before, in 1935, with someone named Red Cathcart. There was Banff Park Warden by the name of Bruce Mitchell in the 1940s and we’re curious if these two may be one and the same. So many questions.

9) Red pays the cabin a second visit (top of log). The date shown is July 2nd (sp) in what looks to be 1985. But it must be ’65 though, as Red seems to have passed on in the 1970s. If we have the right Cathcart (it’s not a common name, so we think we do) he was well known the Banff area, was a packer, cowboy, all around outdoorsy kind of fellow and later a museum curator. We even found some old photos of him. It’s so cool to make that kind of connection! Assuming we have it right.

Below, it’s J Penman, J Colosimo, V Fitzsimmons and N Galan who were “headed to Banff”. It appears they overwrote an older signature. We believe with reasonable certainly we found all four people mentioned, who we confirmed at the time local to the Nordegg area, where they suggest this trip originated. A group of buddies out on some adventure? If we have the right folks, and it feels right, it’s John, another John (we think), Vincent and Nicholas. Hard to see in the picture, left top of the log…Roy Parsons drove his ’51 Mercury (of which has been known to cause insanity), in ’57 from Rocky Mountain House. That was quite the back country drive! In a big ol’ heavy car! On what was a dirt road to start and moose track, or less, at the end.

The woods here are dense with a mossy understory. Growing here and there, it’s some plants of interest and common to the Alberta Rockies in open areas. Bright in colour, it’s Paintbrush and edible (but you probably won’t like them) Buffaloberry. These are well liked by bears and are rich in nutrients, the fruit being bright red in colour and growing in small bunches below sets of leaves. They were also food for indigenous groups back when. Even with heaps of sugar, or incorporation into other dishes sparingly, they still impart a bitter taste.

1) Joe & Isaac were here.

Under the white sheet it’s large format film photographer Rob Pohl, someone who’s no stranger to readers of this website. While our styles of photography, and techniques and methods, are quite different, we seem to all gel and hang out together often. The cape is needed to block the light on the viewing screen, to confirm composition and focus. It really slows down the shooting process, which actually is good and something we should all emulate more. Breath, take your time, relax, enjoy the process.

This cabin may make inclusion in the book we announced recently. We’re working with Coinoath Sarsfeld, an amazing photographer, who also documented the cabin and hope to use some of his amazing night shots captured. Coinoath, also supplied the history of the cabin, which we’re grateful for. We’ll be collaborating with a number of our favourite “abandoned places” photographers on this project (Rob too). It’s more fun with friends.

Till the next “cabin in the woods”, keep on keeping on…

They’re saying…

”Great people and great articles! I am honoured to know both Chris & Connie and to also have collaborated on photo trips or helped with research. Top Notch!” Jason Paul Sailer.

Middle of nowhere stuff…
Cabin in the Woods – a stunning mountain backdrop.
Green Door Ranch – as remote as it gets.
The Stone House – nothing around for miles, with Rob.

If you wish more information on what you’ve seen here, by all means contact us!

Date of Adventure: August, 2019.
Location(s): Banff Park, AB.
Article references and thanks: Coinoath Sarsfield & Rob Pohl.

2) Bob dropped by in 1956.

3) Violet (sp) Leapard, 1955.

4) Hugh from Collingwood.

5) “Satchel Ass” Johnston.

6) From 1957 and 1959.

It still could be used in a pinch.

The building is just over a hundred years old.

There’s always an old metal bucket lying about.

Built by someone with skill.

The fruit of Buffaloberry are edible, but…

Out back, the “office”.

The caped wonder…

Painbrush grows all over the Rockies.

7) On every surface…

8) Visited in 1935 and 1961.

9) Headed for Banff…

One in a network of Rockies Ranger Cabins.

BYOB – Bring your own bedding.