The 2014 Conference registration guide will soon be going to print. Thank you to all who submitted session proposals and have contributed to what promises to be a fabulous conference. To whet your appetite, here’s a sneak-peak at one of the optional tours that will be offered on June 21.
Badlands, Dinosaurs and Coal Mines
Head east from Calgary to the world famous Drumheller Valley – home of badlands, dinosaurs and coal mines! A photo stop at Horseshoe Canyon will take your breath away as you view the beautiful badlands of the Red Deer River. Explore the Seven Wonders of the Badlands on a scenic short guided hike to uncover how this landscape was formed, look for fossils and wildlife, and hear stories of early Canadian and American dinosaur hunters. Then step in the doors of the Royal Tyrrell Museum and discover 60 million years of fossil history and one of the world’s largest displays of dinosaurs! Dive beneath the seas with mososaurs and pleiseosaurs, explore a Devonian reef, step back to the ice age, and be amazed as you walk beside hadrosaurs, horned dinosaurs, raptors and the awe inspiring Tyrannosaurus rex!
After lunch we will continue through the scenic valley, past old mining towns, with a photo stop at the iconic Drumheller hoodoos, before arriving at the nationally designated historic Atlas Coal Mine. Here, hard work, innovative programming and a grand vision, have brought the old mine back to life. We will hop on board the vintage mine train to visit the Wash House and Mine Office, immerse ourselves in the life of the miners through hands on activities, take a short jaunt up the last wooden tipple in Canada and then head underground to experience life in the tunnels. Along the way our dynamic Atlas Interpreter will regale us with real stories of the Drumheller Valley and the men who dug for coal, historic characters can be expected to flag down the train or try to recruit investors to the mine, and we will meet a real life 5th generation miner for stories and Q&A at the end of an amazing day.
ALHFAM 