| Rocky Mountain House | |||
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| — Town — | |||
| Town of Rocky Mountain House | |||
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Rocky Mountain House
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| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | Canada | ||
| Province | Alberta | ||
| Region | Central Alberta | ||
| Census division | 9 | ||
| County | Clearwater | ||
| Founded | 1799 | ||
| Incorporated | 1912 (Town) | ||
| Government[1] | |||
| • Mayor | Fred Nash | ||
| • Governing body | Rocky Mountain House Town Council | ||
| • MP | Blaine Calkins | ||
| • MLA | Ty Lund | ||
| Area (2006)[2] | |||
| • Total | 12.44 km2 (4.8 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 989 m (3,245 ft) | ||
| Population (2006)[2] | |||
| • Total | 6,874 | ||
| • Density | 552.6/km2 (1,431.2/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | MST (UTC−7) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | MDT (UTC−6) | ||
| Postal code span | T4T | ||
| Area code(s) | +1-403 | ||
| Highways | David Thompson Highway Cowboy Trail |
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| Waterways | North Saskatchewan River | ||
| Website | Town of Rocky Mountain House | ||
Rocky Mountain House is a town in west-central Alberta, Canada, approximately 77 km (48 mi) west of the City of Red Deer. It is located at the confluence of the Clearwater and North Saskatchewan Rivers, and at the crossroads of Highway 22 (Cowboy Trail) and Highway 11 (David Thompson Highway).
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The town has a long history dating to the 18th century with the presence of British and Canadian fur traders during the westward Canadian expansion. In 1799 the Hudson's Bay Company and the North West Company each established the Rocky Mountain House and Acton House fur trading posts. Trade with the local aboriginal peoples continued until 1821 when the companies merged, they continued to trade until 1875 (Parks Canada) and closed the Rocky Mountain House post. The name of the settlement however remained.
The Rocky Mountain House settlement also served as a launching point for many explorers such as David Thompson, in search for a passage west to the Pacific Ocean. Many travellers used this location as a stop on their way further west or northwest, just as they do into the 21st century.
The next wave of adventurers entered the region at the beginning of the 20th century in search of opportunities presented by lush farmland and the abundance of natural resources. Rocky Mountain House became a firmly established town by 1912. Settlers of Scandinavian origin made up a significant part of early 20th century settlement in the region.
The population of the Town of Rocky Mountain House according to its 2007 municipal census is 7,231.[3]
In 2006, Rocky Mountain House had a population of 6,874 living in 2,719 dwellings, a 10.7% increase from 2001. The town has a land area of 12.44 km2 (4.80 sq mi) and a population density of 552.6 /km2 (1,431 /sq mi).[2]
The economy of the Rocky Mountain House area is driven by petroleum, agriculture, and forestry.[4] Tourism also plays a role in its economy[4] due to its location at the crossroads of Highway 22 and Highway 11, and its location midway between Red Deer and the scenic Alberta's Rockies region.
Like much of rural Alberta, Rocky Mountain House is a Progressive Conservative stronghold. From 1935 to 1971, the Social Credit Party's Alf Hooke held this seat and support for that party is still strong- the party's leader Lavern Ahlstrom has polled well in the last two elections, far above his party's average.
The town council of Rocky Mountain House consists of Mayor Fred Nash, Councillor Sandy Anderson, Councillor Sheila Mizera, Councillor Randy Saler, Councillor Ernie Murias, Councillor Bill Symko, and Councillor Donald Verhessen.
Rocky Mountain House has a subarctic climate (Köppen climate classification Dfc) that borders on a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb).
| Climate data for Rocky Mountain House | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 15.7 (60.3) |
19 (66) |
18.4 (65.1) |
27.7 (81.9) |
31 (88) |
30.1 (86.2) |
32.1 (89.8) |
32.5 (90.5) |
31.6 (88.9) |
28.8 (83.8) |
20.7 (69.3) |
16.4 (61.5) |
32.5 (90.5) |
| Average high °C (°F) | −4.1 (24.6) |
−2.7 (27.1) |
3.2 (37.8) |
10.5 (50.9) |
16 (61) |
19.4 (66.9) |
21.3 (70.3) |
20.9 (69.6) |
16.1 (61.0) |
11.2 (52.2) |
1.1 (34.0) |
−3.8 (25.2) |
9.1 (48.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −11.1 (12.0) |
−9.6 (14.7) |
−3.4 (25.9) |
3.6 (38.5) |
8.9 (48.0) |
12.8 (55.0) |
14.7 (58.5) |
14 (57) |
9 (48) |
4 (39) |
−5.3 (22.5) |
−10.5 (13.1) |
2.3 (36.1) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −18 (0) |
−16.4 (2.5) |
−9.9 (14.2) |
−3.4 (25.9) |
1.7 (35.1) |
6.2 (43.2) |
8 (46) |
7 (45) |
1.8 (35.2) |
−3.2 (26.2) |
−11.8 (10.8) |
−17.2 (1.0) |
−4.6 (23.7) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −41 (−42) |
−44.1 (−47.4) |
−37.1 (−34.8) |
−27.2 (−17.0) |
−7.5 (18.5) |
−2 (28) |
0.2 (32.4) |
−4.1 (24.6) |
−9.6 (14.7) |
−30.1 (−22.2) |
−38.7 (−37.7) |
−43.7 (−46.7) |
−44.1 (−47.4) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 18.4 (0.724) |
14.3 (0.563) |
17.3 (0.681) |
25.1 (0.988) |
66.7 (2.626) |
84.4 (3.323) |
107.1 (4.217) |
68.1 (2.681) |
70.1 (2.76) |
26.5 (1.043) |
18.8 (0.74) |
18.5 (0.728) |
535.4 (21.079) |
| Source: Environment Canada[5] | |||||||||||||
The Recreation, Parks & Community Services Department hosts five annual tournaments. They include two slo-pitch, a sno-pitch, a volleyball and a hockey/slo-pitch combined tournament.
Other amenities include a swimming pool, an ice surface, tennis courts and skatepark.
| Edson | Drayton Valley | Rimbey | ||
| Saskatchewan River Crossing | Eckville | |||
| Rocky Mountain House | ||||
| Bighorn Highway | Caroline | Red Deer |