Beaver Mines

Beaver Mines
Hamlet
Beaver Mines

Location of Beaver Mines in Alberta

Coordinates: 49°27′24″N 114°11′50″W / 49.45667°N 114.19722°WCoordinates: 49°27′24″N 114°11′50″W / 49.45667°N 114.19722°W
Country Canada
Province Alberta
Region Southern Alberta
Municipal district Municipal District of Pincher Creek No. 9
Census Division No. 3
Government
 • Governing body Municipal District of Pincher Creek No. 9
Elevation 1,300 m (4,300 ft)
Population (2011)[1]
 • Total 80
Time zone MST (UTC-8)
Highways 774, 507
Waterways Castle River

Beaver Mines is a hamlet in southern Alberta, Canada within the Municipal District of Pincher Creek No. 9.[2] It is located in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies on Highway 507, approximately 19 km (12 mi) west of Pincher Creek.

History

The community was formed with the opening of a coal mine in the early 1900s. At one time Beaver Mines had over 1,500 residents. Because of the requirement for steel (rail tracks) during the wars and the reduction in the need for coal, the coal mines eventually closed and the community residents moved away. The last mine shut down its operations in 1971 and currently the mine site and many of the building foundations are on private land. For the past 30 years Beaver Mines has been considered a ghost town and has had numerous write-ups in ghost town books.

Contemporary issues

Currently, due largely to the expansion of Castle Mountain Resort and the growth of Calgary to the north, the hamlet has begun to grow again as a popular recreational destination.

Climate

Climate data for Beaver Mines
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 13.3
(55.9)		 16.5
(61.7)		 19.5
(67.1)		 30.6
(87.1)		 30.0
(86)		 32.2
(90)		 35.6
(96.1)		 33.9
(93)		 35.0
(95)		 28.3
(82.9)		 23.9
(75)		 21.1
(70)		 35.6
(96.1)
Average high °C (°F) −1.6
(29.1)		 0.7
(33.3)		 4.4
(39.9)		 10.1
(50.2)		 15.0
(59)		 19.0
(66.2)		 22.6
(72.7)		 22.4
(72.3)		 17.3
(63.1)		 11.5
(52.7)		 2.8
(37)		 −1.0
(30.2)		 10.3
(50.5)
Daily mean °C (°F) −6.6
(20.1)		 −4.2
(24.4)		 −0.7
(30.7)		 4.4
(39.9)		 9.0
(48.2)		 12.7
(54.9)		 15.5
(59.9)		 15.1
(59.2)		 10.7
(51.3)		 6.0
(42.8)		 −1.5
(29.3)		 −5.4
(22.3)		 4.6
(40.3)
Average low °C (°F) −11.5
(11.3)		 −9.1
(15.6)		 −5.8
(21.6)		 −1.4
(29.5)		 2.9
(37.2)		 6.4
(43.5)		 8.3
(46.9)		 7.9
(46.2)		 4.2
(39.6)		 0.5
(32.9)		 −5.7
(21.7)		 −9.8
(14.4)		 −1.1
(30)
Record low °C (°F) −45.6
(−50.1)		 −43.3
(−45.9)		 −39.4
(−38.9)		 −27.8
(−18)		 −20.6
(−5.1)		 −3.9
(25)		 −3.5
(25.7)		 −7.0
(19.4)		 −11.7
(10.9)		 −29.4
(−20.9)		 −38.3
(−36.9)		 −44.4
(−47.9)		 −45.6
(−50.1)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 42.8
(1.685)		 36.6
(1.441)		 45.4
(1.787)		 56.3
(2.217)		 89.6
(3.528)		 82.3
(3.24)		 59.7
(2.35)		 54.4
(2.142)		 55.2
(2.173)		 40.8
(1.606)		 48.4
(1.906)		 43.0
(1.693)		 654.4
(25.764)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 4.4
(0.173)		 3.0
(0.118)		 3.3
(0.13)		 17.2
(0.677)		 77.0
(3.031)		 82.0
(3.228)		 59.7
(2.35)		 53.0
(2.087)		 48.8
(1.921)		 18.2
(0.717)		 11.3
(0.445)		 6.3
(0.248)		 384.2
(15.126)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 38.4
(15.12)		 33.6
(13.23)		 42.1
(16.57)		 39.1
(15.39)		 12.6
(4.96)		 0.3
(0.12)		 0.0
(0)		 1.3
(0.51)		 6.4
(2.52)		 22.6
(8.9)		 37.1
(14.61)		 36.7
(14.45)		 270.2
(106.38)
Avg. precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) 7.6 7.0 8.2 7.9 11.0 10.3 8.2 8.7 7.7 6.6 7.8 7.4 98.3
Avg. rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) 1.2 0.9 1.6 4.0 10.3 10.3 8.2 8.6 7.3 4.1 2.9 1.5 60.9
Avg. snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) 6.8 6.2 7.0 4.8 1.8 0.0 0.0 0.1 1.2 3.3 5.4 6.3 43.1
Source: Environment Canada[3]

Demographics

As a designated place in the 2011 Census, Beaver Mines had a population of 80 living in 34 of its 55 total dwellings, a 12.7% change from its 2006 population of 71. With a land area of 0.68 km2 (0.26 sq mi), it had a population density of 118/km2 (305/sq mi) in 2011.[1]

See also

References

Crowsnest Pass Longview Cowley
Canadian Rockies Pincher Creek
   Beaver Mines  
Castle Mountain Resort Waterton Lakes National Park Hill Spring