100 years ago on March 4th, the largest avalanche in Canadian history claimed the lives of 58 men

In a late-evening blizzard, CPR Road Master John Anderson toiled alongside 60 men to clear an avalanche that had covered hundreds of metres of track near the summit of Rogers Pass, BC. As the workers and their machinery punched a trench through the deep snow on the tracks, Anderson walked to the watchman’s shack to advise the Revelstoke dispatcher of their progress. On his return, he was met with an eerie silence. A second avalanche had come down from the other side of the valley, entombing the workers and taking 58 lives.

2010 - Commemorative Events

Since that fateful night, little has changed in the mountain environment; yet everything has changed in the way we interact with the many elements that create avalanches and avalanche hazard. Today, Rogers Pass in Glacier National Park is not only a vital transportation corridor but also home to some of the world’s most advanced avalanche risk management programs and scientific research. During the centennial year of this tragedy, we invite you to join in telling the story of this accident and how it helped set the stage for the myriad of changes that allows Canadians and our visitors to travel safely through the stunning beauty of our winter mountains.

Events Schedule

March 4, 2010
12:00 noon: Opening ceremony for a special exhibit on the development of avalanche safety over the past century at the Canadian Avalanche Centre, Grizzly Plaza, Revelstoke.

7:00 pm: 1910 Avalanche Memorial Service at Grizzly Plaza in downtown Revelstoke.

August 13, 2010
7:00 pm: Opening ceremony for a special exhibit featuring the snow-clearing techniques used in 1910 at the Revelstoke Railway Museum, Revelstoke. Check with the Railway Museum for other related events during Revelstoke's annual Railway Days Festival, August 13-22.

August 14, 2010
11:00 am: Opening ceremony for a special exhibit at the Revelstoke Museum and Archives featuring the lives of the men involved in the 1910 slide and the impact of the slide on the community.

August 15, 2010
2:00 pm: 1910 Memorial Service at the site of the 1910 slide in Rogers Pass, Summit of Rogers Pass Picnic Area, Rogers Pass National Historic Site.

• Brochure with more detailed information on the commemorative events of the 1910 Rogers Pass Slide This brochure gives a quick overview of the Canadian Pacific Railroad's 125-year challenge with snowslides in Rogers Pass, BC. It includes the milestones in avalanche safety made through the years and as well includes a schedule of commemorative events for 2010.

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