Land Of The Chinook (1970)

[Music] Shinook. The warm wind of winter. One of the special things about a very special province, Alberta, where winters a season of warm welcome. [Music] Here, nature extends a smiling invitation to explore old trails under new guises and in new ways. Modern mechanical ingenuity makes that invitation easier than ever to answer and more fun. [Music] There's a natural partnership between snowmobiles and sunshine. [Music] It's a happy form of pioneering, opening new access to winter leisure. private snowmobiling can be a picnic and best of all, no ants. [Music] But the same machines that lead to a leisurely amble along a snow rimmed river can rev up a 100 mph round of spectacular sport excitement. [Music] [Music] At the North American Snowmobile Championships in Watasquin, spectators pulses pound to the same churning tempo that roars through specially adapted racing engines. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] Fishermen are always winners in Alberta. [Music] [Music] The protective layer of ice augers well for the anglers above it, though not so well for the fin catch lurking below. [Music] In an up tothe-minute portable ice shelter, there's no room for a generation gap. [Music] [Music] [Applause] Sunday in the park is Sunday on the ice all across the province when lakes turn into family playrooms. [Music] It's an Alberta trait to maintain ancient tradition but in the most modern manner. Curling the roaring game immigrated with the early settlers from Scotland. Now curling has moved inside into polished interiors and the 45lb chunk of granite has become a sophisticated sphere a modern sculptor might envy. But the spirit and the aim of the game are still the same. spirits also. sore when summer sails turn into glistening sheets that catch the western winds of the Chinook. Ice boats such as these skim over the glittering surface at speeds exceeding 70 m an hour. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Applause] When it's time for a change of tempo, things slow down to a happy jog truck. [Applause] With a reminiscent jingle of bells, a gentle team pulls an old-fashioned sleigh through snowy woods. [Music] This quiet detour from the present to the past provides a tranquil antidote to the Russia day world. [Music] It's a today and yesterday way for groups of families to rediscover the shared pleasures of a bright winter's outing. [Music] At the catered cookout, the only source of tension arises from the household pet who isn't quite certain he'll be allowed his portion of togetherness. The annual dog team race from Fort Chippoan to Fort McMurray is one of the most arduous tests of the partnership between man and beast on the North American continent. Up to 30 teams may compete in the 4-day track. Boy, he likes it. >> 5 seconds. Go. The 205 mile course covers terrain typical of the country where men like these regularly run their trap lines. [Music] Where is he? Excitement mounts steadily as they forge toward the finish line [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Along with the winner's trophy go some beautiful fringe benefits. There's a special kind of lift awaiting adventurous skiers who head for the rugged high country of the Canonascus region. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] Glacier skiing is one of the most exciting variations of the sport and one of the most demanding, calling for the ultimate in expertise. [Music] for those not so expert videotape aids the instructor aid them >> your chest >> bend your outside leg as well as your inside leg in other words bend both of them equally You see, then your skis will carve better. And Judy, here you see again, your skis are sliding away. They're not really carving because your body position is too erect, too straight. Now, if you just push both knees forward, you see >> when school's out, >> it's out and onto some of the finest slopes in North America. [Music] Unlike the weary travelers who plotted the early Klondike trails, these prospectors mine the white gold of winter the easy way. [Music] skiers find throughout the province every kind of slope in areas as varied and colorful as the names of some of their famous runs. Widow Maker and Paradise, Stony and Dramadary, Showoff and Tranquilizer. [Music] Wherever the skier chooses to go, you'll find the kind of up-to-date equipment and facilities that make skiing one of the most popular all family winter sports. [Music] in these Canadian Rockies. Skiers take a vertical rise of over 2,000 ft for granted. [Music] But one thing nobody ever takes quite for granted is the magnificence of the scenery. [Music] Southern Alberta's glistening grades with their annual average snowfall of 7 ft spell out an invitation to ski terrain as fine as can be found anywhere. [Music] At any area in the province, the skier will find modern base lodges, expert instructors gathered in from all across the wide white world of skiing, and lifts of all kinds. [Music] But the runs themselves are what essentially count. And to ski the fall line of a mountain such as Norway is an unforgettable experience. [Music] It's true Alberta loves skiers. and not only skiers but all her visitors. The province offers its guests accommodations as varied as their vacation plans. [Music] A warmth of welcome waits everywhere. It can be found fireside or poolside. [Music] Nature fires the furnace for these natural hot springs. [Music] At 100°, mid-inter outdoor swimming is great. Wet, warm, and wonderful. [Music] [Music] As day draws gracefully toward dusk, nature takes over, asserting the quiet sovereignty of natural splendor. [Music] In Alberta, the simplicity of nature is happily complemented by the sophisticated elegance of contemporary living. [Music] All across the province, visitors enjoy the cosmopolitan pleasures of gourmet dining. [Music] For nighttime relaxing, there's the convivial atmosphere of after-d dark fun. [Music] Woohoo! [Music] throughout the Canadian Rockies. The bright flares of welcome are lit for the traveler. [Music] Beacons that burn the whole winter long to beckon visitors to the land of the Chinook. [Music] Hallelujah. [Music]