Andy McCracken, a septuagenarian, takes a moment before dialing his late father’s number on a vintage rotary phone one sunny day in late July. Standing in a small wooden structure next to a graveyard in Alberta’s Rocky Mountain foothills, he uses a “wind phone” to have a one-way conversation with his deceased loved ones. This symbolic phone, overlooking the valley of a former coal mining town turned ghost town, allows visitors to connect with the departed.
Located at Mountain Park Cemetery in Yellowhead County, the highest elevation cemetery in Canada, the wind phone stands close to 1,900 meters above sea level, making it the highest elevation wind phone in North America. Yellowhead County installed this unique communication tool at Mountain Park in July.
When the time comes for Andy and his wife Anne McCracken to be laid to rest, their ashes will also find a final resting place at Mountain Park. The couple, currently residing in Edson, Alberta, are eligible for a plot due to Andy’s birth in a Coal Branch town near Mountain Park, where his father served as the mine doctor.
Reflecting on his roots, Andy McCracken expresses gratitude to his father for his birth in Luscar, Alberta, in 1953 and for the continued enjoyment of the mountains. He bids farewell, sending love and greetings to his late parents through the wind phone.
Established in 1911 as the terminus of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway line, Mountain Park thrived until the coal mine ceased operations in 1950. At its peak, the town was home to approximately 1,000 residents residing in 100 homes. Today, only the cemetery remains, with 269 documented burials dating back to 1913.
During an interview at the cemetery, Madison Sharman, the heritage co-ordinator for Yellowhead County, points out historical landmarks, including where the train tracks once split. With no road access during the mine’s operation, the train served as the town’s lifeline to the outside world.
Mountain Park residents found entertainment and community connections in the remote wilderness. Activities ranged from foot races up Mount Baldy to weekend dances in the nearby hamlet of Cadomin, a journey of an hour and a half down the train tracks.
Despite the allure of a simpler life in the subalpine region, the cemetery at Mountain Park tells stories of frontier hardships, including infant burials and tragedies from the Spanish flu pandemic and mining accidents. Visitors like Pat Rausch, who has been visiting since 1963, reflect on the challenges faced by early residents.
The cemetery restoration efforts led by volunteers, including the McCrackens, have preserved the history of Mountain Park. The couple has chosen a plot with a scenic view of Cheviot Mountain, finding comfort and joy in preparing for their final resting place.
Anne McCracken views their future burial spot as a peaceful resting place, while Andy sees it as a fitting return to his mountainous roots. Yellowhead County now oversees the management of Mountain Park Cemetery, ensuring the preservation of its history while accommodating new cremation burials for local residents.
Recent interments at the cemetery include notable figures like Frank and Agnes Lovsin, founders of Freson Bros., and John Mitchell, a D-Day veteran awarded France’s highest honor. Sharman emphasizes the welcoming nature of the cemetery’s residents, inviting visitors to pay their respects and enjoy the serene surroundings.
The wind phone booth at Mountain Park features a poem by Sharman, emphasizing the enduring nature of love and memories. Each story shared into the wind becomes a part of the landscape once again, symbolizing the timeless connections between the living and the departed.
