The "ABCs of BBM": Round 965! (Rules in first post)

[Fran]

Site Name: Dance Hall (Exterior)

Travel Directions:
From Hwy 1 (Trans-Canada Hwy), take Hwy 21 north to Township Road 263. Turn right (east) on 263.  Rockyford is at the intersection of 263 and Range Road 233.  The CIBC Bank stands at the corner of 1st Avenue and Main Street, diagonally across from the Riverton Post Office.

Remarks:
What Randall and Jack started inside the dance hall (actually some 65 km away in downtown Calgary, AB) continued on the bench outside the CIBC Bank in Rockyford.  Awnings, a red carpet, and a bench upgrade magnificently transformed this prairie farmers' bank into Childress' swankiest dance hall.

Of course, you are surrounded by Brokeback here.  When you have finished admiring the "dance hall," check out the nearby rodeo grounds, JT's Bar, and the Riverton Post Office.

[FindingBrokeback.com]

=aside= Sandy

[southendmd]

Location: King Edward Hotel, 9th Avenue SW and Fourth Street SE, Calgary, AB
GPS:   51d 2m 39.90s    -114d 3m 12.48s
Map/Satellite Image: Google Link
Site Name: Electra, Texas, (Clown) Bar
 

Travel Directions:
On 9th Avenue SW, at Fourth Street SE, between Macleod Trail and Fort Calgary Historic Park.
Remarks:
In spite of his charms, Jack could not score with Jimbo (played by Calgary local Tom Carey) here. Similarly, the King Edward (King Eddie) has been unable to lure enough of its SE Calgary neighbors to remain solvent. Run down and contaminated by “toxic mold,” this century-old hotel and blues bar was boarded up two weeks after Brokeback Mountain filming was completed in August 2004. The area is now slated for redevelopment, with proposals for the King Eddie's renewal being considered. See:

http://www.savethekingeddy.ca/

If you walk three blocks along 9th Avenue to the east, you will find Fort Calgary (or a reconstruction thereof) and a museum/interpretive center. At this juncture of the Elbow and Bow rivers, Calgary had its humble beginnings as a North-West Mounted Police outpost in 1875. As did their predecessors, today's Mounties always seem to get their man.
 
(findingbrokeback.com)

[Toast]

Location: Elbow Creek Day Use Area
Site Name: "Maybe Texas" Riverside
 
Travel Directions:
Bragg Creek Provincial Park. Follow Hwy 66 west to Elbow Falls Day Use Area. As you enter, the site is to the immediate right at the most upstream portion of the area.

Remarks:
Jack had been rebuffed many times before they returned to this scenic spot (it is very close to the “Sweet Life” scene location). Nevertheless, when the opportunity presented itself, he gently suggested “Maybe Texas,” but the answer was the same as it always was, and always would be.

While you are here, follow the path downriver to gorgeous Elbow Falls, one of Alberta's most scenic spots. It is a testament to the filmmakers' passion for the Brokeback story that for the dialog scenes they consistently resisted some of the most stunning scenery imaginable to keep the focus on the actors and their words.

Important:
Consult with wardens and take suitable precautions in Off-Highway Vehicle areas.

Quotation:
“You ever get the feelin’ when you’re in town and someone looks at you, suspicious, like he knows?”

[Meryl]

Grizzly Creek forms a part of the northeast border of Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, the site of many beautiful locations for Brokeback Mountain.

[southendmd]

"Fort Macleod is another honeypot: the Laundry Apartment and the Steps, the ELKS Building, the Divorce Courtroom, the Fireworks Field, Cassie’s Bar, and the Bus Station Café. North of Fort Macleod and west of the town of Claresholm is the site of both Ennis and Alma’s Lonesome Ranch and the Divorce Meeting Cabin. Paradoxically, they are very close to one another."

(findingbrokeback.com)

[memento]

Site Name: Campsite #1

Travel Directions:
Hwy 66 west from Bragg Creek to “Kananaskis Country” sign and Information Center, continue 10.5 km to Canyon Creek Road, right (north) on Canyon Creek Road 0.8 km to locked gate and parking area. Following a well-maintained gravel road, walk 3.0 km (north) to the bridge, then past two gas metering stations. After you pass four concrete barriers to the left side of the road (Sheep Valley vista) look for a road which intersects from the right and a culvert under Canyon Creek Road.

As you face the left side of Canyon Creek Road with both the culvert and the intersection to your right, look for an overgrown path blocked by large stones ahead to your left. (For reference purposes, this location is 5.02 km north of the gate and is 50d 54m 7.08s, -114d 47m 43.44s.) Proceed 200' turn right at the gravel path, go 200' and turn left. The site is on the creek bank near the circle of campfire stones.

Remarks:
Though not for the first or last time, Jack enjoyed recalling his rodeoin’ days here at Campsite #1. Ennis had a few things to say, as well. The circle of campfire stones, two stumps, and the components of the meat rack, tripod, and saddle stand remain in place. By all means, discover and enjoy all of these left-behinds and, just as Ennis and Jack did, leave them there for others to appreciate. The trail to the famous Ice Caves lies beyond the Canyon Creek Road intersection and to the right. Due to many accidents, the caves were officially closed to the public in 2000.

[FindingBrokeback.com]

[Fran]

Oscar smiled on the Alberta film industry Sunday night when  Brokeback Mountain won three Academy Awards.

The film, about a love that develops between two Wyoming cowboys, was shot in southern Alberta, with local crews.

A number of the film's crewmembers reunited to watch the glitzy awards broadcast at a Calgary hotel.

"This has brought Alberta out for the world to see," said Jordie Randall, one of the film's Alberta producers. "This is a first class film industry, and the best films in the world can be made in Alberta."

-- CBC.ca

[southendmd]

Location: Mount Lorette view from Hwy 40 south
GPS:   50d 58m 12.06s    -115d 6m 33.90s
Map/Satellite Image: Google Link
Site Name: Two Peaks
 

Travel Directions:
View from the east side of Hwy 40, next to the Kananaskis Golf Course entrance.
Remarks:
Mount Lorette, like many of its neighboring peaks, is named for WW I military campaigns in which Canadians played a role. Standing 2,469 m / 8,101' at Skogan Pass, its profile is a signature image of the imposing Kananaskis Range.

The shot in the film was probably made from neighboring Mt. Baldy, but the perspective from the Lorette Ponds parking area is almost identical and equally inspiring.

The Mt. Baldy hike is a popular day hike among locals. Experienced, hard-core technical rock climbers may want to attempt Mt. Lorette.  (findingbrokeback.com)
 

[memento]

Site Name: Twist Home Office

Travel Directions:
From downtown Calgary, south on Macleod Trail right (west) on Elbow to Glenmore.

Remarks:
Jack showed parental concern and hunted for his parka while Lureen continued her own hunt for extra zeros at this abandoned house south of downtown Calgary. After looking at several possibilities, the filmmakers chose the house that suggested wealth.

If you are able to pry your eyes from Lureen's ever-expanding hairdo, note the wall decorations which incorporate mounted rodeo buckles. Undoubtedly, these are intended to memorialize a simpler and happier time in Jack's life. They seem to be to be very much out of place on the wall of mirrored foil wallpaper, just as Jack must have felt himself a stranger in that town, that job, that family, and that bed.

[Findingbrokeback.com]

[Toast]

Beiseker, Carseland, Dorothy, Rockyford, Dinton, and Blackie:

This cluster of “vintage” towns generally east and northeast of Calgary can be done as a group. Beiseker has the Siesta Motel, the site of Ennis’ Trailer and, east of town, the amazing Twist Ranch (see special cautions in “Travel Reminders and Suggestions”).

Carseland has the Drop Off and the Signal Bar. (If you are really in this deep, it is also the site of the Signal Gas Station scene, which was cut.)

Dorothy, which is a bit out of the way, is quite interesting in its own right, a ghost town with lots of worn, rustic, and somewhat romantic buildings. This geologically unique area is known as Alberta’s Badlands. The only Brokeback action here is Ennis’ Flashback.

Rockyford is a trove of great Brokeback sites: the Childress Dance Hall Façade, the Riverton Post Office, JT’s Bar and the Phone Booth, Lureen and Jack’s Parking Spot, as well as the Electra and Childress Rodeo Grounds. All of these are within spitting distance of one another.

Tiny Dinton won’t take you long. The Church and Drive-In field are opposite one another. A few minutes away, Blackie has the Riverton Fight (Thanksgiving) Bar.

FindingBrokeback.Com:  Planning a BBM Trip