Heading home to Whitefish from a conference in Pincher Creek in February, we drove headlong into one of the Crown's famous atmospheric collisions between a northern arctic blast and a moisture-laden Pacific front. Poor visibility and icy conditions forced the closure of Crowsnest Pass. That's when we learned what Alberta hospitality is all about. We found our way to downtown Blairmore where we discovered a warm and inviting refuge at the Tin Roof Grill in the beautifully restored Alberta Hotel building. Owners Kelly and Sandy Kizan have established a clean, contemporary dining environment with excellent food. The menu is simple, which makes it easier for a small-town restaurant to provide consistent high-quality food.

Our selections stayed on the casual side, with salads, nachos, a tasty thin-crust pizza, and homemade pecan pie. Later, relating our culinary delight to friends, I learned that the Tin Roof may be best known for its delectable ribs and crisply cooked vegetables, which are purchased from local farmers when available.

Meanwhile, hundreds of drivers found themselves stranded in the communities of Crowsnest Pass and no-vacancy signs quickly sprung up at all the motels. So Dawn Rigby, manager of the Crowsnest Centre, opened up the community building for the night. “Every room was taken, with 120 beds. Probably 40 or more people stayed in the main hall on cots,” Rigby told the Crownest Pass Reporter. “We gave them a place to stay and they were generally very receptive,” she said.

Rigby said she had a local resident come to the centre to say she had three rooms in her house she could offer.

Thank you to the residents, businesses and Municipality of Crowsnest Pass for turning a brutal winter night into a warm memory.

Casual Family Dining

Tuesday - Friday, 11:30 - 9; Saturday, 4:30 - 9, Closed Sunday-Monday