The Basin Record Newsletter Vol.7 Issue 2

Published by the Columbia Basin Institute of Regional History CBIRH Newsletter : Vol. 7 No.2 OldGloryMountain is thehighest peak in theRossland rangeof the Monashees. It has an elevationof 2377m. or 7798 ft. and is located at 49◦ 9’ North latitudeand117◦ 55’West in longitudeapproximate- ly 12 miles NW of Rossland. The weather station was the highest mannedstation inNorthAmericaandquitepossiblyintheworld. The weather station was built over the summers of 1942 and 1943 by a Doukhobor crew from Castlegar. All materials were hauled by pack horses including the cement mixed on site for the foundationsandcistern. Thestationwasanchoredat thetopcorners using one and a half inch steel cables attached to huge eyebolts ce- mented inbedrock. A lightningarrestor system includedsix rods one on each corner and two on the chimney attached to copper wires that leddownthemountain. It officially opened on October 1, 1944. Operated by the federal Department of Transportation to provide weather information for aircraft, particularly for Trans-Canada Airlines (the predecessor of Air Canada). The stationwasmanned by threemeteorological technicians who would provide hourly weather information by radio 24 hours a day. Although the Department had a policy against men serving more than a year due to health concerns, several men served doubles. Approximately44menservedat thestationfrom1948to1968,with Al Laatschrecordingnineyearsonthemountain. Electricitywas provided by a bank of 32 volt batteries charged by twoOnan gas generators. Lighting drained the batteries quickly and wasn’t bright enough to read by. The electricity was used to power the two large tube radios. A telephone line ran from tree to tree to base camp and then by pole to Rossland. The line was often out of service due to tree falls and avalanches. The space was heated by a coal furnace. During the winter the station was well insulated by a thickcoatof ice. Travel inandoutof thestationduringwinterwasby ski, usingseal skins when necessary, and always in pairs for safety. Many sections of the journey went through avalanche paths. No one was ever se- verely injured or killed but there were close calls. In Rossland, the Department renteda roomat theAllanHotel for the technicians.On thewaywas theYodel Inn, a ski cabin, inSquawBasin thatwasused for shelter if theweatherturned. All supplies for the yearwere packed in by horse during the short summer. Everything the station needed including coal, gasoline, food, and hydrogen (for weather balloons) was hauled up by horse back. Wilf Gibbard won the contract in 1948 with his seven horses anddidsountil 1967.Heandhiswife, Ruth, andtheir childrenwould stayatO’Brien’s ranchonHannahcreekduringthehaulingseason. Weather in summer brought inevitable lightning storms. St. Elmo’s fire would form on the lightning rods and pinwheel off the wires. Thestationwouldsuffer severaldirect strikesduringstorms. One technician was severely electrocuted during a lightning storm and suffered injuries from which he never recovered. The arrestor system as well as all the electronics were replaced after a severe lightningstormin1955ravagedeverythingmetal inthestation. On January 2, 1968, as the result of an overheated furnace, the station burnt to the foundation. Bill Raithby the lone technician at the station barely escaped in his underwear. He sheltered in the un- heated forestry lookout and would have frozen to death if a rescue party hadn’t arrived. They kept himwarmandwere able to get him out. Thestationwasnever rebuiltduetothecostand improvedfore- casting . The Weathermen on Old Glory 2283.0009 — Old Glory Station c. 1960 Name:____________________________________________________________________ Mailing Address:____________________________________________________________ Phone Number:_____________________________________________________________ Email Address:_____________________________________________________________ Please drop off or mail this form with payments in cash, cheque or money order to Columbia Basin Institute of Regional History. Suite #105, 105-9th Ave South, Cranbrook, BC V1C 2M1 | Telephone: 1-250-489-9150 | E-mail: info@basininstitute.org Annual Membership Fee : Basic $ 5.00 : Individual $ 25.00 : Family $ 40.00 : Institutional $ 50.00 : Corporate $ 200.00 Become a Member of CBIRH