Head Smashed In

Back in the day, the Blackfoot (the local first nation people) used to round up bison and stampede them off the small cliff on the left of this blip. A brutal but very effective way of providing bulk food for a tribe

In Blackfoot, the name for the site is Estipah-skikikini-kots (Head Smashed In), but not for the reason you think.

According to legend, a young Blackfoot warrior wanted to watch the bison plunge off the cliff from below, but was buried underneath the falling animals. He was later found dead under the pile of carcasses, where he had his head smashed in.

Somewhat ironic really.

You get something of a sense of the vastness and stillness of the Alberta prairies in this shot.